Colossians2
World English Bible · Public Domain
1For 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;
2that 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 Christ,
3in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
4Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
5For 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 Christ.
6As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving.
8Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elemental spirits of the world, and not after Christ.
9For in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells bodily,
10and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power.
11In 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 Christ,
12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.
15Having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,
17which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.
18Let no one rob you of your prize by self-abasement and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God’s growth.
20If you died with Christ from the elemental spirits of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances,
21“Don’t handle, nor taste, nor touch”
22(all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men?
23These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body, but aren’t of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Colossians 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The apostle expresses his love to, and joy in believers. (1–7). He cautions against the errors of heathen philosophy; also against Jewish traditions, and rites which had been fulfilled in Christ. (8–17). Against worshipping angels; and against legal ordinances. (18–23).
vv1-7
The soul prospers when we have clear knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. When we not only believe with the heart, but are ready, when called, to make confession with the mouth. Knowledge and faith make a soul rich. The stronger our faith, and the warmer our love, the more will our comfort be. The treasures of wisdom are hid, not from us, but for us, in Christ. These were hid from proud unbelievers, but displayed in the person and redemption of Christ. See the danger of enticing words; how many are ruined by the false disguises and fair appearances of evil principles and wicked practices! Be aware and afraid of those who would entice to any evil; for they aim to spoil you. All Christians have, in profession at least, received Jesus Christ the Lord, consented to him, and taken him for theirs. We cannot be built up in Christ, or grow in him, unless we are first rooted in him, or founded upon him. Being established in the faith, we must abound therein, and improve in it more and more. God justly withdraws this benefit from those who do not receive it with thanksgiving; and gratitude for his mercies is justly required by God.
vv8-17
There is a philosophy which rightly exercises our reasonable faculties; a study of the works of God, which leads us to the knowledge of God, and confirms our faith in him. But there is a philosophy which is vain and deceitful; and while it pleases men's fancies, hinders their faith: such are curious speculations about things above us, or no concern to us. Those who walk in the way of the world, are turned from following Christ. We have in Him the substance of all the shadows of the ceremonial law. All the defects of it are made up in the gospel of Christ, by his complete sacrifice for sin, and by the revelation of the will of God. To be complete, is to be furnished with all things necessary for salvation. By this one word “complete,” is shown that we have in Christ whatever is required. “In him,” not when we look to Christ, as though he were distant from us, but we are in him, when, by the power of the Spirit, we have faith wrought in our hearts by the Spirit, and we are united to our Head. The circumcision of the heart, the crucifixion of the flesh, the death and burial to sin and to the world, and the resurrection to newness of life, set forth in baptism, and by faith wrought in our hearts, prove that our sins are forgiven, and that we are fully delivered from the curse of the law. Through Christ, we, who were dead in sins, are quickened. Christ's death was the death of our sins; Christ's resurrection is the quickening of our souls. The law of ordinances, which was a yoke to the Jews, and a partition-wall to the Gentiles, the Lord Jesus took out of the way. When the substance was come, the shadows fled. Since every mortal man is, through the hand-writing of the law, guilty of death, how very dreadful is the condition of the ungodly and unholy, who trample under foot that blood of the Son of God, whereby alone this deadly hand-writing can be blotted out! Let not any be troubled about bigoted judgments which related to meats, or the Jewish solemnities. The setting apart a portion of our time for the worship and service of God, is a moral and unchangeable duty, but had no necessary dependence upon the seventh day of the week, the sabbath of the Jews. The first day of the week, or the Lord's day, is the time kept holy by Christians, in remembrance of Christ's resurrection. All the Jewish rites were shadows of gospel blessings.
vv18-23
It looked like humility to apply to angels, as if men were conscious of their unworthiness to speak directly to God. But it is not warrantable; it is taking that honour which is due to Christ only, and giving it to a creature. There really was pride in this seeming humility. Those who worship angels, disclaim Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man. It is an insult to Christ, who is the Head of the church, to use any intercessors but him. When men let go their hold of Christ, they catch at what will stand them in no stead. The body of Christ is a growing body. And true believers cannot live in the fashions of the world. True wisdom is, to keep close to the appointments of the gospel; in entire subjection to Christ, who is the only Head of his church. Self-imposed sufferings and fastings, might have a show of uncommon spirituality and willingness for suffering, but this was not “in any honour” to God. The whole tended, in a wrong manner, to satisfy the carnal mind, by gratifying self-will, self-wisdom, self-righteousness, and contempt of others. The things being such as carry not with them so much as the show of wisdom; or so faint a show that they do the soul no good, and provide not for the satisfying of the flesh. What the Lord has left indifferent, let us regard as such, and leave others to the like freedom; and remembering the passing nature of earthly things, let us seek to glorify God in the use of them.
Key Words
γάρ (gár): properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
θέλω (thélō): to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas G1014 (βούλομαι) properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i.e. choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i.e. be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism, to delight in
ὑμᾶς (hymâs): you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
εἴδω (eídō): used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι) and G3708 (ὁράω); properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
ἡλίκος (hēlíkos): as big as, i.e. (interjectively) how much
ἀγών (agṓn): properly, a place of assembly (as if led), i.e. (by implication) a contest (held there); figuratively, an effort or anxiety
ἔχω (échō): to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
περί (perí): properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period)
ὑμῶν (hymōn): of (from or concerning) you
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
Cross References
Colossians 2Direct parallel: Jewish ceremonial laws and feasts as shadows of the good things to come in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Identical theology of being buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Parallels the anatomical metaphor of the body, joints, and bands growing under Christ's headship.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Verbal link with 'striving' (conflict/agon), carrying over Paul's intense pastoral labor from chapter 1.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Echoes how believers receive of His fullness, where the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwells.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Describes spiritual circumcision of the heart, made without hands, in the spirit rather than the letter.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Parallels the abolishing of the law of commandments contained in ordinances on the cross.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Christ's triumph on the cross fulfills the protoevangelium: bruising the serpent's head by spoiling principalities.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Connects the 'mystery of God' with the great mystery of godliness manifested in the flesh.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Old Testament background for the command to circumcise the foreskin of the heart, not just physical.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Christ destroying him who had the power of death (the devil) through His death.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Condemns returning to weak and beggarly elements/rudiments of the world after knowing God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Alludes to Isaiah 29:13 and Christ's condemnation of teaching human commandments as divine doctrines.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Alludes to 'treasures' and 'wisdom' being hidden, like the parable of the treasure hid in a field.
Supported by JFB
Paul's pastoral presence in spirit with a church despite being absent physically.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Christ's exaltation far above all principality, power, might, and dominion.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB