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COLOSSIANS - Christ in you, the hope of glory!
Studies in the Letter of Paul to the Colossians

PART 1 - The Foundations of Christian Faith (Colossians 1:1-29)

1. Greeting and introduction (Colossians 1:1-2)


COLOSSIANS 1:1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul introduces himself in this letter using his Greek name, which means “the little one”. Originally he was named “Saul” (the one asked) after the name of the early king from his tribe of Benjamin (1Samuel chapters 9-31). Paul, however, did not want to be known as the one who pays homage to an Israelite king, for he had met Jesus in His glorious majesty before the gates of Damascus. As a result he had been blinded for three days and his pride, thereby, shattered.

He had grown up as a Hellenistic Jew of the Diaspora, and had later studied the Law of Moses at the feet of the famous teacher, Gamaliel. Thereafter, as a fanatical legal expert on the Torah, he had persecuted and tortured the churches of Christ in Jerusalem and beyond until the day he met the risen Jesus in blinding radiance. That encounter broke his entire Old Testament view of life (Weltanschaung) . He recognized that he was a criminal before God, calling himself the greatest of all sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). The King of Heaven, however, had spoken with him personally, pardoned him, and appointed him to become the apostle to the despised non-Jews – the apostle to the nations. Paul had come to understand that his faithfulness to the law and his pious works were of no avail to him; his righteousness was based on the grace of Jesus alone. Beyond that, he had recognized that the Risen One and His church had become a singular, indivisible spiritual unity. Every form of oppression and persecution of Christ´s followers was directed against the Lord Himself. From then on the recognition of these three facts gave life to the message of “the little one”: Jesus lives!” The Crucified One is not dead! He justifies sinners by grace alone. He dwells in complete unity with His church. He is her head; she is His spiritual body!

QUESTION 2: What was the most important event in the life of Paul and how did it shape him and his message?

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