Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Colossians: Chapter 2].
regard these prohibitions as Paul's own instead of those of the
Gnostics condemned by him. Even today men are finding that the
noble prohibition law needs enlightened instruction to make it
effective. That is true of all law. The Pharisees, Essenes,
Gnostics made piety hinge on outward observances and rules
instead of inward conviction and principle. These three verbs are
all in the aorist subjunctive second person singular with \m•\, a
prohibition against handling or touching these forbidden things.
Two of them do not differ greatly in meaning. \Haps•i\ is aorist
middle subjunctive of \hapt•\, to fasten to, middle, to cling to,
to handle. \Thig•is\ is second aorist active subjunctive of
\thiggan•\, old verb, to touch, to handle. In N.T. only here and
Heb 11:28; 12:20. \Geus•i\ is second aorist middle subjunctive
of \geu•\, to give taste of, only middle in N.T. to taste as
here.
2:22 {Are to perish with the using} (\estin eis phthoran t•i
apochr•sei\). Literally, "are for perishing in the using."
\Phthora\ (from \phtheir•\) is old word for decay, decomposition.
\Apochr•sis\ (from \apochraomai\, to use to the full, to use up),
late and rare word (in Plutarch), here only in N.T. Either
locative case here or instrumental. These material things all
perish in the use of them.
2:23 {Which things} (\hatina\). "Which very things," these
ascetic regulations. {Have indeed a show of wisdom} (\estin logon
men echonta sophias\). Periphrastic present indicative with
\estin\ in the singular, but present indicative \echonta\ in the
plural (\hatina\). \Logon sophias\ is probably "the repute of
wisdom" (Abbott) like Plato and Herodotus. \Men\ (in deed) has no
corresponding \de\. {In will-worship} (\en ethelothr•ski•i\).
This word occurs nowhere else and was probably coined by Paul
after the pattern of \ethelodouleia\, to describe the voluntary
worship of angels (see 2:18). {And humility} (\kai
tapeinophrosun•i\). Clearly here the bad sense, "in mock
humility." {And severity to the body} (\kai apheidi•i s•matos\).
Old word (Plato) from \apheid•s\, unsparing (\a\ privative,
\pheidomai\, to spare). Here alone in N.T. Ascetics often
practice flagellations and other hardnesses to the body. {Not of
any value} (\ouk en tim•i tini\). \Tim•\ usually means honour or
price. {Against the indulgence of the flesh} (\pros pl•smon•n t•s
sarkos\). These words are sharply debated along with \tim•\ just
before. It is not unusual for \pros\ to be found in the sense of
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