Hidden with Christ in God E-Book

Kevin McFadden

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: New Testament Theology
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

An Introduction to the Theology of Colossians and Philemon by Kevin W. McFadden Is our hope in the gospel of Christ sufficient for our every need? After reflecting on this question during periods of difficult earthly circumstances, Paul wrote two letters to the church at Colossae to express the hidden hope "laid up for you in heaven" (Colossians 1:5) and found in the person of Christ.  In this volume of the New Testament Theology series, author Kevin W. McFadden focuses on the specific teachings of Paul to examine the theology and themes of Colossians and Philemon. While reading this comprehensive yet concise study, believers will learn what it means to live a Christ-centered life as they explore Christ as hope, our knowledge of God, and our life above in heaven and here on earth.  - Part of the New Testament Theology Series: Other volumes include The Joy of Hearing; United to Christ, Walking in the Spirit; The Beginning of the Gospel; and more  - Ideal for Anyone Wanting to Study the Bible More Deeply: Perfect for pastors, seminarians, college students, and laypeople - Written by Kevin W. McFadden: Professor and author of Faith in the Son of God

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“Christ is our preeminent hope! Kevin McFadden demonstrates the reality of this grand statement from Colossians and Philemon. More importantly though, he exegetically, theologically, and pastorally applies this divine reality to our daily life ‘in Christ.’ We live in a new realm, one inaugurated by the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our God and King, Jesus Christ, who is not only preeminent but also sufficient. We have everything we need in him during our pilgrimage here on earth: faith, love, and hope—even in the most dire circumstances. What McFadden shows his readers is the glorious power of a hope-filled gospel that definitively proves one thing: ‘No one is without hope, and we should never give up hope.’ This book will water the garden of your heart with Christ, the hope of glory.”

David E. Briones, Associate Professor of New Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary

“Paul’s letter to the Colossians is focused on the supremacy, rule, and glory of Christ and all that he achieved through the cross. Kevin McFadden faithfully unpacks these themes so that our eyes are drawn to Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and understanding that far outstrip the empty philosophies of this world. McFadden’s book is not just a helpful resource on Colossians and Philemon for students and pastors; it will also encourage the heart of anyone wanting to dig deeper into the wonders of Christ.”

Claire Smith, New Testament scholar; author, God’s Good Design: What the Bible Really Says about Men and Women

“In this volume, Kevin McFadden has made an invaluable contribution to work on Colossians and Philemon. It’s written clear enough for everyone to benefit and substantial enough to satisfy scholars and students of New Testament theology. More importantly, McFadden not only lays out interpretive options but also makes persuasive cases on some exegetically difficult passages—all thoughtfully presented. This book is already helping me understand Paul better in these two letters, and for that, I am grateful.”

Robert S. Kinney, Director of Ministries, Charles Simeon Trust; Priest, Christ Church, Vienna, Austria

“Kevin McFadden has written a clear, accessible, exegetically faithful, and theologically rich book on Colossians and Philemon, pointing us as readers to our ultimate hope in Christ. Those who read this book may not agree with each of McFadden’s exegetical moves or with every theological insight, but readers should draw much encouragement from the important theme in his exposition that the believer’s life is indeed hidden in Christ.”

Jarvis J. Williams, Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Hidden with Christ in God

New Testament Theology

Edited by Thomas R. Schreiner and Brian S. Rosner

The Beginning of the Gospel: A Theology of Mark, Peter Orr

From the Manger to the Throne: A Theology of Luke, Benjamin L. Gladd

The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts, Patrick Schreiner

Ministry in the New Realm: A Theology of 2 Corinthians, Dane C. Ortlund

United to Christ, Walking in the Spirit: A Theology of Ephesians, Benjamin L. Merkle

Hidden with Christ in God: A Theology of Colossians and Philemon, Kevin W. McFadden

The God Who Judges and Saves: A Theology of 2 Peter and Jude, Matthew S. Harmon

The Joy of Hearing: A Theology of the Book of Revelation, Thomas R. Schreiner

Hidden with Christ in God

A Theology of Colossians and Philemon

Kevin W. McFadden

Hidden with Christ in God: A Theology of Colossians and Philemon

Copyright © 2023 by Kevin W. McFadden

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

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Series design: Kevin Lipp

First printing 2023

Printed in the United States of America

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Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-7656-0 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-7659-1 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-7657-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: McFadden, Kevin W., 1980– author.

