THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS--THE
EPISTLE OF PAUL TO PHILEMON
THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS
[Sidenote: The Author.]
There is no good reason for doubting that this beautiful Epistle is the
work of St. Paul. It is full of Pauline thought, and is well attested
by external evidence. It is apparently quoted in the very ancient work
known as the Epistle of Barnabas, and Justin Martyr quotes the title of
Christ "the firstborn of all creation" (Col. i. 15). It is included in
Marcion's canon and in the _Muratorian Fragment_, as well as in the Old
Latin and Peshitta Syriac versions. The notion that it is only a weak
reflection of Ephesians seems incredible, for neither of the two
Epistles is appreciably inferior to the other, and in each one there
are several unique passages which represent as high a level of
intellectual and spiritual attainment as the passages which are in some
degree common to the two. Moreover, we cannot trace any definite
method according to which the one writing has been used for the other,
and destructive critics have only destroyed one another's arguments in
their attempts to show which of the two Epistles is genuine, or why
they both are forged. It is also important to consider the association
of this Epistle with that to Philemon: the transparent genuineness of
the latter makes it practically certain that Colossians is genuine as
well.
Objections to the authenticity of Colossians have been {171} steadily
growing fainter. It was denied by Mayerhoff in 1838, and by the whole
Tübingen school, in spite of very strong external evidence. (1) The
heresy opposed by St. Paul was said to be a form of 2nd-century
Gnosticism; but the affinities which it shows with Judaism point rather
to the 1st century. (2) There are a large number of words which St.
Paul uses nowhere else, thirty-four being found in no other part of the
New Testament; but several of these words are called forth by the
special error which St. Paul rebukes, and the Epistle does contain
eleven Pauline words used by no other New Testament writer. (3) The
doctrine has been declared to be not Pauline, but a further development
of St. Paul's doctrine of the dignity of Christ. This objection rests
entirely on the hypothesis that Jesus Christ was not God, but was
gradually deified by successive generations of His followers. The
critics who declared that no apostle believed Christ to be more than an
ideal or half-divine man, and said that St. John's writings are
forgeries of the 2nd century, described the doctrine of Colossians as a
transition from the true Pauline doctrine to the doctrine of the Logos
contained in the fourth Gospel. But St. Paul states nothing about
Christ in this Epistle which is not implied in earlier Epistles. He
only makes fresh statements of truth in view of fresh errors.
[Sidenote: To whom written.]
Colossae was the least important town to which any Epistle of St. Paul
which now remains was addressed. The place was on the river Lycus in
Phrygia, about ten miles from Laodicea and thirteen from Hierapolis,
and thus the three towns were the sphere of the missionary work of the
Colossian Epaphras (Col. iv. 12, 13). Colossae had been flourishing
enough in the time of Herodotus, but now, overshadowed by greater
neighbours--Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Chonae--and perhaps shaken by
recurring earthquakes, it was sinking fast into decay. Still it
derived importance from its situation on the great main road which
connected Rome with the eastern provinces, the road by {172} which
Xerxes had led his great armament against Greece. And as the people
had a special way of their own for producing a rich dye named
_Colossinus_, it retained a fair amount of trade. We may account for
the presence of Jews at Colossae which is suggested in the Epistle, by
remembering its convenient position and its trade speciality. The
people were mainly the descendants of Greek settlers and Phrygian
natives, and the intellectual atmosphere was the same as that of which
we have evidence in other parts of Asia Minor: every one was infected
with the Greek keenness for subtle speculation, and the usual Phrygian
tendency to superstition and fanaticism. Thirteen miles away, at
Hierapolis, was growing into manhood the slave Epictetus, who later on
will set out some of the most noble and lofty of pagan thoughts. The
persistent love of the people of this neighbourhood for the
angel-worship which St. Paul rebukes, is illustrated by the facts that
in the 4th century a Church Council at Laodicea condemned the worship
of angels, and that, in spite of this, in the 9th and 10th centuries
the district was the centre of the worship of St. Michael, who was
believed to have opened the chasm of the Lycus, and so saved the people
of Chonae from an inundation.
