It is sad that many Christian laypersons reading Colossians 2:16-17 forget to read the surrounding cotext, because immediately Paul warns the Colossians about the dangerous features of the false philosophy. This was an error that advocated “self-abasement and the worship of the angels” (Colossians 2:18, NASU) in an effort to induce visions. Even if one views “worship of angels” as not being actual worship directed to angels, but people trying to participate with angelic worship in Heaven—things off limits for normal people were still being accessed. People trying to appeal to angels for spiritual help, rather than going to the Lord Himself, according to Paul, have “lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow” (Colossians 2:19).

The Colossians are not to be like the fickle people of the world, allowing themselves to be influenced by the ascetic superstitions of the false teachers like “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” (Colossians 2:21), which ultimately have no use in curtailing sinful urges (Colossians 2:23). And while some may be tempted to associate these things with regulations seen in the Torah, they are labeled as being “based on human commands and teachings” (Colossians 2:22), an indication that they are not of Divine origin. The Sabbath, appointed times, and dietary laws were taken up into this whole mess of ideas—being improperly used—and the Colossians were not to let the false teachers intimidate them.

The second half of Paul’s letter to the Colossians is spent addressing the lives of those who “have been raised with Messiah,” who should set their “hearts on things above, where Messiah is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1), reigning supremely. Believers have their lives found in Him, and will experience much greatness when the Messiah returns (Colossians 3:2-4). He lists a number of serious sins that are not to be found in the lives of his audience (Colossians 3:5-9), precisely because they “have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10). The power of the Messiah to change people is so magnificent, because “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Messiah is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3:11). What Paul tells the Colossians to manifest in their lives—by the transforming power of Yeshua—is something that the false philosophy of the errorists cannot bring:

“Let the peace of Messiah rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Messiah dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Yeshua, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:15-17).

Paul issues some important instructions to the Colossians on the home life of Believers, and some of the roles that husbands, wives, children, and slaves all play (Colossians 3:18-4:1; cf. Ephesians 5:22-6:9). The fact that slaves are mentioned should immediately remind us that this word was indeed given against a First Century C.E. background. What would these instructions have meant to ancient people? Only by acknowledging this first, can we properly apply its principles today.

The final request Paul asks of the Colossians is to continue to pray for him, as he is in jail and will need to discern the opportunities when he can declare the gospel message (Colossians 4:2-5). He similarly encourages them, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

Paul’s letter to the Colossians ends with a series of greetings from the mixed group of Jewish and non-Jewish Believers helping him in Rome (Colossians 4:7-15). These include the courier Tychicus, who also took with him the general epistle that would become “Ephesians” (Colossians 4:7; Ephesians 6:21). Onesimus, the runaway slave who features prominently in Paul’s letter to Philemon, is considered to be “our dear and faithful brother,” and he will be traveling with him (Colossians 4:9). The Jewish Believers are Aristarchus, John Mark, with whom Paul had patched up previous differences (cf. Acts 13:13; 15:39), and a man named Jesus Justus (Colossians 4:10-11). Take important notice of the fact that a normal Jewish man of the Diaspora would indeed have the Greek name Iēsous. This is not only proof that Iēsous is a legitimate Jewish transliteration of Yeshua and not the name of a pagan god, but also that when the Apostles proclaimed salvation in the name of Iēsous, it was a normal name that Greek-speaking Jewish men had.

Epaphras, who has yet to return home to Colossae, is attested by Paul to be “one of you and a servant of Messiah Yeshua...He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Colossians 4:12). Paul gives Epaphras some approving words, for the ministry work he has performed in the Lycus Valley (Colossians 4:13), which would be quite helpful when he did finally return home. Also extending greetings to the Colossians are Luke the doctor and Demas (Colossians 4:14). Paul wants the Colossians to greet the congregation that meets in the home of Nympha, a woman, on his behalf (Colossians 4:15). He also commends the special ministry of Archippus (Colossians 4:17), whatever that might have been.

Paul requests that this letter he has sent to the Colossians be read in the congregation of the nearby Laodiceans as well. He also tells them that they will be receiving a letter that he wrote to the Laodiceans (Colossians 4:16). Although many proposals have been made, there are some good reasons for us not to think that this is a non-extant “Epistle to the Laodiceans.” Given the evidence of the oldest manuscripts of Ephesians 1:1 lacking “in Ephesus” (see RSV), the letter coming from Laodicea could very well be the general epistle that became known as “Ephesians,” which had been circulated in the same vicinity of Asia Minor.

The imprisoned Paul is sure to write the final part of his message to the Colossians, with his own hand: “Remember my chains. Grace be with you” (Colossians 4:18).

Neither Colossians nor Philemon need to be avoided by Messianic Believers any more. These are not difficult letters to understand, although they do sometimes remind us that we need to read texts of Scripture for what they meant to their original audiences first. Messianics needs to recognize how Colossians 2:16-17 appears in a rebuke about the false philosophy circulating in Colossae, and directly pertains to how Shabbat, the appointed times, and dietary laws were caught up in the errorists’ asceticism. Similarly, Philemon does portray a scene of a runaway slave returning home, something which Twenty-First Century people admittedly read with difficulty. I think that today’s emerging Messianic movement can actually learn much from both of these epistles, as we consider not only the broad religious diversity of the early ekklēsia, but the broad religious diversity we face today, with all of its complex issues.

J.K. McKee (B.A., University of Oklahoma; M.A., Asbury Theological Seminary) is the editor of TNN Online (www.tnnonline.net) and is a Messianic apologist. He is a 2009 recipient of the Zondervan Biblical Languages Award for Greek. He is author of several books, including: The New Testament Validates Torah, Torah In the Balance, Volume I, and When Will the Messiah Return? He has also written many articles on theological issues, and is presently focusing on Messianic commentaries on various books of the Bible.

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