Colossians - Books of the Bibles Laminated Outlines

Outline of Colossians

This chart outlines the main characteristics of
the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the church of Colosse.

profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness: That the man of
God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all
good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Outline of Colossians

Formal opening, 1:1–2

I.        Thanksgiving and prayer for the Colossians, 1:3–14

II.        The doctrinal section: the preeminence of Christ, 1:15–23
A.                The person and work of Christ, 1:15–23
               1.        The preeminence of Christ’s person (vv. 15–19)
               2.        The reconciling work of Christ (vv. 20–23)
B.                Paul’s role in the ministry, 1:24–29
               1.        Paul as sufferer for the church (v. 24)
               2.        Paul as minister/servant of the church (v. 25a)
               3.        Paul as revealer of a mystery (vv. 26–27)
               4.        Paul as preaching to present saints perfect to God (vv. 28–29)
C.        Correction of errors in teaching, 2:1–23
               1.        Warning against persuasive words that do not find in Christ the treasures of wisdom (v. 1–7)
               2.        Warning against human traditions that appear wise but seek
perfection outside Christ (vv. 8–17)
               3.        Warning against an angelology that does not hold to Christ as the one head (vv. 18–19)
               4.        Warning against sacrificial self-denial not in accord with having died with Christ (vv. 20–23)

III.        The practical section: Christ is our life, 3:1–4:6
A.                The basis of Christian practice: buried and raised with Christ, 3:1–4
B.                Putting on the new man, 3:5–17
               2.        Putting on the “new self” (vv. 10–17)
C.        Christian family life, 3:18–4:1
               1.        Wives and husbands (vv. 18–19)
               2.        Children and parents (vv. 20–21)
               3.        Slaves and masters (3:22–4:1)
D.        Living before the world, 4:2–6
               1.        Praying about Paul’s witness (vv. 2–4)
               2.        Giving their own witness (vv. 5,6)

III.        Personal: message and co-workers, 4:7–17

Conclusion, 4:18

The theme of Colossians

Probably no letter of Paul’s was consciously organized around a single theme. Many see the preeminence of
Christ as a theme that tends to dominate Colossians.

This begins in 1:13–22, where we have a presentation of the truth about both the
person and the redemptive work of Christ. He is head of “all things” (vv. 16,17) and has
provided reconciliation for “all things” (v. 20). Then, in chapter 2, Christ is the One in whom all the fullness of
the Godhead dwells (v. 9), the reality of which the ceremonies were shadow (v. 17), the “head” of the Body (v.
19). Even the practical section presents Christian living as being risen with Christ and seeking a life that is
“hidden with Christ” where He sits at God’s right hand (3:1–4).

There is no question that giving Christ “first place in everything” (1:18) is the secret to sound doctrine and
straight living. When He is at the center, everything falls into its proper place around Him.

This emphasis on Christ may be the reason that he Holy Spirit is essentially
unmentioned in Colossians (in obvious contrast with Ephesians), 1:8 being the only
exception.

Paul’s purposes in writing Colossians

There was a heresy in Colosse, but the nature of that false teaching is exceedingly hard to define. The
problem is that there is nothing to go on except for what we read in the
letter itself, and it is not always easy to diagnose an illness by the medication administered, especially in
theological matters.

What most interpreters seem willing to agree on is that the heresy was a Judaizing Christian gnosticism.
Paul’s first purpose, then, was to give teaching that would correct these errors. This purpose occupies him in
the first two chapters. His second purpose, in light of the wrongly-based practice of the heresy, was to give
true Christian basis of ethical practice. This occupies him in the last two chapters.

The Events that led to the writing of Colossians

The main development is that Epaphras had come to Paul and brought the word that occasioned the letter.
Epaphras was a native Colossian, perhaps a convert of Paul’s
during the Ephesian ministry of the third journey, who had returned to evangelize Colosse and begin a church
there. He may have been the pastor of the church. Apparently he went to Paul to minister to him. Clearly he is
not about to return to Colosse (Col. 4:12–13). Even so, one of his main motivations for going may have been a
sense of need for Paul’s help in dealing with heretical teaching at Colosse. He certainly reported to Paul both
the good
(1: 4–8) and the bad.

The second thing is that Onesimus, also, had come to Rome. Apparently he came as a runaway slave who in
some way got in contact with Paul, was converted, and now about to return to his master Philemon at
Colosse. Paul took the occasion to write the three
letters, sending them by Tychichus (Col. 4:7; Eph. 6:21) and Onesimus (Col. 4:9;
Philem. 10–13) to Asia.