Colossians' Allusions to the Old Testament
The Epistle to the Colossians, written by Paul during his imprisonment in Rome, likely around A.D. 57 or 62, contains numerous allusions to the Old Testament [1]. These allusions serve to ground Christian teaching in the continuity of God's redemptive plan, even as Paul addresses specific false teachings prevalent in Colossae [1].
One significant theme in Colossians is the believer's union with Christ, particularly in his resurrection. Colossians 3:1 exhorts believers to "seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." This verse draws on Old Testament imagery of God's exalted throne and the Messiah's ultimate authority, cross-referencing passages such as Psalm 110:1 ("The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool'") and Psalm 16:11 ("You make known to me the path of life
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Colossians, Epistle to the — Was written by Paul at Rome during his first imprisonment there (Acts 28:16, 30), probably in the spring of A.D. 57, or, as some think, 62, and soon after he had written his Epistle to the Ephesians. Like some of his other epistles (e.g., those to Corinth), this seems to have been written in consequence of information which had somehow been conveyed to him of the internal state of the church there (Col. 1:4-8). Its object was to counteract false teaching. A large part of it is directed against certain speculatists who attempted to combine”