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    Colossae was located 12 miles from Laodicea and about a hundred miles east of Ephesus in the valley of the Lycus River in the southern part of ancient Phrygia, the adopted home of Oriental mysticism. Many Jews, Phrygians, and Greeks came to Colossae because it was on a main trade route. The mixture of backgrounds made the city an interesting cultural center where all sorts of new ideas and doctrine from the East were discussed and considered.

    With all these ungodly influences, it is no wonder that the Christians at Colossae were on Paul's heart during his imprisonment in Rome, He may never see their faces, but they belonged to his Christ and he was one with them in spirit. Physically he might be bound by chains, but he could reach them by letter. This was one way he could protect them from the wolves who were out to devour God's flock.

    Paul wrote sometime around A.D. 62. The words he penned to the faithful saints at Colossae contained a message that would be needed down through the ages. Maybe that is one of the reasons God didn't let Paul deliver this massage in person.

How to Study Colossians (NASB)

1. As you read Colossians, learn all you can from the text about the author and the recipients to discover why the author writes what he does to this particular church. This will give you the key to understanding Colossians. Following this simple procedure will help:
   1. As you read, color every reference to the author in one color and every reference to the recipients in another. Make sure you mark the synonyms and pronouns that refer either to the author or the recipients.
   2. Once you've marked the author and the recipients, study what you learn from marking the text in this way. Read through Colossians chapter by chapter, looking at each reference you marked to see if it answer any of the "5 W's and an H": Who? What? Where? Why? When? and How? Ask questions such as: Who wrote this? To whom? Where were they? What were these people like? What were their situations? What were their problems? When was this written? What seemed to be going on? Why  did the author say what he did?

          Look for pronouns such as you and note the relationship between the author and the recipients. Ask questions like these: How did the gospel get to the Colossians? Who preached the gospel to them? What was the author's main concern for the Colossians? The answer will help you understand why this letter was written.

    Asking questions like these - answered only from what the text says - will give you insight into  a book ok  the Bible, help you to understand the context and purpose of the book, and enable you to keep its teaching and truths in their proper context.

3.   Record your insights about the author, the recipients, and the author's instructions.

2. Now read through Colossians again, a chapter at a time. As you read:

   1. Mark the key words and phrases (NASB) prayer, gospel, wisdom, knowledge, all (when it refers to completeness or totality), faith, mystery, in Him (or before Him, through Him etc.) Be sure to mark the synonyms for each key word, and to mark every reference to Jesus: Him, by Him, through Him, and so on.  

   2. In your notebook, list what you learn from marking in Him and other key words.

3. In chapter 2, note the warnings by looking for the phrases see to it and let no one.
   1. Record these warnings along with any instructions on the Structure of Colossians.

4. Proceed through chapter 3 and 4 in the same manner as chapters 1 and 2, adding pertinent information to you Observation chart.

5. Record the theme of the book and of the each chapter on the Structure of Colossians. Also fill out the date the book was written, the name of the author, and his propose to writing.

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Applications of Colossians

1. Examine your lifestyle. What are you pursuing? Does it have eternal value? Is it drawing you closer to God or keeping you from time alone with God in prayer and in studying the Word? Are you seeking things that are above or earthly things?

2. Examine your beliefs. Are you being deluded with any modern-day philosophies or traditions that contradict  the Word or aren't in the Word? Any legalistic rules that are not clearly taught in the New Testament? Any mystical teaching or prophecies that can't be supported in the Word of God or that have tendency to add something that isn't there or that seem to be only for an elite group of people?

3. Inductive Bible study takes time. The enemy will do all he can to keep you from knowing God and His Word intimately, for truth is your major defense and offense in spiritual warfare. Are you going to make it your goal to let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you and to walk in its precepts?

4. Are you proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ and holding firmly to all He is and all that you have in Him as He is presented in Colossians?       

5. As you studied Colossians, did you see any areas in your life in which you are falling short or simply walking in disobedience to God's Word? What steps are you going to take in order to correct these?

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