When was Colossians written?

Colossians was written by Paul about the year 62 A.D., from the Roman prison, and, as stated in the introduction to the Epistle to the Ephesians was carried by the same messenger who also received the Ephesian Epistle from the hands of the Apostle. Tychicus was this messenger (Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7-9). There is a striking resemblance between these two Epistles, which have been called "twins." Dean Alford speaks of it as follows: "in writing both, the apostle's mind was in the same frame--full of the glories of Christ and the consequent glorious privileges of His Church, which is built on Him, and vitally knit to Him. This mighty subject, as he looked with indignation on the beggarly system of meats and drinks and hallowed days and angelic mediations to which his Colossians were being drawn down, rose before him in all its length and breadth and height, but as writing to them, he was confined to one portion of it, and to setting forth that one portion pointedly and controversially. He could not, consistently with the effect which he would produce on them, dive into the depths of the divine counsels in Christ with regard to them."

Colosse was not a very large town in Phrygia, a region in the south of Asia Minor (i.e., today's Turkey) close to the two cities mentioned in this epistle, Hierapolis, and Laodicea. We do not know when and how the first Christians started meeting there as an assembly. The apostle Paul did not go there on his missionary journeys (Col 1:4; 2:1). During his three-year stay in Ephesus, many people from the wider area, perhaps also from Colosse, had heard the gospel (Acts 19:10). From Colossians 1:7, however, it seems that a Christian by the name of Epaphras, who himself originated from Colosse, was God's instrument for the conversion of the Colossians (cf. Col 4:12.13). Like almost everywhere else in the early days of the church, the assembly in Colosse consisted of converted Jews and Gentiles (cf. Col 1:27; 2:13.16.17; 3:11).

In Colossians 1:1.23; 4:18 the Apostle Paul names himself as the author. He was in prison, as can be seen from chapter 4:3.10.18. Despite the obvious conclusion, based on a long tradition, that all the so-called "prison epistles” (i.e., the epistles to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon) were written during Paul's two-year imprisonment in Rome, there are more recent researchers who believe that the Epistle to the Colossians was written earlier, namely during an imprisonment not mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. This would have been on his third journey in Ephesus. This view, however, makes a speculative impression. On the other hand, historical-critical theology denies Paul's authorship at all and ascribes the letter to an anonymous author from a later period.

In the Epistle to the Colossians, the apostle Paul does not yet speak of the hope of a soon coming release as he does in the Epistle to the Philippians. It can therefore be assumed that he wrote this epistle like the ones to the Ephesians and Philemon in the early days of his imprisonment in Rome, i.e., around 61/62 AD.

There are already hints of this in earlier church fathers, in Irenaeus (around 140 - 202) the first quotation by name from the Epistle to the Colossians. Also, Clement of Alexandria (around 150 - 215) and the Muratori Canon (end of the 2nd century) recognise it as an epistle of the apostle Paul.

City on the river Lycus in Phrygia of Asia Minor. Col. 1:2. It appears as though Paul had not visited the city when he wrote the epistle to the church there, cf. Col. 1:7; Col. 2:1; but he may have done so in his journeys or have gone thither from Ephesus. He hoped to visit them soon, Philemon 22, for to this place Philemon and Onesimus belonged. Col. 4:9. Colosse had been a place of importance, but declined on the rise of Hierapolis and Laodicea. The modern village Khonas is about three miles distant from the ancient ruins.

This is generally believed to have been written by Paul during his two years' imprisonment at Rome, A.D. 61-2, notwithstanding that Meyer and other critics refer it to the imprisonment of Paul at Caesarea. The personal glory of Christ as head of the body, the church, is specially brought out. The hope before the saints is in heaven: they are viewed as risen, but not seated in the heavenlies in Christ, as in the Epistle to the Ephesians. The life of the new man is dwelt on, but the Holy Spirit is only once mentioned: 'your love in the Spirit.'

62.-[Spring.] Epistles to Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians written. [Autumn.] Epistle to the Philippians written.

Rome, A.D. 62. (Eph., Col., Phil., written at same time.)

The Epistle to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul when he was a prisoner (chapter 3:1; 4:1; 6:20). There can be no doubt that the Colossian Epistle and the Epistle to Philemon were sent by Paul the same time as the Ephesian Epistle. The date was about 62 A.D. Tychicus and Onesimus, the runaway slave, but now through grace "a brother beloved" (Philemon 16) were sent to Colossae by Paul (Col. 4:7-9). Tychicus carried the letter addressed to the Colossians to correct the evils which had arisen in that church, and to warn them against the wicked doctrines which were being promulgated amongst them. Onesimus the slave carried that beautiful little Epistle addressed to his master Philemon. And at the same time when Tychicus and Onesimus left Rome, Paul handed to Tychicus the Epistle to the Ephesians. Never before and never after were such weighty and blessed documents entrusted to human messengers. The reception of the authorship of Paul has been almost universal; only in very recent times has the Pauline authorship been foolishly questioned by some rationalistic critics.

