Epaphras and Colossians 2:16

We know that Paul wrote many letters and those letters often showed they were all still keeping the feasts. Here are some verses that show “Feast Keeping” was still being observed. (Luke 2:41, Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:7, Acts 20:6).

So we are often asked whom Paul was writing to in the following verse.

Colossians 2:16. “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.”

Many believe Paul is talking to the new non-Jewish believers often called Gentiles. We have a study showing the word Gentile never existed and is a bad translation of all non-Jews. Basically Gentile, from the word Goy(im), means Nation(s) outside the Nation of Israel. If you are in covenant and believe in the Messiah then you have become part of the Nation of Israel; biblically speaking.

Now back on track. Many believe Paul was telling the new converts to not worry about doing any of that stuff because it is for the Jews only and all that “Law” stuff was nailed to the cross. Well…….We dove in and took a look into this exact subject a little more to see whom exactly Paul was talking to.

Paul mentions the name Epaphras and tells us he was imprisoned with him (Philemon 1:23). Epaphras was from Colossae. It is highly plausible Epaphras founded the church in Colossae to whom the book of Colossians was written. Those beliefs probably spread to start the churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Taking those facts into account along with the fact that Paul himself was still celebrating feast days, Paul would have taught Epaphras to “KEEP” the feast days along with everything else. We feel if that is the case then Paul is not writing to the Church of Colossae to tell them to stop doing those things but to not worry about those outside the church that are passing judgment on them because the “ARE” doing those things.

For an even more in-depth look take a look at our 5 facts about the Book of Colossians.

“Always Learning”
Biblical Truth

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2 thoughts on “Epaphras and Colossians 2:16

  1. Biblical Truth Post author

    We don’t… We can only gather this verse tells us he is.

    Romans 4:12 Epaphras, WHO IS ONE OF YOU, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

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