The Orthodox Study Bible: Briefly on Colossians 4: 16 The epistle from Laodicea

The Orthodox Study Bible: Briefly on Colossians 4: 16  The epistle from Laodicea

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

15/10/2021 article revised for an entry on academia.edu...2/20/2024.

Preface

Back to Colossians. I have been listening to the King James Version (KJV) on audio over the last several years. The KJV similar to the New King James Version (NKJV), used by The Orthodox Study Bible.

New King James Version (NKJV) Colossians 4: 16 

16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

The Orthodox Study Bible

This text states in the notes (not paraphrased)

4: 16 Paul expected his letters to be read aloud to the churches and at least sometimes to be sent on to neighboring churches. (Colosse and Laodicea are less than 15 miles apart). Paul's letter coming from Laodicea probably is the one we know as Ephesians. (369).

I shall opine that this is a reasonable suggestion...

The timeline works.

Within the Ephesians introduction, this academic bible states 'Paul probably wrote Ephesians from Rome during his imprisonment in A.D. 61-63' (436) and Acts 28: 16-31 is referenced. (436). It is a possibility that as the letter was not just intended for the Ephesians (436) and the context is general (436). It is possible that Ephesians is 'the letter to the Laodiceans' that is mentioned in Colossians 4: 16. (436).

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 Chronology Of New Testament Books

Referenced

Ephesians Robert Gundry, 61-61 A.D. (page 364). 

Colossians Robert Gundry, 61-62 A.D. (page 364). 

Other perspectives

Courson in his commentary series reasons 'We don't have the letter, but it was evidently written by Paul at this time to the Laodicians'. (1328).

N.T. Wright opines that most scholars do not see the letter from Laodicea as written by the church in Laodicia. (160). Scholarship generally reasons that Paul wrote this letter in question. (160). It may have very well been Ephesians. (160). Lightfoot's work being a standard for support that the letter is the Book of Ephesians. (160) (Lightfoot: 375-396). Wright notes that Caird does not agree. (160). Wright explains that within scholarship 'no major arguments' have been raised against the view of Lightfoot (and in agreement, with this study bible from Orthodoxy under review).

Theologically

Theologically, I do not reason that every epistle/letter, or note, written by a New Testament writer in the New Testament era, was necessarily inspired by God, equating to Scripture. If there are lost and/or discarded letters, these could very well be uninspired ones. If the letter in question is not Ephesians, it should not be assumed to be a lost epistle and letter of scripture that actually should be in the Bible, the New Testament canon, but is not. As well, the New Testament remains consistent theologically. There is no significant evidence for the existence of a lost epistle/letter from Paul, or another New Testament writer, within than New Testament era community, that supports a non-gospel theology. The theological integrity of the New Testament remains intact from the manuscript evidence and translations from the books that are extant.

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

CAIRD, GEORGE B. (1977) Paul's Letters from Prison Paperback, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

LIGHTFOOT, JOHN B. (1993) The Destination of the Epistle to the Ephesians in Biblical Essays, New York, Macmillan.

MCRAY, J.R. (1996) ‘Bible, Canon of', in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

MCDONALD, H.D. (1996) ‘Bible, Authority of', in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

WRIGHT, N.T., Colossians and Philemon, (1986)(1989), IVP, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids.

Colossians 4:16-Bible Hub 

Λαοδικέων of [the] Laodiceans N-GMP (Noun-Genitive, Masculine, Plural) 

Λαοδικείας Laodicea N-GFS (Noun-Genitive, Feminine, Singular)

PhD: Twitter quote 106

PhD: Twitter quote 106

Preface

Image: Facebook, October 11, 2021

2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter 

Saturday, September 19, 2020 PhD Full Version PDF: Theodicy and Practical Theology 2010, Wales TSD 

Some theological, philosophical support for the message from the lead image, below. I have made that connection myself through study. I think I heard it in a sermon. By the way, I do hold to TULIP, but consider myself Reformed, with some Anabaptist leanings, as opposed to a Calvinist.

archives: TULIP

archives: compatibilism

Louis P. Pojman explains the difference between determinism, which is also known as hard determinism, and compatibilism, which is also known as soft determinism. Pojman (1996: 596). Within determinism or hard determinism, God (or an external force) causes an act and no created being is responsible for his or her moral actions, while for compatibilism or soft determinism, although God causes actions, created beings are responsible where they act voluntarily. Pojman (1996: 596). 

