By Ann Petersen, SBA Columnist | 06/11/26
(SBA) - Last Sunday, I gave my first sermon in church. I am part of a program through the Methodist Church to train lay speakers who are able to take over some of the liturgical tasks when a pastor is not available. I participated in a Bible study through the Harvest Church this past school year where we studied the books of Colossians, Philemon and Phillipians. We spent a good deal of time talking about the Apostle Paul and so when I knew that I would have to lead a service in my own church, I went back to my notes from that time and decided I would talk about what Paul had written to the Christians in Colossi, the bulk of which comprises the book of Colossians.
Paul (first called Saul) was not one of Jesus’ original disciples, but the two were contemporaries and Paul’s words comprise fourteen of the 27 books of the New Testament. It is believed that Paul was born in Tarsus c. 5 AD into a family of well-regarded Pharisees, Jews who are scholars, laymen and scribes and primarily opponents of the early Christian church. When he was young, Paul’s family sent him to Jerusalem to be educated in Jewish law. Paul spoke and wrote both Aramaic and Greek, although many of his letters were dictated to scribes who had more experience in the field. A Roman citizen (which prevented him from being flogged when he was arrested many times.), Paul referred to himself as “of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin) born in the city of Tarsus, part of the Roman province of Cilicia, one of the most influential cities in Asia Minor. Like many Pharisees, Paul was an artisan involved in leather crafting and tent making, a profession that allowed him to support himself as he traveled. As this work was a quiet one, Paul was able to minister to Christians as worked and he raised money for the new churches as he traveled.
Prior to his conversion to Christianity, Paul persecuted early Christians and he was on the road to Damascus to persecute other Christians there sometime between 31-36 AD when he was visited by a vision of Jesus and a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” When Paul asked who the vision was, the reply was “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Paul was overcome and fell to the ground, blinded until he was led into the City where he neither ate nor drank for three days, before Ananias of Damascus laid hands on him, healing him. Paul was baptized and spent the rest of his life traveling, writing, performing miracles and preaching to new Christians throughout Asia Minor. Scholars believe that Paul traveled well over 12,000 miles on foot and by boat until his death.
At some point during this time, Paul and the Apostle Peter agreed to divide the ministerial load with Paul working with Gentiles primarily, while Peter worked with converted Jews. Paul’s missionary style was informal, designed to put people at ease while giving a message in a language and style that was relatable to them, (Aramaic, as opposed to the more formal Greek.) Paul was arrested at least seven times by the Romans due to his belief that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised and his other non-Jewish teachings, including permitting Gentiles into the Temple. Paul regarded Antioch as the center of his ministry but spent at least two years in Corinth and visited Jerusalem at least three times, raising money to support the fledgling churches there, as well as in Caesarea, Phillipi and Colossi.
Paul arrived in Rome C. 60 AD where he spent two years under house arrest as he awaited trial for his “crimes.” There, he wrote constantly to the churches he helped to found. Paul’s death by beheading may have occurred on the same day that Peter was crucified there, Paul was buried outside the walls of Rome, on the estate of a Christian woman named Lucina. In the 4th century, the Emperor Constantine built a church on the site that was later enlarged by other Emperors. The present-day Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls was built there in the early 19th century. In 2002, an eight-foot-long marble sarcophagus was discovered during excavations of the Basilica and declared by Vatican archeologists to be the tomb of Paul. The sarcophagus was not removed, but a window was created so that Pilgrims could view the contents.
The Bible readings in Colossians that I referenced include Colossians 1:1-8, 15-23 and 24-2:7, Colossians 2: 8-23, 3:1-4, 5-17, 18- 4:1 and 4:2-18.
