Robert M. Royalty, «Dwelling on Visions.On the Nature of the so-called ‘Colossians Heresy’», Vol. 83 (2002) 329-357
This paper argues that Revelation provides a social-historical, theological, and ideological context for the reconstruction of the Colossian opposition. The proposal is that the author of the Apocalypse arrived in Asia after the Jewish-Roman war; his "dwelling on visions" and prophetic activity challenged the emerging hierarchy within the churches, provoking a response in Paul’s name from the church leadership. Correspondences and parallels between the description of the opposition in Colossians and Revelation are developed exegetically, showing that eschatology and Christology were key issues in the dispute. This paper reexamines the heresiological rhetoric of Colossians, raising methodological questions about other scholarly reconstructions of the opposition as non-Christian.
four living creatures (Rev 4,6-8) and the multitude of angels (5,11; 7,9), suggesting a "personalized-cosmological" view. Nor does the Apocalypse prohibit the strictly cosmological interpretation. Angels in the Apocalypse control the four basic elements of the universe—earth, wind, water, and fire—as they bring about judgment upon the earth (see Rev 6,12-17; 7,1; 8,5; 12,15-16; 16,3-21). The Apocalypse reveals a true awareness of the "power of the Cosmos", as Eduard Schweizer described the ancient sense of stoixei=a62.
While it is not necessary to choose one interpretation to connect the Colossian opponents to a Christian apocalyptic group — nor should any proposal depend entirely on the construal of stoixei=a — it is clear that the context is polemical and the meaning, for the author, disparaging. This phrase recalls Galatians; Christians have been freed from stoixei=a tou= kosmou= according to Paul (Gal 4,3.9). Because Paul uses the term and because the author of Colossians writes as "Paul", the word probably has the sense of either controlling spiritualized elements or principles of religious instruction (note also plh/rwma, Gal 4,4)63. Given the Galatians’ usage, moreover, it is almost certainly not a self-designation of the opponents, any more than are "empty deceit", "human tradition", or "philosophy"64. For the author the opponents teach an empty and deceitful philosophy that still accords power to the stoixei=a whereas, in his formulation of Christian para/dosij, the Colossians have died to these elemental spirits (Col 2,20). In the rhetoric of Colossians, the "established faith" frees them from any such concerns.
So too all of Col 2,8 is a polemical description of the opponents. It is a warning (Ble/pete mh/) not to be taken captive (sulagwgw=n) by "empty deceit" (kenh_ a)pa/th). Thus, it does not contain any positive descriptions of the opponents or quotations of their slogans. Rather, it consists of slanderous phrases: philosophy, empty deceit, human tradition and concern for ta_ stoixei=a tou= kosmou, all in contrast to the author’s traditional teaching kata_ Xristo/n.