It could be stated that human secondary causes, through a chain of human nature and human will, embrace what has been caused and chosen by God, the first and primary cause. The human being could also be influenced by other secondary causes, such as other persons and angelic beings, for example. 

W.T. Stace (1952)(1976) explains that moral responsibility is consistent with determinism in the context of soft determinism and requires it. Stace (1952)(1976: 29). If human actions are uncaused at all by the human nature and will, then reward or punishment would be unjustified. Stace (1952)(1976: 29). Stace reasons that there must be at least some human cause within human actions to make them morally responsible. Stace (1952)(1976: 30).

archives: incompatibilism 

Philosopher Tim Mawson reasons that incompatibilism, which is also known as libertarianism or libertarian free will, in regard to human free will, believes that true human free will must be uncaused by preceding states. Mawson (1999: 324). In other words, no external force must cause a legitimate and truly free act of the human will. Within incompatibilist theory, a human action would never truly be free because God or an another external force (non-deistic view) would have willed and determined it, before being simultaneously willed to a given person. Mawson (1999: 324). Pre-determined before committed by the human being. The external force could hypothetically be a first cause within non-theistic theory

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PhD: Twitter quote 106

Edited from my PhD footnotes:

Whitehead (1926: 153): Whitehead claims that if God was infinite in all ways this would make him as infinitely evil as he is good. I doubt logically and reasonably that an infinitely holy and good God could at the same time be infinitely evil and so I can grant Whitehead half a point here. However, God could still be infinite completely in nature and willingly allow evil to exist within his creation, which shall be discussed particularly in Chapter Three as a Reformed view. I definitely agree with Whitehead that an infinitely good and evil God would be a God of nothingness. Whitehead (1926: 153). I doubt this being could logically exist. 

Twitter version

I definitely agree with Whitehead that an infinitely good and evil God would be a God of nothingness. Whitehead (1926: 153). I doubt this being could logically exist. 

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

FRAME, JOHN M. (1999) ‘The Bible on the Problem of Evil: Insights from Romans 3:1-8,21-26; 5:1-5; 8:28-39’, IIIM Magazine Online, Volume 1, Number 33, October 11 to October 17, Fern Park, Florida, Third Millennium. 

FRAME, JOHN M. (2002) The Doctrine of God, P and R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey. 

DIEHL, DAVID W. (1996) ‘Process Theology’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press. 

GRENZ, STANLEY J. AND ROGER E. OLSON (1992) Twentieth Century Theology, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press. 

GUTMANN, JAMES (1845)(1936) ‘Introduction’ in SCHELLING, F.W.J. (1845)(1936) Schelling, Of Human Freedom, Translated by James Gutmann, The Open Court Publishing Company, Chicago. 

HUME, DAVID (1739-1740)(1973) ‘A Treatise of Human Nature’, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press. 

HUME, DAVID (1779)(2004) Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Digireads.com/Neeland Media LLC, Lawrence, Kansas. 

MAWSON, TIM (1999) ‘The Problem of Evil and Moral Indifference’, in Religious Studies, Volume 35, pp. 323-345. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 

NICKEL, DAVID H. (2006) The Varieties of Mystical Experience: Paul Tillich and William James, Philadelphia, Metanexus Institute. 

PAILIN, DAVID A. (1999) ‘Process Theology’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd. 

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press. 

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005) The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis. 

POJMAN, LOUIS P. (1996) Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company. 

SCHELLING, F.W.J. (1845)(1936) Schelling, Of Human Freedom, Translated by James Gutmann, The Open Court Publishing Company, Chicago. 

STACE, W.T. (1952)(1976) Religion and the Modern Mind, in John R. Burr and Milton Goldinger (eds.), Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, London, Collier Macmillan Publishers. 

