September 21, 2005

PLAINER WORDS … THECOLOSSIAN HERESY

Part I

Many times, as we read certain epistles written by the Apostle Paul, we fail to ask ourselves; why did he say thus and such? What prompted Paul to write what he did? We simply just read and get a blessing from what he wrote. We may rejoice in certain truths, especially those that relate to the revelation of the Mystery, but overlook the “whys” of him saying what he said.

As I have studied The Epistle to the Colossians,I was impressed with much of the content in which Paul issued warnings and corrections. These warnings and corrections make it clear that his adversaries were no longer the Judaizers of the Circumcision as was the case during The Acts of the Apostles (especially, as seen in Galatians). We discover a new set of antagonists;false teachers teaching heretical doctrine to the Church Which is His Body. The Apostle’s language is decisive on this point:

“Lest any man beguile you with enticing words … Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world …And having spoiled principalities and powers …Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days …Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind …and not holding the Head …why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,(Touch not; taste not; handle not;Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh” (Col. 2:4, 8-23).

We detect, here, a slight presence of Judaism which the Apostle combats. The observance of Sabbaths and new moons, and meats, and spiritual circumcision had the element of Judaism. On the other hand, a closer examination of Paul’s language indicates a strong element of theosophic speculation which is foreign to the spirit of Judaism, proper. What is detected is a shadowy mysticism which is focused on the contemplation of the unseen world.

We see that the pure message of Paul’s revelation of the secret, which had been revealed to him after the Acts period, is being overlaid with false doctrine, such as: intermediate beings, between God and man, as the instruments of communication and objects of worship (Col. 2:4, 8,18, 23).

While Paul was in prison in Rome, Epaphras came to him from Colossae and informed him of a strange form of heresy being taught to the Colossian believers. Paul recognized it, immediately, as Gnosticism. This distressed Paul, greatly, because this heretical teaching could cause the Colossians to abandon the simplicity of their earlier faith (Col. 2:6).

Paul immediately fired off a letter to the Colossians whom he loved, having never seen them (Col. 2:1), but had heard of their faith and love for all of the saints (Col. 1:4). This development so disturbed the Apostle that he sent two other epistles along with the one to the Colossians; Ephesians (mentioned in Col. 4:16 as to the church at Laodicea) and Philemon. Tychicus and Onesimus accompanied, or carried the three Epistles back to the believers in the province ofLycus at Heirapolis, Laodicea, and Colossae (Col. 4:7-9).

Gnosticism

In order to answer the rhetorical question, I asked, “What prompted Paul to write what he did?” A brief over-view of Gnosticism is required. Several centuries before Christ, a loose, intellectual, and speculative movement arose, replacing the idea of the pagan gods of the Greek and Roman myths. Its name came from the Greek word for “knowledge;” gnosis. It is interesting and informative to learn that the “hot-beds” of Gnosticism were in Tarsus, the tri-cities previously mentioned, Ephesus, and Corinth. Tarsuswas Paul’s hometown, Corinth waswhere he labored abundantly, and Ephesus was where he spent more time than any other place. Therefore, he undoubtedly knew the insidious doctrines of the Gnostics.

Paul knew the menacing dogma of the Gnostics. Gnosticism implies the possession of a superior wisdom and knowledge which was hidden from others. It makes a distinction between the select few, who have the higher gift, and the common many who are without it. This entails an intellectual exclusiveness within the Gnostic didactics. Thus, it recognized a separation of the intellectual “caste” in the religion. In order to attain the “higher ground” of Gnosticism, a process of initiation was required. It was animated by an exclusive aristocratic spirit which distinguished between those who possessed the higher gnosis and those who were not so gifted.

The ones with the higher gnosis claimed to have been initiated into a special knowledge of truth; thereby, regarding this special knowledge as superior to faith.

A Mystery Religion

The mysteries of Gnosticism were supposedly revealed to some butwereconcealed, or hidden from the majority. It was a form of mysticism. They applied the Greek word,musterion, to describe the mysteries of Gnosticism.

“Musterion,” which comes from the word, “mustus,”means; “one initiated into the mysteries.” Modern-day use of the word, “mystery,”implies something in itself is obscure, or incomprehensible, difficult to understand. This doesn’t convey the exact sense of the Greek word,musterion,which means a secret imparted only to the initiated. The history of the word, “Mystery,” played an important role in pagan religions.

The Spirit of God directed Paul to adopt some of the language of the Gnostics in order to “blow them away.” The concept of the “Mystery,” in his Prison Epistles, is a case in point. As this study proceeds, more will be brought out on this.

