C.F.D. Moule on Greed (Col 3:5)

“If πλεονεξία meant ‘acquisitiveness’ in any form—simply the opposite of the desire to give—it would be possible to link it with the fact that the essence of idolatry (whether in a gross or a refined form) is the desire to get, the desire to use God for man’s ends, in contrast to true worship, which is man’s desire to yield himself to God’s service."

Moule eventually concludes that the meaning "is simply the less subtle one that the πλεονέκτης worships Gain as his god,” but his own more subtle observation is still worth pondering.

Quotations from C.F.D. Moule, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians and to Philemon (Cambridge: 1962), 116-117.

C.F.D. Moule on Incorporation in Christ

"Christianity is such that its 'theology and ethics' are, by their very nature, inseparable; for it is neither a merely intellectual statement of philosophy nor merely a system of rules for conduct: it is incorporation in Christ, which means faith and practice in one--pattern and power together; mind, will, and emotions working in co-operation" (113).

"Thus, Christian conduct is the result, not simply of the effort to be good, but of incorporation into the Body of Christ" (114).

"St Paul's meaning is evidently something like what Christ dramatically expressed by 'Take up your cross and follow me' (Mark viii. 34, etc.): that is, to follow Jesus means complete devotion, even to the extent of regarding oneself--one's own private desires and ambitions--as 'sentenced to death', or as in fact 'dead'. Yet there is a difference; for whereas Jesus, during his ministry and before his death and resurrection, could only summon disciples ot the effort to 'follow' in obedience, St Paul, called by the risen, heavenly Christ, has found, by incorporation in him, the transforming strength to achieve such devotion. The injunction νεκρώσατε--kill self-centredness--becomes progressively a possibility for those who are united by Baptism with the Body of Christ" (114-115).

Quotations from C.F.D. Moule, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians and to Philemon (Cambridge: 1962) on Colossians 3:5-17.

C.F.D. Moule on Colossians 2:6

I'm quite sure this is profound, but I'm not quite sure what it means:

"The virtual identification of the tradition of the facts about Christ with the believer's experience of the living Christ himself is here strikingly illustrated: 'As, therefore, you received as tradition [the account of] Jesus as Christ and Lord, conduct your lives as incorporated in him.' The Christian Gospel is essentially an historical account of what happened in the past; yet also essentially, it means incorporation now in the still living Person of whom it tells--the contemporary Christ. Thus, in a sense, the living Christ is the tradition of himself." - C.F.D. Moule, The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians and to Philemon (Cambridge: 1962), 89.

 Perhaps this is related: "Jesus and me broke up." HT: Ben Myers.