+The Writing of the Epistles+--The Interest. The Sending of the Epistles. +The Epistle to the Colossians+--The Church at Colossae. The Occasion. Central Thought. Time and Place of Writing. Principal Divisions and Chief Points. +The Epistle to Philemon+--Occasion. Principal Divisions and Chief Points. +The Epistle to the Ephesians+--The City and the Church. Title and Time of Writing. Subject. Principal Divisions and Chief Points. +The Epistle to the Philippians+--The City and the Church. Occasion. Objects. Time of Writing. Principal Divisions and Chief Points. III. PAUL'S WRITINGS STUDY IX THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST THIRD GROUP OF EPISTLES COLOSSIANS. PHILEMON. EPHESIANS. PHILIPPIANS. THE QUESTION AT ISSUE +The Supremacy of Christ.+--These Epistles mark a new stage in the writings of Paul. The great question discussed in the second group of Epistles was in regard to the terms of salvation. The question now at issue (in Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians) is: What is the nature, the rank, the dignity of the Mediator of salvation? Is He one of a series of Saviors? Does He belong to some angelic order (Col. 2:18), or, does He stand supreme (Col. 2:8, 9, 19) and solitary? Is He the Head and Chief of all creation (Col. 2:19; 1:16). Other matters are discussed in these Epistles, but this is the great doctrinal question and burden of the Apostle's thought. +The Reason for the Raising of this Question+ was the development of certain false religious beliefs among which were, "asceticism, the worship of angels, revelings in supposed visions and belief in emanations." These "degraded the object of faith and so destroyed its meaning and power." +The Answer to the Question.+--Paul is in no doubt as to the supremacy of Christ. All his argument is to show the Deity of Christ. He holds "aloft the true object of faith namely, the supreme Divine Savior Himself, in opposition to speculation which would degrade and deny to Him the eminence which belongs to Him" (Col. 1:15-20; Eph. 1:10, 20-23; 3-9; Philippians 2:5-11). +Present Day Attention+ has been focused upon this matter of the supremacy of Christ. Was he human or divine? The arguments of Paul still hold good for a stout belief in the Divine Christ. The writings of the Great Apostle are all characterized by his grasp of fundamental things; they serve their purpose for the modern church in bringing it back to Jesus Christ as the only Savior, as they also in times past corrected the errors of the early church. THE WRITING OF THE EPISTLES