Colossae, being exposed to the raids of the Moslem Saracens,
disappeared from history in the 8th century.
The Church at Colossae was not founded by St. Paul, and he was not
personally acquainted with it (Col. ii. 1). But we can hardly go so
far as to say that he had never seen the town at all.
[Sidenote: Where and when written.]
St. Paul sent this letter, together with that to Philemon and the
circular which we call "Ephesians," by Tychicus from Rome, probably in
A.D. 60. He alludes to his imprisonment twice incidentally, and again
with pathetic simplicity in the postscript added by his own hand,
"Remember my bonds."
[Sidenote: Character and Contents.]
Some difficulties are connected with the heresy taught by the religious
agitators at Colossae. It is plain that their {173} teaching affected
both doctrine and practice. They appealed to visions and a knowledge
of the celestial world (ii. 18), and therefore set up a worship of
angels which tended to thrust Christ from His true position in the
creed of the Church. They treated the body with unsparing severity
(ii. 23), they abstained from meat and drink, and paid a punctilious
attention to festivals, new moons, and sabbaths (ii. 16). St. Paul
calls these practices "material rudiments" (ii. 8), elementary methods
now superseded by faith in Christ. Moreover, it is almost certain that
literal circumcision was practised (ii. 11). These things point to
Judaism. And yet St. Paul does not seem to be rebuking a return to the
Judaism of the Old Testament. He could hardly have described a
compliance with Old Testament injunctions as an "arbitrary religion"
and "doctrines of men" (ii. 1, 22, 23). It might be Pharisaism, but if
we look in the direction of Judaism, it is most natural that we should
think of a Judaism resembling that of the Essenes. The Essenes were
vegetarians, they avoided wine, they kept the sabbath with special
scrupulousness, and had some secret teaching about the angels. These
resemblances have tempted some commentators to identify the false
teachers with the Essenes. But there is nothing to prove that the
Essenes worshipped the angels, and St. Paul makes no mention of the
Essene veneration for the sun, or their monastic life, or their
elaborate process of initiation. Besides this, the principal community
of Essenes dwelt by the Dead Sea, and it is very doubtful if any
existed in Asia Minor.
It is best to confess our ignorance. All that we can say is that the
scruple-mongers at Colossae taught doctrines which had points of
contact with Essenism. They employed some affected interpretation of
the Old Testament. They also were influenced by heathenism in their
conception of half-divine beings intermediate between God and the
world. How far they held any definitely dualistic view of matter we
cannot tell. {174} But their system was a mischievous theosophy, which
they endeavoured to popularize under catchwords like "wisdom" and
"philosophy." The fact that there was at this time such a widespread
tendency to adopt an exaggerated asceticism and theories about
mediatorial spirits, makes it unnecessary to suppose that the Colossian
heresy need be affiliated to any particular school of speculation.
The Epistle consists mainly of a more or less indirect argument against
the insidious "philosophy" of the heretics, with an exhortation and
personal notes.
Perhaps we account most naturally for the broken order and lax
coherence of this letter, by the suggestion that, as St. Paul dictated
it, there was present with him a sense of almost nervous hesitation.
He has exactly a gentleman's reluctance to do an ungracious action:
while he knows that it is his duty to warn the Colossians of a serious
danger, he knows that unless he does so with much tactful delicacy,
they will resent his interference. So he begins by saying what polite
things he can about them, and instead of going on at once to talk of
the heresy, he first says with plain significance that he perpetually
prays for their perfection in knowledge, activity, and constancy. An
incidental allusion to God's method for human salvation gives St. Paul
an opportunity for making a digression--one of the most important
statements in the New Testament--concerning the nature and work of
Christ (i. 14-20). He shows the Colossians what views they ought to
hold concerning Him. This would keep them from giving to the angels
what is due to Christ alone. Christ is the Redeemer. He was born
prior to all creation, even the angels, and all creation coheres
through union with Him (i. 15-17). He is the Head of the Church in
virtue of His resurrection, and as embodying the full number of divine
attributes (i. 18, 19). He is the Saviour of angels and men by His
death, and in this salvation the Colossians ought to share (i. 20-23).
