{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-3454","native_reference":{"book_number":580,"chapter_from":2,"chapter_to":2,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":8,"verse_to":8},"public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"verse-keyed-module-record","review_required":["English edition and exact text","author/work attribution","dating","verse mapping and citation kind","reuse and attribution","split author quotations and deduplicate"],"review_status":"unreviewed","source_html":"<p><b>Ambrosiaster</b>: See to it that no one deceives you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Philosophy here refers to earthly wisdom, by which those who desire to be esteemed wise in the world are often deceived. It is composed of arguments and subtleties of certain trivial matters, as if it has investigated physical reasons, with some things mixed in that are exhortations to a good life or indications, at times about measurements, as well as about numbers, and at times about the qualities and quantities of elements arranged in order. In whose discussions, whoever falls into them will hardly and rarely escape; for he is held by plausible and fabricated reasons, esteeming nothing as true except what is seen and understood in the basic elements. And because those things that exist in the present and are seen with the eyes appear pleasing and enjoyable; they deceive some, who think that the spiritual reason should be despised and ridiculed due to the despair of the future, assigning all power to the stars, subject to carnal reason. Therefore, he calls this tradition or philosophy deceitful and empty because it is not ordered by the power of God but by the weakness of human reasoning, which restricts the power of God within its own knowledge so as not to believe that He could do otherwise than what carnal reason comprehends. They assign diversity to each element of divinity for the sake of worship, to bind the minds of the ignorant so that they do not extend themselves toward the true God. Therefore, it warns against following this tradition; because it is a worshipper of the world, not of God, who is one: nor does it lead to Christ, but away from Christ, in whom the perfection of divinity resides.<br/><i>— Commentary on Colossians</i></p><p><b>Clement of Alexandria</b>: I hear also those words of his, \"And these things I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, or one should enter in to spoil you.\" And again, \"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ;\" branding not all philosophy, but the Epicurean, which Paul mentions in the Acts of the Apostles, which abolishes providence and deifies pleasure, and whatever other philosophy honours the elements, but places not over them the efficient cause, nor apprehends the Creator.<br/><i>— The Stromata Book 1</i></p><p><b>Clement of Alexandria</b>: For Paul too, in the Epistles, plainly does not disparage philosophy; but deems it unworthy of the man who has attained to the elevation of the Gnostic, any more to go back to the Hellenic \"philosophy,\" figuratively calling it the rudiments of this world, as being most rudimentary, and a preparatory training for the truth. Wherefore also, writing to the Hebrews, who were declining again from faith to the law, he says, \"Have ye not need again of one to teach you which are the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat?\" So also to the Colossians, who were Greek converts, \"Beware lest any man spoil you by philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ,\" -enticing them again to return to philosophy, the elementary doctrine.<br/><i>— The Stromata Book 6</i></p><p><b>Clement of Alexandria</b>: It is the prerogative of the Gnostic, then, to know how to make use of speech, and when, and how, and to whom. And already the apostle, by saying, \"After the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ,\" makes the asseveration that the Hellenic teaching is elementary, and that of Christ perfect, as we have already intimated before.<br/><i>— The Stromata Book 6</i></p><p><b>Cyprian</b>: The principle of the philosophers and stoics is different, dearest brother, who say that all sins are equal, and that a grave man ought not easily to be moved. But there is a wide difference between Christians and philosophers. And when the apostle says, \"Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,\" we are to avoid those things which do not come from God's clemency, but are begotten of the presumption of a too rigid philosophy. Concerning Moses, moreover, we find it said in the Scriptures, \"Now the man Moses was very meek; \" and the Lord in His Gospel says, \"Be ye merciful, as your Father also had mercy upon you; \" and again, \"They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.