Colossians 2

Colossians 2:1
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

Paul’s heartfelt letter continues to pour off the pages.

He wanted the Colossians to comprehend how much he cared about their spiritual well-being. Even though Paul had never seen them face to face. That’s true love right there. Investing time and effort into people you have never met for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:2
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Paul’s entire goal…

We learned that in Colossians 1:9.

His “desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

Paul wanted the Colossians and the Laodiceans to be filled with knowledge and spiritual understanding of God. He wanted them to understand this “mystery of God,” which is His Divine plan as revealed through Christ.

A plan that opens salvation for all, through our acceptance of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:3
In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

In whom?

In Jesus are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

Without coming to know Jesus, we will never have spiritual treasure. We will never obtain spiritual wisdom and knowledge. Always remember, we can only approach our Heavenly Father through the Son, (John 14:6).

If you hope to obtain salvation and spiritual treasure, come to Jesus.

Colossians 2:4
And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

“And this I say,” meaning, Paul’s bringing this up in case some men lead you astray through deceptive words.

Unfortunately, many men will put on a cloak of religion in order to draw money from your wallet. They will twist and distort the Word of God to make it fit their rationale and to make them seem all-knowing in the Scriptures.

Don’t let men’s words lead you astray. You stay rooted and grounded in the Word of God in order to obtain those spiritual rewards and impress our Heavenly Father.

Colossians 2:5
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

Though Paul had never met the Colossians, he was with them through the Spirit.

That same sentiment applies to us today. Though I am not near you right now, we are gathered together through the Spirit, while we study this fantastic book of Colossians!

Walk In Christ

Colossians 2:6-7
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

You always want to remember this.

Just as you received Jesus Christ into your heart in the beginning, continue to walk that path. Don’t veer from Jesus due to the pervasive words of the world. We can never be a friend of the world and a friend of Jesus, it just won’t work, so don’t even try, (Matthew 6:24, 1 John 2:15).

Instead, stay rooted in Christ, stay established in the faith that you accepted.

Philosophy And Vain Deceit

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.

Corruption in our world is nothing new, it’s been going on since the dawn of time.

As the Colossians were being warned here, we are being warned as well. Men will try to influence you through “philosophy” and “vain deceit,” which is “empty delusion.” Men will use deceit to convince you God is not real or that you should not listen to Him.

Those are the “rudiments” of the world, which are its “principles.” That’s why you cannot walk with Jesus and the world. The two are incompatible. The world wants money and power, while Jesus told us to lay that aside and follow Him.

I want you to note, the word “philosophy” even means, “specifically Jewish sophistry.” This truly embraces Paul’s warning to the Colossians. To better understand that, we need to know what “sophistry” means.

“The use of fallacious arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving.”

You want to remember, during the time of Paul and the Colossians, the church was heavily persecuted by the Jews. Being, those who study the Talmud today. In fact, if you’ve ever read the Talmud, you will really understand what Paul is getting at. He was no doubt a scholar of it himself, being a former Pharisee.

So hold true to Jesus no matter what men whisper into your ears, that’s your takeaway.

Colossians 2:9
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

The word “Godhead” actually means, “divinity.”

We are simply being told, in Jesus dwells the fullness of the divinity. Jesus is the Son of God, who is the image of God, the agent of God, used to create the world, and the One our Father used to save the world.

Colossians 2:10
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

What exactly does that mean?

It means, we have no need for other knowledge, philosophy, or tradition in order to obtain salvation. Jesus Christ paid the price, Christ who is the head of all, “the head of the body” as we learned in Colossians 1:18.

1. Through Christ, we obtain wisdom and knowledge.
2. Through Christ, we obtain atonement for our sins.
3. Through Christ, we obtain redemption and eternal life.

No other spiritual knowledge from any other source is required.

Colossians 2:11
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

In the Old Testament, circumcision was made with hands, it was a blood ordinance. Yet, with the advent of Jesus, we become circumcized “without hands,” through Christ. Through our acceptance of Him.

This was a radical change, or better said, fulfillment of the Old Testament.

Colossians 2:12
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

It was God the Father who raised the Son from the dead, (Acts 2:32, 4:10, 5:30).

When we accept and follow Christ, we too will be raised into everlasting life, (Romans 10:9, 2 Corinthians 4:14).

Colossians 2:13
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Like the Colossians, we become dead to our sins when we repent from them, accept Jesus, and live according to the Bible. When we do our part, then God erases our faults, (Isaiah 1:18, Hebrews 10:17).

Blotting Out Ordinances

Colossians 2:14
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

There we have it.

This is why Christians do not partake of the feast days in the Old Testament that were soaked in blood sacrifice. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He fulfilled the sacrifices of old.

Look what the book of Hebrews tells us,

• “…we are sanctified through the offering … of Jesus Christ once for all.” – Heb 10:10
• “…he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever” – Heb 10:12
• “…by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” – Heb 10:14

Jesus Christ fulfilled all the blood sacrifices from the past, offering His own body, one time for the remission of sins. That’s why He is known as the Lamb, He even replaced the passover lamb from the days of Moses.

This is also why the circumcision can be made “without hands.” It’s no longer literal, but within our hearts, through our acceptance of Jesus, (Romans 2:29).

Therefore, through Christ’s sacrifice, He “perfected” which means “completed” us. He “sanctified” which is “purified” us.

