Paul and His Letter to the Colossians
What you'll learn
- Understand the background surrounding this wonderful but small letter of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians.
- Describe the exalted picture of Jesus Christ as the Apostle Paul describes in this epistle.
- Recognize the beauty of the poetic phrases found in this epistle.
- Embrace the manner of life to which believers in Christ should pursue.
- Develop a broader understanding of what it means to be a King Jesus follower in a countercultural way.
- See how certain controversies are handled by the Apostle Paul.
Requirements
- This course only requires a desire to learn about the New Testament.
- The student is encouraged to have a recent translation of the Bible available.
Description
Colossians presents a picture of Christ who is "the firstborn over all creation" and has disarmed and triumphed over the powers and authorities. The letter also appeals to its readers to seek humble maturity, a maturity not possible apart from the person and work of Jesus Christ. Prof. Wright goes through this small but powerful letter to highlight the supremacy of Christ and then further describe how to live in the light of this glorious truth.
The course features exegetical observations by Prof. Wright that will illuminate the truths sometimes hidden by translation from Greek into English. Although Prof. Wright refers to the Kingdom New Testament translation of this epistle, the explanations are based on Prof. Wright's knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. In addition, the student will enjoy being introduced to some of the cultural distinctions made within the 1st Century Greco-Roman world. This allows us to make application of the principles contained in this epistle to the 21st Century context in which we live.
Who this course is for:
- Students who are eager to understand one of the most powerful, yet relatively small, letters of the Apostle Paul.
- Students who desire to understand the nature of who Jesus Christ is as described by the Apostle Paul.
- Students who want to grasp the essence of the theology of the Apostle Paul.
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Course content
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Instructors
- 4.7 Instructor Rating
- 25,351 Reviews
- 116,805 Students
- 38 Courses
N.T Wright received his BA, MA and D.Phil. from Oxford University. He taught New Testament at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities 1978-1993. He was Dean of Lichfield, then Canon of Westminster, then Bishop of Durham (Church of England), 1994-2010. Prof. Wright is Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and is currently Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University. He has published over 85 books and hundreds of articles. In 2014 Prof. Wright received the Burkitt Medal from the British Academy for services to New Testament scholarship. He enjoys music, golf the Isle of Harris, and spending time with his family in the midst of a busy schedule of writing and travelling.
- 4.7 Instructor Rating
- 25,351 Reviews
- 116,805 Students
- 38 Courses
David Seemuth has a Ph.D. from Marquette University in the field of Religious Studies with an emphasis on New Testament Theology. He has taught at the graduate level for over 30 years at numerous universities and seminaries. He also has 21 years of on-line teaching experience. His passion is to see that people not only understand the Scripture, but also apply them to daily life.
- 4.7 Instructor Rating
- 25,140 Reviews
- 115,689 Students
- 36 Courses
Jennifer Loop is currently a doctoral candidate at Durham University. She is the Lead Content Developer for the Wisconsin Center for Christian Studies, and plays a critical role in the online education, both organizational and theological, by guiding the online student experience. Jennifer enjoys engaging with a ‘virtual community’ of diverse students and learners to explore how theology, faith and practice intersect.