Recap… • Introduction (1:1–14) • The Supremacy of Christ (1:15–23) • Paul’s Labor for the Church (1:24—2:7) • Freedom from Human Regulations through Life with Christ (2:8–23) 1. Warning to Guard against the False Teachers (2:8–15) 2. Pleas to Reject the False Teachers (2:16–19) 3. An Analysis of the Heresy (2:20–23)

Colossians 2:8 NIV • See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. KJV • Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on - human tradition and - the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

Captive… • The rare word sylagogeo (“take captive”) occurs only here in the New Testament; • The noun syla was used for booty or plunder, of being abducted and sold into slavery. • The false teacher wants to steal the believer away from his spiritual family and sell him as a slave into false doctrine.

Captive… • Wants to cheat them of their faith, their hope, their understanding of God, their relationship with God, their vision, and the purpose of God. • "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (1. Peter 5:8) • Attractive: because it is a mix of Jewish and Hellenistic teachings. Such syncretism (blending) was a feature of the ancient world.

Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy • the only place where the biblical writers use the word "philosophy." • translated from the Greek philosophia, - philos (fond or friendly) and sophos (clever or wise). • Greeks held philosophy in highest regard; used here in the sense of vain speculation. • They were equating that Christianity is philosophy.

Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy The false teaching had a Hellenistic aspect: • “wisdom and knowledge” (2:3) may point to Greek roots, • asceticism (“harsh treatment of the body” [2:23]) and “fullness”) • “elemental spiritual forces”

Hollow and Deceptive Philosophy Philosophy • the love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means, is not wisdom from God but wisdom as defined by man. • It is man's attempt to be wise. God says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10). • E.g. Since man cannot see God, he concludes, "There is no God." Because man's philosophy does not consider God, its very foundation is faulty.

Gnosticism • gathering teachings from a variety of sources False teachings of:• knowledge, enlightenment, salvation, emancipation or 'oneness with God' • may be reached by practicing philanthropy to the point of personal poverty, sexual abstinence (as far as possible for hearers, entirely for initiates) and • diligently searching for wisdom by helping others.

Gnosticism - the Impact • Asceticism as a way to free the eternal spirit by living regimented, plain, and insular lives. • Hedonism - believing that what they did with their bodies did not make any difference only spirit mattered. • Christians in Colossae were being pressured by the ascetic society around them to not celebrate joyous observance of the Sabbath and holy days. They would have been looked down on Christians who are celebrating.

Skewed Theology 1) In order to avoid having their pure god create evil, they had created a system of lesser deities that overflowed from their god. They named this lesser deity the Jehovah God of the Hebrews.

Skewed Theology 2) They taught that all matter was evil, and since Jesus was human, they concluded he had to contain some evil – therefore Jesus couldn’t be God to them. 3) They taught that Christ was just a beginning; • to go on to spiritual maturity, it was necessary to follow their rules and practices.

Compare: the greatness of Christ Paul countered that: • Christ is “the image of the invisible God” • the Father’s agent in bringing creation about (1:15–16). • All God’s “fullness” dwells in Christ (1:19; 2:9). • He is supreme over all, and there is no way of going on to some higher spirituality by deserting him.

Philosophy… Human Tradition • In Paul’s time (1st century A.D.), ancient tradition insured the excellence and sanctity of knowledge. • If it was old, then it was considered good and not to be lightly dismissed. Paul • discredits the “philosophy” as a tradition that derives from humans (see Mark 7:8) • and contrasts it with divine revelation that the Colossians have received in Christ.

The impact… • They arise out of the thinking of men, find a foothold in society, are passed along from generation to generation so as to appear popular and widely supported. • Make it appear that biblical Christianity is a minority fatih, held by only a few ill-educated, almost mentally deficient people, who have no basis in scholarship for what they believe.

Paul often claims reverence for “traditions”. • but they are traditions having their starting point in direct revelation of God. and, moreover, traditions freely given to all, as being God’s. • The “traditions of men” here condemned had their origin in human speculation, and were secretly transmitted to the initiated only.

• In 2:6, Paul writes that they have “received Christ Jesus as Lord.” • “receive” (paralambano) : the transmission of teaching or tradition. • The Colossians did not receive a tradition created by humans but a person, the Lord Jesus, the regent and reconciler of all creation.

Philosophy… Elemental Forces • The "elementary principles (Gr. stoicheia) of the world“ • The noun stoicheion derives, from the verb stoicheo, which means “to be in line”. • Used to refer in literature of initial basis of things e.g. designate the letters of the alphabet, the foundation principles of a science or institution • A new Mixture: “the boundaries between astronomy, astrology, and the worship of heavenly bodies were unclear and easily crossed.”

Being skewed… 1. The Greek Magical Papyri use the term for “personalized spiritual forces that have significant influence over day-to-day existence” (The Colossian Syncretism, 173). 2. The Testament of Solomon reflects a Judaism influenced by magic, and it provides recipes for invoking angels to thwart hostile demons. 3. Jewish work refers to angels who govern creation by regulating the order of the stars and seasons. They keep watch for evil activity and restore order and harmony to the cosmic order

• Ceremonialism. It held to strict rules about the kinds of permissible food and drink, religious festivals (2:16-17 • Asceticism. “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” (2:21, 23). • Angel worship (2:18) • Depreciation of Christ. This is implied in Paul’s emphasis on the supremacy of Christ (1:15-20) • Secret knowledge. The Gnostics boasted of this (see 2:18 and Paul’s emphasis in 2:2–3 on Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom”). • Reliance on human wisdom and tradition. See 2:4,8.

Rather than on Christ… • Not a single branch of Gnosticism had the truth about Jesus Christ. That knowledge can be found only in God's Word. • No man-made formulas, no "secret knowledge," no rules-keeping, and no false spirituality can bridge the gap between God and man. • Only God deserves the credit for establishing the only sufficient plan for our salvation.

Believers have died with Christ; therefore, • we need to die to our sins. We have also been raised with Christ; therefore, • we must live well in Him and put on qualities that are motivated by Christian love. And because He is Lord over all, • the life of the Christian is a life of following and submission to Jesus.

Summary • Ceremonialism. It held to strict rules about the kinds of permissible food and drink, religious festivals (2:16-17 • Asceticism. “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” (2:21, 23). • Angel worship (2:18) • Depreciation of Christ. This is implied in Paul’s emphasis on the supremacy of Christ (1:15-20) • Secret knowledge. The Gnostics boasted of this (see 2:18 and Paul’s emphasis in 2:2–3 on Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom”). • Reliance on human wisdom and tradition. See 2:4,8.

Christ Answers All… • Christ as the very image of God (1:15), • the Creator (1:16), • the preexistent sustainer of all things (1:17), • the head of the church (1:18), • the first to be resurrected (1:18), • the fullness of deity in bodily form (1:19; 2:9) • the reconciler (1:20–22). • “have been given fullness in Christ” (2:10).