Colossians and Philemon. Michael F. Bird

1984a: 7.

65. 4 Macc 5:22; Ep. Arist. 30–31.

66. J. W. 2.119, 166; Ant. 18.11, 25.

67. Ant. 1.18; 16.398; Ag. Ap. 1.181; 2.47.

68. Cf. Opif. 8.128; Migr. 34; Somn. 1.226; 2.244; Mos. 2.2; Spec. 1.32, 37; 3.185–91; Legat. 156, 245, 318.

69. Cf. e.g., Bruce 1957: 166; Lohse 1971: 129; Bornkamm 1975: 130; Pokorný 1991: 117–21.

70. Lightfoot 1879: 82–114; but see criticisms in Yamauchi 1964; Lohse 1971: 128–29; Barth and Blanke 1994: 379; Smith 2006: 21–24.

71. Benoit 1968: 17.

72. Cf. e.g., Francis 1975; Evans 1982; O’Brien 1982: xxxviii; Rowland 1983; Bruce 1984c; Sappington 1991; Sumney 1993: 387–88; Dunn 1995; 1996: 174; Garland 1998: 27; Roberts 1998; Smith 2006; Talbert 2007: 219; Witherington 2007: 165–66.

73. Bruce 1984c: 201–4.

74. Cf. discussion in Smith 2006: 38–73.

75. CD 16.4–6 and the “Angel of Obstruction”; Jub. 15:28–32 and the spirits who “rule so that they might be led astray.” According to Hippolytus (Haer. 9.11) a Jewish Christian group called the Elchasai urged keeping the Sabbath because “There exist wicked stars of impiety . . . Honour the day of thee Sabbath, since that day is one of those during which prevails (the power) of these stars.” Note also the incantation of 4Q510 1:4–6 for warding off evil angels and spirits: “And I, the Sage, declare the grandeur of his radiance in order to frighten and terr[ify] all the spirits of the ravaging angels and the bastard spirits, demons, Liliths, owls, and [jackals . . .].”

76. Or else thelōn is adverbial and means “intentionally disqualifying” (BDF § 148.2).

77. Apoc. Ab. 17–18; 2 Bar. 2:2; 3:1–2; T. Levi 3:4–8; T. Job 48–50; Apoc. Zeph. 8:3–4; Ascen. Isa. 7:37; 8:17; 9:28–34 (Smith 2006: 126).

78. 4Q405 frags. xxi–xxii, 6–14 (trans. Wise, Abegg, and Cook).

79. Francis 1975: 180.

80. Arnold 1996: 91.

81. Cf. Arnold 1996: 93–95.

82. Stuckenbruck 1995: 117–19; cf. Rowland 1983: 117.

83. Some have argued that embateuō was a technical term in the mystery cults for initiation rites and its presence in Colossians means that some of the Gentile converts were previously involved in the mystery cults. This is based largely on an inscription from the Apollos temple at Claros 30 km north of Ephesus, which uses the word embateuō three times (Dibelius 1975; Arnold 1996: 104–57). The problem is that in the various witnesses to the mystery rites embateuō is never used alone and always includes the words muēsis or epopteia for expressing the reception of the mysteries. This combination of words is entirely lacking from Col 2:18–23, which evacuates the argument for a “technical” usage of embateuō. A far better background for embateuō is Jewish mystical ascents to heaven for worship with the angels (Sappington 1991: 156–68; Rowland 1983: 76; Evans 1982: 198).

84. Hegermann 1961: 162; cf. Stettler 2005: 196. Discussed further in Bird [forthcoming].

85. Seneca De Superstitione; cited in Augustine Civ. 6.11; Tacitus Hist. 5.5; Juvenal Sat. 14.96–106.

86. Cf. Acts 10:2, 22, 35; 13:16, 26, 43, 50; 16:14; 17:4, 17; 18:7.

87. Dunn 1995; 1996: 34.

88. Cf. Stettler 2005: 193.

89. Lohse 1971: 130.

90. About Philemon and Colossians we have already noted that: (1) they are both written during a Pauline imprisonment, (2) they have the same coauthor in Timothy, (3) they share the same list of Pauline coworkers in the closing greetings, and (4) there is no mention of the Philemon/Onesimus tension in Colossians, which led us to infer that the rift had been healed and Onesimus is called a “faithful and beloved brother” implying that he had proven himself in service. Thus, the letter to Philemon probably precedes that written to the Colossians by some time.

91. Cf. Fitzmyer 2000: 17–24.

92. Pliny Ep. 9.21: “To Sabianus. The freedman of yours with whom you said you were angry has been to me, flung himself at my feet, and clung to me as if I were you. He begged my help with many tears, though he left a good deal unsaid; in short, he convinced me of his genuine penitence. I believe he has reformed, because he realizes that he did wrong. You are angry, I know, and I know too that your anger was deserved, but mercy wins most praise when there was just cause for anger. You loved the man once, and I hope you will love again, but it is sufficient for the moment if you allow yourself to be appeased. You can always be angry again if he deserves it, and will have more excuse if you were once placated. Make some concession to his youth, his tears and your own kind heart, and do not torment him or yourself any longer—anger can only be a torment to your gentle self” (trans. B. Radice [LCL]).

93. Cf. Winter 1987.

94. Callahan 1993: 371.

95. On Onesimus’s conversion we have to ask, did Onesimus go to Paul to gain leverage over his master and was a safe return to Philemon a contributing factor in Onesimus’s conversion to faith in Jesus (see Barclay 1996: 102)?

96. Cf. further Barclay 1996: 101–2; Harrill 1999.

97.