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Unsolved Mysteries and Burdensome Superstitions: Seneca’s Epistle 95 and the Colossian ‘Heresy’

Although for almost two centuries now scholars have marshaled endless texts to support their preferred reconstruction of the “Colossian heresy”, one pertinent parallel has not been included in the debate, namely Seneca’s Epistle 95. Nevertheless, enough similarities exist between this epistle and Colossians to pique the scholar’s interest. For instance, in his epistle, the Stoic decries bad theology that leads the ignorant masses both to observe the Jewish Sabbath on the one hand as well as to throng Roman temples on the other. Considering these parallels and more, which I will explore in the paper, I will put Colossians and Epistle 95 side by side with the general aim of not so much solving the Colossian riddle per se, but in understanding both letters better and particularly of adding a neglected piece to this puzzle. In the final section, I will discuss the possible ramifications of this parallel and, in doing so, suggest that it supports readings by Morna Hooker and Adam Copenhaven that Colossians does not have a particular philosophy in mind, but that, as Seneca does in his epistle, Paul draws from both Jewish and pagan worship practices to achieve his rhetorical goal. This aim could be to use them as a vehicle to explain his doctrine’s supremacy over all others and/or to prepare the church for competitive traditions likely to try to tempt them away from the gospel.

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Recent Publications

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