Colossians and Philemon (The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary | THNTC)

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“theological substance, the ‘Christ-hymn’ (1:15–20) rivals that of Philippians in its vision of the preexistent Christ” (Pages 1–2)

“But in Colossians hope takes center stage because the false teaching seems to hold out the promise of hope other than that lodged in God’s work in Christ. Hope is also resolutely oriented toward the future, not because it denigrates the present but because in the present it experiences the foretaste of what is ‘kept for you in heaven.’ The hope of the Christian is not simply to ‘go to heaven’ but to participate in the coming new world, the redeemed cosmos, which in some way already exists ‘in the heavens’ (see also the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21). In the present, and in the sphere of Christ into which believers have been transferred and in which they and their relationships with others have been made new, they have a foretaste of that redeemed cosmos itself.” (Page 21)

“Paul reminds his readers that their hope lies in what God has done for them in Christ and not in their own capacities or abilities—and certainly not in any other ceremonies, spiritual experiences, or other wouldbe powers or gods, features that are part of the ‘Colossian heresy’ which has exerted its influence on the church. Their lives have now become part of the story of the gospel, God’s gracious deliverance in Christ. Therefore, although they anticipate God’s final consummation, they do not need something further or different to complete the gospel which they had received in faith.” (Page 19)

“Third, behind Paul’s desire to reconcile Philemon and Onesimus and behind his view of the church as a family, a household, lies his conviction that the church, the body of Christ, anticipates the eschatological renewal of humankind in the image of God.” (Page 230)