Introduction to Colossians: Authorship, Date, Audience - Crain Home

Interpretation 1
(see Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor 15:8-11).
This ambivalence toward Paul's apostolic credentials within
the early church is reflected in Acts, where Paul's ministry is
commissioned by the Lord (Acts 9:15-6) but his apostleship
results from a congregation's ordination (Acts 13:3; cf. 1
Thess 2:6-7). Even the church's mission to the Gentiles was
initiated by Peter, the leader of the Twelve who immediately
succeeded Jesus; he, not Paul, was appointed by God to bring
salvation to the Gentile soldier Cornelius. Paul himself adds
other reasons, including the itinerant nature of his evangelistic
ministry, which was widely scorned in the ancient world (cf.
1 Thess 2:1-16).
Against this background of controversy, then, the pointed
manner of Paul's introduction is made necessary by readers
who know him only by "muddy" reputation. Paul reminds
them that his personal authority (and by implication the
trustworthiness of his advice) is not granted by another person
nor by some more prominent congregation but by Christ
Jesus, the Lord of the church. Moreover, Christ's decision to
do so was by the will of God. Since the will of God is the
redemption of all creation, Paul does not use this idiom to
"strong-arm" his readers into an undesirable submission.
Rather, he understands that his ministry to the Colossians-given
by Christ, who gave himself for their redemption
(1:14)--conforms with the will of the One who wills their
rescue from the reign of darkness (1:13). Some have even
linked this reference to the will of God with Paul's
commission on the Damascus Road (cf. Acts 22:14), an event
that harks back to God'
http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/webcommentary
In addition to establishing his authority, Paul greets the people of Colosse in
a familiar apostolic greeting:
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The apostolical benediction is the same as usual: Grace be
unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ. He wishes them grace and peace, the free favour of
God and all the blessed fruits of it; every kind of spiritual
blessings, and that from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ; jointly from both, and distinctly from each; as in the