Colossians 2:8

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

'Beware ("Look" well) lest there shall be [as I fear there is: the indicative, estai (G2071)] any man (pointing to some known seducer, Galatians 1:7) leading you (like others) away as his spoil [ humas (G5209) estai (G2071) ho (G3588) sulagoogoon (G4812)] through his philosophy,' etc. The apostle does not condemn all philosophy, but 'the [current: tees (G3588)] philosophy' (associated inseparably with 'empty deceit,' by one preposition and one article to both) of the Judaic-oriental heretics at Colosse, afterward developed into Gnosticism. You who may have "the riches of the full assurance" and "the treasures of wisdom" (Colossians 2:2; Colossians 2:9) should not suffer yourselves to be led away as a spoil by empty philosophy (in body, by ritualistic impositions, Colossians 2:16; Colossians 2:21; Colossians 2:23; in mind, by heresies, Colossians 2:18). "Riches" are contrasted with spoil; "full" With "vain," or empty.

After `according to ' After - `according to.'

Tradition of men - opposed to "the fullness of the Godhead." Rabinical traditions. (Mark 7:8). When men could not make revelation even seem to tell about deep mysteries which they were curious to pry into, they brought in human philosophy and pretended traditions to help it, as if one should bring a lamp to the sun-dial to find the hour ('Cautions for Times,' p. 85). The false teachers boasted of a higher wisdom, transmitted by tradition among the initiated; in practice they enjoined asceticism, as though matter and the body were the sources of evil. Phrygia (in which was Colosse) had a propensity for the mystical and magical, which appeared in their worship of Cybele and subsequent Montanism.

Rudiments of the world (note, Galatians 4:3) - the elementary lessons "of the (outward) world," such as legal ordinances: our Judaic childhood's lessons (Colossians 2:11; Colossians 2:16; Colossians 2:20; Galatians 4:1). 'The elements of the world,' in the sense, what is earthly, carnal, and outward, are close akin to non-Christian 'rudiments of religion,' Judaical and paganish. Any return to sensuous services now is essentially "worldly" (Hebrews 9:1).

Not after Christ. Their boasted higher "philosophy" is but human tradition-a cleaving to the worldly, not to Christ. Acknowledging Christ nominally, in spirit they deny him.