Book of Colossians: Overview and Scholarly Commentary
4 chapters · 19 video commentaries · covered in 11 courses
Colossians is a letter attributed to Paul, addressing a Christian community in Colossae. It warns against various perceived heresies, emphasizes the supremacy of Christ over cosmic powers, and provides ethical guidelines for household conduct.
AuthorThe authorship of Colossians is disputed among critical scholars, with many concluding it is a forgery written in Paul's name (pseudepigraphical) due to differences in style and theology compared to Paul's undisputed letters.
WrittenMid-to-late 1st century CE, after Paul's death.
GenreLetter, Epistle
AudienceThe Christian community in Colossae, facing internal theological debates and external philosophical influences.
PurposeTo assert Christ's supremacy, counter perceived false teachings, and provide ethical instruction.
Covered inAncient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Must Women Keep Silent? Paul's Real Views on Gender, Desire, and Women · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · The Bible and the Quran: Comparing Their Historical Problems · The Genius of Mark: Jesus the Secret Messiah +5
What our scholars get into
Our commentary on Colossians delves into the nuanced arguments for its non-Pauline authorship, exploring how its theology of salvation and household codes diverge from Paul's undisputed letters, as discussed by Bart Ehrman. We examine how Colossians reinterprets Jesus's crucifixion as a triumph over demonic powers and positions him as head over all cosmic entities, a key theme in the 'Demons and Ghosts in the Bible' course. Readers will also encounter discussions on the 'Colossian heresy,' including warnings against philosophy, Jewish law, and angel worship, and how Colossians' view on the law differs from Paul's genuine letters. Furthermore, we explore the textual variants in Colossians 2:2 concerning 'the mystery of God, Christ,' highlighting scribal attempts to clarify theological understandings, as detailed in 'The Scribal Corruption of Scripture'.
Introduction drafted from the lecture transcripts by AI, pending the team's edit.
The Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) are almost universally considered non-Pauline by historical scholars. Ephesians is also widely doubted. Colossians and 2 Thessalonians are more debated, with arguments for their non-Pauline authorship being more nuanced, though many scholars still conclude they are forgeries.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Faking It: Is the Bible Full of Forgeries? · watch the clip
Non-Pauline Letters in the New Testament
Of the 13 letters in the New Testament attributed to Paul, critical scholars generally believe six were not written by him. These include Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians, which are considered probably non-Pauline, and 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, which are considered even more probably non-Pauline. It is thought that these six letters were written by four different authors: one for Ephesians, one for Colossians (likely imitating the author of Ephesians), one for 2 Thessalonians, and a single author for 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · How Apologists Use (and Misuse) Manuscripts · watch the clip
Courses that cover Colossians
Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years
Demons and Ghosts in the Bible
Must Women Keep Silent? Paul's Real Views on Gender, Desire, and Women
Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide
The Bible and the Quran: Comparing Their Historical Problems
The Genius of Mark: Jesus the Secret Messiah
The Genius of the Acts of the Apostles
The Mysteries of the Synoptic Gospels: Discovering Matthew, Mark, and Luke
The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible
The Scribal Corruption of Scripture: How the Bible Was Changed and Why Readers May Never Know
