Colossians, 1-2, Thessalonians, 1-2, Timothy, Titus, Philemon - Hardcoverby Peter J. Gorday (Editor), Thomas C. Oden (Editor) Christianity Today Book of the Year For the early church fathers, certain passages in the shorter letters of St. Paul proved particularly important in doctrinal disputes and practical church matters. Pivotal in controversies with the Arians and the Gnostics, the most commented on christological text in these letters was Colossians 1: 15 20, where Jesus is declared "the image of the invisible God,