Colossians 2.8a-Paul Issues the Colossians a Warning Regard the False Teachers
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday November 1, 2015
Colossians: Colossians 2:8a-Paul Issues the Colossians a Warning Regarding the False Teachers
Lesson # 46
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (NASB95)
The apostle Paul is employing the figure of asyndeton in order to solemnly emphasize with his readers the importance of this command he is issuing in verse 8 to beware or be on alert for those teaching false doctrines.
“See to it that” is composed of the following: (1) verb blepō (βλέπω), “See to it that” (2) negative particle me (μή) (me), “not.”
The verb blepō means “to watch out for” and pertains to being ready to learn about future dangers or needs, with the implication of preparedness to respond appropriately.
The subject of this word is the faithful Christians in Colossae and its object are the unidentified teachers communicating false doctrine.
The word’s meaning is negated by the negative particle me which means “not” which denies the idea expressed by the word it is modifying.
With a verb in the present imperative it contains the idea of bringing to an end an already existing condition.
The negative particle with the present imperative form of a verb means “stop doing something.”
Therefore, these two words indicate that Paul is saying “don’t stop watching out for” those teaching false doctrine.
This verb blepō is used by the Lord Jesus to warn His disciples about those who might attempt to deceive them (Mark 8:15; 12:38; 13:5, 23; Matthew 24:4; Luke 21:8.
The apostle Paul employs this word quite often in his writings to the churches he planted (1 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 5:15; Ephesians 5:15; Philippians 3:2 twice; Colossians 2:8).
The book of Hebrews employs this word in warning believers (Hebrews 3:12; 12:25).
The second person plural form of the verb blepō means “all of you” referring to the recipients of Colossians which would be the faithful Christians in Colossae and is referring to them as a corporate unit.
It can be rendered in a distributive sense means “each and every one of you” and emphasizes that there are to be no exceptions among the faithful Christians in Colossae.
The present imperative form of the verb blepō is a customary present imperative whose force is for these faithful Christians in Colossae to simply continue making it their habit of not stopping to watch out for those teaching false doctrine.
“No one takes you captive” is composed of the following: (1) indefinite pronoun tis (τις), “anyone” (2) personal pronoun su (σύ), “you” (5) verb eimi (εἰμί), which is not translated (6) verb sulagōgeō (συλαγωγέω), “takes captive.”
The indefinite pronoun tis introduces a member of the human race whether a Christian or a non-Christian without further identification and speaks of any member of the human race without exception and distinction.
The context indicates that it is referring to those men in the area of Colossae who were teaching false doctrine.
The verb eimi means “to belong to a particular class or group of individuals” which is identified by the statement “takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception.”
Therefore, this verb speaks of those who belong to a group of individuals who would seek to take the Colossians captive through empty, deceitful philosophy.
The verb sulagōgeō means “to take someone captive” since it is a figurative extension of the verb συλαγωγέω “to carry off as booty or as captive in war,” which does not occur in the New Testament and pertains to taking complete control over a person as one would a captive.
The present tense of the verb sulagōgeō is conative present which is used to indicate that an attempt is about to be made or one that is desired to be made in the present or very near future time and the action may or may not be carried out.
Therefore, the present tense expresses the idea of those teaching false doctrine “attempting” or “seeking” to take the Colossians captive through empty, deceitful philosophy.
It does not indicate that an attempt was made in the present because if that is what Paul was communicating he would have put this word in the indicative and not employed the verb eimi.
The personal pronoun su means “all of you” referring to these faithful Colossian believers as a corporate unit.
It is used in a distributive sense meaning “each and every one of you” emphasizing that those teaching false doctrine would attempt or seek to take “each and every one of” the Colossians captive through empty, deceitful philosophy.
“Through philosophy and empty deception” is composed of the following: (1) preposition dia (διά), “through” (2) noun philosophia (φιλοσοφία), “philosophy” (3) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (4) adjective kenos (κενός), “empty” (5) noun apatē (ἀπάτη), “deception.”
The noun philosophia means “philosophy” since it pertains to human understanding or wisdom and by implication in contrast with divinely revealed knowledge or in other words it pertains to human wisdom which is not divinely inspired.
The word refers to a system or concept or a teaching which is totally based upon human understanding or wisdom and is not based upon or derived from divine revelation.
So this word pertains a belief system of philosophical beliefs accepted as authoritative by some group or school.
Here it is used in relation to those teaching false doctrine in the area of Colossae.
The noun philosophia is the object of the preposition dia which means “through, by means of” since it is functioning as a marker of means indicating that philosophy is the means by which a certain group of individuals would seek to take captive each and every of the faithful Christians in Colossae.
The noun apatē means “deception” since pertains to causing someone to have misleading or erroneous views concerning the truth and refers to acts or practices of one who deliberately deceives another person or persons.
Here it is used of those teaching false doctrine in the area around Colossae.
The noun apatē is also the object of the preposition dia which means “through, by means of” since it is functioning as a marker of means indicating that deception is the means by which a certain group of individuals would seek to take captive each and every of the faithful Christians in Colossae.
The noun apatē is modified by the adjective kenos which means “false” since it pertains to teaching which is completely lacking in truth and is devoid of divine viewpoint since it is not based upon divine revelation.
The word describes this deceptive teaching of the false teachers as being “false, untrue” since it is completely devoid of divine viewpoint because it is not based upon divine revelation and the apostles’ teaching.
Colossians 2:8 Don’t stop making it your habit of watching out for anyone belonging to a group who would seek to take each and every one of you captive through empty, deceitful philosophy based upon the tradition produced by human beings, based upon the elementary teachings promoted by the cosmic system, which are by no means based upon to the teaching originating from Christ. (My translation)
The apostle Paul solemnly issues the faithful Christians in Colossae a command which is designed to protect them from those teaching false doctrine in their region of the world.
He doesn’t want them to stop watching out for those teaching false doctrine.
He not only wants to protect them from false doctrine but also he wants to protect their status of receiving a full reward from the Lord Jesus Christ at the Bema Seat.
He wants them to protect themselves from false doctrine in order that they might not lose rewards.
These faithful Christians in Colossae were already on the lookout for these false teachers since this epistle clearly implies the former was already doing this.
If you recall, in Colossians 1:3-5, the apostle Paul informed these faithful Christians in Colossae that he gave thanks to the Father in prayer for them after hearing about their faith in Jesus Christ and that they were practicing the love of God with one another.
Then, in Colossians 2:5, he asserts that he was rejoicing over the fact that they were disciplined and specifically their dedication which was produced by their faith with regards to their union and identification with Jesus Christ.
Paul identifies the means by which these false teachers would seek to take the Colossians captive as being empty, deceitful philosophy.
When he speaks of “philosophy” he is speaking of human understanding or wisdom in contrast with divinely revealed knowledge or in other words it pertains to human wisdom which is not divinely inspired.
It refers to a system of concept or a teaching which is totally based upon human understanding or wisdom and is not based upon or derived from divine revelation.
So this “philosophy” pertains a belief system of philosophical beliefs accepted as authoritative by some group or school and here it is used in relation to those teaching false doctrine in the area of Colossae.
This philosophy is “deceitful” since it would cause the Colossians to have misleading or erroneous views concerning the truth.
This philosophy is “empty” since it is completely lacking in truth and is devoid of divine viewpoint since it is not based upon divine revelation.