Information About the Christian Community in Colossae

Colossae is a Phrygian city (in Asia Minor) on the river Lycus, not far from where it flows into the Maeander. Ancient historians called it a large and wealthy city. In the Middle Ages it came to be called Chonae; today it is a small town. Near it were the cities of Hierapolis and Laodicea.

The faith of the Colossians in the Lord Saviour came from the Apostle Paul; but probably not directly, rather through his disciples. It appears that first Saint Paul converted Epaphras, then Philemon with his household; and they subsequently spread the holy faith not only in Colossae, but also in Hierapolis and Laodicea.

Colossae maintained constant commercial relations with Ephesus. Therefore it can be supposed that the aforementioned persons were converted by Saint Paul in that city, or during one of his two passages through Phrygia. Epaphras, it may be supposed, was converted before the others and, remaining with Saint Paul, received from him complete instruction in matters of faith, so that he was esteemed capable of teaching others as well. When Philemon was later converted and was returning to his homeland, the Apostle did not hesitate to send Epaphras with him to those regions and entrust to him the preaching of the Gospel there—which he fulfilled and for which he is called by Saint Paul a fellow-worker (Col. 1:7). Philemon’s household helped him in this. Therefore in the Epistle to Philemon the Apostle calls Philemon his co-worker, and Archippus, his son, a fellow-soldier (Phlm. 1:2).

Having spread the faith, they also guarded it. In Philemon’s house there were common gatherings of believers, and Archippus presided over them, for the Apostle writes of him at the end of the Epistle: tell Archippus: “See that you fulfill the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may complete it” (Col. 4:17). Epaphras, for his part, oversaw all three cities, going from one to another and strengthening all in faith and life according to faith. About this he had “great zeal and concern” and “always strived in his prayers” (Col. 4:12, 13). God blessed his labors and those of his co-workers, and Saint Paul testifies concerning the Colossians that among them faith flourished, life was holy, and all the order of matters pertaining to faith and piety were excellent (Col. 2:5). Probably the Laodiceans and Hierapolites were the same.

Whether Saint Paul himself was in those places or not cannot be asserted with certainty either way. Those who say that he was not there and did not see the Christians in person base themselves on the fact that Saint Paul said of their faith: “having heard of your faith” (Col. 1:4), and on the fact that he wrote: “I want you to know what a great struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh” (Col. 2:1). But neither of these provides decisive grounds for asserting what they wish to establish. Regarding Philemon, Saint Paul also wrote “having heard of your faith” (Phlm. 1:5); yet later he says to him: “you owe me even your own self” (Phlm. 1:19). Therefore we must suppose that in both places the Apostle meant that he had heard of the state of their faith, not that they had begun to believe. Epaphras told him in what good condition the faith and life according to faith were among the Colossians; the Apostle gives thanks to God for this; and that they believed, this he could see with his own eyes. Likewise, from that place where it is said about those who did not see the face of the Apostle, one cannot directly conclude that the Colossians and their neighbors did not see him either. The passage reads thus: “I want you to know what a great struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and at Hierapolis, and for all who have not seen my face in the flesh” (Col. 2:1). It can be understood in this way: I have a struggle not only for you, but also for all who have not seen my face; and also: I have a struggle both for you and for those who have not seen my face. By the first interpretation, it would follow that the Colossians and their neighbors did not see the face of the Apostle, but by the second, that they did. And it cannot be said that the second conclusion is more straightforward. Thus Blessed Theodoret understands it. According to him, the passage has this meaning: “I have great concern not only for you, but also for those who have not seen me.” Others wish to prove that Saint Paul was not in Colossae and the neighboring cities by the fact that in the Book of Acts it is mentioned twice that the Apostle passed through Phrygia, on his second and third journeys; but nowhere is it mentioned that he stayed there to preach. But in Acts it is also not mentioned that Saint Paul, passing through Galatia, stopped there to preach; yet in the Epistle to the Galatians he says directly that they learned the faith from him. And Blessed Theodoret, from the fact that in the Book of Acts it is mentioned about Saint Paul passing through Phrygia, draws the conclusion that he also planted the faith there—namely in those places of which we speak: for, he says, Laodicea is the principal city of Phrygia, and Colossae (with Hierapolis) is in close proximity to it. If, going to Ephesus on his third journey, Saint Paul visited the churches planted on his first journey, he could not have avoided these cities: they are on the way from Iconium to Ephesus. Nothing hindered him from stopping in them. But suppose he did not stop; he could have visited them from Ephesus. He did not stop on the road; but when Epaphras and Philemon were converted in Ephesus and then planted the faith in their own and neighboring cities, then Saint Paul visited them: and it is not far, and communication was convenient. It is said that the Colossians learned the faith from Epaphras (Col. 1:7). So it is supposed that Epaphras planted the faith, and Saint Paul could have visited those cities when the faith had already spread among them.

So, none of the proposed bases gives a decisive conclusion about Saint Paul not being in Colossae and the neighboring cities. This can be suggested only by the fact that in the Epistle there is no indication of it. If Saint Paul had seen them, he would somehow have alluded to it in the Epistle. A hint can be seen in the following words: “by which” (the Church) “I became a servant according to the stewardship of God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God” (Col. 1:25); but this hint cannot be considered definite, because under “for you” one can understand Gentiles in general. And in general, the tone of the entire Epistle inclines more toward one who has not seen the Colossians than toward one who has seen them.

On what then should we settle? Let us settle on the probable: it seems he was not there, but perhaps he was. Blessed Theodoret, who asserts that Saint Paul was in those places and himself planted the faith there, concludes his inquiries thus: “However, let each one understand this as he sees fit, for to speak one way or another about this makes no difference in doctrine.” We too can proceed in this way. However, other of our commentators hold that Saint Paul did not see the Colossians.