Letters to the Church

In  Colossians , Paul stresses the exaltation of Jesus following his Resurrection. Some members of the congregation were confused about his authority over the spiritual powers that were hostile to God and His people; therefore, Paul reminded the Assembly of just how highly God exalted the One who became the “ Firstborn of the Dead .”

The resurrection of believers is not a major subject in Paul’s “pastoral” letters, but he did raise the subject in  2 Timothy  to deal with false teachers who were denying this essential truth of the young faith. As he wrote, “ God did not give us a spirit of fear but of a sound mind .” The theme of “ sound teaching ” is prominent in the Letter, and the future resurrection was a basic element of the Church’s forward-looking hope. After all, Jesus “ abolished death ” when God raised him from the dead.

Paul claimed that the source of his apostleship was the same God who raised His Son from “ among dead ones ” (literal rendering). This same Messiah died and was raised from the dead to “ deliver us from this evil age .” In  Galatians , The Apostle was responding to certain “ men from Jerusalem ” who were operating in the Assembly as if the old era was still in effect, insisting that Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the Jewish calendar, and challenging Paul’s Apostolic authority and credentials.

To the Colossians, Paul emphasized the exalted position of Jesus that he attained through his death and resurrection .  In his Letter, the Apostle stresses the exaltation of Jesus following his resurrection. It seems some members of the congregation were confused about his authority over the spiritual powers that remained hostile to God and His people; therefore, Paul reminds the Assembly of just how highly God exalted the very one who became the “ Firstborn of the Dead .”