Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion you should be able to:

• Explain prominent themes found in Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae

• Relate Paul’s instruction to the church to their historical setting

• Interpret Paul’s epistles according to their genre

Course Outline

Introduction

• Introducing the Speaker and the Course

Unit 1: Introduction and Background

• Basic Hermeneutical Principles

• The Author of Colossians

• Finding Evidence for Pauline Authorship

• The Recipients of Colossians

• The Purpose and Form of an Epistle

• Comparing the Introduction Sections of New Testament Epistles

• The Contemporary Message of Colossians

Unit 2: Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession (Col 1:1–14)

• Introduction to the Letter

• Paul’s Thanksgiving

• Finding All New Testament Prayers of Thanksgiving

• Paul’s Intercession

• The Role of Prayer in Paul’s Letters

Unit 3: The Christ Hymn (Col 1:15–23)

• Christology

• Hymns in the New Testament and Early Christianity

• Christ’s Cosmic Work in Creation

• Christ’s Cosmic Work in Redemption

• Exploring the Metaphor of “Head” in the Bible

• The Rhetorical Function of the Christ Hymn

Unit 4: Paul’s Ethos Argument (Col 1:24–2:5)

• Paul’s Authority

• The Role of Exemplars in Religious Antiquity

• Paul’s Vicarious Sufferings

• Researching Persecution in the Early Church

• Paul Proclaims God’s Mystery

• Paul’s Cosmic Proclamation

• Review and Introduction

Unit 5: The Heart of Paul’s Letter (Col 2:6–15)

• Walk in Him

• The Thesis Statement of Colossians

• Understanding and Searching for Occurrences of Causal Clauses

• Sharing in the Fullness of God

• Finding Prepositional Phrases Related to Union with Christ

• Sharing in Christ’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection

• The Defeat of Death, Sin, and Evil

Unit 6: Futility and Fullness (Col 2:16–23)

• The Situation in Colossae

• Christology Is All You Need

• Asceticism and Spiritual Arrogance

Unit 7: Antidote to Error (Col 3:1–16)

• Hidden with Christ

• A Practical Wisdom

• Rooted in the Messiah

• The Application of Christology

• The Believing Community

• The New Humanity

• The Characteristics of the New Community

• Researching Paul’s Use of Positive and Negative Imperatives

Unit 8: Sanctification of the Ordinary Life (Col 3:17–4:6)

• Life under the Lordship of Christ

• The Household Codes: Part 1

• The Household Codes: Part 2

• The Household Codes: Part 3

• The Church’s Responsibilities

Unit 9: Paul and His Churches (Col 4:7–18)

• A Significant Ending

• Letters and Envoys

• A Family Identity

• The Success of the Gospel

Unit 10: The Legacy of Colossians

• Christology as Antidote

• The Root of Christian Behavior

• A Guide for Prayer

Conclusion

• Prayer for You

Details

• Title: NT347 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Colossians

• Instructor: Joshua Jipp

• Publisher: Lexham Press

• Publication Date: 2015

• Product Type: Logos Mobile Education

• Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources

• Courses: 1

• Video Hours: 4