Where is Biblical Colossae? Photo: Courtesy of Alan H. Colossae appears only one time in the Bible: Colossians The church at Colossae was the recipient of a letter bearing the name of the Apostle Paul. Yet there is no indication in the New Testament that Paul ever visited the site of Colossae. Trainor explains that there may be another reference to Colossae and its church elsewhere in the New Testament:.
The Colossians, by association and proximity to Laodicea, would have been similarly encouraged. Yet Trainor is still able to reconstruct much of its history for BAR readers. A 17th-century B. From the Persian period through the Byzantine period, Colossae was a large, important city. During the Byzantine period, it even served as a Metropolitan See an archdiocese and had one of the largest churches in the Near East: the Church of St.
Michael, named after the archangel Michael. Known for healing the sick, St. Michael was a particularly important figure at Colossae.
A legend developed that he saved the town at the request of the priest Archippus, who appears in Colossians Trainor explains the legend:. Archippus seeks divine intervention to rescue the Christian populace of Colossae from a pagan invasion intent on diverting the waters of the Lycus River to flood and kill the city-dwellers. Michael intervenes, drives his spear into the earth, diverts the waters underground, saves the people, and creates the chasm that appears in the topography near Colossae.
This story became a popular iconographic theme throughout Asia Minor and the Middle East. Colossal Church? Where is the Church of St. Because of His divine nature, Jesus is sovereign, above all things with an authority given Him by the Father. As such, Jesus is also Head over the church. He has reconciled all things to Himself through His death on the cross, making believers alive to God and setting them on the path to right living. This proper view of Christ served as the antidote for the Colossian heresy as well as a building block for Christian life and doctrine both then and now.
Your view of Jesus Christ will impact every area of your life. He saw that the christological problems in the Colossian church had practical importance as well. Believers have died with Christ; therefore, we need to die to our sins. We have also been raised with Christ; therefore, we must live well in Him and put on qualities that are motivated by Christian love. And because He is Lord over all, the life of the Christian is a life of submission to Jesus.
Are you following after Jesus as you should? Our faith in Jesus Christ should transform the relationships we have in every area of our lives—in our homes, our churches, and our world. This epistle was written to the faithful Saints in Colossae, a site in modern-day Turkey. Paul instructed the Colossian Saints to share the letter with the members of the Church in nearby Laodicea see Colossians Epaphras told Paul that the Colossians were falling into serious error—they thought they were better than other people because they carefully observed certain external ordinances [see Colossians ], denied themselves certain physical wants, and worshiped angels [see Colossians ].
These practices made the Colossians feel they were being sanctified. They also felt they understood the mysteries of the universe better than other Church members. In the Epistle to the Colossians, Paul countered the false teachings in Colossae by emphasizing the divinity, saving mission, and preeminence of Jesus Christ see Colossians — He taught that Christ is the very image of God the Father, the Creator, the Head of the Church, the first to be resurrected, and the Redeemer.
Paul warned against those who taught that true spirituality was gained through special rituals, festivals, and diets see Colossians —18, 20, Colossians —23 Paul greets the Saints in Colossae and declares that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer, the Firstborn among all creation, the Creator, and the Lord of all divine perfection, in whom is the reconciliation of the universe.
Paul exhorts the Saints to establish their faith in Jesus Christ.
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