for Jacob also deceived his father, but that was not a deceit, but an economy. “Through his philosophy,” he saith, “and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments792 of the world, and not after Christ.” Now he sets about to reprove their observance of particular days,793 meaning by elements of the world the sun and moon;794 as he also said in the Epistle to the Galatians, “How turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly elements?” (Gal. iv. 9.) And he said not observances of days, but in general of the present world, to show its worthlessness: for if the present world be nothing, much more then its elements. Having first shown how great benefits and kindnesses they had received, he afterwards brings on his accusation, thereby to show its greater seriousness, and to convict his hearers. Thus too the Prophets do. They always first point out the benefits, and then they magnify their accus- ation; as Esaias saith, “I have begotten children, and exalted them, but they have rejected 285 me” (Isa. i. 2, Sept.); and again, “O my people, what have I done unto thee, or wherein have I grieved thee, or wherein have I wearied thee”? (Mic. vi. 3.) and David; as when he says, “I heard thee in the secret place of the tempest” (Ps. lxxxi. 7, Sept.); and again, “Open thy mouth, and I will fill it.” (Ps. lxxxi. 10.) And everywhere you will find it the same. That indeed were most one’s duty, not to be persuaded by them, even did they say aught to the purpose; as it is, however, obligations apart even, it would be our duty to shun those things. “And not after Christ,” he saith. For were it in such sort a matter done by halves, that ye were able to serve both the one and the other, not even so ought ye to do it; as it is, however, he suffers you not to be “after Christ.” Those things withdraw you from Him. Having first shaken to pieces the Grecian observances, he next overthrows the Jewish ones also. For both Greeks and Jews practiced many observances, but the former from philosophy, the latter from the Law. First then, he makes at those against whom lay the heavier accusation. How, “not after Christ”? Ver. 9, 10. “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily: and in Him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.” Observe how in his accusing of the one he thrusts through the other, by first giving the solution, and then the objection. For such a solution is not suspected, and the hearer accepts it the rather, that the speaker is not making it his aim. For in that case indeed he would make a point of not coming off worsted, but in this, not so. “For in Him dwelleth,” that is, for God dwelleth in Him. But that thou mayest not think Him enclosed, as in a body, he saith, “All the fullness of the Godhead bodily: and ye are made full in Him.” Others say that he intends 792 στοιχεῖα, elements. 793 τῶν ἡμερῶν. Montfaucon refers to his Suppl. de l’Ant. Expl. l. iii. vol. 1, p. 112, where he shows that the observance of heathen customs about lucky and unlucky days, and the like, was common in France in the thir- teenth century. Such were the Dies Ægyptiaci, &c. 794 [This misinterpretation is found in many Fathers. See Lightfoot here, and on Gal. iv. 9.—J.A.B.] 502 Colossians 2:6,7