We become complete through Jesus who purified us from our sins.

Now, why are we being told about this?

Think about the context, think about what you have been reading.

Just a few verses ago, Paul said,

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

Colossians 2:8

During that time, Talmudic Jews performed blood sacrifices, even to this day. Their message was that Christ was not the Messiah, and that blood sacrifice should still be performed. That’s why Paul was drilling all of this into the mind of the Colossians.

To ensure the Colossians, and you, obtain the knowledge of Jesus, and continue to walk with Him each and every day. Never allowing the world and the philosophy of the time to corrupt you.

Colossians 2:15
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

This verse helps tie together the former thoughts.

In one sense, through the sacrifice of Jesus, He overcame those who destroyed His flesh. Those Pharisees that ruled the religious institutions of the time. Yet, it goes far deeper than this.

These “principalities and powers” are truly those of Ephesians 6:12, Satan and his evil angels. Jesus sealed their fate, “that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil,” (Hebrews 2:14).

Amen!

Let No One Judge You

Colossians 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Again, remember the context.

It’s not allowing the world and vain philosophy to pervert you from the truth that is in Christ.

In the Colossian’s time, Christians were no doubt judged extensively for not observing the Old Testament law and the tradition of the Jews. That’s been Paul’s message for several verses now.

At this point, let’s take a moment to analyze and break down verse 16.

• “judge you in meat, or in drink”
• “respect of an holyday, or of the new moon”
• “the sabbath days”

These elements refer to Old Testament customs, and even the “traditions” of the elders (Jews) who modified the old laws to fit their own ideology.

Judge you in meat or drink

• The Pharisees once asked Jesus why the Disciples ate bread with “unwashed hands,” (Mar 7:1-9, 15-23).
• It’s doubtful this was a concern of hygiene, more likely it was tied to Jewish rituals which is why Christ rejected it.
• Paul also tells us, Christians can eat meat sacrificed to an idol, but we should not do it in front of a weak brother, (1 Corinthians 8).

Respect of an holyday, or of the new moon

• “Holyday” actually means, “a festival, feast.”
• As we learned, the feast days were surrounded in blood sacrifice.
• Jesus “took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross,” (Col 2:14).

The sabbath days

• This primarily references the feast days formerly discussed, (1 Ch 23:31).
• On the seven day sabbath, Christ implied it’s better to do good, and the Disciples even picked corn, (Lu 6:9, Mat 12:1-8).
• Tradition established the sabbath for worship, but God said it was for rest. As Christ said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath,” (Mar 2:27).

That’s why we’re not to allow someone to judge us concerning these things. They are either rooted in the Old Testament, or tradition, and we are to be rooted in Jesus Christ.

All right, let’s have the next verse.

Colossians 2:17
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

All of the things we just discussed were a “shadow” of Christ who was to come. They were precursors that kept the ancient Israelites accountable to God until “the mystery of God” was revealed to mankind.

Colossians 2:18
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Never allow someone to “beguile” which means ‘to defraud you of salvation.’ As we’ve been learning, man and their tradition will pervert your mind away from Christ if you allow it.

During the time of the Colossians, as today, there are spiritually minded people whose spirits are not grounded in Christ. Instead, they worship angels, false gods, and made-up deities. This was very common in the days of old.

In fact, it was these people who wanted the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but for their own gain and betterment, (Acts 8:9-22).

Colossians 2:19
And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Who is the head?

Christ is the head of the church and we make up the many membered body. Sticking to this formula is how we obtain eternal life. Never let a soul persuade you otherwise.

Colossians 2:20
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Can you grasp the depth of that statement?

Since we are one with Christ, the principles of the world are dead to us. Therefore, we are not subject to them or the ordinances that were once “contrary to us” as Christ “took it out of the way.” Being of course, all blood sacrifice.

Colossians 2:21
(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

No doubt referring to the tradition of the elders.

Colossians 2:22
Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

What’s being said here?

In verse 20 we’re told, through Jesus the principals of the world have no meaning to us. Neither do various religious ordinances.

This tells us, the thoughts of:

1. “judge you in meat, or in drink”
2. “respect of an holyday, or of the new moon”
3. “the sabbath days”
4. “worshipping angels”

Have ties to “the commandments and doctrines of men.”

While the first three items originated from the Old Testament, they became “the commandments and doctrines of men” through their modification, (2 Kings 17:19). Through their rejection of Christ’s fulfillment of them.

This was no doubt due to the Talmudic Jews and their “tradition of the elders” that Jesus often referenced.

Remember:

• They questioned Jesus and the Disciples at mealtime over “unwashed hands.”
• They questioned Jesus and the Disciples about picking corn on the sabbath day.

Therefore, Paul has been discussing long-held traditions that were being used to influence Christians away from Christ. That’s why Paul has been so insistent that we push away the world and focus on our walk with Jesus. Not what other traditions would have us believe.

Remember, the sole point of this entire chapter resides in verse 8. Do not allow man to pervert you through “philosophy” and “tradition.” Instead, stay focused on Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:23
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Paul is saying, sure the traditions they perform appear religious, but their actions do not honor God. Instead, their actions seek to gratify the flesh, not the spirit as we have been instructed.

We should remember, it’s these same people who,

“…love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.”

Matthew 6:5

My friends, when you walk after tradition, you are walking after the world.

Instead, lay all tradition aside, and walk with Jesus Christ.