The Epistle was written at the same time as the Epistle to the Colossians, that is 61 to 62 AC, from Rome. In both Epistles Paul mentions his imprisonment and gives greetings from Ephaphras, Marcus, Aristarcus, Demas and Luke. In Colossians the believers are informed that Tychicus, who was the deliverer of the Epistle, was accompanied by Onesimus.

In addition to the many testimonies of the church fathers regarding the various epistles Papyrus 46 is probably the weightiest testimony to Paul's epistles. This papyrus-codex, which is not complete anymore, dates back to the time around 200 AD. Unfortunately it stops at First Thessalonians. And yet it contains (besides Hebrews) eight of Paul's epistles. They are listed in the following order: Romans (starting from chapter 5:17), Hebrews, First and Second Corinthians, Ephesians, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, First Thessalonians.

Chronological Table to the Life of the Apostle Paul

Outward privilegeBut no approvalConversion of Paularound 36 AD?First Mission Journeyaround 46 – 49 AD“Council of the Apostles”around 50 ADSecond Mission Journeyaround 51 – 54 ADFirst Epistle to Thessaloniansaround 52 ADSecond Epistle to Thessaloniansaround 52 AD(Epistle to Galatians?)around 52 ADThird Mission Journeyaround 54 – 58 ADFirst Epistle to Corinthiansaround 57 ADSecond Epistle to Corinthiansaround 57 AD(Epistle to Galatians?)around 57/58 ADEpistle to Romansaround 58 ADImprisonment in Jerusalemaround 58 ADCaptivity in Caesareaaround 58 – 60 ADJourney to Romearound 60/61 ADCaptivity in Romearound 61 – 63 ADEpistle to Ephesiansaround 61/62 ADEpistle to Colossiansaround 61/62 ADEpistle to Philemonaround 61/62 ADEpistle to Philippiansaround 63 ADRelease of Paularound 63 ADFirst Epistle to Timothyaround 63/64 ADEpistle to Titusaround 63/64 ADSecond Captivity in Romearound 66 – 67 ADSecond Epistle to Timothyaround 66/67 ADPaul's Deatharound 67 AD?

To begin: in reading 2 Timothy one finds these passages: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course" (2 Tim. 4:6-7), conclusive evidence that this was the last of all his epistles. It was doubtless written from Rome. (2 Tim. 1:17.) We may take it then as the starting-point of our inquiries and reason upwards. The next which arrest the attention are those to the Colossians and Philemon, which we may assuredly bracket together. They were written at the same time and certainly before 2 Timothy, for in the latter Demas had forsaken him. In Colossians he had not. Mark and Aristarchus too were with him in Colossians; in 2 Timothy they were not. (Philemon 24; Col. 4; 2 Tim. 4:11.) We must then undoubtedly place Colossians and Philemon prior to 2 Timothy, but with a reasonable gap, in order to give time for the desertion of Demas, and also for the journey of Mark, who, not having left Paul when he wrote to the Colossians (comp. Col. 4:10), was to be brought back from his mission when he wrote to Timothy. (2 Tim. 4:11.) These are sufficient reasons for thinking that the two which next precede were Colossians and Philemon, Timothy being at the time with Paul, his name being conjoined in the address.

There is a temptation to consider Ephesians as of the same date, from the remarkable similarity in truth between that and the Colossians, as if, on that account they may have been written at the same time, and because of Tychicus being, as with that to the Colossians, apparently the bearer. But I think we may regard the visit of Tychicus to Ephesus as an independent one, at a time when Timothy was not with the apostle at Rome, inasmuch as he is not conjoined in the address as he probably would have been, had it been written at the same time with the Colossians. Moreover, in writing at the last to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:1-2), he mentions having sent Tychicus to Ephesus. He might, therefore, have sent him at the last with this epistle to a circle of churches of which Ephesus* was the centre. It becomes therefore a delicate question to know where to place it — a question of internal evidence. We can isolate it for the present.

On his arrival at Rome, Paul sent for the chief men of the Jews and preached to them: some of them believed, though the majority rejected God's grace (thus fulfilling Isa. 6:9-10), which should henceforth go to the Gentiles. He, though still a prisoner, abode two years in his own hired house. There he wrote the EPISTLES TO THE COLOSSIANS, the EPHESIANS, the PHILIPPIANS, and also to PHILEMON.