Belief in a Demiurge

The Gnostics did not believe in an Almighty Creator. They adhered to the idea that a demiurge, a subordinate deity, was the one who created the material world. In other words, there was an inferior agent who created all that could be seen; whereas, there were a series of emanations that were responsible for the creation of the unseen (invisible, or spiritual)world.

The Infinite and the Finite

The Gnostics were full of questions, such as; “How can the Infinite communicate with the Finite?” Their speculations were not homogenous on this matter, but, by and large, they believed that God must express Himself in some manner. Gnostics taught that the material world was evil; therefore, a God who was perfect, absolute, and incomprehensible would not communicate directly with the creation. So, He set in motion a series of emanations. These were, as the Gnostics taught, angels ever devolving into an even lower and lower scale. The farther down the line of devolution, the more feeble were the angelic emanations. Those who were at the bottom of the “pyramid,”that is to say, those who were farther removed from the “source” (i.e. the head), could have contact with the evil material world.

These were the speculations and the imaginations of the Gnostics who were privileged as the ones who had been enlightened and initiated into the mysteries.

Emanations Named and Worshipped

The emanations were, in the Gnostic sense, angelic beings who mediated between men and God. Each series of emanations produced another, but a lessnoble generation of beings. The Gnostics imagined, or reasoned that these unseen beings had genealogies which, if known, would aid them in going to higher sources of power and influence. The genealogies of the myriads of angelic beings were endless speculations.They imagined that they would become a god if they, spiritually, climbed the ladder ever upward.

They named the first generation of emanations which were produced from the Source (i.e. the head). The names were descriptive as far as the Gnostics were concerned. Those who were closest to the Source were named Principalities, Powers, Thrones, Mights, and Dominions. These secondary sources generated a third generation, the third a fourth, the fourth a fifth, and so on, until the last rung was reached. The lowest level was the least intelligent, the least influential, the least beneficial, and the least powerful.

Based on my understanding of their speculations and contemplations, the genealogies of these beings would resemble a chart of a gargantuan, Multi-Level Marketing, down-line organization.

The Pleroma

In the teaching of Gnosticism, all of the unseen and innumerable angelic generations have a portion of the Sources (i.e. the head’s) attributes, such as gifts, power, understanding, intelligence, ruling authority, creativity, and mediatorial clout. These attributes diminished the farther away, from the Source, they were on the ladder.

These generations related to and influenced the visible and invisible world. The Gnostics used a Greek word,Pleroma, to describe all of these emanations from the Source. The word, in English, is translated as “fullness.”They, that is, the Pleroma, were the Source’s “fullness,” his “completeness,” his “plentitude.” The Pleroma made up the full complement, the aggregate of all of the Source’s attributes, virtues, and energies. Every angel had a little bit of his attributes. All of the Source’s attributes were divided, unequally, among all of the angels. When all of these were added together, the sum total was, as Gnostics considered, the Pleroma. The totality of all of the emanations made up the Pleroma (the Fullness) of the Source. In the Gnostic’s doctrine, these myriads of angels were the “body,” or the “substance,” or the “reality” of the Source; that is, the Head.

Asceticism

Gnostics taught that through the practice of asceticism, they could win favor with the Pleroma; thereby, leading to a communion with the higher levels of the “chain.” Since they believed that the material world was inherently evil, which included the human flesh, then, they must inflict pain and mortification upon it. This indifference to the flesh led to licentiousness.

In Closing

The exact sense of the Greek word,MUSTERION, is “a secret imparted only to the initiated.” This word comes from MUSTES which means, “one initiated into the mysteries.” And, this comes from the word,MUEO, “to initiate.”

The Apostle Paul, under inspiration, adopts the Gnostic’s word for “mystery” and uses it against the Gnostic’s teaching within the Church Which is His Body, the fullness of Him, as we shall see in the following studies on the Colossian heresy.

Tom L. Ballinger

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

PLAINER WORDS …THE COLOSSIAN HERESY

Part II

During the early years of writing Plainer Words, I carefully avoided making references to words used in the Greek and Hebrew languages. As a writer, I found that even the English language was difficult to master. In fact, I’ve never mastered it. So, how could I think I could get some assistance from two languages that I didn’t “know doodle de squat about.” Over the course of time, however, I discovered that a number of the spiritual roads I was traveling in my pursuit of the truth seemed to be closed. I could only go so far. I knew, intuitively, there were things I was missing.

