Would you really place Hebrews so early? It is actually rather sophisticated. To me, it seems to have been created to tie up the loose ends caused by the rough hewn Christology of (OK, added to) the other 13 letters. You do know that in the manuscript tradition Hebrews is sometimes placed here, sometimes there? It is as if it was some latecomer trying to find a place to fit in with the rest of the crowd.
As for the others, are you basing your dating decisions on their relation to one another, to Acts, to historical allusions, or one or more of the above? Where is Ephesians in this mix?
Comparing the related content:
Eph 3:2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, |
Col 1:25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, |
3:3 [how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly]. | |
3:4 [When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ], | 1:26a the mystery |
3:5a which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations | 1:26b hidden for ages and generations |
3:5b as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; | 1:26c but now made manifest to his saints. |
3:6 that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise [in Christ Jesus] through the good news. -- | 1:27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, [which is Christ in you], the hope of glory. |
4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. | 2:18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, |
4:15a Rather, speaking the truth in love, | |
4;15b we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, [into Christ], | 2:19a and not holding fast to the Head, |
4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love. | 2:19b from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. |
4:22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, | 3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices |
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, | |
24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. | 10 and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. |
5:22 Wives, be subject to your husbands, [as to the Lord]. | 3:18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in (the) LORD. |
23 [For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. | |
24 As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands]. | |
25a Husbands, love your wives, | 19a Husbands, love your wives, |
25b [as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28a Even so husbands should love their wives] | |
28b as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. | 19b and do not be harsh with them. |
29 For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, [as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body]. 31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Gen 2:24) | |
32 [This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church; 33 however, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband]. | |
6:1 Children, obey your parents in (the) LORD, for this is right. | 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases (the) LORD. |
2 "Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), | |
3a "that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth." (Ex 20:12b) | |
3b Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, | 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children,.lest they become discouraged |
4 but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of (the) LORD. | |
5a Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, | 22a Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, |
5b with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, [as to Christ]; | |
6a not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, | 22b not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, |
6b but as servants [of Christ], doing the will of God from the soul, | 22c but in singleness of heart, fearing (the) LORD. |
7 rendering service with a good will as to the master and not to men, | 23 Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the master and not men, |
8 knowing that whatever good any one does, he will receive the same again from (the) LORD, | 24a knowing that from (the) LORD you will receive the inheritance as your reward; |
whether he is a slave or free. | |
24b [you are serving the Lord Christ]. | |
25a For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, | |
(See 9c) | 25b and there is no partiality. |
9a Masters, do the same to them, and forbear threatening, | 4:1a Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, |
9b knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, | 4:1b knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. |
9c and that there is no partiality with him. | (See 25b) |
6:21 Now that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in (the) LORD will tell you everything. | 4:7 Tychicus will tell you all about my affairs; he is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in (the) LORD. |
6:22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. | 4:8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, |
The red highlighted text is stuff I have identified as overlaid Christology. Most all of it is in Ephesians, but a little is found in Colossians. It is almost as if they were edited by Christ believing redactor(s) separately, and not one redacted version transformed into another. That still means there were two versions of this letter floating about. However, the words "the mystery" were incorporated into an interpolation in Eph 3:4 but not in Col 1:26a, tells me that Colossians contains the probably original wording of these twin letters.
DCH
Bernard Muller wrote:My dating:
1 Thessalonians 50-51
1 Corinthians (3 parts) 53-55 (earliest to latest)
Hebrews (not by Paul) 54
2 Corinthians (3 parts) 55-57(earliest to latest)
Philippians (3 parts) 53/54-58 (earliest to latest)
Philemon 57
Galatians 57-58
Romans 58
Colossians (not by Paul), around 65
James (not by James) 60-65
Mark's gospel (anonymous) 70-71
Q compiled around 80
1 Clement (possibly by Clement of Rome), around 80
That's it for known Christian literature written before (about) 80.
Cordially, Bernard