Title: Hidden with Christ in God : a theology of Colossians and Philemon / Kevin W. McFadden.

Description: Wheaton, Illinois : Crossway, 2023. | Series: New Testament theology | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2022051501 (print) | LCCN 2022051502 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433576560 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433576577 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433576591 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Hope—Religious aspects—Christianity. | Jesus Christ.

Classification: LCC BV4638 .M454 2023 (print) | LCC BV4638 (ebook) | DDC 234/.25—dc23/eng/20230615

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022051501

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022051502

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2023-10-04 10:55:56 AM

For my sister Kelley†

Now and ever we confess

Christ our hope in life and death

Contents

Series Preface

Preface

Abbreviations

Prologue: Hope in Difficult Circumstances

1  Christ, Our Hope

2  Christ, God’s Son

3  Christ, Our Life Above

4  Christ, Our Life Below

5  Hope for Philemon and Onesimus

Epilogue: Hope for Paul

General Index

Scripture Index

Series Preface

There are remarkably few treatments of the big ideas of single books of the New Testament. Readers can find brief coverage in Bible dictionaries, in some commentaries, and in New Testament theologies, but such books are filled with other information and are not devoted to unpacking the theology of each New Testament book in its own right. Technical works concentrating on various themes of New Testament theology often have a narrow focus, treating some aspect of the teaching of, say, Matthew or Hebrews in isolation from the rest of the book’s theology.

The New Testament Theology series seeks to fill this gap by providing students of Scripture with readable book-length treatments of the distinctive teaching of each New Testament book or collection of books. The volumes approach the text from the perspective of biblical theology. They pay due attention to the historical and literary dimensions of the text, but their main focus is on presenting the teaching of particular New Testament books about God and his relations to the world on their own terms, maintaining sight of the Bible’s overarching narrative and Christocentric focus. Such biblical theology is of fundamental importance to biblical and expository preaching and informs exegesis, systematic theology, and Christian ethics.

The twenty volumes in the series supply comprehensive, scholarly, and accessible treatments of theological themes from an evangelical perspective. We envision them being of value to students, preachers, and interested laypeople. When preparing an expository sermon series, for example, pastors can find a healthy supply of informative commentaries, but there are few options for coming to terms with the overall teaching of each book of the New Testament. As well as being useful in sermon and Bible study preparation, the volumes will also be of value as textbooks in college and seminary exegesis classes. Our prayer is that they contribute to a deeper understanding of and commitment to the kingdom and glory of God in Christ.

We live in a world that is “spiritual” but also wants a religion that is “practical.” Paul instructs us about true spirituality and concrete practicality in both Colossians and Philemon. There is no true spirituality that isn’t Christ-centered, for any claim of being spiritual is false if the person and work of Jesus are shunted aside. After all, Jesus is fully divine, and believers are reconciled to God and forgiven of their sins through his death and resurrection, and no pathway to God exists outside of Christ. Any attempt to reach the highest heavens and to uncover the greatest mysteries is futile, counterproductive, and a testament to human pride if it skirts around or ignores the truth that all of God’s mysteries are ours in Jesus Christ. He is the path to wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. The apostle Paul, however, doesn’t communicate what it means to be a believer in abstract terms. He unfolds in Colossians, with practical instructions, what it means to live a Christ-centered life. In the tense situation between Philemon and Onesimus Paul delicately negotiates the relationship between the master and the slave, affirming the dignity, personhood, and value of Onesimus in the process. Kevin McFadden deftly handles all these matters in this pithy and insightful exposition of hope that animates believers. Here the riches of Colossians and Philemon are opened for readers, and our hope and prayer is that we will be reminded afresh that Christ is sufficient for every need.

Thomas R. Schreiner and Brian S. Rosner

Preface

This book is a brief but comprehensive summary of the theology of Colossians and Philemon. These two letters are often grouped together because they were written at the same time and sent together to the church at Colossae, which likely met in Philemon’s house (Philem. 2). My goal in writing this book has been to supplement the many excellent commentaries on these letters with a readable overview of their major themes. My hope is that pastors and Bible teachers beginning a series on Colossians or Philemon could read this book in a weekend and come away with the big picture of Paul’s teaching in these letters. Those working on Colossians should read the first four chapters, and those working on Philemon should read the fifth chapter. I also hope that the book will be of some benefit to scholars and seminary students, although experts will see that my reading of the massive amount of secondary literature on these letters was necessarily curtailed by the scope of the project.

