Measuring Up
page detail from Colossians, 1611 KJV Bible (Replica Edition) photo by jch
Sermon Series “Through the Bible,” № 76, Colossians 3:1-11
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth …. —Colossians 3:2
In the order of our New Testament, Paul’s letter to the Colossians is placed 7th of 13, right in the middle. Like other letters, nearly unimaginable amounts of time and energy have been devoted to answering questions about the writing and editing of the text. Do the content and vocabulary point to Paul as the true author, or was another disciple writing in the name of Paul? If the author was Paul, did he write from prison at Ephesus or Rome? Many scholars believe that Paul was, in fact, the author, that this letter was sent while in Roman captivity at a late stage in Paul’s life, and that the letter has a close connection with Paul’s letter to Philemon, since nine of the same people are named in both letters, and Philemon is believed to have lived in Colossae.
The Colossian Christians probably never had met Paul, but came under the influence of his colleagues during the time he lived and worked in Ephesus, about 100 miles away. Colossae was one of three important cities that stood near the confluence of the rivers Lycus and Maeander. The area was known for its chalk formations, fertile ground, pastures with great flocks of sheep, and the production of woolen cloth and dyes. The textile industry brought commercial prosperity to the area in which the Colossian Christians lived, as well as a mix of new religious ideas.
What exactly were the “philosophy” and “empty deceit” (2:8) that threatened the Colossian Church? No one knows for sure. The philosophy seems to have had elements sometimes attributed to “Gnostics,” including traditions about “elemental spirits” (2:8, 2:20) who created an evil world that humans must escape. It seems to have contained elements advocated by “Judaizers,” who believed that elements of Old Testament law, like circumcision, were binding on all Christians. This philosophy advocated certain standards of measuring up that Paul felt were in opposition to the way and truth of Jesus.
We don’t have Gnostics and Judaizers today. But we still have many voices and perspectives advocating ways of measuring up that are supposed to lead to what is good, and healthy and true.
Most of us probably can think of different forms of technology that call us to measure things that we would not have imagined years ago. Many investment statements now arrive with bar charts showing how your fund has performed in comparison to standard benchmarks. Medical tests tell us about levels of compounds in our blood in comparison to normal ranges, or give pictures of how bones or tumors have changed in contrast to previous images. Our utility bills display how use has varied during the months of the previous year, and in relation to the average outdoor temperature. Our vehicles have built-in calculators that show average and instant miles-per-gallon, and some people take on the challenge of discovering just how little gasoline they can consume in driving from point “A” to “B.”
Now, as interesting and helpful as all these things can be, they can become a trap. The measuring device that begins as a pleasant diversion becomes a maddening obsession. For example, my Garmin watch tracks data about my pulse, my blood oxygen saturation, and my levels of stress. But there are times of the week that I take off my watch because I’ve learned it’s possible to get so much information about my stress that focusing on the information causes more stress. Sometimes it's better to focus on something else. The time and attention we give to measuring activities may grow to the point where we wonder: “In our effort to measure things so very rightly, are we measuring the right things?”
I think the Apostle Paul wonders something similar when he writes to the church at Colossae. Some mix of Gnosticism and Judaism has introduced the church to legalistic requirements. William Barclay notes, “Whatever the heresy was, Paul understood it to be an attack on “the total adequacy and the unique supremacy of Christ. No (other) Pauline letter has such a lofty view of Jesus Christ or such insistence on his completeness and finality.”[1] In Paul’s judgment, these human standards of “measuring up” promote pride in personal merit, and so deny divine grace. The Judaizers and Gnostics are measuring certain standards so very rightly, but, Paul challenges, they are not measuring the right things.
One interesting thing I notice about today’s text is the way in which Paul describes “measuring up” in terms of behavior that affects other people. He challenges his readers to “put to death … fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed.” He asks them to get rid of “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth.” Some modern forms of religion measure progress by personal achievement or enrichment. But Paul describes Christian religion as having a concern for the common good.
It's concern for the common good that characterizes the Church functioning at its best; measuring up to God’s will, reflecting toward others the grace that God has bestowed upon it. If we take the Apostle Paul at his word, then Christians measure up
· When men and women treat each other with respect, not taking advantage of one another sexually in vulnerable situations;
· When, in situations in which we experience hurt and pain, we avoid personal attacks and a spirit of revenge;
· When we treat material possessions as tools for improving the lives of our families, church, and community, letting go of the temptation of greed.
In the inspired words of Colossians, God calls Christians to measure up to a higher standard:
· The measure of truth is not just a list of books we’ve read that contain it, but also how our lives embody it;
· The measure of fitness is not just a log of miles traveled on a trail or treadmill, but also how we keep the faith, and persevere in doing good, running the race that God has set before us;
· The measure of nourishment is not just a diet plan, but also who we are concerned enough to feed, and who we will include in our meal around the Lord’s Table.
Jesus says, “the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’” Paul says, “Seek the things that are above …. Set your minds on things that are above …. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then, you also will be revealed with him in glory.”
NOTES
[1] William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, Revised Edition, volume in The Daily Bible Study Series, Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975, p. 95.
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