PT-2 The Deficiency of Philosophy (Col. 2:8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/10/2017 11:49 PM

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  PT-2 The Deficiency of Philosophy

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Colossians 2:8

            Message of the verses:  “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.”

            We begin by looking at the phrase “empty deception” by looking at a quote from a man named Lightfoot whom is quoted in John MacArthur’s commentary:  “The absence of both preposition and article in the second clause shows that kenes apates [empty deception] describes an and qualifies philosophia”  He translated the phrase “Through his philosophy which is an empty deceit.”  The false prophets who were at the Colossian church thought that their views to be the epitome of wisdom, but Paul refutes them in saying that it is “empty deception.”

            MacArthur goes on by saying “Apates (deception) means ‘a deceit, fraud, or trick.’  The philosophy of the Colossian false teacher was not what it appeared to be.  It sounded good and seduced the minds of those deceived by it, but it was a vapid illusion.  There is no value in such speculative human philosophy, no matter how deeply and profoundly religious it sounds.

            “Commentator Herbert Carson sounds an appropriate warning:

‘With Paul it would no doubt be true to say that philosophy, in the simple sense of a love of knowledge and a desire for truth, would be quite compatible with his position.  But to philosophy in the developed sense with its emphasis on the primacy of human reason he would obviously be utterly opposed…Hence, while the Christian may see a certain negative value in speculative philosophy, he will constantly be on his guard lest he come to study revelation, not as a believer, but as a humanist.  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 colour his study of Scripture and so prejudice his interpretation, he comes as on 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.’”

            In our next SD we will look at what Paul then gives two sources for such vain speculation and the first one is “Tradition of men” while the second I “the elementary principles of the world.”

3/11/2017 12:10 AM