VINEY, DAVID (2008) ‘Process Theism’, in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Palo Alto, California, Stanford University. 

WHITEHEAD, ALFRED NORTH (1926) Religion in the Making, New York, The MacMillan Company. 

WHITEHEAD, ALFRED NORTH (1927-1929)(1957) Process and Reality, New York, The Free Press/MacMillan Publishing Company, Incorporated. 

WHITEHEAD, ALFRED NORTH (1967)(1986) ‘Adventures of Ideas’, in Forest Wood JR., Whiteheadian Thought as a Basis for a Philosophy of Religion, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, University Press of America, Inc.

PhD: Twitter quote 105

PhD: Twitter quote 105

Photo: 38A_SouthTower0753-credit-Angelo-Hornak-1Resize-768x1024,Manchester Cathedral official

Walking from Crumpsall to Central Manchester, I always enjoyed seeing the English flag, Saint George's Cross at Manchester Cathedral. A little different than the equally impressive Union Flag, that was usually flown in more corporate settings, especially in London.

2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter 

Saturday, September 19, 2020 PhD Full Version PDF: Theodicy and Practical Theology 2010, Wales TSD

From my PhD footnotes

The concept that God cannot change is one of immutability. God cannot change in ‘attributes, consciousness, and will.’ Thiessen (1956: 127). The idea being that God does not change or develop, but some scholars reason this understanding is to be more attributed to influences from Greek philosophy than the Bible. Grenz, Guretzki and Nordling (1999: 64). Some reason, as do I, that God is eternally immutable, but can change in how he deals within temporal situations with finite beings. Grenz, Guretzki and Nordling (1999: 64). 

Related from archives

Tuesday, November 26, 2019 God as unchangeable/immutable 

Wednesday, February 06, 2013 Immutable/Impassible (PhD Edit)

Twitter version

Some reason, as do I, that God is eternally immutable, but can change in how he deals within temporal situations with finite beings. Grenz, Guretzki and Nordling (1999: 64). 

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BARTH, KARL (1932-1968) Church Dogmatics, The Doctrine of the Word of God: Volume 1, Part One, Translated by J.W. Edwards, Rev. O. Bussey, and Rev. Harold Knight, Edinburgh, T. and T. Clark. 

BARTH, KARL (1932-1968) Church Dogmatics, The Doctrine of Creation: Volumes 1 and 3. Translated by J.W. Edwards, Rev. O. Bussey, and Rev. Harold Knight, Edinburgh, T. and T. Clark. 

BARTH, KARL (1932-1968) Church Dogmatics, The Doctrine of God: Volume 2, First Half -Volume, Translated by J.W. Edwards, Rev. O. Bussey, and Rev. Harold Knight, Edinburgh, T. and T. Clark. 

BLOESCH, DONALD G. (1987) Freedom for Obedience, San Francisco, Harper and Rowe Publishers. 

BLOESCH, DONALD G. (1996) ‘Sin, The Biblical Understanding of Sin’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, in David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press. 

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. 

FRANKE, JOHN R. (2005) The Character of Theology, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.

HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

MOLTMANN, JÜRGEN (1993) The Crucified God, Minneapolis, Fortress Press. 

PAILIN, DAVID A. (1999) ‘Process Theology’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd. 

SPROUL, R.C., AND ROBERT WOLGEMUTH (2000) What’s In the Bible, Word Publishing, Nashville. 

SURIN, KENNETH (1986) Theology and the Problem of Evil, Oxford, Basil Blackwell Ltd. 

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (1993) Practical Theology, Translated by Barbara Schultz, AC Kampen, Netherlands, Kok Pharos Publishing House. 

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (1998) God Reinvented?, Leiden, Brill. 

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (2005) ‘Theodicy Items and Scheme’, in a personal email from Johannes van der Ven, Nijmegen, Radboud University, Nijmegen.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (2006a) ‘Dates of Nijmegen authors’, in a personal email from Johannes van der Ven, Nijmegen, Radboud University, Nijmegen.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (2006b) ‘Symbols versus Models’, in a personal email from Johannes van der Ven, Nijmegen, Radboud University, Nijmegen. 

