I'm not sure how to answer your question Tess,I will delve more into that when i get there but I have researched some of the history on this church in the

Interpretation phase

 

Question going into The Interpretation phase:

 

In this passage of scripture-the word You was used 9 times. Why was the focus as much on the people as what Christ did/

What was going on that made it necessary to address this audience in this way?

 

 

John MacArthur writes

A city in Phrygia-founded by Epaphras

Several years after the church was founded a dangerous heresy arose to threaten it.  It contained elements of what later became known as Gnosticism: that God is good, but matter is evil, and that Jesus Christ was merely one of a series of emanations descending from God and a being less than God(a belief that led them to deny His true humanity) and that a secret, higher knowledge above Scripture was necessary for enlightenment and salvation.  This heresy also embraced aspects of Jewish legalism like circucision is necessary for salvation, OT law-ceremonial ritual, dietary laws.

 

Epaphras was so concerned that he made the long journey to Rome to talk to Paul(where Paul was a prisoner).

 

My thoughts:

 

I understand better Paul’s deep concern shown by the use of the word You stressed in this  greeting!

He needed to draw the believers in grab their attention in order to minister to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

iris