Really Useful Guides: Colossians and Philemon

Digital eBook Only - Each Really Useful Guide focuses on a specific biblical book, making it come to life for the reader, enabling them to understand the message and to apply its truth to today’s circumstances. Though not a commentary, it gives valuable insight into the book’s message and context. Though not an introduction, it summarises the important aspects of the book to aid reading and application. 

This Really Useful Guide to Colossians and Philemon will transform understanding of the biblical text, and will help you to engage with the message in new ways today, giving confidence in the Bible and increasing faith in God.

The series is edited by Simon Stocks and Derek Tidball.

What is special about the 'Really Useful Guides'?

They are laid out in an easy-to-read format, with less text on the page and plenty of headings, bulleted lists, bold type and diagrams where helpful. Despite this they are not patronising, and do not hide away from engaging with difficult bits of the book. While reading them straight through would probably be the most helpful, they can certainly be dipped into as well, with some sections that people might like to come back to more than once. Similarly, they can be read 'straight' or side-by-side with the biblical text; a slower, more engaged read will probably be more helpful but a reader who didn't do this would still find plenty to learn.

Baptist Times e-newsletter 1 February 2019. Reviewed by Pieter J. Lalleman

With its new series of Really Useful Guides, the Bible Reading Fellowship follows the trend towards smaller and shorter books. So far in this series the volumes on the Psalms and on Colossians have appeared, written by the series' editors, Stocks and Tidball, respectively. The books are tiny (4 by 6 inches) but sturdy and the contents are fine, so they should not for that reason be looked down on. If you are uncertain what to give to a Christian friend, books like these make nice little presents.

Stocks does indeed offer a 'very useful guide' of over 100 pages. Writing with obvious love for the Psalms, he explains many aspects briefly yet clearly, and in a personal style. Whereas he is aware of the gap which separates us from these old songs, he points to many bridges across it. After a brief introduction, the second chapter covers introductory issues such as composition and authorship. Chapter 3 gives a brief theology of the Psalms (what they say about God) and chapter 4 focuses on how they say it (the stAyle and the imagery).

The very brief chapter 5 surveys the relevant part of the history of Israel and chapter 6 gives suggestions for reading psalms today. Chapters 7 and 8 look at some unknown psalms in more detail. The final page contains questions for discussion but there are no suggestions for further reading.

In the Colossians and Philemon guide, our fellow Baptist Derek Tidball takes some 70 pages to introduce us to Colossians, but less than 15 for Philemon. Yet in these few pages he manages to get across key elements of Philemon and its lasting value.

The treatment of Colossians is more traditional than that of the Psalms: it largely consists of Tidball making his way through the letter, commenting on backgrounds and contents along the way. Like Stocks, he uses bullet points and he prints the key Scripture verses in his text.

A separate chapter compares Colossians to other parts of the New Testament. In addition to some questions, suggestions for further reading are included. My one query is that slightly divergent outlines of Colossians are presented on pages 27, 28-29, and in what follows.

The Revd. Dr Pieter J. Lalleman teaches the Bible at Spurgeon's College