The discipline of biblical theology attempts to explain the teaching of the Bible on its own terms, using its own categories and often following the development of its themes from Genesis to Revelation. One way to view biblical theology is as a bridge between exegesis (the practice of interpreting the Bible) and systematic theology (the study of Christian doctrine and practice). With this in mind, I have attempted to focus on the teaching of Paul himself, using his own words and categories as much as possible, and showing how his teaching relates to major themes in the Bible. But I have also worked carefully through all the exegetical issues in Colossians and Philemon and have tried to think carefully through the important doctrinal and practical issues. Again, the scope of the project has necessarily limited my discussion of these issues.

Some acknowledgments: I want to thank Brian Rosner and Tom Schreiner for inviting me to contribute to this exciting new series. I especially want to thank Tom, my Doktorvater, who has had a great influence on my understanding of Scripture and so has had a great influence on this book. My dean and friend, Keith Plummer, helpfully suggested that I teach a graduate-level exegesis elective on Colossians and Philemon, which definitely helped the project. Thanks to the following students in that course for their sharpening effect through many enjoyable classroom discussions and through their feedback on some early drafts: Evan Carey, Justin Gambrill, Lydia Garrison, Nathan Garrison, Brandon Miller, Micah Portis, Sascha Rose, and Jon Silva. Thanks also to Caleb Daubenspeck for fielding more than a few ILL requests. Colleen McFadden, Mike Moore, and Ben O’Toole read a rough draft of the entire book, each improving it in distinct ways. Thanks to Lydia Brownback for carefully editing the manuscript. All remaining faults, of course, are my own. Finally, thanks to the Lord for giving me understanding and strength to finish this book, and thanks to friends and family for praying for me.

Kevin W. McFadden

September 15, 2022

Abbreviations

AB

Anchor Bible

ABR

Australian Biblical Review

Ant.

Jewish Antiquities, by Josephus

BDAG

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed.

BDF

A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature

BECNT

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament

CBR

Currents in Biblical Research

Diatr.

Diatribai, by Epictetus

Ep.

Epistulae, by Pliny the Younger

HBT

Horizons in Biblical Theology

HTR

Harvard Theological Review

JSNT

Journal for the Study of the New Testament

JTS

Journal of Theological Studies

LNTS

Library of New Testament Studies

NSBT

New Studies in Biblical Theology

ÖTK

Ökumenischer Taschenbuchkommentar zum Neuen Testament

PNTC

Pillar New Testament Commentaries

PRSt

Perspectives in Religious Studies

SNTSMS

Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series

THGNT

Tyndale House Greek New Testament

TNTC

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries

ZECNT

Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament

ZNW

Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche

Prologue

Hope in Difficult Circumstances

Remember my chains.

Colossians 4:18

Sometimes difficult earthly circumstances bring clarity to the heavenly hope of the gospel. Paul’s letters to the Colossians and to Philemon were written in the midst of difficult circumstances: Paul was in prison, the church was in danger of false teaching, and Philemon was estranged from his slave Onesimus. But in these letters we find some of the Bible’s most profound teaching about Christ and the practical difference he makes in our lives and relationships. Let us briefly, then, “remember [Paul’s] chains” (Col. 4:18) by considering the difficult circumstances that led to the hopeful teaching of Colossians and Philemon.

Paul in Prison

The ministry of the gospel has never been easy. This was perhaps truest for the apostle Paul, of whom Jesus said, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16). Paul describes his own work as “toil” and “struggle” (Col. 1:29; 2:1), similar to how he describes the work of Epaphras, who planted the church at Colossae (4:12–13). And he uses labels for his colleagues in ministry that communicate the arduous and dangerous nature of the task: “fellow worker” (Col. 4:11; Philem. 1, 24), “fellow soldier” (Philem. 2), “fellow slave” (Col. 1:7 CSB; cf. 4:12), and “fellow prisoner” (4:10). In fact, Paul wrote these two letters from prison, most likely his two-year house arrest at Rome (c. AD 60–62; see Acts 28:16–31).1

Paul did not view his imprisonment as a hiatus in ministry but as a part of his ministry. We see this in Colossians 1:24–2:5, where he explains his purpose for writing. He tells the Colossians that he is suffering “for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (1:24). Paul does not mean that the death of Christ was insufficient to fully save. Rather, he means that the risen and ascended Christ is currently using ministers suffering “in the flesh,” like Paul and Epaphras, to bring the church to full maturity (1:28; 4:12; cf. 1:22).

