"Read the Epistle"

            The fourth chapter of Colossians brings to view an interesting fact that is greatly overlooked in the world today.  The Bible is of course divided into 66 books, and this is quite natural as each book is independent of all others.  However, the chapter and verse divisions they are today were made in the 1200’s.  While these divisions have proven to be a very useful ‘filing system’ for the Bible, in all truth, they have also done very serious damage in the way that they have caused people look at the Bible. 

            In Colossians 4:16 Paul tells the Christians there “when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea”.  Paul’s instruction was for the whole epistle to be read ‘among them’, that is, when they had assembled together.  Furthermore, Paul tells them to share their epistle with the Laodicean congregation, and vice versa.  The important thing to see here is that the people studied the entire letter; they did not just pull out two or three verses and address problems that they had.  The entire epistle had value, and they were sure to understand all of it properly because when the entire epistle is read, nothing can be taken out of context. 

            The force of this verse is inescapable for people in the world today.  Every denomination has some handful of verses that are gathered from various parts of the Bible and used together to support and prove their doctrines, all the while not paying any respect to their true contextual meaning.  Jesus Christ and His apostles frequently referenced the ‘Law and the Prophets’ in their teaching in saying something like “It is written in the prophets…”.  It was then up to the readers to “search the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so”.  However, it seems that no one does this anymore.  They hear a preacher say “In Acts 17:11, the Bible says…” If anything, the listener will verify that the reference is right, but there is no searching of the Scriptures.  Is it any wonder then that there is so much division in Christianity?  Do the church a favor…Be a Berean!