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It is a nonnegotiable truth that Christians dearly hold the Bible to be the inspired, inerrant, sufficient, and final authority in all matters of faith and salvation such that all religious study must begin, and end with Holy Scripture. That is, all our studies of God must find warrant (approval) in Scripture. Last week we looked at God preparing, then presenting a defense (apologetic) of Himself to Job (ch. 38-41) by calling forth a multitude of witnesses from nature to testify. And in so doing He gives warrant for the study of nature to deduce truth about God.
In the New Testament Paul also gives warrant for calling upon the reasoning capacity of the human mind to deduce that God does indeed exist (Rom 1:19-20). It would seem, then, that Paul supports the Christian use of philosophy to support apologetics and to defend the faith (1 Pet 3:15). Remember, it was the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers that Paul argued against on Mars Hill in Acts 17. There, Paul even quotes the Greek philosopher Aratus in verse 28 saying; “In him we live and move and have our being.”
Whoa, whoa,” we say; “ wait a minute!” Paul is very clear in Colossians 2:8 ff; “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” That seems to be pretty clear. Philosophy is here linked by Paul with “ captivity,” “ empty deceit,” and a cunningness of human invention. They all are one and the same, and they are one and the same kind of bad news. But it turns out that this little verse is packed full of significance, and the significance lies in what Paul understood the term “ philosophy” to mean. In the time of Paul, the discipline of “ philosophy” had to do with all the theories of God, the world, and the meaning of life, and was taught in both Jewish, and pagan schools in Greek cities. This means there exists in the mind of Paul a much looser and broader definition of philosophy than that which many critics force upon him. And Paul is not alone in this understanding of how the word “ philosophy” was used in first century Judea. In fact, New Testament scholar James Dunn suggests it is well known that “ in Paul’s day, the Greek word philosophia which appears only here in the NT, was used broadly to depict all sorts of speculations, inclinations, and movements.”
Consistent with Paul’s broader definition of philosophia, the issue at hand is not some sort of corrupting pressure from traditional Greek philosophy, but is rather, according to Dunn, a “ form of Jewish thought being presented as a ‘philosophy’ by Jewish apologists.” It turns out that this philosophia more precisely describes a certain type of Jewish mysticism that, radically contrary to the gospel involves “ speculation into the nature and classes of the angels . . . the ritual of Mosaic law, and . . . regulations of Jewish tradition.” There is little doubt in the context of Colossians 2:8ff, Paul is not condemning philosophy in general, but specifically the efforts of Jewish apologists who are enticing the Colossian Jewish Christians to turn away from Christianity, and to return to an age-old merkabah mysticism. The evidence that Paul is addressing this “ philosophy” of merkabah mysticism, is compelling. Paul warns the reader in verse 18 to “ let no one disqualify you” by insisting on certain practices, then Paul lists some of those practices. It is here that we can see that Paul has merkabah mysticism specifically in mind: particular food and drink is mentioned in verse 16, festivals and new moons and the Sabbath mentioned in verse 17, asceticism and the worship of angels in verse 18, the elemental spirits of this world in verse 20, “ things according to human precepts and teachings” in verse 22. Finally, things giving the “appearance of wisdom,” which promote “ self- made religion,” and asceticism in verse 23. Paul’s rhetoric is sharp and direct; these are all essential elements of merkabah mysticism.
One way that we know this to be true is that Paul often used philosophy himself quoting various Greek philosophers. We mentioned Paul’s discourse with the Epicureans and Stoics in Acts 17 quoting two Greek philosophers Seneca, and Aratus in his speech. In 1 Corinthians 15:33 Paul quotes Thais saying “ Bad company ruins good morals.” In Titus 1:12 Paul quotes Epimenides saying “ The Cretans are all liars.” Paul paraphrases Aristotle in Galatians 5:23, and in Romans 2:14. He paraphrases Plato in 1 Corinthians 9:24, Romans 7:22-23, Philippians 3:19, Romans 8:5, and Galatians 6:8. Plato is very much present in Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:4, in Philippians 1:21, 2 Timothy 4: 6, 1 Corinthians 13:12, and in 1 Thessalonians 5:15. Paul paraphrases Socrates in 1 Corinthians 8: 2, Romans 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:14-17……and many more. Paul knew philosophy well, and he used it in the defense of Christianity because he recognized the power of philosophy; good philosophy, correct philosophy. We can hardly look upon Paul and his work without having some deep appreciation for the use of classical, God-honoring philosophy as well. Ultimately, that is all that philosophy is; logical reasoning to the truth. Paul knew it, Paul used it, and we should use it as well. Paul once said; “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” If Paul used the means of philosophy over and again so that he might save some, should we refuse his example? Next week we will look at one such example.
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Ty B. Kerley, DMin., is an ordained minister who teaches Christian apologetics, and relief preaches in Southern Oklahoma. Dr. Kerley and his wife Vicki are members of the Waurika church of Christ, and live in Ardmore, OK. You can contact him at: dr.kerley@is-Goddead. com.
