Colossians Chapter 2

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Introduction

In this chapter, Paul seems to have a contrasting dual focus in his message to the believers in Colossae =>

1. He wants them to gain "all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Messiah". "God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins."
2. He wanted no one to "delude you with persuasiveness of speech" using "philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world". Paul also warned them "don’t let anyone condemn you..." and to NOT "subject yourselves to ordinances...".

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Colossians 2:1-5 For I desire to have you know how greatly I struggle for you and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Messiah, 3 in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. 4 Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Messiah.

Colossians 2:6 As therefore you received Messiah Jesus the Lord, walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:8-11 Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, from the tradition of men, and from the spiritual powers of the world, and not after Messiah. 9 For in him all the fullness of the Deity{Godhead} dwells bodily, 10 and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Messiah,

• Regarding "a circumcision not made with hands", see "Circumcision of the Heart" Bible study => https://sidnash.org/docs/HeartCircumcision.html

Colossians 2:12-15 having been buried with him in immersion{baptism}, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him{Jesus} from the dead. 13 You were also dead through your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our sins, 14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. 15 Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

• Regarding the "principalities and the powers" in verses 10 and 15, no worries about them, when Jesus is in charge of your life. See - https://sidnash.org/docs/PrincipalityPower.html
• Regarding "the handwriting in ordinances which was against us" in verse 14, and "nailing it to the cross", there are about 23 English Bible versions that support this idea of nailing the law to the cross. But, was it really the Torah Law that was nailed to the cross of our Messiah? There are about 40 English Bibles that give an understanding that is more in context with the previous and following verses. Notice in verse 13 how God forgives all our sins? Notice how there's only a comma that separates verses 13 and 14? Those two verses are one sentence - one thought. Here is how the NLT, one of the 40 translations, verses 13-15 reads =>
  • Colossians 2:13-15 => "You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."
• So, rather that nailing the Torah law to the cross, God nailed the penalty of your sins to the cross. Why? =>
  • Romans 6:23 For the wages{penalty} of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21 Him{Jesus} who knew no sin he{God} made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him{Jesus}.
  • Galatians 3:13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.( Deut 21:23 )”

Colossians 2:15-16 {By nailing the penalty of your sins to the cross, Messiah} disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. 16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or sabbaths.

• The "sabbaths" referred to would not be the 7th-day Sabbath. Why?
  • Verse 17 says that "these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come", but the 7th-day Sabbath is a memorial of Creation( Gen2:1-5 ) -- not a shadow from the future.
  • Paul would never suggest violating the 4th Commandment. However, there were several feasts/festivals that had a special sabbath day of rest. He is likely referring to those. See Lev. 23:6-8,15,16,21,24,25,27,28,37,38
• See Acts 15 for Gentile responsibilities. Here is part of the conclusion =>
  • Acts 15:23-29 They wrote these things by their hand: “The emissaries, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings. 24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the Torah,’ to whom we gave no commandment; 25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 27 We have sent therefore Judah and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.

Colossians 2:17 For these rules {"what you eat or drink, or... celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or sabbaths"} are only shadows of the reality yet to come; but the body is Messiah’s.

• The best explanation I've found of verse 17 =>

  • Hebrews 10:1-10 For the Torah, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me. 6 You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’ ” 8 ¶ Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the Torah), 9 then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, 10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus the Messiah once for all.

Colossians 2:18-19 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Messiah, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

• Regarding the "worshiping of the angels", see: Rev22:8-9;Mt4:9-10;Lk4:7-8;Rom1:25
• "body" refers to the symbolic body of Messiah - the body of believers in Jesus

Colossians 2:20-23 You died with Messiah from the spiritual powers of the world. So why do you still subject yourselves to ordinances, 21 “Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch” 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

• While the things in Paul's list "provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires", the next chapter - Colossians 3 does provide this sort of help...

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Concluding Remarks - in audio