Review Colossians 2:6-23

Last Sunday (6-20) we covered Colossians 2:6-23. We found that Paul was contending for the faith against a specific hollow and deceptive philosophy in Colossae with regards to spiritual wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. It should be noted that he was not disparaging classical philosophy in general (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, etc.). Two things support this statement. First, the Greek behind the English word "philosophy" includes the article (tēs philosophias), which suggests that the leaders of the faction called their teaching "the philosophy." Second, the use of one preposition (dia, through) as well as the absence of the definite article before the second noun (apatēs, deceptive) also shows that what Paul was describing as dangerous was the particular philosophy or putative wisdom teaching in Colossae.

We also discussed the nature of this false teaching and discovered that although the basic features of “the philosophy” advocated by the false teachers are fairly evident, how they fit together is matter of scholarly debate. The following is a list of the core components that comprised the deception:

· denied Christ’s full deity
· required circumcision
· held strict regulations concerning food and drink
· observed a ritual calendar
· maintained taboos against touching or handling certain things
· practiced asceticism (self-denial) to facilitate spiritual progress
· delighted in the worship of angels
· submitted to the elemental spirits of the world
· sought higher knowledge or mysteries through visionary experiences

Of the numerous possible ways to integrate these features into one scheme of thought, two seem the most plausible. The first possibility is that Paul was simply warning the Colossians against Judaism. That is, having missed the good news concerning the Messiah, it was now to be regarded as just another religion or human tradition. Since Gentile Christians were already filled in Christ, they did not need to observe the Jewish law to become spiritually complete. In support of this understanding, we noted that both Philo and Josephus used the word “philosophy” to describe Judaism to pagans and that Paul might have been doing the same. In addition, many of the features of the false teaching fit with Jewish practices, for instance, circumcision, dietary regulations, and religious holidays.

The second possibility is that the false teaching consisted of a syncretism of Judaizing and Hellenizing features. In other words, some elements of pagan religious practices – local folk superstitions, Phrygian religion, and various mystery cults – had been combined with Jewish traditions to form this pernicious philosophy. We observed that the alleged participation in extreme forms of asceticism and the worship of angels seemed to fit better on this account.

Regardless of the theory of integration one favors regarding the false teaching influencing the church in Colossae, Paul’s rebuttal is clear: Although their teachings may have had the appearance of wisdom, the reality was they completely missed the goal of the full spiritual life. Their strict regulations regarding food and drink, rigid ritual observances, and austere prohibitions in order to enter into visions and attain knowledge of spiritual mysteries ironically led only to religious pride, fleshly indulgence, and further enslavement to the elemental spirits of the world.

Paul’s positive theological instruction to the church is also clear. The Colossians were to grow stronger in their understanding and grasp of the faith they were taught. The central feature of that apostolic faith was Jesus Christ is Lord (over creation and redemption). Jesus is fully God, sovereign over every rule and authority, principality and power, and elemental spirit of the world. Moreover, in him we have been filled. Indeed, when God considers those who are “in Christ,” he counts what is true of Christ as true of them also. In other words, those who are united with Christ receive all the benefits of having been circumcised (membership in the covenant people of God), buried (freedom from sinful habits and old allegiances to the rulers and authorities of this world), and raised from the dead (forgiveness of sins and the forever-life of God). Since Christ is the wisdom of God and the Colossians had already received the very mystery of God (Christ in them), it would be absurd for them to even consider accepting the false teaching and voluntarily place themselves under the regulations imposed by the principalities and powers. Such a move would be tantamount to reverting to the slavery of their pagan past. It would be as foolish as trading the substance (the reality) for the shadow.

This coming Sunday (6-27) we will consider Paul’s ethical alternative to the false teaching in Colossae; namely, what it means to walk in Christ. Brace yourselves, because Colossians 3:1-17 reveals the real implications that our new life in Christ has for our behavior.