Overview of the Book of Colossians {Plus FREE Printable Chart}
Colossians is the 12th book of the New Testament and the 51st book in the whole Bible. It has 4 chapters and it’s theme is the supremacy of Christ.
The Book of Colossians is a letter written by Paul the Apostle. He wrote it to the Christians in the city of Colossae, which was a trade center located in modern-day Turkey.
In this letter, he speaks about how Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is superior to anything else and that as believers we should put our faith in Him as our Lord and Savior.
There are so many reasons why you should read this book – it’s a very important part of the Bible, it will provide new insights on Christ, and it contains some practical life advice.
Who wrote the book of Colossians?
The author of the book of Colossians is widely attributed to the Apostle Paul, and indeed the first two verses of Colossians read, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
This would indicate that Paul was the author, and that Timothy also played some part in the writing of the book, in the same way Paul mentions Timothy in the first verses of Philippians. Whether Timothy co-wrote the book with Paul, or acted as a scribe for Paul, is unsure.
There are some though who believe that Paul was not the author as the style of writing and certain phrases used were unlike Paul’s other writings.
When was the book of Colossians written?
The letter to the Colossians was written around 60–62AD while Paul was in prison in Rome and is one of four prison epistles. This was his first imprisonment and took place after his trip to Rome.
During this time Paul also wrote Ephesians and Philemon and all three letters were sent with and delivered by Tychicus who was accompanied by Onesimus.
What is the book of Colossians about?
The main theme of Colossians is the supremacy of Christ, and that Jesus Christ is Lord over everything, setting him above and apart from the other gods of the time.
He is the visible image of the invisible God.
Paul also emphasises the thought of Christ as head of the church and teaches a new and godly model for relationships and families.
The letter was intended to be an encouragement to the church, and as Paul often does, he encourages believers to live pure and godly lives.
It also comes to warn them about false teachers and false doctrines in their midst, instructing them to fight off sinful practices.
Colossians Video Overview
The Bible Project has a great video on Colossians to give you an overview of this book in the Bible.
Bible Study on the book of Colossians
The SOAP Bible Study Method is a great way to understand the scriptures better. The study below utilises this method and makes it easy to go through the book by breaking it down into sections. If you would like to dive deeper into Colossians and discover what it means for you personally then I recommend giving the Bible study a go.
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