It seems that now he will deal with the heresy, but again he {175}
postpones it. He breaks in with a digression of a pastoral character.
He speaks of his commission to preach (i. 24-29), his anxiety even for
Churches that he has never visited (ii. 1-5), and he exhorts the
Colossians to continue in their original faith (ii. 6, 7).
At last he enters upon the main business of the Epistle and begins
dogmatic controversy. After a warning against spurious philosophy, he
asserts that Christ is the sole incarnation of Deity, to whom all
spirits are subject (ii. 9, 10). This is the true doctrine: God has
not divided His attributes among a group of angels; all are to be found
in Christ. And the true method of salvation is simply that union with
Christ which begins with baptism, the Christian's circumcision. In it
we receive that forgiveness which was won for us when Christ died, and
both blotted out the Law and triumphed over evil angels (ii. 13-15).
The apostle then directly condemns the practices of the false
teachers--their anxious and mechanical conduct with regard to food and
seasons, their intrusion into celestial secrets and their doctrine of
angel-worship, their loose hold on Christ the Head, symptoms of an
affected humility which is no real check against the indulgence of the
flesh (ii. 16-23).
He then turns to practical exhortation. In the bracing words made
familiar to us by the Epistle for Easter Day, St. Paul bids the
Colossians leave the gently stimulating exercise of intellectual
theorizing and listen to the stern demands made by Christ on life and
character. They have risen to a life hid with Christ in God; they must
make dead the faculties of sensual action, angry thinking, and evil
speaking: this is implied in forsaking heathenism for the universal
Christ (iii. 1-11). Live quietly in peace and love, show a gracious
life in a gracious worship, consecrate your words and deeds by doing
all in the name of the Lord Jesus (iii. 12-17).
Then the special duties of wives and husbands, children and fathers,
slaves and masters, are dealt with. Prayer and thanksgiving are
enjoined on all alike, and the Christians are bidden {176} to "buy up
the opportunity" of furthering the cause of God in their dealings with
the outer world, having their speech seasoned with the salt of
wholesome wisdom (iii. 18-iv. 6). A few words are said about Tychicus,
Onesimus, and other friends, including "Luke, the beloved physician,"
and the Epistle ends with a farewell which St. Paul wrote with his own
hand. Before writing it, the apostle directs that this letter should
be read at Laodicea, and that the Colossians should procure another
letter which had been left in that city. This was probably the
so-called Epistle to the Ephesians.
ANALYSIS
Salutation, thanksgiving, the apostle's prayer for the readers (i.
1-13).
Christ, who redeemed us, is pre-eminent in Person, being the Head of
the natural creation, and of the spiritual creation, because the sum of
divine attributes dwells in Him (i. 14-19). He is pre-eminent in work,
having reconciled us to God (i. 20-23).
St. Paul's own commission and his anxiety (i. 24-ii. 7). Warning
against the delusion of a false philosophy. The "fulness" is in
Christ, therefore the Colossians must avoid semi-Jewish practices and
also avoid the worship of angels (ii. 8-19). The converts have died
with Christ to their old life and earthly ordinances (ii. 20-25).
The converts have risen with Christ to a new life and heavenly
principles, vices must be made dead, virtues must be put on (iii. 1-17).
Obligations of wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and
masters (iii. 18-iv. 1).
The duty of prayer and thanksgiving, and right behaviour towards the
unconverted (iv. 2-6).
Personal conclusion, and a message relating to an Epistle from Laodicea
(iv. 7-18).
{177}
THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO PHILEMON
[Sidenote: The Author.]
