Page 77 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

• Type and Antitype (3:17-4:1)
• Miscellaneous Exhortations (4:2-9)
• Renewed Concern and Contentment beyond Circumstances (4:10-20)

Overview of Philippians

Colossians: A Call to Truth

Author
The internal evidence shows Paul as the author with Timothy writing
under Paul’s instructions (Col 1:1). With its unique style in writing,
some modern debates have arisen regarding its authorship against the
traditionary known of Paul. The differences can be accounted for by noting that here Paul is addressing a
different set of issues. In addition, Colossians was unanimously accepted by the early church fathers as by
Paul.

Provenance and Date
Paul wrote Colossians from prison (4:3, 10, 18), Suggestions of places and dates include: Rome (early 60s
AD; Acts 28:30), Caesarea (around AD 58–60; Acts 23:23–26:32), or during an otherwise unrecorded
imprisonment in Ephesus (around AD 54–55; Acts 19).

Recipients
The recipients of the letter were members of a church in Colossae, in southwest Asia Minor. Some scholars
assert that “It seems that Paul did not plant this church and did not know (at least) some of the believers

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