Wednesday 30th August – Colossians 3:1-4  ‘Hidden with Christ’

Often the most powerfully subversive things are those which look very similar to what they are challenging.  I am a great lover of Renaissance art (I studied it many years ago) and Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic ‘Last Supper’ is a great example of this.  All the traditional features are there: the long table, the twelve … Read more

Friday 25th August – Colossians 2:16-23  ‘Adding or subtracting?’

After a week doing the hard theological yards, today is Paul’s practical advice to the little church in Colosse.  ‘Therefore…. don’t let these frauds pull you off track!’ might be a candid paraphrase of our text for today.  As we’ve observed, the church was struggling with teachers who insisted that the way to grow spiritually … Read more

Thursday 24th August – Colossians 2:13-15  ‘Christus Victor!’

In 1931 the theologian Gustaf Aulen published ‘Christus Victor’, which persuasively argued that arguably the most overlooked dimension of the saving work of Christ is that he has conquered all the powers that hold human beings captive: sin, Satan and death.  It’s not just that, on the cross, Christ paid the penalty on our behalf … Read more

Wednesday 23rd August – Colossians 2:9-15  ‘Joining God’s family’

Reading yesterday’s reflection, some of you may have wondered if I’d deliberately ignored the last couple of verses, and the really tricky teaching about circumcision.  Well, maybe!  Though actually I’d said plenty already, and this section of the letter is the hardest to explain, with the most technical theology.  So, I’m going to pick it … Read more