June 1, 2000
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Philosophy or Christ
By John MacArthur
INTRODUCTION
A. Philosophy in History
1. Its Definition
The word "philosophy" appears in Colossians 2:8: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy...." The word "philosophy" is formed by two Greek words-- phileo and sophia. Phileo means "to love," and sophia means "wisdom." Philosophy is the love of wisdom. Throughout history, man has pursued his fascination with wisdom. "The love of wisdom" is simply the etymological meaning of philosophy.
2. Its Determination
Philosophy is really the effort of man to determine the ultimate causes in the earth and the universe. Throughout the history of the world, man has pursued an understanding of what caused what is, why it is what it is, where it is going, and what its intent and purpose is. Man has sought to explain the reasons for existence, the purpose of living, and all of the phenomena of the universe. It is all one great mystery for man.
a. A Myriad of Solutions
There have been many solutions offered by many different philosophers. There have been tens of thousands of philosophers and a different philosophy for every one--all with their own explanation of the universe.
b. The Ministry of the Spirit
Most philosophers deny the existence of God. Those philosophers who do allow for the existence of God usually allow for His existence only as a general cause. In other words, somewhere, someplace, and at some time, God made everything happen. But most of them deny His existence, and they try to explain everything in the universe in terms of their own rational thinking patterns--all very hopeless. First Corinthians 2:9-10 says, "...Eye hath not seen [You can't discover truth by empiricism], nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man [You can't discover truth by rationalism], the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." Science is empiricism; philosophy is rationalism. According to 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, neither of them will ever discover ultimate truth.
3. Its Discovery
a. Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell, at the end of his ninety years, the vast majority of which he spent as a philosopher, said, "Philosophy has proven a washout for me."
b. Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes, the famous English atheistic philosopher who fostered materialistic psychology and utilitarian morality, when he was drawing near to death said, "I am about to take a leap into the dark! I shall be glad to find a hole to creep out of the world."
c. David Hume
David Hume, the deistic Scottish philosopher, was immoral, indecent, and dishonest. His biographers tell us that he was a teacher of immorality and a denier of God. His death was so tragic that one of his attendants said that he agonized to the point that his bed shook. He demanded that the candles be lit all night, and that he never be left alone for one moment. His lips were filled with words of remorse until he died.
And so it goes with philosophers and with people who want to eliminate God and in their own minds and by their own human effort attempt to discover truth.
B. Philosophy in Colossae
Now the city of Colossae had its philosophers...as every society does. And the little assembly of believers in the church at Colossae was in danger of being captured, infiltrated, and duped by them.
1. The City of Colossae
Colossae was a little town in the midst of the Lycus Valley, so named for the Lycus River. It was approximately one hundred miles from Ephesus and located in Asia Minor. And in that lovely little valley were three cities: Colossae, Hierapolis, and the most famous, the city of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14). As far as we know, each of these three cities had churches. Colossae had one; we know that for sure. Colossae was a typical pagan city in that it was occupied by Greeks, Romans, and a population of Jews who had left their land.
2. The Church at Colossae
a. Paul's Previous Encounters
Paul had been in Ephesus for three years. During that time he was instrumental in founding the church in Ephesus along with other churches in Asia Minor. All of the churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3 were located in Asia Minor, and were likely founded during that three year period, along with other churches like the church in Colossae. While Paul was ministering in Ephesus, a man by the name of Epaphras was won to Jesus Christ under the ministry of the Apostle Paul (Col. 4:12). Epaphras then returned to Colossae and became the founder of the Colossian assembly.
Six years have passed since the church at Colossae was started. Paul finished his three years in Ephesus, then he spent a winter in Greece where he wrote Romans and Corinthians. Then he returned to Jerusalem. But when he arrived with his offering for the poor saints in Jerusalem, he was arrested. He was then taken to Caesarea and left in prison. When his imprisonment was completed, he was brought to Rome to await trial. That is what happened during those six years.
b. Paul's Present Epistle
We pick up the story as he awaits his trial in Rome. Epaphras visits him in Rome and unburdens his heart about the situation in the church in Colossae. Paul then sends him back with this letter to help straighten out the situation. Basically, what Epaphras told Paul was mostly positive because there were not any serious, critical defections occurring in the congregation. But there is warning from Paul relative to allowing any false teaching or false philosophy to infiltrate their congregation. Colossae had its false teachers and philosophers with their human wisdom loitering at the doorstep of the church. They were ready to enter and vie for control. Now this is always to be expected. The church, in every city, culture, country, and century will have to fight to maintain its hold on doctrinal purity. It will have to fight to keep its spiritual equilibrium. It will have to defend itself against errorists and maintain the truth--always--because Satan will always endeavor to topple the church to the level of false doctrine. That is Paul's great concern and it becomes the heart of his letter to the Colossians.
