A guess worth exploring is that Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was a circular letter to churches in Asia Minor, written after Colossians was composed, and that the letter to the Laodiceans which the Colossians were to acquire and read was Laodicea’s copy of the circular. However this may be, Colossians and Ephesians form a pair, and it is illuminating to study them side by side. This course will do that, covering Colossians in the first part and Ephesians (and Philemon) in the second.
This course will span the disciplines of exegesis, biblical theology, and systematic theology. When we are clear what Paul was communicating to his intended readership, we shall try to rethink and restate it for our time.
Greek will be referred to, but the basis of study will be the English text, as in ESV, NLT, or either version of NIV.