{Take heed} (lepete). Present active imperative second
person plural of lep(935c), common verb for warning like our "look
out," "beware," "see to it." {Lest there shall be any one} (m(880a)tis estai). Negative purpose with the future indicative, though
the aorist subjunctive also occurs as in  2Co 12:6 . {That maketh
spoil of you} (ho sulag(9367)(936e)). Articular present active
participle of sulag(9367)e(935c), late and rare (found here first) verb
(from sul(885c), booty, and ag(935c), to lead, to carry), to carry off
as booty a captive, slave, maiden. Only here in N.T. Note the
singular here. There was some one outstanding leader who was
doing most of the damage in leading the people astray. {Through
his philosophy} (dia t(8873) philosophias). The only use of the
word in the N.T. and employed by Paul because the Gnostics were
fond of it. Old word from philosophos (philos, sophos, one
devoted to the pursuit of wisdom) and in N.T. only in  Ac 17:18 .
Paul does not condemn knowledge and wisdom (see verse  2 ), but
only this false philosophy, "knowledge falsely named"
(pseud(936e)umos gn(9373)is,  1Ti 6:20 ), and explained here by the
next words. {And vain deceit} (kai ken(8873) apat(8873)). Old word for
trick, guile, like riches ( Mt 13:22 ). Descriptive of the
philosophy of the Gnostics. {Tradition} (paradosin). Old word
from paradid(936d)i, a giving over, a passing on. The word is
colourless in itself. The tradition may be good ( 2Th 2:15  3:6 )
or bad ( Mr 7:3 ). Here it is worthless and harmful, merely the
foolish theories of the Gnostics. {Rudiments} (stoicheia). Old
word for anything in a stoichos (row, series) like the letters
of the alphabet, the materials of the universe ( 2Pe 3:10,12 ),
elementary teaching ( Heb 5:12 ), elements of Jewish ceremonial
training ( Ac 15:10  Gal 4:3,9 ), the specious arguments of the
Gnostic philosophers as here with all their aeons and rules of
life. {And not after Christ} (kai ou kata Christon). Christ is
the yardstick by which to measure philosophy and all phases of
human knowledge. The Gnostics were measuring Christ by their
philosophy as many men are doing today. They have it backwards.
Christ is the measure for all human knowledge since he is the
Creator and the Sustainer of the universe.