Colossians 2.8b-Paul Describes the Nature of the False Teaching
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday November 8, 2015
Colossians: Colossians 2:8b-Paul Describes the Nature of the False Teaching
Lesson # 47
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)
“According to the tradition of men” is composed of the following: (1) preposition kata (κατά), “according to” (2) noun paradosis (παράδοσις), “tradition” (3) he noun anthrōpos (ἄνθρωπος), “man.”
The noun paradosis means “tradition” since it pertains to the content of traditional instruction of a particular group of people and is modified by the noun anthrōpos which is in the plural and means “human beings, mankind” since it is used in a generic sense for the human race.
The noun anthrōpos functions as a genitive of production which would indicate that this tradition is the production of human beings rather than men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The noun paradosis is the object of the preposition kata which means “based upon” since it is functioning as a marker of cause.
This would indicate that a certain unidentified group of individuals in the region of Colossae would seek to take the Colossians captive through empty, deceitful philosophy and which philosophy is “based upon” the tradition which is produced by human beings.
“According to the elementary principles of the world” is composed of the following: (1) preposition kata (κατά), “according to” (2) noun stoicheion (στοιχεῖον), “elementary principles” (3) noun kosmos (κόσμος), “the world.”
The noun stoicheion is in the plural and means “elementary or basic principles, elementary doctrines” and is used in relation to the doctrines of the teachings of the Mosaic Law such as dietary regulations, Sabbath observance, observance of the seven feasts of Israel and observance of circumcision.
This is indicated by the content of Paul’s teaching in Colossians 2:8-23 which mentions in these verses explicitly or implicitly all these things found in the Mosaic Law.
This word is not a reference to demonic angels since as Moo pointed out “there is no evidence that the word stoicheia was used to refer to spiritual beings until the third century A.D.”
Also there is no real evidence from the context (Colossians 2:8-23) which would support such an interpretation.
The noun stoicheion is the object of the preposition kata which means “based upon” since it is functioning as a marker of cause.
This would indicate that a certain unidentified group of individuals in the region of Colossae would seek to take the Colossians captive through empty, deceitful philosophy and which philosophy is “based upon” the elementary principles of the Mosaic Law.
The noun kosmos means “cosmic world system” since it pertains to a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this satanic cosmos.
This system is promoted by Satan, conformed to his ideals, aims, methods, and character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God the cause of Christ.
The noun kosmos is not only a system but also an organization since it also refers to the “formation into a whole of interdependent and coordinated parts for harmonious and united action” against God.
It refers to the “assemblage of fallen angels forming a complex whole” that is under the authority of Satan.
“Rather than according to Christ” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (2) emphatic negative adverb ou (οὔ), “rather than” (3) preposition kata (κατά), “according to” (4) proper name Christos (Χριστός), “Christ.”
The conjunction kai is epexegetical meaning the word is introducing the emphatic negated prepositional phrase οὐ κατὰ Χριστόν which serves to explain or define specifically the nature of the false teaching in Colossae which expresses the fact that this teaching is totally antithetical to the teaching of Jesus Christ.
Christos contains the figure of metonymy meaning that the person of Christ is put for the tradition or teaching originating from Jesus Christ.
The noun Christos is the object of the preposition kata which means “based upon” since it is functioning as a marker of cause.
This prepositional phrase is also emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou which expresses an absolute, direct and full negation.
Therefore, this would indicate that the empty, deceitful philosophy of the false teachers was emphatically not based upon the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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 the teaching originating from Christ. (My translation)
Paul describes where this empty, deceitful philosophy originates.
First he identifies that it originates from man-made traditions and the various commands and prohibitions found in the Mosaic Law, which they misapplied to the church.
He then emphatically tells the Colossians where it does not originate from, namely it does not originate from Jesus Christ.
So Paul first states that this empty, deceitful philosophy is based upon the traditions produced by human beings.
These “traditions” are the production of human beings rather than men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
If you recall, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their adherence to their own rabbinical traditions rather than the Word of God (Mark 7).
These traditions produced by men is a reference to the Judaizers and specifically the Essene branch of Judaism which also held to an incipient form of Gnosticism.
The Essenes lived on the shores of the Dead Sea and were very well-known in the first century for their ascetic practices, one of which was abstaining from marriage.
Asceticism is the idea that abstinence from physical things like food or sex is essential for spiritual purity.
The phrase “self-made religion” (Colossians 2:23) reflect the asceticism of the Essenes as does “self-abasement” and “severe treatment of the body” (2:23).
Not only was the empty, deceitful philosophy of the Judaizers based upon man-made traditions or in other words, not based upon divine revelation but it also was based upon the various commands and prohibitions of the Mosaic Law which were inspired by the Holy Spirit but misinterpreted and misapplied to the church.
The prepositional phrase “based upon the elementary teachings promoted by the cosmic system” is used in relation to the various commands and prohibitions in the Mosaic Law such as the dietary regulations, Sabbath observance, observance of the seven feasts of Israel and observance of circumcision.
The Judaizers sought to place Gentile Christians under the Mosaic Law with its 613 commandments.
That this prepositional phrase is a reference to the various commands and prohibitions found in the Mosaic Law is indicated by the content of Paul’s teaching in Colossians 2:8-23 which mentions in these verses explicitly or implicitly all these things found in the Mosaic Law.
He refers to circumcision in Colossians 2:11 and Sabbath observance in Colossians 2:16 and 21 and he also mentions the seven great feasts of Israel and new-moon celebrations and the deity regulations in Colossians 2:1 and 21.
Also, although the Law itself is not explicitly mentioned by Paul in Colossians 2:14, it is clearly implied in this verse.
In this verse, he affirms Christ delivered the Colossians from the condemnation they incurred from breaking the Law.
In this verse, the expression “the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us,” echoes an expression in Ephesians 2:15, namely “by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.”
Ephesians 2:15 explicitly mentions the Law whereas Colossians 2:14 does not but does imply it since sinners are all legally indebted to the Law whether the Jews in regards to the Mosaic Law or the Gentiles with the Law in their conscience (Romans 2:14-15).
The Law condemned both Jew and Gentile (Romans 1:18-3:23) however, Christ’s death on the cross paid the sinner’s sin debt which was incurred from breaking the Law.
These “elementary teachings” are unique to the cosmic system of Satan which promotes the application of the Law to Jewish and Gentile Christians in order to hinder Jewish and Gentile Christians from experiencing their freedom from the Law which is the result of their identification with Christ in death.
So these elementary principles or regulations from the Mosaic Law are promoted by Satan’s organization and system in the sense that they are the ones who were influencing the Judaizers to seek to put both Jewish and Gentile Christians under the Mosaic Law.
The purpose of which was so that both Jewish and Gentile Christians could not experience their freedom from the Mosaic Law and their freedom because of their union and identification with Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.
Colossians 2:8 ends with Paul emphatically refuting the idea that this empty, deceitful philosophy of the false teachers in Colossae was based upon the teaching of Jesus Christ but rather, the false teaching in Colossae was totally antithetical to the teaching of Jesus Christ.
