Colossians and Philemon (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament | ZECNT)

by David W. Pao

Publisher:

Zondervan

, 2012

Overview

In Colossians and Philemon, David W. Pao continues providing the powerful exegetical commentary this series has offered on other books of the Bible. Written primarily for the pastor and Bible teacher, the text succinctly exegetes each passage of Scripture in its grammatical and historical context. Each passage of Colossians and Philemon is interpreted in the light of its biblical setting, with a view of grammatical detail, literary context, flow of biblical argument, and historical setting.

Key Features

• Provides a powerful exegetical commentary on the letters of Colossians and Philemon
• Presents a commentary written primarily for the pastor and Bible teacher
• Includes a view of grammatical detail, literary context, flow of biblical argument, and historical setting

Contents

Top Highlights

“The evidence, therefore, appears to favor a syncretism with Jewish elements providing the controlling framework.” (Page 31)

“This letter that addresses a congregation challenged by a form of syncretism has significant contemporary application in a society in which the ‘virtues’ of pluralism and tolerance are exalted as most important. Instead of simply pointing out the errors of the various practices and beliefs promoted by the false teachers, Paul begins and ends with an intense focus on Christ as the foundation of the believers’ existence. As a result, one finds powerful theoretical and practical outworkings of a robust Christology.” (Page 31)

“While the false teachers encourage their followers to focus on the heavenly realm (2:18), Paul makes it clear that the center of such heavenly attention is nothing but Christ himself.” (Page 211)

“In light of the fact that the Colossian false teaching appears to contain both Jewish elements and those that do not fit comfortably within a traditional Jewish framework, it appears that some sort of syncretism lies behind this false teaching.” (Page 30)

“Equally important is the fact that while the word ‘law’ (νόμος) appears more than thirty times in Galatians, it is not used at all in Colossians. Jewish legalism should not, therefore, be considered the primary target of Paul’s discussion in this letter.” (Page 28)

Endorsements

I feel quite comfortable commending this commentary to pastors who want to consult a reliable commentary for Bible study, preparation for sermons, and even personal study. Pao always presents the interpretive options, and offers a rationale for his preference. My favorite part of the volume, the element I felt made it stand out among available Colossians commentaries, is the section on theology and application. Plenty of commentaries re-hash the same exegetical conundrums. But preachers often get stuck making the leap from the first century to today. Commentaries like the ZECNT, including Pao’s volume, offer the kind of counsel that preachers desperately need.

Nijay K. Gupta (PhD, University of Durham), Themelios, Volume 38, Issue 3, 2013

Product Details

• Title: Colossians and Philemon
• Author: David W. Pao
• Series: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Print Publication Date: 2012
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Pages: 464
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible. N.T. Colossians › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. Philemon › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9780310491996, 9780310243953, 9780310532149, 0310491991, 0310243955, 0310532140
• Resource ID: LLS:EXEGCOMM72COL
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-10-16T21:36:12Z

About David W. Pao

David W. Pao received his PhD from Harvard University, and is a professor of New Testament and chair of the New Testament Department at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of Acts and the Isaianic New Exodus, Thanksgiving: An Investigation of a Pauline Theme, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, and coeditor of Early Christian Voices: In Texts, Traditions, and Symbols and After Imperialism: Christian Identity in China and the Global Evangelical Movement.