\" What medical skill can he exercise who says, \"I cure the sound only, who have no need of a physician? \"We ought to give our assistance, our healing art, to those who are wounded; neither let us think them dead, but rather let us regard them as lying half alive, whom we see to have been wounded in the fatal persecution, and who, if they had been altogether dead, would never from the same men become afterwards both confessors and martyrs.<br/><i>— Epistle LI</i></p><p><b>Cyprian</b>: Philosophers also profess that they pursue this virtue; but in their case the patience is as false as their wisdom also is. For whence can he be either wise or patient, who has neither known the wisdom nor the patience of God? since He Himself warns us, and says of those who seem to themselves to be wise in this world, \"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reprove the understanding of the prudent.\" Moreover, the blessed Apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent forth for the calling and training of the heathen, bears witness and instructs us, saying, \"See that no man despoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ, because in Him dwelleth all the fulness of divinity.\" And in another place he says: \"Let no man deceive himself; if any man among you thinketh himself to be wise, let him become a fool to this world, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, I will rebuke the wise in their own craftiness.\" And again: \"The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are foolish.\" Wherefore if the wisdom among them be not true, the patience also cannot be true. For if he is wise who is lowly and meek-but we do not see that philosophers are either lowly or meek, but greatly pleasing themselves, and, for the very reason that they please themselves, displeasing God-it is evident that the patience is not real among them where there is the insolent audacity of an affected liberty, and the immodest boastfulness of an exposed and half-naked bosom.<br/><i>— Treatise IX. On the Advantage of Patience.</i></p><p><b>Cyril of Jerusalem</b>: For the method of godliness consists of these two things, pious doctrines, and virtuous practice: and neither are the doctrines acceptable to God apart from good works, nor does God accept the works which are not perfected with pious doctrines. For what profit is it, to know well the doctrines concerning God, and yet to be a vile fornicator? And again, what profit is it, to be nobly temperate, and an impious blasphemer? A most precious possession therefore is the knowledge of doctrines: also there is need of a wakeful soul, since there are many that make spoil through philosophy and vain deceit. The Greeks on the one hand draw men away by their smooth tongue, for honey droppeth from a harlot's lips: whereas they of the Circumcision deceive those who come to them by means of the Divine Scriptures, which they miserably misinterpret though studying them from childhood to old age, and growing old in ignorance. But the children of heretics, by their good words and smooth tongue, deceive the hearts of the innocent, disguising with the name of Christ as it were with honey the poisoned arrows of their impious doctrines: concerning all of whom together the Lord saith, Take heed lest any man mislead you. This is the reason for the teaching of the Creed and for expositions upon it.<br/><i>— Catechetical Lecture 4:2</i></p><p><b>Hippolytus of Rome</b>: For it seems expedient that we, making an onslaught upon the opinion which constitutes the prime source of (contemporaneous) evils, should prove what are the originating principles.<br/>Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit.<br/><i>— Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book IX</i></p><p><b>John Chrysostom</b>: Seest thou how he shows him to be a thief, and an alien, and one that enters in softly? For he has already represented him to be entering in. \"Beware.\" And he well said \"maketh spoil.\" As one digging away a mound from underneath, may give no perceptible sign, yet it gradually settles, so do you also beware; for this is his main point, not even to let himself be perceived. As if some one were robbing every day, and he (the owner of the house) were told, \"Beware lest there be some one\"; and he shows the way-through this way-as if we were to say, through this chamber; so, \"through philosophy,\" says he.</p><p>Then because the term \"philosophy\" has an appearance of dignity, he added, \"and vain deceit.\" For there is also a good deceit; such as many have been deceived by, which one ought not even to call a deceit at all. Whereof Jeremiah speaks; \"O Lord, Thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived\" (Jer. xx. 7); for such as this one ought not to call a deceit at all; 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 rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.