inst
the insidious "philosophy" of the heretics, with an exhortation and
personal notes.

Perhaps we account most naturally for the broken order and lax
coherence of this letter, by the suggestion that, as St. Paul dictated
it, there was present with him a sense of almost nervous hesitation.
He has exactly a gentleman's reluctance to do an ungracious action:
while he knows that it is his duty to warn the Colossians of a serious
danger, he knows that unless he does so with much tactful delicacy,
they will resent his interference. So he begins by saying what polite
things he can about them, and instead of going on at once to talk of
the heresy, he first says with plain significance that he perpetually
prays for their perfection in knowledge, activity, and constancy. An
incidental allusion to God's method for human salvation gives St. Paul
an opportunity for making a digression--one of the most important
statements in the New Testament--concerning the nature and work of
Christ (i. 14-20). He shows the Colossians what views they ought to
hold concerning Him. This would keep them from giving to the angels
what is due to Christ alone. Christ is the Redeemer. He was born
prior to all creation, even the angels, and all creation coheres
through union with Him (i. 15-17). He is the Head of the Church in
virtue of His resurrection, and as embodying the full number of divine
attributes (i. 18, 19). He is the Saviour of angels and men by His
death, and in this salvation the Colossians ought to share (i. 20-23).

It seems that now he will deal with the heresy, but again he {175}
postpones it. He breaks in with a digression of a pastoral character.
He speaks of his commission to preach (i. 24-29), his anxiety even for
Churches that he has never visited (ii. 1-5), and he exhorts the
Colossians to continue in their original faith (ii. 6, 7).

At last he enters upon the main business of the Epistle and begins
dogmatic controversy. After a warning against spurious philosophy, he
asserts that Christ is the sole incarnation of Deity, to whom all
spirits are subject (ii. 9, 10). This is the true doctrine: God has
not divided His attributes among a group of angels; all are to be found
in Christ. And the true method of salvation is simply that union with
Christ which begins with baptism, the Christian's circumcision. In it
we receive that forgiveness which was won for us when Christ died, and
both blotted out the Law and triump