Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Apr 29 2020 - Introduction to Paul's letter to the Colossians

Colossae was situated in the southern part of Asia Minor in the fertile Lycus valley ten miles upstream from the cities of Laodicea and Hierapolis. The city possessed a substantial Jewish minority.

For the origin of the church at Colossae, see the notes following this brief introduction.

Though Paul seems not to have visited Colossae, he was concerned for its wellbeing. It seems that his letter was prompted partly by the threat of false teaching which may have been influencing some within the church. There is considerable discussion regarding the nature of this threat, a threat addressed by Paul in 2:8-23. Does the threat come from Hellenistic sources, a form of early Gnosticism, or is the source Jewish?  James Dunn argues for the latter, concluding:

We need look no further than one or more of the Jewish synagogues in Colossae for the source of whatever influences were thought to threaten the young church there. The more relaxed style of polemic in Colossians and the absence there of anything quite like the fierceness of the reaction in Galatians further suggests that what was being confronted was not a sustained attempt to undermine or further convert the Colossians, but a synagogue apologetic promoting itself as a credible philosophy more capable of dealing with whatever heavenly powers might be thought to control or threaten human existence.

Paul's primary response to the threat is to remind the Christians at Colossae of the supremacy of Christ and of the radical implications of his death and resurrection for their lives. The Colossian Christians need to keep their eyes fixed on their incomparable Saviour and Lord – as do we.

Apr 29 2020 - Colossians 1:1-23 – The reconciliation of all things

The church at Colossae was founded as a spin-off from Paul’s ministry at Ephesus. Epaphras, a native of Colossae, seems to have joined Paul’s ministry team (see Colossians 4:10-15). He took the message of Jesus Christ back to his home town of Colossae and it would seem to be primarily through his ministry that a church was formed at Colossae (1:7) – and probably the church in Laodicea and perhaps also Hierapolis (4:13).

Having heard how these folk in Colossae responded to the message preached to them, Paul gives thanks to God for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their love for all God’s people streaming from the hope they have in Christ. This is what is happening, says Paul, all over the world: as the good news about Jesus is preached, the message is bearing fruit in changed lives; people are brought out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s much loved Son.

Paul wants these Christians at Colossae to capture the vision for what God is doing throughout the world. So, in 1:15-20, he paints a dramatic picture of God's cosmic purposes in the Lord Jesus Christ, purposes which have embraced them and which now embrace us.

Jesus, God's Son, is the "image of the invisible God" (1:15); he is the one in whom the character and purposes of God are most clearly and fully revealed (see also 1:19). He is the "firstborn over all creation"; he is heir to all creation – the one to whom it all belongs – for all things, in heaven and earth, were created by him and for him (1:16).

But the whole of creation has been deeply affected by sin; it is in rebellion against God; it is marked by alienation, disintegration and death. Jesus came into the world that he had made in order to bring it back to God. He suffered the death of a dying cosmos. In a manner that defies our present understanding, his death has reconciled God and his world – it has brought peace (1:20). His resurrection from the dead restored Jesus to the place of supremacy over the whole universe (1:18). He is the one in whom all things in heaven and earth are being put back together – reintegrated (1:17) – and are being brought again under the dominion of God their creator.

This is the big picture of what God is doing in Christ. And this process of reconciliation, submission and reintegration is being accomplished now in and through the church, the body of which Jesus Christ is the head (1:18). We are a foretaste and anticipation of that day when all things shall be made new. We are the prototype of the new creation – a people “rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son he loves”; a people who are “qualified … to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (1:13, 12). We are God's demonstration to the world, and to all spiritual authorities, of what his restored creation shall be like.

I find this vision tremendously exciting, but also both challenging and disturbing. Is the glory of God’s new creation in Christ being displayed clearly in us, a reconciled and reintegrated people? Are we truly the symbol of hope for the world?

Father God, we thank you for all that you are doing by your Spirit to rescue this world from the dominion of darkness and bring it under the dominion of your much loved Son. We bow the knee to the Jesus whom you have set as Lord over the whole universe. May something more of his resurrection glory be seen in us, his reconciled people, his new creation. Enlarge our vision and empower our testimony that many others may be drawn to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ through our joyful and awe-filled testimony.

Apr 29 2019 - 1 Samuel 17:1-37 – David prepares to face Goliath

The Israelites were at war with the Philistines and their battle lines were assembled facing each other across a valley. The Philistines had a giant of a man who continually challenged the Israelite army. Goliath was 9 feet 9 inches tall (3 metres) and carried 125 pounds of bronze armour and a spear with a 15 pound iron point on it; he must have made a fearsome sight. Daily he confronted the Israelite army and challenged a single Israelite to step forward and fight him. Such a contest would determine the outcome of the war.

Not surprisingly, no Israelite came forward to fight him, even though King Saul had promised riches and his daughter as a bride to anyone who could defeat Goliath. Most notably, Saul himself seemed far from keen to lead his people in battle. Like the kings of the nations around him, he raised taxes from his people so that he could pay others to fight his battles for him.

David had been sent to take food to his brothers who formed part of Saul's army. When he saw Goliath come forward with his daily challenge he volunteered to go out against him. Looking at David, Saul was initially dismissive; how could a young lad like him take on this giant of a man? But David replied, "Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:34-37).

David viewed the situation from a very different perspective from the rest of Israel – it's a replay of the story of the spies who were sent to look at the land of Canaan which God had promised to give to his people. The vast number of the Israelites saw only a giant of a man with a reputation for crushing all who opposed him. David saw an "uncircumcised Philistine", one who did not bear the mark of God's covenant promise. In David's eyes he is a man who has defied God and therefore one whom the Lord will defeat at David's hand. With the Lord's help David had delivered sheep from the jaw of a lion and the paw of a bear; now the Lord will use him to deliver the flock of God's people from this giant. David will be a shepherd to God's people, Israel.

The threats against God's people and the obstacles that seem to be placed against the work of the kingdom may appear to be of huge proportions but none can withstand the power of God. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has defeated all the powers that stand opposed to God and has made us more than conquerors. That should not lead to triumphalism, for Christ has conquered not through a dazzling display of power but by means of the cross; so it is through sacrifice and suffering that the kingdom is extended.

There are many 'giants' in our day who defy the living God and mock his people. Many mock the Scriptures, deny the person and work of Christ and pour pitying scorn on followers of the crucified Galilean. But we need not fear these giants, for Christ our champion has done battle on our behalf against our most fearsome foe. He has crushed Satan's head and is now at work by his Spirit plundering Satan's kingdom. We need the help of God's Spirit to see things as they truly are and to be bold but gracious in our opposition to those who defy the living God.

Mighty God, thank you that the Lord Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lamb who was slain, has conquered all the powers of darkness. Thank you that we share in his victory. Help us by your Spirit to be bold in the battle you call us to fight against all that opposes you and your saving purposes. Help us first to bring every thought of our own hearts into subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter Misselbrook