\" Now he sets about to reprove their observance of particular days, meaning by elements of the world the sun and moon; 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 accusation; as Esaias saith, \"I have begotten children, and exalted them, but they have rejected 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.</p><p>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\"?<br/><i>— Homily on Colossians 6</i></p><p><b>Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius</b>: It is not therefore utility, but enjoyment, which they seek from philosophy. And this Cicero indeed testified. \"Truly,\" he says, \"all their disputation, although it contains most abundant fountains of virtue and knowledge, yet, when compared with their actions and accomplishments, I fear lest it should seem not to have brought so much advantage to the business of men as enjoyment to their times of relaxation.\" He ought not to have feared, since he spoke the truth; but as if he were afraid lest he should be arraigned by the philosophers on a charge of betraying a mystery, he did not venture confidently to pronounce that which was true, that they do not dispute for the purpose of teaching, but for their own enjoyment in their leisure; and since they are the advisers of actions, and do not themselves act at all, they are to be regarded as mere talkers. But assuredly, because they contributed no advantage to life, they neither obeyed their own decrees, nor has any one been found, through so many ages, who lived in accordance with their laws. Therefore philosophy must altogether be laid aside, because we are not to devote ourselves to the pursuit of wisdom, for this has no limit or moderation; but we must be wise, and that indeed quickly.<br/><i>— The Divine Institutes, Book 3, Chapter XVI</i></p><p><b>Pseudo-Clement</b>: Let us, therefore, fear the judgment which awaits teachers. For a severe judgment will those teachers receive \"who teach, but do not,\" [Matthew 23:3] and those who take upon them the name of Christ falsely, and say: We teach the truth, and yet go wandering about idly, and exalt themselves, and make their boast in the mind of the flesh. [Colossians 2:18] These, moreover, are like \"the blind man who leads the blind man, and they both fall into the ditch.\" [Matthew 15:14] And they will receive judgment, because in their talkativeness and their frivolous teaching they teach natural wisdom and the \"frivolous error of the plausible words of the wisdom of men,\" [Colossians 2:8] \"according to the will of the prince of the dominion of the air, and of the spirit which works in those men who will not obey, according to the training of this world, and not according to the doctrine of Christ.\" [Ephesians 2:2] But if you have received \"the word of knowledge, or the word of instruction, or of prophecy,\" [1 Corinthians 12:8-10] blessed be God, \"who helps every man without grudging — that God who gives to every man and does not upbraid him.\" [James 1:5]<br/><i>— Two Epistles on Virginity, Epistle 1</i></p><p><b>Tertullian</b>: The apostle, so far back as his own time, foresaw, indeed, that philosophy would do violent injury to the truth. This admonition about false philosophy he was induced to offer after he had been at Athens, had become acquainted with that loquacious city, and had there had a taste of its huckstering wiseacres and talkers.<br/><i>— A Treatise on the Soul</i></p><p><b>Tertullian</b>: Writing to the Colossians, he says, \"See that no one beguile you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, and contrary to the wisdom of the Holy Ghost.\" He had been at Athens, and had in his interviews (with its philosophers) become acquainted with that human wisdom which pretends to know the truth, whilst it only corrupts it, and is itself divided into its own manifold heresies, by the variety of its mutually repugnant sects.<br/><i>— The Prescription Against Heretics</i></p><p><b>Tertullian</b>: When, again, he warns them to \"beware of subtle words and philosophy,\" as being \"a vain deceit,\" such as is \"after the rudiments of the world\" (not understanding thereby the mundane fabric of sky and earth, but worldly learning, and \"the tradition of men,\" subtle in their speech and their philosophy), it would be tedious, and the proper subject of a separate work, to show how in this sentence (of the apostle's) all heresies are condemned, on the ground of their consisting of the resources of subtle speech and the rules of philosophy.<br/><i>— Against Marcion Book V</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"ffa69d1cf3133118ba37e7ab984bfd54e3b8775a335da178498f1a57a0ba8915","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":3454,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"6db02bd517d3b3bedc9773e32a4033c6e7a7e8813ad362066053c5bcfde5090c","translator":null,"work":null}