Colossians 2:8

From Reconciling understandings of Scripture and Science
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BibleNew TestamentColossians

KJV

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. . . . 

21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man."




Verse 8 is sometimes used in attacks on scientific thinking — compare "the wisdom of the world" and "science falsely so called" — but

  1. the fraternal meals of Isaiah 5:12 could as easily be called "traditions of men" as respecting Proverbs 18:13-15 could be;
  2. modern biological science is not the same as ancient philosophy, and it is not vain: it informs medicine, bringing health and saving lives
  3. the Platonic "rudiments of the world" (Wikipedia link) do not correspond to modern physics and astronomy