Colossians 1:1-8

1:1-2 | Because Paul had never visited the church in Colossae, this greeting – an apostle of Jesus Christ – makes his authority clear. His relationship with Christ would serve as the foundation of his message.

1:2 | Although Paul often refers to saints (the redeemed) in his letters, faithful is only used here and in the introduction to Ephesians.

1:3-8 | In this opening declaration of thanksgiving, Paul acknowledges all three Persons of the Trinity: the Father (1:3), the Son, Jesus Christ (1:3,4,7), and the Spirit (1:8). This divine mystery undergirds and informs the Christian’s life and worship. Paul’s reference to Jesus as Lord foreshadows a key theme in this letter: the supremacy of Christ.

1:4-6 | This triad of faith, hope, and love is found throughout the writings of the early church (Rom. 5:1-5; 1 Cor. 13:13; 1 Thess. 1:3; 5:8; Heb. 10:22-24; 1 Pet. 1:21-22). The hope that grounds the saints’ faith and love carries a certain expectation: it is rooted in the promises of the faithful God; thus, the truth of the gospel transforms lives and offers the certainty of heaven. The heart of this gospel is the transcendent grace of God (Rom. 4:16; Gal. 1:6).

1:6 | When Paul compares the work of the gospel in Colossae with that in all the world, it is not hyperbole (Matt. 24:14; 28:19). Although the gospel message was young, it had already spread from Jerusalem to Syria, Greece, Italy, Egypt, and beyond! The Greek literally reads that the gospel “in all the world has been bearing fruit and growing as it is among you,” bringing to mind the fruitfulness commanded by God in Genesis 1:28 (John 15:16). The true gospel message will prevail over competing voices, no matter how attractive they may seem.

1:7-8 | Although Paul wrote to people he did not personally know, he could speak to the church’s challenges because his beloved friend Epaphras had so faithfully relayed the issues. By calling him fellow servant, or slave, Paul emphasizes that they both willingly minister under a greater authority (Philemon 23).