Colossians and Philemon (New Cambridge Bible Commentary)

Paul's letter to the Colossian church addresses the challenges encountered by a Christian community living in the Hellenistic world. Shaped by folk religion, Hellenistic mystery religions, Roman imperial cults, and other trends, the community lived in fear of turmoil and oppression if they did not placate the right gods and practice the correct rituals. Colossians is Paul's salvo into this context. More than a forceful response to a single church, it was a missive that addressed Hellenistic spiritual tendencies and how Christ confronts them. Gary M. Burge's study of this letter explores the Roman context for Colossians and demonstrates how Paul's gospel would overturn the religious beliefs that affected their lives. He also interrogates Paul's overlooked letter to Philemon, which accompanied Colossians and in which Paul intervenes on behalf of a Christian runaway slave named Onesimus. His novel interpretation offers new insights into this situation and how it enables us to understand slavery today.