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* [[Apostle Paul]]
* [[Colossae]]
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===Authorship===
The letter begins by identifying the apostles [[apostle Paul|Paul]] and [[apostle Timothy|Timothy]] as the authors. Paul's authorship is also confirmed by many of the church's early key figures such as [[Irenaeus]], [[Clement of Alexandria]], [[Tertullian]], [[Origen]], and [[Eusebius]]. ===Date of the epistle=== The letter was probably written by Paul at Rome during his first imprisonment there ([[Acts 28]]:16, 30), probably in the spring of [[AD 57]], or, as some scholars think, [[AD 62]], and soon after he had written his Epistle to Ephesians. ===Themesand reasons for writing the letter=== Like some of his other epistles (for example, those to Corinth), this seems to have been written in consequence of information which had been conveyed to him of the internal state of the church there by Epaphras (1:4-8). Its object was to counteract false teaching. A large part of it is directed against certain speculatists who attempted to combine the doctrines of Eastern [[mysticism]] and [[asceticism]] with [[Christianity]], thereby promising believers enjoyment of a higher spiritual life and a deeper insight into the world of spirits. Paul argues against such teaching, showing that in [[Christ]] they had all things. He sets forth the majesty of his [[redemption]]. The mention of the "new moon" and "sabbath days" (2:16) shows that [[Gnostic]] ascetics were judging the body of Christ for "eating and drinking" and observing the "feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths." In response, Paul commands the saints to "let no one judge you...but the body of Christ,", that is, the [[church]] itself.
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