2:8 {4} Beware lest any man {i} spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, {5} after the tradition of men, {6} after the {k} rudiments of the world, {7} and not after Christ.
(4) He brings all corruptions under three types. The first is that which rests on vain and curious speculations, and yet bears a show of certain subtle wisdom.
(i) This is a word of war, and it is as much as to drive or carry away a spoil or booty.
(5) The second, which is manifestly superstitious and vain, and stands only upon custom and pretended inspirations.
(6) The third type was of those who joined the rudiments of the world (that is to say, the ceremonies of the Law) with the Gospel.
(k) Principles and rules, with which God ruled his Church, as it were under a schoolmaster.
(7) A general confutation of all corruptions is this, that if it adds anything to Christ, it must necessarily be a false religion.
2:8 Spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. Make spoil of you and carry you off as booty through some philosophical speculation, or empty deceit.
After the tradition of men. By appealing, not to the Scriptures, but to human traditions. These traditions probably referred mainly to the matters spoken of in Col 2:18 below.
After the rudiments of the world. Paul uses this expression elsewhere of Jewish ordinances (Ga 4:3). Col 2:16 shows what it refers to is shown in
2:8 Through philosophy and empty deceit - That is, through the empty deceit of philosophy blended with Christianity. This the apostle condemns, Because it was empty and deceitful, promising happiness, but giving none. Because it was grounded, not on solid reason, but the traditions of men, Zeno, Epicurus, and the rest. And, Because it was so shallow and superficial, not advancing beyond the knowledge of sensible things; no, not beyond the first rudiments of them.
2:8-17 There is a philosophy which rightly exercises our reasonable faculties; a study of the works of God, which leads us to the knowledge of God, and confirms our faith in him. But there is a philosophy which is vain and deceitful; and while it pleases men's fancies, hinders their faith: such are curious speculations about things above us, or no concern to us. Those who walk in the way of the world, are turned from following Christ. We have in Him the substance of all the shadows of the ceremonial law. All the defects of it are made up in the gospel of Christ, by his complete sacrifice for sin, and by the revelation of the will of God. To be complete, is to be furnished with all things necessary for salvation. By this one word complete, is shown that we have in Christ whatever is required. In him, not when we look to Christ, as though he were distant from us, but we are in him, when, by the power of the Spirit, we have faith wrought in our hearts by the Spirit, and we are united to our Head. The circumcision of the heart, the crucifixion of the flesh, the death and burial to sin and to the world, and the resurrection to newness of life, set forth in baptism, and by faith wrought in our hearts, prove that our sins are forgiven, and that we are fully delivered from the curse of the law. Through Christ, we, who were dead in sins, are quickened. Christ's death was the death of our sins; Christ's resurrection is the quickening of our souls. The law of ordinances, which was a yoke to the Jews, and a partition-wall to the Gentiles, the Lord Jesus took out of the way. When the substance was come, the shadows fled. Since every mortal man is, through the hand-writing of the law, guilty of death, how very dreadful is the condition of the ungodly and unholy, who trample under foot that blood of the Son of God, whereby alone this deadly hand-writing can be blotted out! Let not any be troubled about bigoted judgments which related to meats, or the Jewish solemnities. The setting apart a portion of our time for the worship and service of God, is a moral and unchangeable duty, but had no necessary dependence upon the seventh day of the week, the sabbath of the Jews. The first day of the week, or the Lord's day, is the time kept holy by Christians, in remembrance of Christ's resurrection. All the Jewish rites were shadows of gospel blessings.
