Colossians 1: 1 – Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God, and brother Timothy…

A new letter is before us for discussion. According to good custom, the writer starts with his name. After all, the first thing the recipient of a letter wants to know is who the sender is. Paul calls himself by the name that characterizes him from the moment the Jew Elymas tried to prevent him from passing on the word of God to the Roman governor Sergius Paul (Acts 13:9). Elymas was temporarily blinded. This moment is a milestone: Saul becomes Paul. Because as consistently as Luke called him Saul until then, he will henceforth be called Paul as consistently.

Paul’s name is a model for the time when Israel is temporarily blinded and the word of God is sent to the nations. It is a time of interruption, a pau-se (Greek: pau = stop). At that time, not “the twelve”, but a thirteenth apostle played the leading role. Personally called and delegated (apostle = delegate) by Christ Jesus himself. It is typical of Paul to call his Lord that. Not the earthly name Jesus, but the title of the resurrected and glorified Christ is paramount. For thus he came to know Him, and thus he also heralded and taught Him among the nations.

Delen: