Abstract
The last time Review & Expositor focused on the letter to the Colossians was in 1973. It has been forty-six years since our readers had a sustained volume on this intriguing New Testament letter—too long. The 1973 issue was organized by Dale Moody, who was Theology Professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1948–1984). As one of the students in the last class he taught at Southern Seminary, I am humbled and honored to have shepherded this volume on Colossians from inception to completion.
The 1973 issue under Moody’s guidance had stellar scholars who were at the height of their productivity and creativity with their engagement of biblical interpretation. The names were well known in the middle to late twentieth century: G. E. Ladd, E. Glenn Hinson, C. F. D. Moule, George Beasley-Murray, Eduard Schweizer, and Bo Reicke. This issue includes work from another generation of stellar scholars and authors. We believe their insights and work on Colossians will provide sustaining substance over the coming decades for all those who, in the words of St. Augustine, “take up and read” this issue.
Much has changed in the world in the last forty-six years. Whereas the writers in 1973 were all white males, this issue represents a more diverse world of scholars and scholarship on Colossians. The methods and emphases of 2019 are quite different than in 1973. Especially evident as a trajectory throughout this volume is the focus upon the ethical implications within Colossians. As the writers of this issue illustrate, Colossians can be dissected with keen insights and methods, but any study of Colossians must also intersect with the quotidian existence of believers, the Church, and the world—precisely as it did in the first century for the original readers and listeners.
This issue begins with “A word about . . . ” by Ircel Harrison, Coaching Coordinator for Pinnacle Leadership Associates and Supplemental Associate Professor of Missional Theology for Central Baptist Theological Seminary. He focuses upon the imperative of equipping leaders for a new era of ministry. As Harrison ably notes, the world, the Church, and ministry leadership are changing. How individuals respond to changes will determine the missio Dei for the coming decades.
Thematic articles
The opening thematic article, “Colossians: Background and contexts,” is by James R. McConnell, Associate Professor of New Testament at Gardner-Webb Divinity. He explores the various aspects of Colossians’ background and contexts based on a close examination of the Christ hymn (Col 1:15–20), the conflict that provoked the letter (Col 2:8–19), and the household code text-segment (Col 3:18–25). McConnell uses a wealth of extra-biblical sources and archaeological evidence to capture how the original audience of Colossians would have heard and understood this letter. His careful use of sources illustrates well both how the letter to the Colossians connected with its original cultural context and also where it challenged its context.
Terry Rosell, Professor of Pastoral Theology in Ethics and Ministry Praxis at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, who also holds the Rosemary Flanigan Chair at the Center for Practical Bioethics, has written on “‘Let no one delude you’: The apostle as moralist in the letter to Colossians.” As the article title indicates, Rosell understands the author of Colossians as functioning as a moralist concerned with presenting the values and rules that should govern one’s behavior—that is, what is good and right. The concern stems from the disorientation and delusion that Paul discerns in the believers at Colossae. They are disoriented because of the different values and rules offered by others besides Paul. Others in the community at Colossae are deluded into accepting what is worthless as worthy. As Rosell illustrates, contemporary folks also often find themselves disoriented and deluded, specifically related to values about honesty in government, immigration, and ownership of guns. He provides a helpful reflection on bringing both a process of discernment and Paul’s rule of “walking in love” to moral matters.
While the hymnic nature of Col 1:15–20 has often been noted, Mark S. Medley, Professor of Theology at the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, explores this hymn from a different angle in his article, “Subversive song: Imagining Colossians 1:15–20 as a social protest hymn in the context of the Roman empire.” Medley notes the parallels that exist between contemporary social protest songs, such as Billie Holiday’s song, “Strange Fruit,” and the Christology hymn in Col 1:15–20. This parallelism exists in the way that songs can empower and mobilize protest and resistance. In contemporary songs, protest and resistance might be against social injustice and structures of oppression. Colossians 1:15–20, as it “sings” for the Colossian believers, issues this same type of challenge against imperial power and coercive structures of domination.
Amanda C. Miller, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Belmont University, in “Paul’s social network in Colossians: Friends and coworkers in the Lycus Valley,” highlights that Paul’s vocation was never as the “Lone Ranger” in his ministry work; rather, he developed and utilized an extensive network of connections and key co-workers. Miller especially focuses upon two significant figures for Paul’s work in Colossae: Nympha and Epaphras. As she notes, social networks are never without some tensions and challenges, but they also are the way that the vision and the work of the Church are accomplished.
Arthur M. Wright, Jr., Scholar in Residence for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia, writes on the political dimension of Colossians in his article, “Disarming the rulers and authorities: Reading Colossians in its Roman imperial context.” Wright helps illustrate that, while one might not want to posit the whole of Colossians as anti-imperial writing, Colossians is a letter with strong political implications. It does challenge elements of Roman sovereignty and power. Colossians provides an alternative narrative for Colossian believers (and contemporary ones also) to the ubiquitous ideological message of imperial power. That message finds its focus especially in the Christ hymn of 1:15–20 and God’s Triumph of 2:8–15.
Preaching is one of the ongoing opportunities for ministers to bring the message of Colossians to congregants today. Casey Thornburgh Sigmon, Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship and Director of Contextual Education at St. Paul School of Theology in Leawood, Kansas, has written an article that illustrates “Homiletical possibilities and challenges in Colossians.” She helpfully outlines some of the key themes within Colossians that lend themselves to the homiletical task, such as creation, baptism, and ethics. The challenges preachers find in Colossians are related to preaching humility (vs false humility) and the harmful dualisms that perpetuate patriarchy.
Expository articles
Two expository articles in this issue focus upon specific Colossian text-segments. My contribution is an exploration of the use of “mystery,” in the article, “Servant and steward of the mystery: Colossians 1:26–27; 2:2; 4:3.” For the author of Colossians, the revelation of God’s divine mystery was centered in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. This mystery was the underlying passion and vocation for Paul as a steward of this message. In the second expository article, Terrell Carter, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois, focuses upon a foundational theme in Colossians: love. With his article, “Love is the appropriate response: Colossians 3:12–17,” he notes that when ethical issues arise, the writer of Colossians reminds his readers of the love in which they have been clothed.
Finally, this issue concludes with “Colossians bibliography: Seventy years of commentaries.” The organization of the bibliography is a little unusual when contrasted with typical bibliographies: it is arranged chronologically and not alphabetically. The chronological arrangement is by decade, beginning 2019–2010 and ending in 1959–1950. Through this unconventional approach, one can grasp, at a quick glance, some trends and trajectories for the study of Colossians over the past seventy years.
Working with these gifted scholars and authors has been a wonderful experience. The hope for this issue is that it might have enduring value for those who study, read, preach, and live with Colossians.