1) The Heart
Now the heart of this epistle is located in chapter 2, verses 8-23 and contains the main message of Paul to the Colossians. It is here that he deals directly with the false teaching that is on the border and threatening the church in Colossae.
2) The Body
Now, Paul has already confirmed the truth relating to Christ in the great doctrinal section--chapter 1, verse 15 through chapter 2, verse 7. It presents the doctrine of Jesus Christ and salvation through Him. The first fourteen verses of Colossians were introduction. The practical section--dealing with what should characterize the lives of believers--is located in Chapter 3, verse 1 through chapter 4, verse 6, followed by some personal words to close the epistle. In the middle of the doctrinal and practical sections there is what I call the polemic section. Polemic means "a dispute." Here is the argument of the book. Paul says, "Let me get at this issue. I've talked about Christ; I've talked about salvation; I will talk about your practical life. But now, let me attack those false teachers." And that's what he does in the heart of the letter.
3. The Conflict at Colossae
a. The Elements of the False Teaching
There are four elements to the false teaching that threatened the Colossians. Now it is very hard to identify this heresy because Paul never names it officially, he only flirts around the borders of it. But we do know it had four elements:
1) Philosophy (Humanism; vv. 8-15)
2) Legalism (vv. 16-17)
3) Mysticism (vv. 18-19)
4) Asceticism (vv. 20-23)
This involved a monastic life-style--a false kind of humility in which an individual withdraws from the normal patterns of life, like a recluse or a monk.
So there was a conglomeration of human philosophy, legalism, mysticism, and asceticism. And in my mind that means "Essenes." They were a community of Jews who fit these patterns of living. Now, that may have been the case, or it may have been a form of that Jewish sect, or it may have been coincidentally similar and really embodied all of the possible heresies that existed.
b. The Exhortations of Paul
1) Positive
Paul has already called the Colossians to maintain pure allegiance to Jesus Christ. In verses 1-7 he says, "I have great conflict for you, and I want you to hang onto Christ, the truth about Christ, and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." He made this great, positive statement: "I want you to commit yourself with pure allegiance to Him." But now he moves away from the positive to the...
2) Negative
He says, "Here's what I want you to avoid" (vv. 8-23). Here's the polemic. Here's the argument.
a) The Claim of the False Teachers
Now, the false teachers were claiming (as they continually claimed during the early years of the church) to have a superior knowledge. They continue to claim that today. They say, "We know what you don't know. We have a system that is higher than yours. We have knowledge and insights beyond yours--a higher, truer system." From the start of the New Testament they have said, "We have a superior gnosis (the Greek word for knowledge). We have a higher knowledge, a higher revelation, and a higher apprehension of God's truth."
b) The Counterattack of Paul
Paul, in this section, counterattacks their teaching. He says that there is no higher truth; there is no nobler knowledge; there is no greater insight; and there is no superior revelation, no matter what the false teachers claimed. Against the enticing claim that a higher wisdom was offered by this new teaching, he emphasized that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ. Against the doctrine of aeons (a series of emanations, intermediate spirit beings through which the divine essence was distributed until it finally reached man in a diluted form) Paul sets forth Christ as the only single embodiment of the fullness of God (Col. 2:9). There are not any aeons and angel beings between us and God, through whom God filters His personality, there is only one representation of God in human terms--Jesus Christ. Against the idea that those spirit intermediaries should be worshiped by men who must approach God through them, Paul shows that they are nothing but demons who have been conquered by Christ. In verse 15 Paul says, "And, having spoiled principalities and powers...." And against the idea of self-denying asceticism and false humility, Paul shows that we are no longer attached to any fleshly thing since we have come to know Christ. We have moved into a spiritual dimension so that fleshly abstinences have little significance.
We see in Paul's counterattack an excellent example of how to deal with heresy. Paul is lambasting these four areas of heresy that are threatening the Colossian assembly. But notice that his attack is not a matter of bitter denunciation of the heresy--he doesn't name the heresy and then tear it apart piece by piece. It is not a detailed discussion of the false teaching. It is not a fiery blast at the heresy. It is a positive affirmation of the truth. Paul positively affirms the truth again and again. Charles Erdman says, "...when he now reaches the very heart of his letter the apostle dwells so eloquently upon the deity of Christ and the dignity and completeness of believers that the reader is left in some uncertainty as to the exact system of error against which the Colossians were to be upon their guard." The point is obvious: If you know the truth, any system of error is going to collapse in the face of the truth. So it's vital that Paul present the truth.