So the apostle continued to work in the midst of his imprisonment. He was instrumental in the conversion of Onesimus (Philem. 10). And he wrote his letter to the Colossians, which arguably contains his most profound theological reflection on the doctrine of Christ. For some scholars, the theological teaching of this letter goes so far beyond what Paul writes in his other letters that they question whether Paul could have written it.2 I raise the issue of authorship because it affects how we think about the theology of Colossians. Is the teaching of this letter really from an apostle? In my view, it seems historically likely that the apostle Paul wrote and sent Colossians at the same time as Philemon because it overlaps on so many points with Philemon.3 The profundity of its theological reflection is not a contradiction with the theology of Paul’s other letters but rather an extension of his theology, sharpened by his confrontation with a false teaching that was threatening the saints in Colossae.

Colossae and the Philosophy

Colossae was a remote inland town, located in the Roman province of Asia in what is now modern-day Turkey. Paul had probably never been to Colossae when he wrote these two letters.4 But during his third missionary journey, he spent an extended time of ministry in the large coastal city of Ephesus (c. AD 52–55; see Acts 19:1–20:1). Luke tells us that during this time “all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10). The Colossians, along with their neighbors in Laodicea and Hierapolis, had heard the word from Epaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:13). So Epaphras was probably one of Paul’s converts in Ephesus, which was about a week’s journey on foot from Colossae. One can imagine Epaphras hearing the gospel and then traveling home up the eastern road that led along the Maeander River until it turned slightly south into the Lycus River Valley and eventually to Colossae. Once there, he told his friends and family the gospel, and they received Christ Jesus as their Lord (2:6).5

But soon after, the Colossian believers were confronted with a false teaching. Paul apparently caught wind of this through Epaphras, who was with Paul in his imprisonment (Philem. 23). So he decided to write to these believers “in order that no one may delude [them] with plausible arguments” (Col. 2:4). He warns, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit” (2:8). More literally, Paul writes in this verse of “the philosophy [tēs philosophias],” likely referring to a specific teaching. Perhaps the false teachers labeled their teaching as “philosophy” in order to gain credibility, just as someone today might label their view “scientific.” But what was the philosophy? It is most clearly explained in the polemical section of Colossians 2:16–23, where we see that it required law-keeping and angelic visions to reach the fullness of salvation.

The false teachers were ready to “pass judgment” on the Colossian saints unless they followed certain food restrictions and kept certain holidays (2:16; cf. 2:21). Most likely they were teaching that believers must keep the food and calendar requirements of the Mosaic law in order to be saved. The law prohibits eating unclean animals and touching their carcasses (Lev. 11), drinking from unclean vessels (Lev. 11:34), and drinking wine for priests in the tent of meeting and for those under a Nazirite vow (Lev. 10:9; Num. 6:3). After the exile to Babylon, some Jews living in pagan cultures would refrain from all meat and wine in order to avoid defilement (Dan. 1:8–16). And we know that after the exile, there was a Jewish presence in Colossae because Josephus tells us that two thousand Jewish families had been moved from Babylon to Phrygia, the ancient name for the region of Colossae.6 Regarding the holiday requirements, the law regulated Israel’s yearly, monthly, and weekly calendar (Lev. 25). And Paul’s threefold description, “festival,” “new moon,” and “Sabbath” (Col. 2:16), is found several times in the Old Testament with reference to the calendar regulations of the law (e.g., 2 Chron. 2:4). Finally, Paul says that the calendar and food regulations “are a shadow of the things to come” (Col. 2:17), using typological reasoning like the author of Hebrews, who wrote, “The law has but a shadow of the good things to come” (Heb. 10:1). The philosophy, therefore, probably taught that believers must keep the Mosaic calendar and food laws in order to be saved. Perhaps it also taught that Gentile believers must be circumcised according to the law (cf. Col. 2:11).

For this reason, a few scholars have argued that Colossians confronts the same issue Paul confronted in Galatians, where Jewish-Christian teachers were compelling Gentile Christians to be circumcised and keep the Jewish law.7 But most have rightly observed that the issue in Colossae was different and more complex. The false teachers were apparently promoting law-keeping as an ascetic practice that would lead to heavenly, angelic visions: “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and