Keith Essex
Colossians

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 25: Colossians.

12. The Prison Epistles (continued)
    4. Colossians [MSB, 1799-1800; ESVSB, 2289-92; NIVZSB, 2424-26; RSB, 2117-21; RFW, 162-65; DPL, 147-53; BTINT, 301-19]
       1. Introduction [CCC, 678-88; CMINT, 517-22, 526-28]
          1. The History of Interpretation [DTIB, 119-20; ACCSNT, vol. IX; RCSNT]
          2. The Writer: Paul (Col 1:1) [GNTI, 572-77]
          3. The Recipients: The Church at Colossae (Col 1:2; cf. Acts 19:8-10) [GNTI, 564-65]
       2. Major Themes [CCC, 693-700; CMINT, 528-29]
          1. The Person of Christ (Col 1:15-18; 2:9-10; 3:11)
          2. The Work of Christ
             1. The Cross (Col 1:20; 2:14-15)
             2. His Death (Col 1:22; 2:11, 20; 3:3)
             3. The Resurrection (Col 1:18; 2:12; 3:3)
          3. The Union of Christ with Christians (Col 1:27-28; 2:10-14; 3:1-4)
          4. The False Teaching (Col 2:8-23)
          5. Christian Conduct (Col 3:5-Col 4:6)
             / Walk (Col 1:10; 2:6; 3:7; 4:5)
       3. Purpose:
          • Gentile Christians were taught about Christ and their union with Him and were exhorted to have their conduct flow from that union with Christ [see CCC, 688-89; GNTI, 571-2; CMINT, 523-25]
       4. The Literary Structure: see outline [CCC, 689-93; CMINT, 516; VOCNT, 51]
          COLOSSIANS

          1. The Prologue (Col 1:1-14)
             1. The Salutation (Col 1:1-2)
             2. Paul's Thanksgiving for the Colossian Saints (Col 1:3-8)
             3. Paul's Prayer for the Colossians' Knowledge that would Result in Worthy Conduct (Col 1:9-14)
          2. The Body: Paul Taught the Colossian Saints the Truth about Jesus, Warned of False Teachers, and Exhorted Them to Christian Conduct (Col 1:15-Col 4:6)
             1. Paul's Teaching concerning the Person and Work of Christ (Col 1:15-Col 2:5)
                1. The Preeminence of Christ (Col 1:15-20)
                2. The Reconciliation of Believers to God through Christ (Col 1:21-23)
                3. Paul, the Minister of the Message of Hope in Jesus Christ (Col 1:24-Col 2:5)
             2. Paul's Warning concerning the False Teachers (Col 2:6-Col 3:4)
                1. Paul's Admonition concerning the False Teachers (Col 2:6-8)
                2. Paul's Instruction in the True Teaching (Col 2:9-15)
                3. Paul's Exhortation Resulting from the True Teaching (Col 2:16-Col 3:4)
                   1. Do Not Respond to Legalistic Practices and Ascetic Decrees (Col 2:16-23)
                   2. Do Aspire for the Heavenly Reality (Col 3:1-4)
             3. Paul's Exhortation concerning the Conduct of the Believer United to Christ (Col 3:5-Col 4:6)
                1. The Foundation of Christian Conduct (Col 3:5-17)
                   1. Put Off the Old Way of Life (Col 3:5-11)
                   2. Put On the New Way of Life (Col 3:12-17)
                2. The Conduct Appealed for in Relationships (Col 3:18-Col 4:6)
                   1. Relationships in the Household (Col 3:18-Col 4:1)
                   2. Relationships with Unbelievers (Col 4:2-6)
          3. The Epilogue (Col 4:7-18)
       5. Bibliography
          1. Exegetical:
             • *O'Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC).
             • Pao, Colossians & Philemon (ZECNT).
          2. English Interpretation:
             • Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon and to the Ephesians (NICNT).
             • *Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (PNTC).
          3. Expositional:
             • MacArthur, Colossians & Philemon (MacNTC).
       6. Selected Interpretive Issues
          1. The Opponents of Paul
             1. Gentile
             2. Jewish [Bruce; EBC2 (?)]
             3. Jewish / Gentile [O'Brien (?); Pao; Moo; MacArthur; EBC1; BKC]
          2. "The firstborn of all creation" (Col 1:15) [MSB, 1802; ESVSB, 2294]
             1. Chronological {"firstborn in Creation"}
             2. Positional {"supreme over Creation"} [Moo]
             3. Chronological and Positional [O'Brien {"prior to and supreme over Creation"}; Pao; Bruce {"prior to and heir to Creation"}; MacArthur; EBC1; EBC2; BKC]
       7. Preaching Colossians

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.