The genuineness of this winning little letter could never be doubted
except by the most dryasdust of pedants. It is no proof of acuteness
to detect the artifice of a forger in its earnest simplicity, its
thoughtful tact, and affectionate anxiety. There is about it a
vivacity and directness which at once and decisively stamp it as
genuine. And external evidence shows that it was included in the
earliest lists of St. Paul's Epistles. It was accepted by Marcion,
included in the _Muratorian Fragment_, and expressly attributed to St.
Paul by Origen. It shows a number of coincidences with Colossians,
Ephesians, and Philippians, and it is especially connected with
Colossians by the proper names which it contains, such as Archippus,
Aristarchus, Mark, and Luke. No evidence exists to show that any early
Christians denied this Epistle to be by St. Paul. But it does appear
that some of them half disliked its inclusion in the Canon, thinking it
too trivial to be numbered with the Scriptures. To modern readers it
manifests a great treatment of little things, which is one of the
surest proofs of inspiration.
[Sidenote: To whom written.]
The Epistle is addressed to Philemon, a substantial citizen of
Colossae. He has been converted by St. Paul, who writes with deep
appreciation of his faith in Christ, and of the kindness that he has
shown to the saints. He gives him the honourable title of
"fellow-worker." Religious services and the social gatherings of
Christians are held in Philemon's house.
[Sidenote: Where and when written.]
This Epistle was written during St. Paul's first imprisonment in Rome,
A.D. 59-61. In ver. 10 St. Paul alludes to his "bonds."
[Sidenote: Character and Contents.]
Philemon had a Phrygian slave named Onesimus, who first {178} robbed
him and then ran away. Onesimus was able without much difficulty to
get to Rome, and here he met the apostle, who received him into the
Church. The young convert served him with such eager willingness that
St. Paul would have been glad to keep him with him, but he decides to
send him back to Philemon with this letter to ensure his forgiveness.
We have, therefore, in this letter a picture of St. Paul in a new
relation. There is no other letter in the New Testament of such a
private nature except 3 John. The great apostle of the Gentiles is
taking his pen to provide a dishonest runaway slave with a note that
shall shield him from the just anger of his master. He writes both
with a strong sense of justice and with his own perfect diplomatic
instinct. The letter is at once authoritative, confident, and most
gentle. He does not command or insist, yet it is quite clear that
Philemon must do just what he asks. There is no violent attack upon
slavery as an institution. Any such attack would have been both
foolish and criminal. For it would have encouraged slaves to make
Christianity a cloak for revolt, and precipitated horrors far worse
than those which it could have professed to remove. But St. Paul
asserts a principle which will eventually prove fatal to slavery. When
he tells Philemon to receive Onesimus "as a brother beloved," he is
really saying that our estimate of men must not be based on their
social class, but rather on their relation to God.
This letter has been compared with a letter written under similar
circumstances by the younger Pliny, one of the best of the pagan
gentlemen of Rome. But while the letter of Pliny is more elegant in
language, the letter of St. Paul is a finer masterpiece of feeling. A
Roman slave was still allowed no rights and no family relationship, and
for the smallest offence he might be tortured and killed. In the next
century the Emperor Hadrian first took away from masters the power of
life and death over their slaves, and it was not until the time {179}
of the Emperor Constantine, who established Christianity, that the laws
affecting slavery pointed to the future triumph of emancipation. But
the ancient conception of slavery was doomed as soon as "slave-girls
like Blandina in Gaul, or Felicitas in Africa, having won for
themselves the crown of martyrdom, were celebrated in the festivals of
the Church with honours denied to the most powerful and noblest born of
mankind." [1]
ANALYSIS
Salutation from Paul and Timothy to Philemon and Apphia (? wife), to
Archippus and the Church in Philemon's house; thanksgiving for
Philemon's faith; a plea for the pardon of Onesimus, St. Paul promises
to be responsible for what was stolen; a lodging to be prepared for St.
Paul; concluding salutations, benediction.
[1] Lightfoot, _Colossians and Philemon_, p. 325.
{180}