Colossians - An Expositional Study
WARNING OF SNARES
Paul is deeply anxious about the safety and welfare of the flock. It appears from the first verse of this chapter that he had not visited Colossae; that these Christians were not his children in the faith. Perhaps Epaphras (Col. 1:7), their founder and leader, was one of Paul's converts. If so, then the Colossian Christians were indirectly in Christ because of Paul. If that be the case, then the readers of this letter would be Paul's grandchildren; and he certainly displays a grandfatherly concern for their spiritual well-being. There is clear evidence that these Christians had grown "in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18). But false teaching is afoot. Perhaps, Epaphras went to Rome for the purpose of discussing it with Paul, seeking his help but of course this is not stated. Our present text is filled with deep spiritual thoughts. Let us briefly seek to grasp the basic drift of its arguments.
Scripture Reading: Colossians 2:11-17 (KJV)
"buried with Him in baptism"
The old and new covenants represent the alternative theme of verses 11-12. The controversy dogged Paul's footsteps almost everywhere he went. It was a widespread view of these teachers that no Gentile could become a Christian except via Judaism. In other words, he must submit to the law of circumcision. But Paul points out that with the coming of Christ a new covenant has been inaugurated, a new way to reach God's covenant relationship, a new circumcision, not of the flesh but of the spirit, symbolized in baptism. In baptism the recipient identifies with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection to life (see Rom. 6). "I have been crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live" (Gal. 2:20). Are we then to understand that Paul was speaking disparagingly, even scornfully, of the Old Covenant? No not at all.
"together with Him"
Consequently, the Blessing in Christ is placed before us in verses 13-15. Through our union with Him in His dying and rising, "together with Him," we have, among many other blessings, the primary advantage of the forgiveness of sins, for through "His cross" and "in it" He accomplished an open triumph over all the forces of evil. Note how Paul describes "the great Transaction," as characterized by Philip Doddridge's hymn, "Oh Happy Day." Consider "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us", the Ten Commandments, "written with the finger of God" (Ex. 31:18); "Against us" (Deut. 9:10), because they convict and condemn us for having gravely and grievously broken them. There stands the Law; how did Love deal with the situation? – "Took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross." When the Romans crucified a man, it was customary to write a card stating the nature of his crime, nailing it to the upright of his cross. This is exactly what happened in the case of our Lord, whose "superscription of His accusation" (Mark 15:26) proclaimed that His crime was His claim to be "King of the Jews" as if setting Himself against Caesar. According to Paul, the truer "title" was that the Ten Words were nailed there and the condemnation was for the breaking of the whole gamut of God's commands which Jesus had not broken – we had. He suffered in our stead. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Is. 53:6). So, "he that believeth on Him is not condemned" (John 3:18; 24). Not in Judaism, except as a picture. Only in Jesus Christ is our hope of salvation.
"sabbath days..shadow of things to come"
The shadow and the substance is the way Paul designates the contrast in verses 16-17. Under the Old Economy of Law there were rules and regulations which the godly man was expected to observe – foods and feasts were appointed by God for man's health and holiness. However, with Divine blessing all is altered under the New Economy of Grace, even "the sabbath day" is no longer to be honored. Under the New Economy of Grace Christian's are to honor Sunday, the first day of the week, in memory of Jesus Christ. No Gentile convert is to be "judged", condemned, because of non-compliance with ancient requirements. Christians "are not under law [Gk.] but under grace" (Rom. 6:14). That doesn't mean that we may live lawlessly, with a license to sin (v. 15); "God forbid," says the horrified apostle. No, indeed; but now our conduct has a new motive, not legal, but love. "Thou shalt do no murder" is not cancelled, but now it is controlled by a new spirit. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor." But does all this mean that the Old Order is to be despised? No, again "which are a shadow of things to come", a Divinely directed fore-shadowing of the Christ Who was to be the Substance. All these ordinances pointed to Him and when He came as the complete fulfillment of them all, their purpose was fully served and the old order changed, giving place to the new. Yes, "A shadow", but a God-appointed shadow. All those Levitical sacrifices and offerings did not originate with Moses, but from God Himself so we should never speak irreverently of them, but thankfully recall their substantive significance.
Scripture Reading: Colossians 2:18 (KJV)
We have already briefly considered Gnosticism. But now, Paul goes into more detail about Gnosticism and in a few graphic expressions he gives some of its teachings. Gnosticism was a curious mixture, a crude bundle of strange fancies:
"A voluntary humility"
Feigned, false, not genuine. In other words, they put it on to put you off your guard. It is almost an obsequiousness; but don't allow it to "beguile" you.
"Worshipping of angels"
A spurious line of descending intermediaries for creating of the world. Therefore, since Gnostics allege that matter is evil, God was unable to have any direct connection with its formation, ludicrously contrasted to the Bible's simple revelation.
"Intruding into those things which he hath not seen"
The things unseen refer to the cult of the mystery religions, flourishing in the First Century. After a period of mystic preparation, one was ready to step into the secret. This "intruding" was the final step into the inner shrine, making one an initiate. Apparently, it was in this way that one became a fully-fledged member of the Gnostic sect.
"Vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind"
We have already noted that their vaunted humility was feigned, for their own purpose. Now the real truth is out, this phrase is intended to convey their intellectual pride and snobbery. So much for their humility! There very name, Gnostic, is the Greek gnosis, meaning knowledge – "we know."
Some of its losses:
It robs its devotees of true humility, which in Scripture after Scripture is seen to be of high value in the eyes of God. For instance, "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Pet. 3:4). There is no limit to what God can do with us if we are only humble enough. The key to this quality? "Not I, but Christ" (Gal. 2:20).
