Colossians 1: 2 – In Christ & in Colosse

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God, and brother Timothy, to the saints and believing brethren in Christ in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The letter to the Colossians was signed by Paul who was in the presence of “Timothy the brother.” We also know from the letter to Philemon (who also lived in Colossae; cf. Col.4:9 and Film.1:10, 23) that Timothy was Paul’s companion during his captivity in Rome (Film.1:1 ;Col.4:3,18). Did Paul perhaps dictate the letter to Timothy, as he often had a secretary (Rom. 16:22)?

The letter is addressed to “the saints and believing brethren in Christ in Colossae.” The brothers, which of course also included the sisters, were saints (= set apart), because they were believing. Their position is spiritually characterized as “in Christ”, and therefore Above, because in Him our life is hidden (Col. 3:1-3). But geographically they were “in Colosse,” a town in Asia, in what is now southwestern Turkey. They had become acquainted with the Gospel through Epaphras (Col.1,6,7).

The letter begins with the usual Greek greeting of grace (charis) and the Hebrew greeting of peace (shalom). Indeed, grace comes first and peace follows from it. From whom else but the one God, the Father?!

Delen: