Marketing Environment of Walker Crisps Case Study

Marketing Environment of Walker Crisps - Case Study Example Findings, analysis and the key issues will be highlighted. When an individual is dealing with the market there are some issues that are considered and they include things like the potential markets and the consumers and the driving forces behind sales trends and the strengths and weaknesses in market. In the 1880s, the director R. E. Gerald helped the meat industry that was falling to come up with an alternative industry and that is how walker crisps began by a man known as Henry Walker. At the present time the owner of walker is Frito-lay (Andrews, 2004) the advert by Gary in 2000 was the 9th best commercial television of all time. The authority said that the TV Commercial and poster viewers make unjustified claims on health regarding the new recipe for crisps. The TV commercial also featured that the saturated oils were reduced by 70%. According to Graham Cash Macgregor chairman, the reduced salt and saturated oil makes the walker crisps better. Cash challenges walkers by saying that 8% of the salt is contained in the crisps for adults. According to a new walker's TV advert, 100% of the walkers crisps are made from British purely formed potatoes and they demonstrate the commitment of walker's to produce quality and also to the industry of the farming. Gary explains that the weather of the British helps in the growth of British potatoes that makes the perfect good quality of walkers' crisps and hence making of these quality crisps. Alongside the advertisement from the TV, the spending of the market has included advertising from outdoor and also practical demonstrations in UK at the events that are across and also giving hands on to consumers on how crisp are created up to the pack from spud. The saturation of walker crisps is reduced such that a bag contains a gram less of the

Procurement management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Procurement management - Assignment Example Other concerns in this step include the determination of what to procure, how much to procure and finally, when to do the procurement. In the same process, the project manager and the procurement management team decide on the question of make-or buy the items required for the project accomplishment. Identification of the type of the contract- once a need has been ascertained to obtain the items and materials from an outside source, the procurement team, will embark on deciding on which type of contract to sign with the prospective bidders. Very key in this process is to question the risk management strategies with different bidders. The prospective suppliers must be comprehensively engaged on this concern to explore any possibilities of risk occurrence, and the risk mitigation strategies that are in place to cushion the firm from the impacts. It is upon such establishment that such contract types as the cost plus fixed fee or cost plus the incentive fee will be agreed upon (Project Management Institute-PMBOK 2008). The third stage is to develop the standardized procurement documentation. These documents are drafted and reviewed every now and again depending on the circumstances at any given stage of the project implementation. Such important procurement documentation include the standard forms, the quotation proposal, the Invitation For Bid (IFB), the Request For Quote (RFQ) and other form templates used in the process created specifically for the procurement processes. The Procurement Management Plan- in the plan, the project manager puts in place the roles and responsibilities of the project team and that of the organization. Notably, creation of understanding among or between the project team members and the organization is necessary at this point. This is because such arrangements, more often than not, create the conflict of interests, duplication of responsibilities and the completion for resources by the members of the

Comparison Of Identity In The Bell Jar Selected Poems English Literature Essay

Comparison Of Identity In The Bell Jar Selected Poems English Literature Essay Sylvia Plath is primarily known for her poetry and her semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar, written under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas. Both her poetry in Sylvia Plath Selected Poems and her novel The Bell Jar underline many key issues within Plaths own life, and both emphasize many different themes. One of the key and strongest themes running throughout both of these texts is the theme of identity. Through Plaths confessional poetry style and her semi-autobiographical novel the reader is able to pick up on Plaths own struggles regarding identity, linking back to her battles with mental illness. Many of the key ideas addressed in The Bell Jar are also picked upon within some of her poems. The novel is, as bitter and remorseless as her last poems written before her suicide on 11th February 1963. The novel The Bell Jar was originally published in 1963 under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas, only to be published in Plaths name in 1971, years after her death; Sylvia Plath Selected Poems was published in 1985, after being put together by her former husband Ted Hughes. Here Esther is parodying herself, thinking that she is something different from what she actually is, thus distorting reality. She is also making fun of herself through her appearance, through harsh misinterpretations. She does this through the use of a mirror, by seeing something that isnt really there- changing reality into her own view of the distorted image, further showing her inability to comprehend her own features and identity. Plath uses colloquial language throughout the novel, which is apparent through the use of words such as a big, smudgy eyes, the use of informal language is also apparent in some of her poetry. She also refers to herself in the first person a lot, through the use of the word I and myself (herself in the novel is the protagonist Esther Greenwood). The same idea can be seen through Plaths poem Mirror written in 1961. Even though this poem was written in 1961, 2 years before her death, Plaths deterioration is apparent to the reader. In this poem, Plath foc uses on the mirror and the idea behind it, depicting what its purpose is and what it sees; I am sliver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately, just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. Here, Plath is saying that the mirror reflects reality, this contrasts with the ideas put forth in The Bell Jar, as within the novel Esther doesnt see what is exactly in the mirror, she perceives herself differently to how others see her, unlike the mirror in the poem, which has no preconceptions, it says how it shows things for how they are, doesnt change reality in any way in the first stanza. Although the tone changes in the second stanza, as it can be linked to Esther in the novel, as it is about the woman and what she perceives; Now I am a lake. The image of the lake can be interpreted as the idea of water, this idea can be linked the theme of distorted images as water moves and distorts the actual image concealed underneath. This poem shows how bad Plaths state of mind was, as does the portrayal of Esther within the novel. The language in the poem differs from that of the novel, as it is less informal than that of Esther Greenwood, it has a more serious tone, once again could be linked to the unstable state of Plath herself. The tone of the poem changes from stanza one to stanza two, the first being more positive than the latter; the change occurs when the identity changes from that of the mirror to that of the woman. From these two sections of both the novel and the poem Mirror we can see that the idea of faces and perception is important when considering the idea of identity within the two. Esthers obsession with her own appearance is also shadowed later on in the novel when she says the face in the mirror looked like a s ick Indian, thus showing her constant distortion. Another identity issue addressed within both the novel and selected poems is the idea of womanhood within identity. Within The Bell Jar Esther separates herself from everybody else through the idea of womens rights. She doesnt want to conform to the rest of society by following the traditional social rules that were in place at the time; for example, marriage and children. She also wishes to lose her virginity due to the fact that promiscuity in men is acceptable but in women is frowned upon; and maybe gone out and slept with somebody myself just to even things up, and then thought no more about it. Within the novel Esther talks bluntly about sex, she doesnt talk about it romantically; it appears to her to be merely an act that must be carried out in order to be a woman, and to get back at Buddy Willard. Here the use of the words slept with somebody reimburses the idea of a lax attitude towards sex, and the casualness about it. Esther keeps up this pretence throughout the course of the novel keeping the same rigidity in views. She also presents this idea in a violent way, using violent images to portray the ideas of sex. Her rejection and failure to conform with societies ideals shows the harsh, bitter and unforgiving world that torments her mind. The violent imagery connected with sex is apparent in chapter 9 during Esthers encounter with Marco; The ground soared and stuck me with a soft shock. Mud Squirmed through my fingers. Marco waited until I half rose. Then he put both his hands on my shoulders and flung me back. Throughout this encounter of the novel lots of bloody and violent images are used to portray the possibility of a sexual encounter. The use of the word squirmed gives the impression of uncomfortable and indecent behaviour; also that Esther isnt enjoying the experience. This can be linked to one of Plaths poems Maudlin. This poem emphasises how the woman is anxious about her sexuality, as it is about a young virgin. The poem uses lots of imagery to portray painful images of sex, and womanhood. The poem uses alliteration to incorporate these images together, by using phrases such as mud mattressed, by using these as starting words for a poem, the reader already feels uncomfortable as the words themselves are unflattering and dirty; But at the price of a pin-stitched skin Fish-tailed girls purchase each white leg. This section of the poem could be linked to the idea of the little mermaid, and the fact that everything hurts, as she paid for her legs with pain, the word pin-stitched emphasises this. The idea being that you tolerate pain for no purpose, therefore linking negativity with the idea of womanhood and sexuality; the main in this instance being menstruation and childbirth. Even the title of the poem links to sadness as maudlin means to be upset or sad, thus further linking the idea of womanhood to pain and suffering, the words purchase each white leg indicate the pain in menstruation and childbirth within this poem.

Essay --

The Importance of the Mayflower Compact The Mayflower Compact was written as a temporary form of government due to the unfair treatment that was endured by some of the Mayflower occupants. They also felt that the order should come from someone of much higher authority i.e. the king. The colonists were also unruly due to the lack of government; therefore some of the colonist thought they could do what they preferred. But by signing of the Mayflower Compact, did put the end to all the unrest while aboard the Mayflower. After John Smith landed at Plymouth, they felt they had landed at a place that was not controlled by London (the king). The mayflower carried a hundred and two passengers. They had travelled about 3,000 miles only to land north of their destination. They had hoped to begin a colony out of the mouth of the Hudson River the site of today’s New York City. This would have placed the colony within the geographic boundaries the king outlined in the Virginia Company of Plymouth’s charter. Some group of businessmen invested money to start the colony. In return they hoped to profit from the products of the New World. The company’s charter outlined how the settlement would be governed. But the Mayflower’s passengers had drifted outside the charter’s boundaries. Now they were off the ship of Cape Cod on November 9 1620, with no laws to govern them. The passengers list showed that the colonists needed to create a government. Out of the hundred and two passengers’ fourth-one were pilgrims seeking a place they could practice their religion. They had separated from the Church of England over religious differences. The pilgrims had lived for a time in Holland, now they hoped to make a new start. Basically these pilgrims need... ...Bradford's nephew" in New England's Memorial (1669). The three versions had a difference in the wording, spelling, capitalizing and punctuation. The compact created the idea of a social contact. A social contract is an actual or hypothetical compact between the ruled and their rules that defines the rights and duties of each. Although specific duties were not assigned to each colonist, a concept of higher order was established by the election of the first governor of the New Plymouth. It was not until the American Revolution that the Mayflower Compact received much attention. At this time the new nation began looking back to the roots of this self-government. Today the compact is often viewed as the first example of the American democracy as a social contract. But it is also understood that idea come from the practical need for unity to service in the wildness.

The Management Of Chronic Prostatitis Health And Social Care Essay

A sum of 124 patients with chronic prostatitis were followed in urogenital medicine clinic at Prince Rashid Military Hospital from January 2006 to process 2010. Merely 98 patients completed the survey and were divided into two groups ; group A managed with ?-blockers and group B with placebo.ConsequencesThere was same response rate in both groups, with 48.7 % lessening of at least 4 points in their entire NIH-CPSI mark from base line to 6 hebdomads.DecisionWe found that ?-blockers are non helpful in the direction of chronic prostatitis. ( Rawal Med J 2011 ; 36:294-296 ) .Key wordsProstatitis, alpha blockers,IntroductionProstatitis is considered to be one of the common causes of visit to urology clinic. It accounts for 3-8 % of out patients visit to urology clinics in North America and Europe.1-3 It is classified into four subtypes harmonizing to National Institution of Health ( NIH ) : Type I: acute bacterial prostatitis, Type II: chronic bacterial prostatitis, Type III: chronic pros tatitis, chronic pelvic hurting syndrome ( CPCPPS ) , which is the commonest type, and Type IV: symptomless inflammatory prostatitis.4-6 ?-Blockers have been used to handle the symptoms of chronic prostatitis every bit good as benign prostate hyperplasia by virtuousness of their consequence on the musculuss of prostate and vesica neck.6 These are one of three commonest prescribed medical specialties by urologists for chronic prostatitis i.e antibiotics, alpha blockers and anti inflammatory drugs.7 The purpose of this survey was to measure the function of ?-blockers in intervention of chronic prostatitis.Patients AND METHODSA sum of 124 patients of chronic prostatitis were followed in urogenital medicine clinic at Prince Rashid Military Hospital between January 2006 and March 2010. Merely 98 patients completed the survey. We divided the patients into two groups ; group A ( 49 patients ) managed with ?-blocker Doxazosin 4mg one time day-to-day and group B ( 49 patients ) used placebo. The period of the survey lasted for 6 hebdomads. We used the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index ( NIH-CPSI ) 4 to mensurate the betterment of our patients. NIH-CPSI takes into history hurting symptoms, urinary symptoms and impact on quality of life, with a entire mark of ( 0-43 ) . We measured the mark for our patients before and after intervention. Patients were classified as respondents if there was 4 points or more betterment and non respondents if less than 4 points were achieved. In both groups, patients ages are symmetrical ( 27-45years ) ,ConsequenceOf 124 patients, 26 patients did non complete with the survey, merely 98 patients did. The ages of patients range from 27 twelvemonth to 45 old ages ( average 39 old ages ) . All patients were married. 48.7 % work forces on alpha blocker showed a lessening of at least 4 points in their entire NIH-CPSI mark at 6 hebdomads. There was about same rate of response in patients on placebo. At planetary response, we did non happen any important difference ( p=0.7 ) or alterations over clip in the secondary result between the two groups, ( 32.4 % vs33.6 % ) .DiscussionChronic prostatitis patients experience a hard and worse quality of life than patients enduring from benign prostate hyperplasia or even most of patients with prostatic cancer.5 ?- Blockers are considered to be an of import mode of intervention of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic hurting syndrome, as several surveies have shown that they improve symptoms of chronic prostatitis and diminish the hazard of urine retention.8-10 Cheah et al did a randomized survey on 86 patients with chronic prostatitis utilizing ?- blockers and placebo, and reported important response with 50 % decrease in the mean symptoms score compared to 37 % in placebo.8 A 65 % betterment of symptoms in comparing with merely 42 % with placebo,9 and 52 % response with ?- blockers compared with 33 % with placebo have been reported.10 On the contrary, no important response with ?- blockers in chronic prostatitis was obtained by Alexander et Al who did a big multicenter randomized test of intervention on patients with CPCPPS in two groups, one with Cipro and ?-blockers, other group with placebo. They found no difference among these drugs, either glandular fever or multi therapy intervention of CPCPPS.11DecisionIn our survey, our findings did non back up usage of ?-blockers, in handling chronic prostatitis. Correspondence: Awad B Al-kaabneh. Electronic mail: awadalkaabneh @ gmail.com Received: April 07, 2011 Accepted: September 26, 2011Table 1. NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index ( NIH-CPSI )Pain or Discomfort1. In the last hebdomad, have you experienced any hurting or uncomfortableness in the following countries? Yes No a. Area between rectum and 1 0 testiss ( perineum ) b. Testicles 1 0 c. Tip of the phallus ( non related to 1 0 micturition ) d. Below your waist, in your 1 0 pubic or bladder country 2. In the last hebdomad, have you experienced: Yes No a. Pain or combustion during 1 0 micturition? B. Pain or uncomfortableness during or 1 0 after sexual flood tide ( interjection ) ? 3. How frequently have you had hurting or uncomfortableness in any of these countries over the last hebdomad? 0 Never 1 Rarely 2 Sometimes 3 Often 4 Normally 5 Always 4. Which figure best describes your Average hurting or uncomfortableness on the yearss that you had it, over the last hebdomad? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 No hurting Pain bad as you can conceive ofMicturition5. How frequently have you had a esthesis of non emptying your vesica wholly after you finished urinating, over the last hebdomad? 0 Not at all 1 Less than 1 clip in 5 2 Less than half the clip 3 About half the clip 4 More than half the clip 5 Almost ever 6. How frequently have you had to urinate once more less than two hours after you finished urinating, over the last hebdomad? 0 Not at all 1 Less than 1 clip in 5 2 Less than half the clip 3 About half the clip 4 More than half the clip 5 Almost everImpact of Symptoms7. How much hold your symptoms kept you from making the sorts of things you would normally make, over the last hebdomad? 0 None 1 Merely a small 2 Some 3 A batch 8. How much did you believe about your symptoms, over the last hebdomad? 0 None 1 Merely a small 2 Some 3 A batchQuality of Life9. If you were to pass the remainder of your life with your symptoms merely the manner they have been during the last hebdomad, how would you experience about that? 0 Delighted 1 Pleased 2 Largely satisfied 3 Mixed ( about every bit satisfied and dissatisfied ) 4 Largely disgruntled 5 Unhappy 6 AwfulScoring the NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index DomainsPain: Sum of points 1a, 1b, 1c,1d, 2a, 2b, 3, and 4 = Urinary Symptoms: Sum of points 5 and 6 = Quality of Life Impact: Sum of I

Christology of Jesus in the Book of Colossians Essay

Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As hints from the book’s internal evidences point (Col.1:4, 23; 2:1), the church at Colossae was not founded by the Apostle Paul, but rather the fruit of one of his associates’ labor – namely, Epaphras. His words like â€Å"we heard of your faith,† â€Å"the gospel which you heard,† and â€Å"for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,† indicate clearly that these people to whom he was writing were known by him only through means other than himself. Nevertheless, they are close to him since they are the result of Eparhras’ bringing of the Gospel in their place (Aid to Bible Understanding 1971). Epaphras was Apostle Paul’s son in the faith much like Timothy and Titus. He had come to know the Lord through the preaching of Paul in Ephesus and eventually carried the message with him back to Colossae and the result was the founding of the church there. Like any father would feel of significant accomplishments of his son, the Apostle was exhilarated simply by reflecting on such achievement wrought by his son in the faith (Henry 1998). Indeed, it’s quite a feat. To the eyes of a true apostle of Christ who have grasped the vision of the Lord of the harvest, nothing more and none else bears the mark of indisputable success than the authentic surrender of previously rebellious sinners to the Lordship of Jesus (Walvoord & Zuck 1997). The church in Colossae is yet another landmark to the progress of the Gospel and the advancement of the kingdom of God as well. In Biblical perspective, this is true success. This letter, therefore, was Paul’s response to the report he received from Epaphras regarding the spiritual condition of the Colossians. The details of the report, however, are not thoroughly positive. Concurrently, the whole scenario was one of good prospects, with regard to what they are already enjoying being in Christ, and the possibility of some of them being dragged away to religious nonsense because of the presence of false teachers among them who actively engaging them into a kind of doctrines that sidetrack them from the right focus. These false teachers are so subtle in their approach that caught the Colossians off guard. The presence of these cultic teachings in their midst brought them to a situation that is very dangerous, and Paul had to write to them a polemic on the fundamentals of the Person of Christ and what He achieved on the cross for them (Duncan p.1 â€Å"The Incomparable Christ†). Historical & Cultural Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is interesting to note that Phrygians are one among the many peoples present in Jerusalem during the Feast of Pentecost at the time when the promised Holy Spirit descended upon the first band of disciples in the upper room (Acts 2:10). These people were there at the very center of God’s activity when He was mobilizing His first band of missionaries to reach the first of the target geographic spheres – Jerusalem. Earlier, Jesus pronounced that his disciples would become His witnesses in â€Å"Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.† At the brink of this massive missionary activity, a people who would eventually become direct beneficiaries of an apostolic letter were present – witnessing a poignant presentation of the gospel by Apostle Peter. The city of Colossae was once known to be a great city and was hailed by famed historic figures such as Alexander the Great and Herodotus. Both spoke, in their respective times, of Colossae as â€Å"a great city.† However, at the time of the writing of the Apostle Paul of his letter to the Colossians, the city was not as celebrated as Laodicea and Hierapolis (Smith The Letter To The Colossians, New Testament Introduction) in comparison. However, along with these greater Phrygian cities, Colossae was famed for its textile industry. In the ancient world, a variety of cloth called â€Å"Colossinum† with its purple wool was one of the exquisite that it was very much valued. Thus, Colossae was among the triad of known center of the textile industry. Geographically, it was positioned along the banks of the Lycus River, and was 160 kilometers travel to the east side of Ephesus. It’s easy to think of a Christian disciple from Ephesus to have gone to this nearby city to extend the gospel; and indeed, it might have been Epaphras who blazed the trail of evangelistic work there and probably since then holding the reins of pastorate there. Since Colossae was in the regions of Phrygia which was itself part of Greece, the population was naturally Phrygians, Greeks, and considerable number of Jews. In his book, â€Å"The Antiquities of the Jews,† Josephus Flavius recorded that during the reign of Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.), he banished into exile from Babylonia 2,000 Jewish families and relocated them into the districts of Phrygia and Lydia (Antiquities 12.147-153). The probability was high that the descendants of those Jews who immigrated there two centuries earlier, were without a doubt still living in the same region, and in Colossae particularly were rooted and settled by the first century A.D. Culture’s Influence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The mixture of population in Colossae undoubtedly contributed to the difficulty in determining decisively what kind of philosophies or false teachings have crept into the fellowship of Christians at Colossae. The manner through which the problem is identified in the book makes scholars conclude that it was syncretism. Because these false teachers have never outrightly denied Christ in their instructions, if looked at the surface, they appear to be Christian teachers in the eyes of the new converts whose level of understanding of the Christian doctrines was at this time not yet thorough strong. False teachers used Christ only as their launching station to bring these people into the true substance of their belief. For example, it would only disturb the Colossians if these teachers uncunningly had presented themselves as Gnostics, or Judaizers, or some pagan gurus propagating their paganistic philosophies (Bauer et al. 1979). Therefore, they stealthily conducted themselves among Christians and apparently they have successfully injected some of the important features of their doctrines into the forefront among the biblical truths which the Colossians were previously oriented to focus their minds on, namely, the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. Paul elaborated on the implications of everything that the Person of Christ stood for. From unveiling the majestic Person of Christ to the natural ramifications of what it means he went on in scrupulous details. The confusion that these false teachers created among the Colossian church was very dangerous that it threatens the very character of their identity as Christians (i.e. disciples who follow Christ’s teachings). And besides, it endangers the spiritual lives of the believers at Colossae. Gospel truths will lead to true godliness while half-truths or the Gospel mixed with other philosophical elements which are not found in Christ will always lead to the destruction of life in general. According to Paul, it’s not possible for them to practice Jewish religious rituals, and embrace paganistic beliefs and philosophies, and still retain the true nature of Christianity. As can be seen, the cultural background through which Colossians was written played a huge role on how Paul developed his themes in the book. They could not have escaped the applications of Paul’s teachings since he made everything clear to them. The structure of Gnosticism’s philosophy was based on presuppositions such as, God is the Supreme Being who is spirit and good in nature. He is the unnamed Father, and out of the core of His being flows a series of emanations/aeons or mediators, and the material world is evil. Reading Paul’s letter in the midst of a culture that is so familiar with the Gnostic teachings, one would not miss the images he was using and its implications (Shelley 1982 pp.52-54). To the things advocated by these Gnostics, like for instance, that they needed â€Å"mediaries† to be able to tap to that special wisdom which alone could be received from God, Christ is the â€Å"wisdom of God.† The advocacy of Jewish traditions which are also present and rampant among these believers were just as attractive as all these Hellenistic philosophies in that it lay claim to the very roots of Christianity (Gaebelien 1998). To those who find the arguments of Judaizers logically appealing, the Apostle would say: â€Å"They are but a shadow of things to come.† All of the legitimate practices of the people of God as sanctioned by the Old Testament Scriptures were all types and only a shallow of the real thing (Gill 2000). They all pointed to Christ and when Jesus came all of them were done away with because the whole substance of those things is Christ. And Christ was manifested in the flesh. To the Gnostic who does not believe in the incarnation of the Christ in literal physical body, Paul’s word is: â€Å"In Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily† (Col.2:9). To those Jewish Christians who constantly were being â€Å"Judaized† by the Judaizers wanting them to incorporate certain elements of their tradition, Paul’s message is: â€Å"You were circumcised by the circumcision of Christ.† He made it in the spirit â€Å"without hands.† â€Å"God has forgiven all your trespasses because Christ has wiped out everything that the righteous requirements of the law have been demanding from you.† Christ neutralized all the incriminatory proofs written in the Jewish canon that would declare Christians guilty, whether Jews or Gentiles, before the bar of God’s justice (Metzer 1975). In Paul’s own words, â€Å"He (Christ) has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross† (Col.2:11-14). The Colossians were reminded of the all sufficiency of Christ (Wenham et al 1994). Overall Message of the Book   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since what is under attack is the very Person of Jesus Christ, and because this assault has far-reaching effects and naturally hit the Colossians at different fronts of their faith, Apostle Paul saw it necessary to concentrate his treatise on the Person and the work of Christ. For instance, as it was the assertion of certain teachers inside the church that the fullness of spiritual experience which until then had not been realized in their lives could be attained only through means other than Christ (e.g. worship of angels), Paul had to stress the distinctness and the exclusivity of the role of the second Person of the Godhead in salvation and in securing the fullness of experience of every believer in their relationship with God. The completeness and the comprehensiveness of Christ’s Person and work have covered everything that the Colossians could ever imagine. There is no angel, no religious practice/rituals, and no tradition could ever surpass Christ. Christ is supremely preeminent. The Colossians, contrary to what these false teachers wanted them to be convinced of with their teachings, has the fullness already in Christ. They needed only to realize this through the clear elaborations of an Apostle. Epaphras discovered the significance of this role of Paul, hence he asked for his reinforcement. During this time of the church’s history, Christ’s teachings were still significantly guarded by legitimate apostles. In Colossians 1:1, Paul opened his letter with this salutation: â€Å"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. . . to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse. . . .† He has not yet by this time visited the church at Colossae and therefore has not known personally many of them. They might have heard of him though through Epaphras. And so, his first words reflect the assertion that what will follow are instructions coming from the one who has been sent directly and authorized by Jesus Christ himself. Paul said, â€Å"I am an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.† This introduction stands in sharp contrast to the false teachers in their midst who go along professing to be spiritual elites who were privies to God, and possibly, Jesus. Therefore, the first few words of Paul are crucial and their force is carried through the entire letter. It bears the mark of apostolicity and hence it is not just an ordinary epistle. Paul was one of the privileged few in his time, like Peter and the rest of all the twelve authentic apostles, who had seen and were commission by Jesus personally. And at the time of his writing, there were many still living apostles who could attest to his claim, although it was not necessary. His apostleship was widely known among the first generation of Christians, and at Colossae, Epaphras was there as direct result of Paul’s apostleship – and the Colossians the indirect product of Paul’s commission. In setting forth very clearly the fact of his authority, what he had to say to them in this letter were not opinions or just lofty guesses coming from a person who mustered enough of his noble thoughts about Christ. His teachings were at that time the standard teaching of true apostles of Jesus (Clarke 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another paganistic element in the teachings of these false teachers was the contention that insights into spiritual powers – demonic powers – that could protect and shield the Colossians could be acquired through certain observances and rituals. In particular, rites that were thought of as effective in restraining the flesh from engaging even in legitimate use of the body in marriage between husband and wife, and lawful consumption of food and use of things were put forward as necessary for superior spirituality. Again, to battle these cultic emphases on the superficial appearance of spirituality among the Colossians, the apostle Paul presses over and over again the theme of Christ’s overall sufficiency. The absolute preeminence of Christ has overarching cosmic implications. To know Christ is to know God. To know Christ is to know the Creator who not only created the universe and all of the planets, but also by His power hold these things together (Col.1:15-20). If Christ is, as the Apostle’s Creed faithfully declares, â€Å"very God of very God,† then they have all good reasons to trust in Him alone. No religious leader should dare to compare Him to angels nor to spiritual mediaries because He Himself is God. â€Å"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him† (Col.1:15-16). Themes of the Book   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the pressing concerns that had seriously affected the demeanor of the Colossians was their fear of the â€Å"stoicheia† – Greek word for â€Å"elementary principles.† The source of the heresy that Paul was battling among the Christians in Colossae was the philosophy that had successfully sneaked into their consciousness. It was very unfortunate to see an apostolic congregation being victimized by this philosophical nonsense (Balz & Schneider 1990). Paul would have to tell them in his letter of the utter rubbishness of what they are entertaining in place of Christ. They were playing with â€Å"philosophy† which amounts to â€Å"empty deception† because it comes from â€Å"the tradition of men† (Col.2:8). In the ancient times, stoicheia means many things. But basically, it means, as it is translated in English, â€Å"elementary instructions.† These include the physical elements like earth, water, fire, and wind. Also, the ancient people would have meant it to be â€Å"elemental spirits.† These elemental spirits are believed to be those powerful beings that control nature. These are evil spirits and therefore hostile in nature. They command the respect and allegiance of human beings because they rule over the fate of humans. They can cause â€Å"sicknesses, effect a curse, bring in poor crops, plagues, earthquakes, and natural disasters† (DeWaay â€Å"Colossian Heresy† p.1). The Colossians find this kind of teaching so attractive. Their problem however was that in this kind of hodgepodge religion, they had already fallen into idolatry from whence they had been delivered when they believed the Gospel. In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul established the reality of Jesus’ divinity. Jesus Christ is the one who is truly in control of the â€Å"elemental spirits† because He is in fact the Creator of everything â€Å"seen and unseen.† In Colossians 2:15, Paul presented Christ as one who through His death on the cross, â€Å"disarmed principalities and powers,† and by the power of His resurrection, â€Å"He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.† The culture where they happened to be living in has much influence on their lives that they never have suspected. This sinister influence had been there all along and just biding time, and had found the occasion through the false teachers. It was observed that this belief in â€Å"elemental spirits† had been characteristic of ancient Pagans and Jews. It could be that some of the initiates to the Colossian church were looking for help in Christian religion to avert the spell of stoicheia in their lives. This belief in â€Å"evil forces† in the air might even be their common background. They were brought up from this superstitious environment. Paul, therefore, had to remind them of what has transpired when they surrendered and have put their trust in Christ. They â€Å"died with Christ from the basic principles of the world† (Col.2:20). There’s the word â€Å"stoicheia† again. The Colossians should have totally forsaken any trace of this paganistic reservation. If Christ rules the universe, why fear the evils that these sinister spirits could inflict them? And if Christ is the Creator and for whom all things were created, including â€Å"invisible elements,† and all the spiritual hierarchy in the heavens, then He must be Supreme and Sovereign. The Colossians did not have to subject themselves to useless regulations. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The understanding of the Person of Christ is crucial to the establishment of the Christian’s faith. After this elaboration of Paul on the majesty of the Person of Jesus Christ in his epistle to the Colossians, there should be none any more room for any additives to the faith and practice of the Christian life. Christ’s Person and His redemptive work are sufficient source of unshakeable confidence. Thinking about the Person of Christ, of who He really is as portrayed by Paul in Colossians, how could possibly anyone who knows all these things concerning Jesus add to Him the philosophies of mere men? What is it there that innovative human beings can add to Christ? False teachers of Paul’s day would say that if one wanted to be freed from the dominion and powers of darkness, even if he or she has Christ already, there needed to be certain things to be added. To this, Paul would retort: â€Å"Christ has saved us from the powers of darkness and there’s nothing to be added. He is enough and we are complete in Him.† To look for â€Å"fullness† somewhere else and other than Christ is to doubt His Person. All things consist in Him and in Him all the fullness dwells. In Christ we received redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. Works cited: Anonymous.   1971.   Aid to Bible Understanding. Brooklyn, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. (Aid). Bauer, Walter; Arndt, William; Gingrich, F. Wilbur; Danker, Frederick.   1979. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Second Edition. Chicago, Ill: The University of Chicago Press. (BAGD). Balz, Horst and Schneider, Gerhard. 1990. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. 2 Volumes.   Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. (EDNT). Barnes, Albert, Notes on the Bible. Electronic E-Sword Files.   E-Sword copyright 2000 – 2003 by Rick Meyers.   www.e-sword.net Beveridge, William A Short History of the Westminster Assembly. Revised, edited, and introduced by J. Ligon Duncan III. Greenville: Reformed Academic Press, 1993. Clarke, Adam.   Commentary on the Bible.   Electronic E-Sword Files.   E-Sword copyright 2000 – 2003 by Rick Meyers.   www.e-sword.net Duncan, Ligon. Christology, Soteriology, and Eschatology. Orlando: RTS Media Ministries, 1993. [with accompanying audio tapes].Ligon Duncan III. Greenville: A Press, 19911,    19932, 19943. Cunningham, William An Introduction to Theological Studies. Edited and introduced by J.Ligon Duncan III. Greenville:   Ã‚   A Press, 19911, 19932, 19943. DeWaay â€Å"Colossian Heresy† p.1. Retrieved   March 20, 2008 Douglas, J.D. and Comfort, Phillip.   The New Commentary of the Whole Bible: New Testament: Based on the Classic Commentary by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown.   Electronic STEP Files.   Cedar Rapids, IA: Parsons Technology (JFB). Gaebelien, Frank, editor. 1998. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary.   Electronic STEP Files.   Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. (EBC). Gill, John.   Exposition of the Entire Bible.   Electronic E-Sword Files.   E-Sword copyright 2000 – 2003 by Rick Meyers.   www.e-sword.net Henry, Matthew.   1998.   Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible.   Electronic STEP Files.   Cedar Rapids, IA: Parsons Technology. Metzger, Bruce M. 1975. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament.   3rd Edition.   Stuttgart, Germany: United Bible Societies. The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Power BibleCD Version 3.3 Copyright 1999, 2000, 2001 Phil Lindner, Online Publishing, Inc. Shelley, Bruce. Church History in plain language. 1982 pp.52-54. Walvoord, John and Zuck,   Roy.   1997. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament.   Electronic STEP Files.   Cedar Rapids,   IA: Parsons Technology. (BKC). Wenham, G.J., Motyer, J.A., Carson, D.A. and France, R.T. 1994.   New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Downer’s Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press. (NBC).