Colossians 1:24-2:5, Part 6
In the midst of all this, Paul directs our attention to one point about Christ, and writes that in him "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (2:3). The meaning of "hidden" here refers to something "stored" and "deposited" rather than something removed from view so that no one can access it. He means that wisdom and knowledge are treasures, and that they are all stored in Christ. It is customary to distinguish between the words here translated "wisdom" and "knowledge," but we agree with Calvin as he comments on this verse: "I do not put any great difference between wisdom and understanding in this passage, for the duplication is only to strengthen it; as if he had said that no knowledge, erudition, learning, wisdom, can be found elsewhere."
The latter portion of Calvin's statement leads us to another point, namely, the positive assertion and negative implication of 2:3 make Christianity the most intellectual worldview in existence and the only rational worldview possible. Any expression of the Christian faith that does not present it as the zenith of intellectualism fails to do justice to the nature of Christ. Any theology that does not present the Christian faith as the sole possessor of truth – any truth at all – is not Christian theology. Paul's statement effectively establishes the gospel as a message that says to the unbeliever, "I am completely right, and you are completely wrong. I have all the truth, and you have none of the truth, not even a little. I am intellectually competent, and you are intellectually bankrupt. I am rational in what I believe, and you are irrational in what you believe. Everything that you believe is wrong and foolish."
Whether we take this position reflects our true opinion of Christ, and it is shameful for any believer to even hesitate to openly affirm this. I would be embarrassed before the Lord if someone were to even misunderstand me for being more relaxed than this in my belief. All wisdom and knowledge are in Christ – all of it – and Christianity has a complete monopoly on truth, intelligence, and rationality. And all non-Christian beliefs are untrue, unintelligent, and irrational. This is something that we can prove with ease in argumentation. The Christian has entered into a whole new intellectual realm of rationality, knowledge, and logical thinking to which unbelievers cannot attain. It is impossible to relax on this claim without attacking the very nature of Christ. Thus anything less than this in our profession is blasphemy.
That is the general doctrine, but Paul makes a specific application here. He writes in the next verse, "I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments" (2:4). That is, they are to focus their minds on the truth, so that they will not be deceived by arguments that may appear persuasive to some, but that are in fact false. Now, if Paul is writing against a specific false doctrine, then we can know something about what it teaches by the truths that he emphasizes in the letter.
In particular, since verses 2 and 3 are written so that the deception in verse 4 would not occur, we can infer that any false teaching that Paul seeks to counteract would undermine the truths in verse 2 and 3. Or, to consider this from the other direction, what Paul says in verses 2 and 3 provides the prevention or antidote to the deception that he warns about in verse 4.
And what we find in verses 2 and 3 is that Paul affirms his desire and the possibility for the Colossians to have "the full riches of complete understanding," and to know Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Therefore, it is likely that if Paul is writing to counteract a specific false teaching, it is one that undermines the fullness of wisdom and knowledge in Christ, and the possibility for believers to attain a complete understanding of all things through the Christian faith.
This assessment is consistent with the content of the next passage (2:6-23), in which Paul reaffirms the fullness of the person of Christ and the work of Christ, so that the Christian needs only to depend on him. There is no need to supplement Christian spirituality with principles, rituals, and experiences that come from outside of our relationship with Christ or that are invented by men apart from Christ. The deception is in thinking that Christ is insufficient, or that the Christian worldview is insufficient. The emphasis here is that the Christian faith as delivered by the apostles is complete.
Although Paul sends them this warning, he tells the Colossians that he delights "to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is" (2:5). This seems to be an indication that, even if there is indeed a threat, at the time Paul writes this the Colossians have not been greatly influenced by the false teaching, and that until now their faith has remained overall sound and stable.
March 03 2008 | Expositions