The Letters · New Testament
Colossians 2
Colossians 2: complete in him, and warnings against rules that look wise
General context
Paul tells the readers of his conflict for them, for those at Laodicea and for everyone who has not seen his face, wanting their hearts comforted and knit in love and brought to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, in whom all treasures of wisdom are hidden. He says this so no one beguiles them with enticing words, and adds that though absent in the flesh he is with them in spirit. They received Christ Jesus the Lord, so they should walk in him, rooted and established in the faith they were taught. He warns them against philosophy and vain deceit, which follows the tradition of men and the rudiments of the world rather than Christ, since all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily and they are complete in him. In him they were circumcised without hands, buried with him in baptism and raised through faith, and while dead in their sins he made them alive with him and forgave all trespasses. The handwriting of ordinances against them was blotted out and nailed to the cross, and principalities and powers were stripped and shown openly. From this he draws conclusions. Nobody should judge them over food, drink, a holyday, a new moon or sabbath days, a shadow of things to come. Nobody should cheat them of a reward through a chosen humility and the worshipping of angels, not holding the Head from which the whole body is nourished. If they died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, he asks, why are they still bound by rules like touch not, taste not, handle not, human commands about perishable things, with a show of wisdom but no value against the flesh.
Cited passages: Colossians 2:1, Colossians 2:2, Colossians 2:3, Colossians 2:4, Colossians 2:5, Colossians 2:6, Colossians 2:7, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:9, Colossians 2:10, Colossians 2:11, Colossians 2:12, Colossians 2:13, Colossians 2:14, Colossians 2:15, Colossians 2:16, Colossians 2:17, Colossians 2:18, Colossians 2:19, Colossians 2:20, Colossians 2:21, Colossians 2:22, Colossians 2:23
Colossians 2 (KJV)
1For 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;
2That 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;
3In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
5For 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.
6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8Beware 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.
9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11In 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:
12Buried 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.
13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14Blotting 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;
15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16Let 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:
17Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18Let 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,
19And 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.
20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23Which 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.
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Historical context
The chapter states plainly that Paul has not met many of these readers, naming his concern for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. Laodicea is the only place named. The teaching he opposes is never given a name and no teacher is identified; it is described by what it does. The letter's own label for it is philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and the practices listed are judgement in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, and three commands quoted as slogans, Touch not; taste not; handle not. The chapter does not say who issues those commands beyond calling them the commandments and doctrines of men. No scripture is quoted, and no date, journey or companion appears.
Cited passages: Colossians 2:1, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:16, Colossians 2:18, Colossians 2:21, Colossians 2:22
Literary context
Four warnings space the chapter out, and each one begins by naming an unnamed opponent: lest any man should beguile you, Beware lest any man spoil you, Let no man therefore judge you, Let no man beguile you of your reward. Between them the argument is carried by the same linked pronouns as the previous chapter, in him dwelleth all the fulness, ye are complete in him, In whom also ye are circumcised, Buried with him, risen with him, quickened together with him. Two pictures do the heavy work in the middle. The first is legal, a debt document blotted out and nailed to a cross; the second is military, a victor exhibiting captives. The closing verses quote the opposition's own rules as three bare words each, Touch not; taste not; handle not, and put them inside a parenthesis, which lets the chapter answer a slogan by printing it.
Cited passages: Colossians 2:4, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:9, Colossians 2:10, Colossians 2:11, Colossians 2:12, Colossians 2:13, Colossians 2:14, Colossians 2:15, Colossians 2:16, Colossians 2:18, Colossians 2:21
Key moments
- For those he has not met (Colossians 2:1). Paul names his concern for readers who have never seen his face.
- Beware of vain deceit (Colossians 2:8). He warns against a teaching he calls tradition and rudiments.
- Complete in him (Colossians 2:10). The answer to the warning is stated as completeness in Christ.
- Nailed to his cross (Colossians 2:14). The record against them is described as cancelled and fastened to the cross.
- Let no man judge you (Colossians 2:16). Food, drink and calendar observances are ruled out as grounds for judgement.
- Worshipping of angels (Colossians 2:18). A second warning names a practice and the mind behind it.
- Touch not, taste not (Colossians 2:21). The opposing rules are printed as three bare commands.
For reflection
The chapter says the rules it opposes have a shew of wisdom but do nothing about the flesh. Which of your own rules are you keeping because they work, and which because they look like they should?