Paul will be dealing with these four elements: Philosophy, Legalism, Asceticism, and Mysticism. First we will look at...
I. PHILOSOPHY (vv. 8-15)
As we look at these verses we see a contrast between our two points: Captured by Philosophy as opposed to Complete in Christ. This is the story of every man because every man is either captured by human philosophy or he is complete in Christ. A man either becomes a victim of human wisdom, human reason, and human logic, or he becomes complete in Christ. That is the choice of every human being. You have to choose either man's wisdom or God's. First of all, let's look at...
A. Captured by Philosophy (v. 8)
"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."
1. The Call to Vigilance
Paul is saying essentially this in his warning: "Beware lest those of you who were rescued out of the domain of darkness and have already been translated into the kingdom of the Son of God's love should be carried off like captives and enslaved again." That warning is similar to Galatians 5:1, "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty with which Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." In other words, don't get entangled again in the yoke of bondage; don't go back to a former human system--legalism. Here in Colossians he says, "Don't go back to a former human system--human philosophy or wisdom." So Paul's warning is introduced by a call to vigilance--a present tense, continual awareness and constant watchfulness--lest they be led astray. The church is always under siege by false teachers.
a. The Warning of the Lord
1) Matthew 7:15 -- "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
2) Matthew 16:6 -- "Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees...." The leaven of the Pharisees was legalism.
b. The Warning of Paul
1) Acts 20:29-31a -- "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore, watch...."
2) Philippians 3:2 -- "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision [the mutilation party, those who want to circumcise]."
c. The Warning of Peter
Peter also gave warning in 2 Peter 3:17, "...beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness."
Jesus said, "Beware." Paul said, "Beware." Peter said, "Beware." And it behooves us to hear the echo, "Beware." There will always be an effort to woo you away from the truth. You say, "Well, what am I to beware of?"
2. The Caution of Vigilance
a. The Manner of Capture
Verse 8 says, "...lest any man spoil you...." The verb is a combination word. It is made up of the Greek words ago which means "to carry away," and sule which means "booty"--the loot or plunder which is taken in a robbery or in a war. It was used in later nonbiblical Greek writing to speak of kidnapping, plundering a house, or raping a maiden. So Paul is saying, "Don't let anybody kidnap you, don't let anybody plunder your treasury of truth, and don't let anybody rape you with their false teachings. There is real danger that someone is going to carry you away, make you his prey, make you a captive, and lead you off like a prisoner of war." This is what Paul is warning them against.
To Paul, it was unthinkable that those who had been ransomed, those who had been redeemed, and those who had been liberated could ever submit to that old slavery again. Every once in a while, I will meet someone who will say to me, "Well, I used to go to Grace Community Church. We left because we discovered that Grace Church did not have the truth." People often say that they have found the truth, when the truth of the matter is that they have forsaken the truth for slavery to human wisdom.
b. The Means of Capture
How is it that they are going to capture you? Verse 8 says, "Be continually being aware that they don't carry you off like spoil through philosophy and even vain deceit." Philosophy equals vain deceit. The means of capturing people is philosophy. It is high-sounding knowledge and theory, but it's all human. Incidentally, this is the only use of the word in the New Testament.
1) The Specifics of Philosophy
a) Its Definition
Philosophy is human wisdom--human wisdom that sounds like it is divine...human wisdom that is supposed to be greater than anything you have ever heard. This is what the cults always offer: "You don't know the truth until you know what we know." The historian Schlatter says, "Everything that had to do with theories about God and the world and the meaning of human life was called `philosophy' at that time, not only in the pagan schools but also in the Jewish schools of the Greek cities." He is saying that the term philosophy was used of every single theory about God and the world in that era. It was the common term. So, anyone who had any new theory about God, or any new theory about the world--its origins, its meaning, and its destiny--was considered a philosopher with a philosophy.
Josephus, the historian of that day, has shown that any elaborate system of thought and moral discipline was called a philosophy. He says, "For there are three forms of philosophies among the Jews. The followers of the first school are called Pharisees, of the second Sadducees, and of the third Essenes" (Jewish War II. viii. 2). That leads me to think that the Essenes may have been propagating their philosophy in Colossae.
b) Its Description
This philosophy was a lie which Paul called "vain deceit." Philosophy is empty deceit--it doesn't give you what you expect. The word "deceit" is interesting. It is like a fish hook, in that what a fish gets is not what it expects. What you see is not what you get in that circumstance. Philosophy is the same thing--it's a baited hook. You think it's going to be wonderful but it turns out to be a deception. For all of its claims, philosophy is an empty illusion. That's why Bertrand Russell says that it's a washout. And that's why Hobbes and Hume lie on their death beds panicking, without answers. Philosophy sounds good. It seduces the mind because it plays into the hands of pride, but it deceives. Truth is found in revelation, and God has spoken finally and clearly in Jesus Christ. There is no value in speculative human philosophy.
