Quote:
Originally Posted by Esaias
Currently studying the religious history of Galatia and Colossae, as it relates to the first century. We often assume that Paul's polemics repeatedly involve Jewish opponents, whether Pharisees, Hellenists, Gnostics, or (as I indicated in several other threads) Enochite-Essene Jewish cults. One thing I've noticed is a general lack of attention to the wider philosophical milieu of the world in which Paul evangelised and ministered.
My studies are now exploring that angle more specifically. I believe it will shed some light on some issues that have been a bit contentious around here lately.  |
As noted in the post immediately above this reponse, the church at Colossae was not dealing with judaizing heretics, gnostic heretics, nor in fact does it appear they were dealing with any Christian heresy at all.
The lack of discussion by Paul concerning the role of the law and the dichotomy between works and faith indicates he was not addressing a Jewish-Christian heretical group and teaching or even a Jewish non-Christian subversive or opposition movement. I had long thought the Colossian error was a proto-gnostic Judaizing influence (like what was afflicting the Galatian churches) but closer examination of the epistles forces me to abandon that assumption. Whenever Paul has to deal with Judaizers, whether mainstream Pharisees or Gnostic syncretists, he always frames the discussion around several key themes: the two covenants, law vs grace, works vs faith, etc. Here, in Colossians, those themes are absent. Instead he focuses on themes more relevant to a Greek audience and situation: philosophy, cosmology, and liturgy, and resurrection.
Many have assumed the Colossian issue involved Judaizing elements, either mainstream or gnostic-speculative, due to the references in ch 2 to a liturgical calendar. But this not only a mere assumption, but an unfounded one, which will be seen here shortly when I break down the actual grammar of ch 2's key sections.
The truth is, I now realise, Paul was dealing with a genuinely pagan philosophical movement, most likely the Cynic movement. All the points he makes are handily exactly what points Cynicism was known for. The Cynic movement was in fact spreading through Asia Minor at the time Paul wrote. Cynics and Christians often interacted because they appealed to the same classes of society for the most part: slaves, the poor, rural peoples. Both groups were visible in Greek society and noticed for their rejection of mainstream social values as well as their strict ethics and lifestyles.
Yet, Cynics were noted opposers of Christianity, and the points they objected to are exactly the points Paul makes in his epistle to the Colossians.
Esaias 
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