Heavenly Perspective

A Study of the Apostle Paul's Response to a Jewish Mystical Movement at Colossae
Erscheinungsjahr 2006
ISBN: 978-0-567-03107-5
Verlag: Continnuum-3PL

Buch, Englisch, 288 Seiten, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 584 g

Reihe: The Library of New Testament Studies

The book identifies the source of the Colossian error as from within Jewish mystical movements and shows how both the theology and practice which is taught in the epistle is to be understood from this context.

Heavenly Perspective seeks to define the nature of the Colossian error and Paul's response to it. It argues that the recipients of the Colossian letter lived in a town where a group of Jewish Christians were preoccupied with angelic practices to such an extent that they denied the sufficiency of the work of Christ. This preoccupation was focused in two directions: fallen angels and heavenly angels. Fallen angels were seen as determinative in the affairs of humans and therefore feared. This fear showed a lack of faith in the work of Christ who had triumphed over the powers of evil. The Colossian errorists sought to escape from the domain of evil by engaging in asceticism and legalism in order to ascend to the court of heaven where they could witness, and possibly participate with, angels worshipping God. The claims of ascents to heaven led to self-perceptions of superior spirituality which caused divisions within the Colossian church.

Angel explores how there is strong biblical and extra-biblical evidence for the Jewish mysticism evidenced in the Colossian error, especially seen in Merkabah mysticism, in which a devotee sought to ascend to heaven to witness angelic worship. Angel discusses how the Colossian error may have arisen from within this movement and how Paul counters the errorists' claims by an eloquent Christology which disarms the philosophy and enables the recipients of the letter to have a true heavenly perspective which results in appropriate earthly behaviour.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Smith, Ian K.

Smith, Ian

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Jüdische Studien Geschichte des Judentums Geschichte des Judentums: Biblische & Klassische Periode
• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Bibelwissenschaften Neues Testament: Exegese, Geschichte
• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Bibelwissenschaften Bibelwissenschaften: Sachbuch, Erbauung, Didaktik

Über Autor(innen)

Ian Smith
Ian Smith (PhD) has lectured for over ten years in Greek and New Testament at the Presbyterian Theological Centre, Sydney, Australia. He has been involved in cross-cultural theological education in the Pacific (Vanuatu) and in pastoral ministry in Australia.