Herbert Carson has a good warning. He says, "This does not mean that he should come with a blind unreasoning faith. But it does mean that, instead of bringing philosophical presuppositions which will color his study of Scripture and so prejudice his interpretation, he comes as one conscious of the finiteness of his intellect, and aware that his mind also is affected by his sinful nature. Thus he is willing to be taught by the Holy Spirit, and acknowledges that it is the Word of God rather than his own reason which is the final arbiter of truth."
So Paul says, "Beware of philosophy. Beware of human theories about God and about the world. Stick with the Bible."
2) The Source of Philosophy
Where do human philosophies come from? Paul gives two sources in verse 8: "...philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men [source one], after the rudiments of the world [source two], and not after Christ." The first source is...
a) Tradition
Tradition is usually the source because people have generally believed it to be true. But that just perpetuates inadequate, depraved human thinking patterns. Tradition doesn't mean anything. Just because it's handed down doesn't mean it's true. If there is error to start with and it is handed down, it is still error. So Paul is saying, "Philosophy follows after the tradition of men."
A study of philosophy reveals that almost all philosophers build on other philosophers. There is an incredible sequence that flows through the history of philosophy. One philosopher will develop a thought so far, then another philosopher chops off a little of his thought and develops it further, and on and on it goes. So, much of the philosophy today finds its roots in Aristotle and Plato. It is all a variation in the flow of the tradition of man. The errors are perpetuated. For example, look at...
(1) The Jews
By the time Jesus arrived on the earth, the Jews had built up a monstrosity of philosophy. They could no longer describe what the traditions of men were and what the Word of God was. Mark 7:5 says, "Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked Him, Why walk not Thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders...?" They had developed a sophisticated system all on the basis of tradition. In verse 8, Jesus says, "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men....Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition" (vv. 8a, 9b). There is nothing honoring or sacred about tradition--it's just perpetuated human ignorance. So the Jews had their traditions.
(2) The Gentiles
The Gentiles also had their traditions. They passed on their old philosophies. First Peter 1:18 says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your vain manner of life received by tradition from your fathers." We are all victimized by the passing on of error. One day my child came home from school and said, "Hey Dad, we didn't really come from monkeys, did we?" And I said, "No, we didn't come from monkeys." Then he said, "But everybody says we came from monkeys, and the book says we came from monkeys." So I asked the teacher why everybody says that we come from monkeys, and she said, "That's what the scientists have always believed." I said, "Well that's good proof that no matter how smart you are, without God and His revelation you will never move from error to truth."
So where does that philosophy come from? It comes from all the philosophies before it. The same thing is perpetuated. The second source is...
b) Rudiments of the World
That is not an easy term to determine because there are several possibilities. Let me give you a general idea of what Paul had in mind.
(1) Elemental Rudiments
In its literal sense, the term refers to the basic elements of learning. Rudiments would be like learning ABC's. It literally means "things in a column," or "things in a row" (i.e., 1, 2, 3, or a, b, c). Paul says that those are the rudimentary principles of instruction for childhood and not adequate for mature adults.
The thought of Paul is this: To return to philosophy would be to cast away the mature teaching of the Bible for the infantile poverty- stricken opinions of an immature religion drawing its being from this world and not God. The same phraseology is used in Galatians 4:3, "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world [The elementary teaching of human religion]" (cf. Heb. 5:12). In Galatians, Paul was referring to the Jews' religion; in Colossians, he is referring to the religions of the Gentiles. And what is the elementary teaching of human religion? Salvation is by works. Where does that philosophy come from? It comes from tradition--perpetuated error--and from man's infantile, primer religion. It isn't some advanced, deep, new, profound spiritual knowledge. The really advanced people are those who know the Word of God.
(2) Elemental Spirits
The phrase "rudiments of the world" has a second possible meaning in the ancient world, although I would guess that the first meaning I gave you is probably the one Paul had in mind. It could also refer to elemental spirits--spirit beings. The people of that day were bound up in associating spirits with the stars and the planets. They were heavily involved in astrology. It's amazing that people today think that astrology is something new when it's the same old rudiments of the world.
