Tradition and Colossians 2:8

  • Thread starter Thread starter BeeSweet
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BeeSweet

Guest
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.”

What sort of “tradition” would you say Paul is referring to here, and how would you refute the accusation that our catholic traditions are partly what he was warning against?
 
BeeSweet said:
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.”

What sort of “tradition” would you say Paul is referring to here, and how would you refute the accusation that our catholic traditions are partly what he was warning against?
Click to expand...
Funny you asked this question. I used this verse in my witness on Spirituality for Christ Renews His Parish.

This from the Haydock Bible Commentary says it all

Ver. 8. Lest any man impose upon you.[2] In the Greek, make a prey of you, as thieves that steal things. — There were two sorts of false teachers among them; they who mixed vain errors from heathen philosophy with the principles of the Christian religion, and they who had been Jews, and were for making them retain those rites and customs which the Jews had among them, and were only from their private human traditions. (Witham) This alludes to the traditions and observances which the Pharisees had added to the law of Moses, and which Christ had blamed; but which these false apostles wished to introduce amongst the Colossians. The ceremonial laws were the elementary instructions given by God to the world, but we are to attach ourselves to the doctrines of Jesus Christ, from whom alone we expect light and justice, and sanctity. (Bible de Vence) — According to the rudiments of the world: by which some expound vain fallacies and false maxims of the first kind of teachers; others the Jewish ceremonies, which are called weak and poor elements, or rudiments. (Galatians iv. 9.) This is neither to condemn in general the use of philosophy, which St. Augustine commends, and made use of, nor all traditions delivered by the apostles. See 1 Corinthians xi. and 2. Thessalonians ii. 14. (Witham)

He is warning us of people who lead away from the right path and those who also lead away from God
 
From The Ignatius Study Bible on Colossians 2:8:

“Philosophy can refer to speculative theories about God, man, and the universe, it was also used by Hellenistic Jewish writers such as Josephus and Philo to refer to the Jewish way of Life. This is probably Paul’s meaning here. It is true, nevertheless, that every philosophy is vain that disregards or denounces what God has revealed as good, true, and beautiful through Jesus Christ. On human tradition; these are religious customs produced and promoted by men, not God. Perhaps Paul is following the example of Jesus by cautioning readers of human traditions passed on by Pharisees and synagogue elders. For Paul, only divinely instituted traditions that stem from Jesus and the apostles demand obedience from the Church.”
 
Do the traditions bring us closer to God?

Or do they put up a roadblock between God and us?
 
NotWorthy said:
Do the traditions bring us closer to God?

Or do they put up a roadblock between God and us?
Click to expand...
Apostolic traditions do bring us closer to God. God doesn’t condemn all traditions. He condemns the traditions of men that negate His word. Remember what St. Paul says in 2Thess 2:15.
 
broski234 said:
Apostolic traditions do bring us closer to God. God doesn’t condemn all traditions. He condemns the traditions of men that negate His word. Remember what St. Paul says in 2Thess 2:15.
Click to expand...
Uh, yes.

I was using my original two questions to answer the OP, as a litmus test, so to speak.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top