WILLIAMS, ROWAN (2000) On Christian Theology, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.

PhD: Twitter quote 104

PhD: Twitter quote 104

Photo: Civil Engineering Discoveries, train tunnel, Japan, September 4 2021 

Edited from my PhD

Twitter version I

William James (1842-1910) is a well-known American philosopher, psychologist, and a founder of the philosophy of pragmatism.

Twitter version II

Roth explains that James' pragmatism emphasizes the human ability to choose a lifestyle from various real possibilities.

From  my PhD

William James 

2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter

Saturday, September 19, 2020 PhD Full Version PDF: Theodicy and Practical Theology 2010, Wales TSD

William James (1842-1910)[1] is a well-known American philosopher,[2] psychologist [3] and a founder of the philosophy of pragmatism.[4]  John K. Roth (1892-1907)(1969) explains within the Introduction to The Moral Philosophy of William James that James’ pragmatism emphasizes the human ability to choose an individual lifestyle from several actual and authentic possibilities.[5]  Pragmatism emphasized the need for a community of free thought that was open to inquiry and testing.[6]  Concepts are to be considered without ‘initial prejudice.’[7]  A pragmatic approach should analyze and clarify forms of human experience and action in order to bring harmony to human community.[8] 

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[1] McDermott (1996: 385). Burr and Goldinger (1976: 145).  Peterson, Hasker, Reichenbach, and Basinger (1996: 71).  Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  1).

[2] John K. Roth writes that James was a dominant philosopher within James’ time. Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  1).  James’ ‘life and philosophy reflect a delight in the sheer variety of human experience.’ Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  1).

James is known as one of America’s greatest philosophers. Burr and Goldinger (1976: 145).

[3] McDermott (1996: 385).  Burr and Goldinger (1976: 145). James found that his study and teaching within psychology brought up philosophical issues that were not always covered within psychology. Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  2).

[4] McDermott (1996: 385). Burr and Goldinger (1976: 145). James and C.S. Peirce have set forth the theory that a statement/proposition is interpreted in terms of practical consequences. Pojman (1996: 598). James wrote the text Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking in 1907.

[5] Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  3-4). 

[6] Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  14). 

[7] Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  14).  

[8] Roth (1892-1907)(1969:  14). Even a critic of James’ pragmatism can admit communities with harmony often bring about positive consequences for those of various worldviews within it.  Peace, would be a prime example.

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GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1975) Philosophy of Religion, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. 

GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1978) The Roots of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. 

GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press. 

GEISLER, NORMAN L. (1996) ‘Freedom, Free Will, and Determinism’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

GEISLER, NORMAN, L (1999) ‘The Problem of Evil’, in Baker Encyclopedia of Apologetics, Grand Rapids, Baker Books. 

JAMES, WILLIAM (1892-1907)(1969) The Moral Philosophy of William James, John K. Roth (ed.), Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York. 

JAMES, WILLIAM (1893)(2004) William James and a Science of Religions, Wayne Proudfoot (ed.), Columbia University Press, New York. 

JAMES, WILLIAM (1902-1910)(1987) Writings 1902 – 1910, The Library of America, New York. 

JAMES, WILLIAM (1902)(2002) The Varieties of Religious Experience, Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York. 

JAMES, WILLIAM (1904) ‘Does ‘Consciousness’ Exist?’, in Journal of Philosophy, Psychology, and Scientific Methods, Volume 1, pages 477-491. New York, Columbia University. 

JAMES, WILLIAM (1907) Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking, Longman and Green Company, New York. 

MCDERMOTT, JOHN J. (1996) ‘James, William’ in Robert Audi (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 

PAULSON, DAVID (1999) ‘The God of Abraham, Isaac, and (William) James’, in The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 13.2, University Park, Pennsylvania, Penn State University Press.

POJMAN, LOUIS P. (1996) Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company. 

ROTH, JOHN K. ‘Introduction’ (1892-1907)(1969) in The Moral Philosophy of William James, John K. Roth (ed.), Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York. 

ROTH, JOHN K. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press.

Friday, June 12, 2009 William James and omnipotence