For example, Julius Caesar was an astrology buff who governed his whole life by what the stars told him. Alexander the Great ruled his life in the same way. They were both devout believers in the influence of the stars. People who believed in those elemental spirits were in the grip of a rigid kind of determinism that was set by the stars. The influence of those spirits through those stars dominated their lives.
It was said that there was only one way of escape: You were an absolute prisoner of the stars and the spirits unless you knew the right passwords or formulas in order to escape the fatalism built into the stars. It was said that you had to have a secret knowledge--a secret teaching. So along came the false teachers who said, "We have the secret teaching that can relieve you from the fatalistic determinism of the stars. Jesus Christ can't save you from the spirits in the stars and planets. We have the secret information for that." Some of the people in the Colossian church had probably been involved in that kind of system. Even when they were saved out of that system, they still might have had lingering thoughts about it. They might have been tempted to say, "What if these teachers are right?"
But Paul warned them (and us) to be constantly aware of the false truth--that which is just human tradition. It is perpetuated ignorance--infantile, inadequate human religion of the past being revived. We have Christ; God is enough.
Now Paul moves to a second point:
B. Complete in Christ (vv. 9-15)
1. The Basis of Completeness (vv. 9-10)
"For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."
You don't need to be captured by philosophy--you can be complete in Christ. You can throw away human philosophy, all the traditional religions of the world, and all the man-made forms and theories. "For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in Him..." (Col. 2:9-10a).
a. The Reality of Deity
The word "dwelleth" in verse 9 is continuous present tense: "In Him still dwells." Jesus Christ is still the fullness of the Godhead. The word "Godhead" is the word for the essence of deity. Jesus Christ is still deity-- still the fullness of deity as in Colossians 1:19, "For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell." The whole fullness (Gk. pleroma) of God dwells bodily. I believe that verse 9 may be the greatest statement of the deity of Jesus Christ in any of the epistles: "In Him continually dwells (it doesn't come and go like the gnostics taught) all the fullness (Gk. pleroma) of deity in a body." I don't know how anyone can deny it.
b. The Result of the Reality
What is the result of that reality to us? You don't need philosophy because verse 10 says, "...ye are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power [all other spiritual or angelic beings]." His fullness is imparted to us. The same terms are used: He is the pleroma of God and we are the pleroma in Him. God literally passes Himself to us through Christ. You are complete in Him. That is in the perfect tense: We have been completed in Him with eternal results.
1) Incomplete at the Fall
At the Fall of man, we fell into a sad state of incompleteness. An unsaved man is spiritually incomplete because he is totally out of fellowship. He is morally incomplete because he has no standard of conduct. Even if he did, he couldn't live up to it. And he is mentally incomplete because he is incapable of knowing the truth. So man is spiritually, morally, and mentally incomplete.
2) Complete at Salvation
Jesus Christ enters the scene, and Paul says, "And ye are complete in Him...." In 2 Peter 1:4 Peter says, "...ye might be partakers of the divine nature...." Think of it! You have become a partaker of the divine nature. A man instantly becomes spiritually complete and has fellowship with God. The life of God is now in him. He becomes morally complete; not because he is perfect practically, but because he recognizes the authority of God's will. He now has a standard and the energizing of the Holy Spirit to give him the strength to obey. And he is mentally complete; not in the sense of knowing everything, but in the sense of having the truth and the resident truth teacher--the Holy Spirit. Christians are partners in the divine life. What an incredible truth!
When you became a Christian, you received everything you needed. Peter says we have "all things that pertain unto life and godliness..." (2 Pet. 1:3b). You don't need any higher knowledge. You don't need the words of Mary Baker Eddy or Joseph Smith. You don't need the Book of Mormon. You don't need the words of Annie Besant, Madame Blavatsky, Judge Rutherford, or anybody else. You don't need Mr. and Mrs. Filmore or Sun Myung Moon to add to what you have. You don't need anybody because you are complete in Him.
As a Christian I have a sense of that completeness, don't you? My search for truth is over, is yours? I can't conceive of ever needing anything outside of Jesus Christ, can you? Every man has a choice. He can choose human philosophy, which will capture him and carry him off in incompleteness to a spiritual, moral, and mental sentence of doom. He can follow human wisdom, which seems so high and lofty, but is nothing more than the same old tradition of human religion passed down through the centuries. Or he can come to Jesus Christ and be lifted out of this world to a spiritual, moral, and mental completeness. A song I love says, "He is all I need. He is all I need. Jesus is all I need."
