Colossians and Philemon

by John M.G. Barclay

Barclay, John M.

120 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

John Barclay has been Lightfoot Professor of Divinity at Durham University since 2003. He has served as President of the British New Testament Society, TRS-UK,the umbrella organisation for Subject Associations and Departments of Theology and Religious Studies in the UK), and shortly, the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.

His research is in the history and thought of early Christianity and early Judaism, with special interest in the ancient Jewish Diaspora and in the letters and theology of Paul. Using tools from the social sciences, he has explored the social formation of early Christianity, the ‘postcolonial’ identity of the Jewish historian Josephus, and the practice and theology of gift (‘grace’) in the work of Paul.

Reviews

[Lisa Titley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This commentary offers a theologically rigorous and historically grounded exploration of Colossians and Philemon, with particular attention to Christology and the significance of the Colossians hymn across time. Barclay presents a spectrum of scholarly perspectives rather than a single narrow reading, which makes the work especially useful for readers seeking to understand how these texts have been engaged within broader theological conversations.

The structure is clear and intentional, with distinct chapters that do not overlap unnecessarily but reference one another. Each chapter concludes with citations and further reading, making this commentary valuable not only for direct study but also as a gateway into deeper scholarly research. I especially appreciated how this allowed me to identify areas of further inquiry and trace Barclay’s sources beyond the immediate text.

While I am not a frequent reader of commentaries (yet), I found this one to be thoughtfully organized, intellectually stimulating, and well-suited for theological study or teaching contexts.