The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 144

V-crs. 8-10.-Christ's f'ulness the (Jhristian's safeg=rd. While thus abidinu and walking in Christ (vers. 6, 7), the Colossiaus still needed the warning, "Be on° your gu~rd;" "Take heed," etc. In the words that follow we find- I. A SUGGESTIVE SKETCH OF THE FALSE TEACHING THAT ASSAILED THE CoLOSSIANS, 1. It came t'n the garb of philosophy. Real philosophy is nowhere condemned by the apostle. The term itself warns against its abuse. It is attributed to Pythagoras, -who taught that no man was truly wise but God only, but be claimed to be a lover of wisdom. 'l'he false teachin~ at Colossai was rnther a theosophy than a philosophy. As such it was" vain deceit" (Job xi. 7-9; 1 Cor. i. 19-21; iii. 18-20). It was part of that" knowledge which is falsely so called" (1 Tim. vi 20). 2. It claimed ,·espect because of human authority and antiquity. It was "after the tradition of men." So far us the error was of Jewish origin, we ct\n imagine something of its nature from the references to it in the Gospels (Matt. xv. 2-9; Mark vii. 3-5). 'l'hese traditions had an attraction for many religious minds (Gal. i. 14). Grafted upon the i:(enuine command- rnen ts of God, they had a semblance of authority, and some of them an undefined antiquity. The false teaching that was of Gentile origin could bring forward in its support names eminent in the philosophical world. But the authority was merely of men and could not appeal to" Scripture inspired of God." 3. It :prescribed services and ceremonies pleasing to the unspiritual mind. The rite of circumcision (ver. 11), the strict observance of feasts or fasts, and the distinction of meats (ver. 16), might form important parts of & religion which would be easy to a mind religious but not truly spiritual (Ilom. xiv. 17, 18). 4. It was probably recommended by the personal influence of one or more popular teachers in their midst. This is an inference from the words, "Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philo- sophy," etc. (Revised Version). A devout and pure heresiarch is a source of peculiar peril. Hence the vehement warning in Gal. i. B, 9. 5. But it was alienfrom the doctrine and Spirit of Christ. "Not after Christ." Paul had absolute confidence that tl,e good news be proclaimed was Christ's own gospel, by which he was prepared to test any teaching, and if needs be to condemn it as "a different gospel which is not another gospel" (Gal. i. G). There are points of resemblance between t~c heresy ~t C~loss3:" a!1d the most prominent errors of the present day that are suggeRt1ve. Ilat1onahsm, m 1ta .-arious degree~ of anti-supernaturalism, bases itself on philosophy and science (~o~called); it speaks in tones of authority, and teaches as truths the thoughts and tra~1hons and alle:;ed discoveries of men quite irrespective of whether. we have a revelation of the thouahts of God. It is recommended by the personal mfluenco of exemplary men. "l":lci~nce and Christ have nothing to do with one another except in as far as tho habit of scientific investigation makes a man cautious about accepting any proofa" (from a letter by the late Charles Darwin to a studentatJena, June 5, 1879). llut it is "not artcr Christ," the Christ of history and of apostolic doctrine. Saccrdotalism boas.t1;1 of antiquity bases itself on the tradition of the early Fathers and the "development" of apost~lic doctrine rather than on "the Scriptures of _t~uth." Its rit~al, t~ough 1,clpful to some devout minds, invo!v~s the dang~r of spmtual trut~~ being hidden Ld1ind sacramental symbols and rehg1011s ceremonies. It makes rel!g1on easy to an nnspiritua) man. An,i sacer,lotal errors are commended to us by the !ofluence of ~1cu illustrious both in talent an·l character. Nevertheless, the most attractive sacerdotahsm is "not after Christ." ll. A.N ASSURANCE THAT Till!: l'UI,NESS OF Cur.rsT CAN SUPPJ,Y ALL TllAT WE NlmD. on, n. 1-23.] TJ:lE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 130