161 Cf. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 48, 140.
161Cf. Justin, Dialogue with Trypho 48, 140.
162E. Schweizer (“Versöhnung des Alls,” in Jesus Christus in Historie und Theologie, ed. G. Strecker [Tübingen, 1975], pp. 494-99; Colossians, pp. 130-33) finds affinities to the Colossian heresy in a Jewish Pythagoreanism attested as early as the first century B.C. See Introduction, pp. 19-20.
163Gk. ἐθελοθϱησϰεία, the first of “five key words of the Colossian heresy” which G. Bornkamm (“The Heresy of Colossians,” p. 134) discerns in this verse, the others being (b) ταπεινοφϱοσύνη, (c) ἀφειδία σώματος, (d) τιμή, (e) πλησμονή. The hapax legomenon ἐθελοθϱησϰεία has been thought to be a Pauline coinage on the analogy of ἐθελοδουλεία, used by Plato and others in the sense of “voluntary subjection” (cf. MM, s.v. ἐθελοθϱησϰεία). J. R. Harris (“St. Paul and Aristophanes,” pp. 133-34) conjectured νεφελοϱησϰεία (“cloud worship”), pointing out that in Aristophanes’ Clouds 316, the clouds are acclaimed as divinities worthy of worship. This conjecture belongs to the Aristophanic region of Nεφελοϰοϰϰυγία, “Cloud-cuckoo-land.”
164Deissmann, Paul, E.T. (London, 1926), p. 118 (he contrasts it with the λογιϰὴ λατϱεὶα of Rom. 12:1).
165H. N. Bate, Guide to Epistles of Paul, p. 143.
166Gk. ούϰ ἐν τιμῄ τινι, “not in any honor,” “not of any value” (cf. J. Schneider, TDNT 8, p. 177, s.v. τιμῄ).
167Gk. πϱòς πλησμονὴν τῆς σαϱϰός. Bornkamm (see n. 163 above) sees in πλησμονή (“fullness,” “filling”) Paul’s ironical dismissal of the heretics’ claim to be filled (πληϱοῡσθαɩ) with the divine power through their initiation. See G. Delling, TDNT 6, pp. 133-34 (s.v. πίμπλημι etc.). The translation of πϱός as “against” in this context (for which Lightfoot’s precedent can be cited) has been questioned. It would be natural to understand the preposition in the sense “leading to,” but this would involve supplying some additional words (in thought, if not in writing): the ἐθελοθϰησϰεία and so forth “have an appearance of wisdom but are not of any value; [they lead only] to indulgence of the flesh.” See B. Reicke, “Zum sprachlichen Verständnis von Kol 2, 23,” ST 6 (1953), 39-53; B. Hollenbach, “Col. ii.23: Which Things lead to the Fulfillment of the Flesh,” NTS 25 (1978-79), 254-61. A. R. C. Leaney, “Colossians ii.21-23,” takes πϱός in the sense “in comparison with” (cf. Rom. 8:18): “but not of any value compared with actual indulgence of the flesh” (i.e., “this man-made asceticism ... is no more service of God than living the life of the flesh”). See also P. L. Hedley, “Ad Colossenses 2,20-3,4,” ZNW 27 (1928), 211-16. There is a helpful statement of the situation in C. F. D. Moule, ad loc. (pp. 108-10); of the various possibilities which he lists, he prefers Lightfoot’s interpretation.