The Hermeneutic of the Gospel – Part 2

Following on from Phillip Kenneson’s quote, Walsh & Keesmaat then reflect on Colossians 2:1-4 (Note – Walsh and Keesmaat’s translation of the text uses the expression “plausible arguments” in place of what the NIV translates “finesounding arguments.”). ThirdWay – June 2001 included Brian’s commentary on Colossians 2:1-4. Sadly it’s not online and is therefore inaccessible unless you can locate a hardcopy! Grrrr.

* All “boldened” sections have been highlighted by me. 

“…Paul is concerned with plausible arguments, so we can say that epistemology [The study of theories of knowledge or ways of knowing, particularly in the context of the limits or validity of the various ways of knowing] isn’t all that far from what he is talking about. What makes an argument plausible? In this passage Paul has made plain the purpose of his letter to the Colossian Christians…He is worried they might be deceived by plausible arguments. Our question is, what would make an argument in favor of a worldview alternative to the gospel seem plausible to these young Christians?

Perhaps an answer to this question can be discerned in what Paul says more positively about his purpose in writing. He says that he wants ‘their hearts to be encouraged’ and for their community to be ‘united in love, so that they may have all of the riches of assured understanding’…that is, a settled firmness in ones faith and a deep confidence in the truth of the gospel – is rooted, more foundationally, in encouraged hearts and the unity of love in the Christian community… 

It seems that Paul thinks that personal and communal despair and enmity within the community have the greatest power to rob us of assured understanding. It is hard to be sure about your faith when you are discouraged of heart and experience the Christian community as a place of bitterness and enmity…The lived experience of deep-rooted encouragement and communal love is foundational for assured understanding.

…From a biblical perspective truth is not a correspondence between ideas and facts. Truth is embodied in a person [Jesus Christ]. If incarnate truth is to be known in its fullness, then it must be met in the flesh. If this truth is not enfleshed in our lives and in the community that claims to bear witness to it, then it quite literally becomes unknowable to us…In this respect, seeing – experiencing, touching, and feeling – is indeed believing. Maybe that’s why Paul is so concerned about people who have not seen him ‘face to face.’ They have not had the opportunity to see how he embodies the truth…

To be continued…