Colossians (The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries)
The Apostle Paul's epistle to the Colossians  provides an  intimate glimpse into the life of a first  century Christian community  as it struggled to  define Christian theology and practice. Paul was   prompted to address this fledgling Christian assembly  when he heard  that "false teachers" had  joined its midst and were promulgating  heretical  and threateningtheories. His impassioned letter to  the  Colossians urges them to embrace a life in  Christ and proclaims Christ  as master of all of  creation. In their astute commentary, New  Testament sch  Markus Barth and Helmut Blanke recreate the of  first  century Christians, and examine the multitude  of outside  influences--from cold, rational  Hellenistic philosophy to exclusive,  ethereal Gnostic  thought--that often threatened Christian theology.Colossiansnot only provides a new  and carefully balanced  analysis of this pivotal  New Testament text, but also traces the  development  of early Christian thought as it gradually spread   throughout the Roman Empire. Detailed enough for  any scholar,Colossiansis  designed for general readers. Anyone who wants to   enter the dynamic world of early Christianity and  witness the shaping  of the faith from its very roots  will benefit from this remarkable  work.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.