The more I searched I began to realize much of the Old Testament used Hebrew idioms and when translated into English, really made no sense even though the poetic King’s English was beautiful. Then, as I considered the New Testament, I began to notice that in the margins of the King James Version, it would list an alternate translation. The first to really catch my eye was found in 1 Corinthians 4:3; “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man'sjudgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.” Next to “judgment” was the superscript 2. The margin read; “Gr. day.” This made more sense to me. It was a reference to “man’s day,” in contrast to “Christ’s Day,” or the “Lord’s Day.” I began to see more such instances. That’s when it dawned on me that I might be missing a lot of truth or, at least, missing a better understanding of what the Spirit was imparting.

I have the greatest respect for the translators. I can only marvel at their work. However, they were just men; I don’t doubt they did the very best they could for the glory of our Great God.

Forgive me for this diversion, but, hopefully, you get the point. I’ve said all of this to say that, in these studies, you will see how some understanding of Greek words adds a great deal to what Paul means when he says certain things.

The Gnostic heresy which concerned Paul, greatly, was the fact that it was being taught by those who were “in the church.” The way to overthrow the faith of believers is to have one of their own teach perverse doctrines. Paul warned the elders of the church at Ephesus about this.

“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” (Acts 20:29-30).

It was true during the latter part of the Acts period, it was true during the early days of Paul’s revelation of the Mystery, and it is true today.

Gnosticism’s use of the word “mystery,” musterion, referred to the secrets which were hidden from the average Christian. Only those who were initiated into the mysteries possessed the “true knowledge. “ This created a religious oligarchy within the community of believers who had embraced Paul’s testimony as the prisoner of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 1:8). Gnosticism, which was being taught to believers was alienating Christians from the true gospel of Paul, the prisoner. They were disseminating their speculations which led to the worship of angels instead of Christ. This esoteric exclusiveness vigorously denied the truth Paul set forth after Israel was set aside: that being that present truth was for all men to see (Eph. 3:9).

The Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to adopt Gnosticism’s own word, musterion, and use it against them. The Gnostic interpretation of musterion was that it was only learned by a special initiation of the few, which was the product of intellectual research.

Paul takes the word “musterion,” or “mystery,” and associates it with revelation. It should be noted how closely “mystery” is associated with “revelation” (apokalupsis), as well as, with similar words: “to make known” (Eph. 1:9; 3:3-5, 10; 6:19).

Paul takes his stance with the Spirit’s interpretation of the word, “mystery,” and strongly asserts that the doctrine of the Mystery of the Church, which is His Body, is freely communicated to all men. His insertion of the word “Mystery,” into our Christian vocabulary simply means—a truth which was once hidden but now is revealed; a truth which, without special revelation, would have been unknown.

“How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph. 3:3-5).

It was as if Paul was saying, ‘Pay no attention the false claims being presented to you concerning the mysteries learned through ritual and initiation. Don’t be deluded by persuasive arguments that true knowledge comes by way of vain imaginations. We have revealed to us the Mystery that really counts—the one that has been hidden from ages and generations; it is NOW MADE MANIFEST. It is now disclosed to you, to whom God has chosen to make known the riches of this MYSTERY among the Gentiles; which is Christ among you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:26-27). Don’t give these false teachers a platform. Their speculations are empty. Rather, Beloved, be rooted and built up in our Lord Jesus Christ and established in the faith. You are to hold fast to the Head; the false teachers have lost their connection. They do not receive any nourishment from our Source and are no longer knit together, increasing as God causes the Body to grow.’

Tom L. Ballinger

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

PLAINER WORDS …THE COLOSSIAN HERESY

Part III

My research of the doctrines of Gnosticism, which I felt required to do, led to a better understanding of the Apostle Paul’s counterattack against this heresy being disseminated among believers. It has been concluded that he adopted a number of the Gnostics’ own phraseologies and terms to use as weapons in his spiritual warfare against the false teaching of Gnosticism.

Paul’s background was one of being a true intellectual. He had a sympathetic and receptive mind and was by, no means, closed to the influences from the Greek-Roman thought of his day. He used illustrations drawn from athletic games (1 Cor. 9:26-27), and the Greek theater (1 Cor. 4:9), and the Roman camp. He must have been exposed to the corruption of the mystic societies. His home, Tarsus, was a seat of the Mithra religion, and the chief centers of his activities: Corinth, Antioch, and Ephesus were the headquarters of Gnostic cults. We shouldn’t be surprised that he borrowed from the vocabulary of the Mysteries; not only the word, “musterion,” but, “memuemai,” which means; “I learned the secret,” literally, “I have been initiated” (Phil. 4:12). Another word is “sphraizesthai” which is “to be sealed” (Eph. 1:13. 4:30). Then, he employed the word “teleios,” translated as “perfect” (Col. 1:28, etc.). There are a number of others which we will not mention at this time.