Read Colossians

Colossians is just under 2,000 words and takes the average reader less than 15 minutes to read.  You can read the whole book in one sitting.   For our Colossians reading project, we suggest that you read the book at least once a week in one sitting. Perhaps after a few weeks, for variety, read it more reflectively in smaller sections over the course of the week.

colossians Video 7: verses 3:18-4:1

This week, Ava and Scott (and special guests!) discuss what may be the hardest section of Colossians for modern readers.

colossians Video 6: Jewish/Gentile Dynamic

We discuss how understanding the Jewish/Gentile dynamic helps you to understand the message of Colossians more deeply.

colossians Video 5: the christ hymn

Ava shares a way of seeing how Colossians 1:15-20 is structured so that the key message is understood.  You can access the document referenced here if you want to download it for your own study.

colossians Video 4: Key verses

When Paul wrote Colossians, he did not explicitly identify a key theme or point, so there isn’t necessarily a central verse or sentence in the book. It can be a helpful exercise, however, to see if there are a verse or two that seem to have the seeds of what we see developed in the book. The usefulness of this as an exercise is simply to force us to try to distill the key message(s) of the book. Ava and Scott each share verses they think get at the essential meaning and purpose of the book. 

colossians Video 3: what is paul concerned about?

We don’t know the particular concerns Paul had for the Colossians. From what we know of the context, along with issues Paul addresses in other churches, we can imagine why he writes to urge the Colossian church to look to Christ. Scott and Ava discuss the kinds of issues that may have concerned him. 

colossians Video 2: Thanksgiving, Hope, and False Teaching

Scott and Ava talk about how thanksgiving and hope are key themes in Colossians, and how thanksgiving has an orientation towards the past (what God has done) and hope towards our future.  In the present, the Colossian church needs instruction about problematic teaching they have been exposed to.  As you read through Colossians, what do you think are key aspects of this false teaching?  What is Paul trying to correct?

colossians video 1 - Introduction & Getting Started

Scott and Ava introduce Emmanuel's Bible reading project, encouraging the people of the church to read through Colossians (in one sitting) at least once a week for the upcoming weeks.

Colossians Overview

BibleProject is the author and owner of this video. Learn more at bibleproject.com.