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Col 2:18. Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω, let no man assume the office of umpire to dictate to you [let no man beguile you of your reward[16]]) A word closely connected with judging (κρινέτω), and establishing ordinances or dogmas (δογματίζεσθε), Col 2:16; Col 2:20; for βραβεύω, I guide or regulate [‘moderor;’ Engl. Vers. rule], see Col 3:15, note; from which καταβραβεύω differs, as καταχράομαι [abuse] differs from χράομαι [use]; and the verb itself, which is compounded with κατὰ, governs the accusative, ὑμᾶς, you, for the preposition κατὰ would require the genitive: Hesychius has καταβράβεται (read καταβραβεύεται) κατακρίνεται, καταγωνίζεται. Therefore Paul means to say, Let no one, usurping the authority of judge [arbitrator] of the prizes, and accordingly abusing it, guide and regulate you in the race which you are running, and mislead you by prescribing what you, about to receive the prize, should follow, what you should avoid. A French interpreter has skilfully used the word maitriser, “to domineer;” for the apostle is not speaking of a rival snatching the prize of the race before you, but of an odious, perverse, insolent judge (umpire). On this verb depend four participles, through as many sentences, of which the first and third, the second and fourth, have respect to each other. The manifold advantage of this Chiasmus, now noticed, will by and by appear.-θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ) Often חפץ, with ב following it, is expressed by the word θέλω, ἐθέλω, εὐδοκῶ, βούλομαι ἐν τινί, for example, 1Sa 18:22; 1Sa 18:25; comp. the compound ἐθελοθρησκεία, Col 2:23 : θέλων, one who does something with his will [with inclination: a volunteer in doing]. Comp. Mar 12:38, note.-ΤΑΠΕΙΝΟΦΡΟΣΎΝῌ ΚΑῚ ΘΡΗΣΚΕΊᾼ ΤῶΝ ἈΓΓΈΛΩΝ, with humility of feeling (sentiment) and worshipping of angels) A Hendiadys. They worship angels under pretext of humility and modesty, as if they dared not immediately and directly address themselves to God and Christ. “This error,” says Alexander Morus, “had driven its roots so deep into the earth, that not even after three centuries could it be pulled out; for the 35th canon of the Council of Laodicea was framed against it; and this city was the metropolis of Phrygia, where Colosse also was. That canon condemns the Angelici, for so they were called.” “The Angelici,” says Augustine Haeres. 39, “are those inclined to the worship of angels.” By this authority, the invocation of saints and intercourse with spirits, how plausible soever they may be, are entirely taken away.-ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν, ἐμβατεύων) Heinsius observes, This language is similar in principle to that of the Greek tragedians, ΚΕῖΝʼ ἘΜΒΑΤΕΎΩΝ, ὍΣΣΑ ΜῊ ΒΛΈΠΕΙΝ ΘΈΜΙς, intruding into those things at which it is unlawful to look. Ἑώρακεν, saw with the eyes, and ἘΜΒΑΤΕΎΩΝ, intruding with the feet, are spoken metaphorically of the mind. The foot should not get before the eyes: ἐμβατεύω, I go in, I enter in, I pass through (penetrate). It is used concerning a hostile invasion, 1Ma 12:25. It is figuratively applied to the understanding, and signifies, I pry into or search, I handle, Chrys. de Sac. For how should Christ, ὁ τὰς ἁπάντων ἐμβατεύων καρδίας, who searches the hearts of all, ask for the sake of learning? On this passage we have made several observations, T. I. p. 376. Moreover, there is a compound, ΚΕΝΕΜΒΑΤΕῖΝ, said of the vain study of abstruse subjects, on which see Suicer’s Thesaurus; and the same Al. Morus proves by the examples taken from Damascius, that this word was used by Plato. And there is little doubt, that Paul himself had in his mind the word of Plato, when he was refuting those who held the same opinion as Plato concerning angels; comp. κενῆς, Col 2:8. But yet, when he might have said, ἃ μὴ ἑώρα κενεμβατεύων, he yet does not say so (for the things into which the καταβραβεύων intrudes, are not in themselves utterly κενὰ, vain, but only not seen by him); but he lays down something even more weighty, since the ἐμβατεύειν rather expresses the haughtiness of the καταβραβεὑων. On the opposite side, the κρατεῖν, to hold the Head, corresponds, which is not done in vain, but tends to increase.-ΦΥΣΙΟΎΜΕΝΟς, puffed up) The antithesis is, humility of sentiment (ΤΑΠΕΙΝΟΦΡΟΣὐΝῌ); and yet these two are joined together.
[16] This is the Engl. Vers. Bengel translates it, let no one treat you according to his own whim (pro arbitrio). The verb καταβραβεύω signifies to decide against any one in adjudging the prizes at the public games. It appears, from a passage in Demosthenes, to imply fraud and injustice in the decision.
Wahl, Clavis N. T., renders the verb, palma or prœmio fraudo. “Properly it means, to be umpire in a contest to the detriment of some one.”-ED.