AUTHOR: The letter claims to be written by Paul [ Col 1:1 ], has his style, and expresses the apostle's ideas. It was written from prison [ Col 4:18 ], according to many scholars, in the final phase of his life.

THEME: Paul had never visited Colossae, the Church had been founded by Epaphras and other Christians who converted during his missionary journeys. The Colossians, having heard of Paul's arrest, sent Epaphras, their minister, to inform the apostle of the situation [Col 1:7-8]. Through Epaphras, Paul learned that false teachers were trying to add to the Christian faith a doctrine that mixed Judaism and pagan philosophy. Writing from prison, Paul fought these false teachings that had infiltrated the Colossian Church. The heresy resulting from this mixing of doctrines later became known as Gnosticism, emphasizing special knowledge (Greek gnosis) and denying Christ as God and Savior. The Gnostics boasted a wisdom far deeper than that revealed in Holy Writ, a wisdom that was the property of a favored few.

COMPILATION: The Epistle to the Colossians, sent by Tychicus, the same messenger who carried the Epistles to the Ephesians and to Philemon, was written about the same time as the Epistle to the Ephesians (A.D. 59-61 or 62). A.D.). It consists of 4 chapters and 95 verses.