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.
III.
Col 2,16-23, with its fuller description of the opponents’ positions, offers a better outline of the opposition than the strongly polemical 2,8. The strong Mh_ ou]n of 2,16 introduces a specific list of ethical teachings by "someone" (tij, cf. 2,8) that the recipients of this letter should reject. The two main characteristics of the opponents described in Col 2,16-23 are (1) the observance of some type of Jewish halakah (note peripatei=te, Col 2,6, and dogmati/zesqe, 2,20) relating to food and the observance of the Sabbath, new moons, and festivals and (2) visionary ascent as a source of authority. Col 2,16-23 begins with the first of these two issues: "do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink" (Col 2,16). For the author, the opponents’ emphasis on self-denial and asceticism is their most distinguishing characteristic. He returns to it directly twice more in the letter, in Col 2,21 and in 2,23, where he chides them for having the reputation (lo/goj) of wisdom "in promoting self-imposed piety [e)qeloqrhski/a|], humility [tapeinofrosu/nh|], and severe treatment of the body" (feidi/a_| sw/matoj, 2,23)65. This strongest characteristic for the author of Colossians corresponds to the moral code of the Apocalypse. Christ, speaking prophetically through the author John, condemns two of the churches in Asia (Pergamum and Thyatira) for tolerating the eating of idol-meat and Christian teachers who endorsed the activity (Rev 2,14.20). Christ also praises the Ephesians for rejecting the teaching of the Nicolaitans (2,6), which probably included liberal dietary rules. Those excluded from the New Jerusalem, moreover, include idolaters (ei)dwlola/trai), a term which in the Apocalypse both includes those who have violated the sanction against eating meat from the pagan temple as well as people who have worshiped idols (see Rev 21,8; 22,15)66. Eating meat from the temples was an important moral issue