Gnosticism robs its adherents of the only Mediator, instead of the long procession of deteriorating go-betweens. The Bible teaches one truth – "there is One Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). God's approach to man is by that One, "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Cor. 5:19). Man's approach to God is by that One, "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). What a tragedy to be deprived of all the benefits of God's mediatorial office.
This odd doctrine negatives the revealed mystery, with all its accompanying "riches," as referred to in Colossians 1:27. The fact is that Christianity is the one only true Mystery Religion, held hidden through the long years of preparation covered by the Old Testament until men of faith, Gentile as well as Jew, were invited by God to take the step of initiation into the glorious company of the blessed Inheritors of the Open Secret, part of whose "riches" is the deeply moving truth that Christ did not merely come down to die for you, but comes to dwell in human hearts that invite Him in – "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). All this the peculiar Gnostics miss. For Christians this golden mystery holds the secret of salvation.
Scripture Reading: Colossians 2:19-23 (KJV)
In verses 19-23, we briefly notice the pitfall of asceticism, a variation of Gnosticism. There were features common to both, but the most significant difference was the emphasis on denial of the body; yet even this springs from the notion of the innate evil of matter.
"All the body by joints and bands ... knit together"
When all the parts are in the right position and in a healthy condition, the brain is able to direct the body in its various functions, regulating the service that it is intended to render. Let there be no dislocation of our soul's "joints", no slipped discs of the heart; no shrinking of the soul's "bands," the spiritual sinews and moral muscles. Let us strive to make sure that Jesus Christ, the Head shall never be impeded in His strategic work in and through us.
"Having nourishment ministered"
Again, the brain is at work for the well-being of the body, knowing how to control the nutriment supplied, turning it into life-force for the whole frame. Consider one New Testament instance regarding the remarkable way Jesus Christ, the Head, ministers to the nourishment of the soul. Two debilitated men, their spiritual vitality undermined by grief, dragging their feet along the road to their village home. Later we find them on the same road; but why this time do they have hurrying footsteps and uplifted spirits, hastening back to Jerusalem? Because Jesus Christ, the Head, has ministered nourishment, renewing their spirit and energy: by the words, "did not our hear burn within us...while He opened to us the Scriptures?" (Luke 24: 32); and by breaking of bread, "He was known of them in breaking of bread" (Luke 24:35). In His Word, at His Table, and through other means of grace, He ever desires to bring strength to our spiritual being for service and health.
"Increaseth with the increase of God"
Our bodies will not grow strong if we do not faithfully follow the dictates of the brain. Perhaps Paul was aware that some Colossian Christians were showing signs of developing into poor-hearted, small-minded, weak-kneed, flabby-muscled, thin-bodied,
lame-limbed believers. Why? Because, not holding to Jesus Christ, the Head, they had caused their strength to be sapped by insidious heresy. How different from the thrilling summons of Isaiah 35:3-4, "Strengthen ye the weak hands, confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God" Here is the ill fine, adventurous virility of the healthy, godly life. Spiritual invalidism results from "not holding the Head." Spiritual invigoration comes from "beholding your God." "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength" (Is. 40:31). What a pity that through the enervating atmosphere of heretical belief, some Christians allow themselves to sink into spiritual mediocrity, when they could be enjoying the vigors of God's salvation.
"subject to ordinances"
Paul asks, "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ...are ye subject to ordinances?" That is, if you really and truly are Christians, why allow yourselves to be misled and tied up with all these rules and regulations, whether emanating from Judaism, Gnosticism, or Asceticism? "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ bath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1). In verse 19, he puts his finger on the reason why any such defection should ever take place, "not holding the Head", not holding to the headship of the Head. Certainly, if we allowed this in our physical frame, dreadful consequences would accrue among the limbs of our body. Paul uses these material facts as similes of spiritual truths, as he did in 1 Corinthians 12.
"touch not, taste not, handle not"
Asceticism is a religion of don't – "touch not, taste not, handle not" (v. 21). Like the small boy who, when asked his name, said that it was "Don't." When told he had misunderstood the question, he insisted by saying, "Whatever I do it is always Don’t do this, Don’t do that, so my name is Don't." Poor child; poor religionist whose life is circumscribed by an eternal Don't. Thank God for positive delights of the Christian life – a bliss of which the
ascetics were bereft.
"a shew of wisdom"
It was characterized by pseudo-wisdom, "a shew [show] of wisdom." They fancied themselves, yet how unwise was their neglect of the body. Do you think Christians today are careful enough about physical well-being? – Should they not heed the reminder that "your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor. 6:19)? Should they not, by sensible feeding, cleansing, and proper exercise, seek to keep the body fit for any demands He may make of us for His service? Beware of the slick remark that it is better to wear out than to rust out. While that is true, it is far better to last out. It is unwise to be "neglecting the body."
"in will worship,"
Gnosticism exalts its own will, "in will worship," thinking to attain to the perfection desired by the exercise of strong will-power. Such is not a godly will, but is of "the flesh" – the lower carnal nature, which, Paul says, is ever "lusting against the Spirit" (Gal. 5:17). Neither the new birth, or any resulting blessing, is attainable "of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man" (John 1:13). Oh, that we would all worship according to the will of God.
What about the result of this cult of asceticism – does it work for goodness?
"not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh"
The Revised Version illuminates the meaning of this difficult phrase, "not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh." The NIV is even better, "but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." A spiritual malady cannot be cured by a physical remedy.
