J. L. Terveen Colossians 2
2
-Antithesis and Christology: The Polemical Heart of Colossians
At the theological and polemical heart of Colossians in 2:8-23, Paul follows his
paraenetic thematic statement "walk in him" (Col. 2:6-7) immediately with a warning
about a "philosophy" being promoted at Colossae, a warning already anticipated in 2:4.
1
The common Pauline
, which summons believers to an ongoing alert
status, is the first note struck by Paul and signals the overshadowing polemical and
paraenetic concerns which set the context for the affirmative christological statements
which follow in 2:9-15.
Rationale for Rejection. Paul proceeds along two trajectories in exhorting the
Colossian believers to reject both the "philosopher"
3
and the teaching he advocated.
4
On
one hand Paul takes an essentially ad hominem course by deriding the troublesome
teacher as deceptive (
), skilled in enticingly persuasive though false
argumentation aimed at captivating
5
the hearts and minds of unsuspecting listeners. Paul
further impugns the integrity of the Colossian antagonist, ironically parodying his love of
wisdom (
) as steeped in both content vacuity and deceitful methodology
(
).
6
In context Paul contrasts such "philosophy" with Christ the "mystery
of God" and full treasurehouse of all true wisdom and understanding (2:2-3).
Paul further extends his rationale for rejecting the teachings of the Colossian
antagonist along contrastive lines, structuring his key polemical antithesis around
three
prepositional clauses.
7
At one level Paul draws the contrast between sources
of teaching. With
Paul stresses the human
origins of the false teaching, derived from the "traditions
8
of men." The climactic clause
in strong contrast causes the reader to recall the divine revelatory