Introduction Bible scholars consider Colossians 1:15-20 an early Christian Hymn due to its rhythmic two-stanza prose. The stanza in verses 15-17 is a glorification of Christ’s domination over all creation while verses 18-20 attest to His preeminence in salvation. 1 Its emphasis was on accurate Christology to dispel the heterodox beliefs that had cropped up in the church at Colossae. It affirms the Christological image of Jesus Christ as the Lord and His glory and majesty. It reiterates the Lordship of Christ as an important theological foundation for the Great Commission to a world soaked in unorthodox Hellenistic practices and Jewish mysticism. This paper examines the history, background, and context of the book of Colossians as well as the theology and significance of the Christ Hymn to a postmodern world. History, Background, and Context of Colossians History of Colossians The authorship of the epistle to the church at Colossae is attributed to Paul. He wrote this letter while incarcerated (Col 4:3) in a Roman prison. However, some scholars suggest that Paul was imprisoned in either Caesarea or Ephesus when he authored Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon. 2 With regard to its provenance, Paul points to his drawn-out imprisonment (Col 4:18), which, according to Abbott, indicates that the epistle could be dated between 60 and 61 AD. 3 The historical city of Colossae lay in Asia Minor in the Lycus River bordering Laodicea and Hierapolis. 4 The cities in this region were under the Roman rule. The church at Colossae was planted by Epaphras (Col 1:7), implying that Paul had not been in this city before writing the letter. It is likely that Epaphras converted to Christianity during Paul’s 3-year ministry at Ephesus. According to Barth and Blanke, Epaphras sought Paul’s assistance to deal with issues in the Colossian church, including the “philosophy and empty deceit” (Col 2:8) drawn from the Hellenistic-Jewish traditions. 5 Therefore, Paul’s letter sought to denounce and rebut the false doctrines that had infiltrated the church at Colossae. A significant proportion of the population in Colossae was Gentiles comprising of the indigenous inhabitants (Phrygians) and settlers (Greeks and Jews). 6 The Jewish population was the descendants of Jews settled in Colossae from Babylonia in 2 nd century B.C. As a result, Colossae was a city practicing diverse Hellenistic cults, Judaism, and early Christianity. As O’Brien writes, the polytheistic environment raised the likelihood of religious syncretism creeping into the church. 7 This formed the motivation for Paul to write to the church to depict an accurate Christological image of Jesus Christ. Paul’s letter is intended for the Colossians who he refers to as “the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colossae” (Col 1:2). Paul’s diction indicates that he was addressing Gentiles, not the Jewish population (Col 1:21). It is likely that the establishment of the church by Epaphras followed Paul’s missionary work described in Acts 19 prior to his imprisonment. O’Brien argues that the church at Colossae was multiethnic; it comprised “majority gentiles with a few Jewish believers”. 8 However, the church was under a strong Jewish Christian influence, as