About one hundred miles from Ephesus, in the valley of the River Lycus, near where it joins the Meander, there once stood three important cities–Laodicaea, Hierapolis and Colosse. Originally they had been Phrygian cities, but now they were part of the Roman province of Asia. They stood almost within sight of each other. Hierapolis and Laodicaea stood one on either side of the valley with the River Lycus flowing between; they were only six miles apart, and they were in full view of each other. The third city, Colosse, straddled the river, twelve miles further up. (The Letter to the Colossians, Wm. Barclay)
When a New Testament book is studied, the geographical and cultural environment is extremely important to understanding its teaching. The cultural background of Colossians must be considered before we can get an adequate understanding of the Holy Spirit’s teaching. Bob Martin does an outstanding job of opening our minds to the exhortations and warnings of the apostle Paul as he writes to the church in Colosse and to his dear brother and friend, Philemon. Although Paul did not directly establish the church in Colosse, probably meeting in Philemon’s house, he expressed his deep love and concern for the brethren there.
Bob will boldly reveal the teaching of Paul as he assures the Christians in Colosse that Christ is all sufficient, and thus, there is no need and no room for any additions to the gospel. The Colossian brethren were in danger of being led back into the legalistic practices of Judaistic worship. In addition to this, they were trying to add certain practices of paganism. Either or both of these additions would corrupt the pure truth of the grace of God by which these brethren had become children of God and in which they were to continue to stand.
As Bob Martin concludes his study, he will take you into the heart and lives of Onesimus, Philemon’s runaway slave, Philemon himself and his fellow Christians and neighbors in Colosse. You will marvel at the workings of God as he brings Paul and Onesimus together in Rome and then travel back to Colosse and watch as Onesimus, now a Christian brother, is reunited with his master. How will Philemon receive his slave? How will he respond to his slave-owning neighbors? Will he continue to treat him as a slave? What a dilemma? Your faith will be strengthened as you almost close this book with a shout of victory!
