Colossians 2:8

“Beware lest any man spoil you, etc.] Or despoil you; rob you of the rich treasure of the Gospel, strip you of your spiritual armour, take away from you the truths and doctrines of Christ, and divest you of your spiritual privileges and blessings; suggesting, that the false teachers were thieves and robbers, and men of prey: or drive and carry you away as spoils, as the innocent harmless sheep are drove, and carried away by wolves, and by the thief that comes to steal, to kill, and destroy; intimating, that such as these were the heretics of those times; wherefore it became them to be upon their guard, to watch, look out, and beware, lest they should be surprised by these deceitful workers,…”

“Translate, "Beware (literally, 'Look' well) lest there shall be (as I fear there is: the Greek indicative expresses this) any man (pointing to some known emissary of evil, Gal 1:7) leading you away as his spoil (not merely gaining spoil out of you, but making yourselves his spoil) through (by means of) his philosophy," &c. The apostle does not condemn all philosophy, but "the philosophy" (so Greek) of the Judaic-oriental heretics at Colosse, which afterwards was developed into Gnosticism. You, who may have "the riches of full assurance" and "the treasures of wisdom," should not suffer yourselves to be led away as a spoil by empty, deceitful philosophy: "riches" are contrasted with spoil;…”

“Beware lest any man spoil you - The word “spoil” now commonly means, to corrupt, to cause to decay and perish, as fruit is spoiled by keeping too long, or paper by wetting, or hay by a long rain, or crops by mildew. But the Greek word used here means to spoil in the sense of plunder, rob, as when plunder is taken in war. The meaning is, “Take heed lest anyone plunder or rob you of your faith and hope by philosophy.” These false teachers would strip them of their faith and hope, as an invading army would rob a country of all that was valuable. Through philosophy - The Greek philosophy prevailed much in the regions around Colossae, and perhaps also the oriental or Gnostic philosophy. See the…”

“Through philosophy and empty deceit - That is, through the empty deceit of philosophy blended with Christianity. This the apostle condemns, Because it was empty and deceitful, promising happiness, but giving none. Because it was grounded, not on solid reason, but the traditions of men, Zeno, Epicurus, and the rest. And, Because it was so shallow and superficial, not advancing beyond the knowledge of sensible things; no, not beyond the first rudiments of them. Colossians 2:9”

“2:8 The Greek word philosophia referred to everything from the metaphysics of Plato to the religious teaching of cults. Paul does not condemn philosophy per se, but only empty philosophical speculation that stands opposed to the Good News. • the spiritual powers of this world: or the spiritual principles of the world; also in 2:20): This phrase may refer to elementary teaching that is characteristic of this world (see Heb 5:12), or to spiritual beings who were thought to have a decisive influence on the course of events (see also Col 2:15, 20; Gal 4:3).”

“Beware: Deu 6:12; Mat 7:15, Mat 10:17, Mat 16:6; Phi 3:2; Pe2 3:17 spoil: Col 2:18; Sol 2:15; Jer 29:8; Rom 16:17; Eph 5:6; Heb 13:9; Jo2 1:8 philosophy: Act 17:18, Act 17:32; Rom 1:21, Rom 1:22; Co1 1:19-23, Co1 3:18, Co1 3:19, Co1 15:35, Co1 15:36; Co2 10:5 \*Gr: Ti1 6:20; Ti2 2:17, Ti2 2:18, Ti2 3:13 after the tradition: Col 2:22; Mat 15:2-9; Mar 7:3-13; Gal 1:14; Pe1 1:18 the rudiments: or, the elements, Col 2:20; Gal 4:3, Gal 4:9; Eph 2:2 after Christ: Eph 4:20 Colossians 2:9”