The city of Colossae
Colossae was a city of Phyrgia located in the Lycus valley. Herodotus described Colossae as a “great city” about 400 B.C. A century later, Xenophone described it as a “city great and prosperous.” But in the time of the apostle Paul, Colossae was a town of little influence in the Roman Empire.
Laodicea lay 12 miles to the west. As Laodicea grew in importance, Colossae’s influence and greatness waned. Under imperial rule, Laodicea was made capital of the area which included Colossae.
Religion of the area
The worship of Cybele probably had its origin in this area. Cybele was called the “Great Mother of Gods” from 400 B.C. onward.
The worship of Cybele was linked to the death and resurrection of her consort Attis. At her spring festival held each March 15-27, her followers would fast and pray and mourn the death of Attis. Then they would all gather in a solemn procession carrying the “body” of the young god to his grave. In the morning, the people celebrated the resurrection of Attis and the renewal of the earth. Fertility rites would then be held symbolizing that Attis was rejoined to Cybele. On the last day of the feast, an image of Cybele was carried through the streets as the crowds cried out, “Our Lady.”
Gnostic’s
Gnosticism was the quest for god like knowledge through mystic means and had a strong foothold in this area. The gnostics considered all things material as evil and totally disassociated from the spiritual world of the divine. Only by freeing one’s self of the material world, including the body, could one achieve true, spiritual perfection. Some first century Gnostic’s taught that Jesus assumed an apparent physical form though in reality he was a specially prepared non-corporeal spiritual body.
Jews
About 200 B.C., 2,000 Jews were brought from Mesopotamia to this area. At the time of the apostle Paul, the sizeable Jewish community had considerable influence. From Acts 2:10,41, it is evident that some of the Jews had been converted to Christianity in Jerusalem before any apostles visited the area.
Establishment of the ecclesia
There are two references to this area in connection with Paul’s missionary journies. Acts 16:6 records that when Paul, Timothy and Silas “had gone throughout Phrygia…” on the second missionary journey, they were directed to Macedonia Acts 18:23 notes that at the beginning of his third journey, Paul “went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.”
While Paul visited the area, it would appear the ecclesia was formed primarily from the work of Epaphras: you “knew the grace of God in truth: as ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ” (Col. 1:67). The idea that the ecclesia was primarily the work of another is also indicated by Col. 2:1: “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.”
The possible answer may be in Acts 19:10, for there we learn that during Paul’s stay of two years in Ephesus, “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” Epaphras may have learned the Truth in Ephesus and then brought it back to his home in the Lycus valley. The fact Acts 16:6 and 18:23 make no specific reference to Colossae leave open this possibility.
The letter to the ecclesia
There are many parallels between the letters to Ephesus and Colossae. General principles addressed, exhortations covered and the vocabulary used make one seem to be a slight variation of the other. Furthermore, Tychichus carried the letter to the Ephesians from Paul and the one to the Colossians (Eph. 6:21; Col 4:7). Since Philemon lived in Colossae, Paul may also have written that letter at the same time, permitting Tychichus and Onesimus to travel together.
The problem at Colossae
The troublemakers were members of the ecclesia. Other than that, we are not prepared to assert whether they were Jews or former gnostics.
However, one thing is clear, there were specific problems at Colossae.
Chapter two has several key words related to the troubles: “philosophy …human tradition…rudiments of the world” (v.8); “circumcised” (v.11); buried in baptism, risen with Christ (v.12); “dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh” (v.13); “the handwriting of ordinances” (v.14); a public triumph over authorities on the cross (v.15); meat, drink, holyday, new moon, sabbaths (v.16); false humility and the worship of angels (v.18); being subject to ordinances (v.20); touch not, handle not, taste not (v.21); the commandments and teachings of men (v.22).
Many of these phrases are directed to Judaizers, Jewish Christians who were still tied to the law. But some of the terminology could apply to those who kept falling back into their Gnostic thinking. There could even have been those of the strict Essene faction who were ascetic to the extreme. The theology of angels was both a Jewish and Gnostic problem. The Rabbis had developed elaborate doctrines regarding angels and the gnostics believed in several gradations of spirit beings as intermediaries between God and mankind.
We can certainly say that part of the ecclesia had become caught up with error to the extent they were no longer acting in the faith and were leading others astray from true liberty in Christ.
The climactic exhortation is that desires to serve self should be put to death and the Lord should be served in a full newness of life.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One