Colossians: The Supremacy of Christ

Colossians at a Glance

Colossians is a short letter with one large message: Jesus Christ is supreme over everything and enough for everything. Paul wrote it to a church he had never visited, so that no one would talk them out of the Savior they already had.

• Author. Paul, with Timothy beside him (Colossians 1:1). Paul added the closing greeting in his own hand (Colossians 4:18).
• Date. About AD 60–62, while Paul was a prisoner in Rome (Colossians 4:3; Acts 28:30–31). Tychicus carried it, with Onesimus (Colossians 4:7–9), the man we meet in Philemon.
• Written To. The believers at Colosse, a town in the Lycus Valley near Laodicea and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13). Paul had never seen them (Colossians 2:1). Epaphras, a man from their own town, had taught them the Gospel (Colossians 1:7; Colossians 4:12).
• Setting. News reached Paul in prison of the Colossians' love in the Spirit (Colossians 1:8). He wrote to guard them against a teaching he calls philosophy and vain deceit (Colossians 2:8).
• Key Verse. God's purpose is that in all things he might have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18).
• Key Word or Theme. The supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Believers are complete in him (Colossians 2:10).