FRAMEWORKS:
Colossians 2
In
this ‘Framework' we use our usual text PLUS comment style to enable
you, as simply as possible, to catch the sense of his writing.
[Note:
Because it is sometimes difficult to follow the flow
of a letter like this, we have added a synopsis of each chapter
& passage to help clarify where Paul is going with his writing.]
[Chapter
2 Synopsis: Paul is for them even though not having met
them, and reminds them that they have died and been raised again
and freed from rules-keeping by the work of Christ, unlike the
false teachers who seek to impose rules on them]
v.1-5
Paul there for them
v.6-15
Spiritual Fullness in Christ
v.16-23
Freedom From Human Rules
v.1-5
Paul there for them
[Passage
Synopsis: Paul expresses how hard he is working for them – even
though he hasn't met them – desiring that they be encouraged and
united and have full understanding of the mystery of Christ, that
no one will deceive them. He is ‘with them' even though he's not
there]
v.1
(he is working
for them even though not having seen them) I
want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those
at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.
v.2,3
(he wants to
encourage, unite and bring understanding of the mystery of Christ)
My
goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love,
so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding,
in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
in
whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
v.4
(I'm saying
this to repel detractors) I
tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding
arguments.
v.5
(for I'm blessed
about what I hear about you) For
though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in
spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm
your faith in Christ is.
v.6-15
Spiritual Fullness in Christ
[Passage
Synopsis: live out and be built up in Christ, rejecting deceiving
philosophy teachers who don't rely on Christ – Christ, the fullness
of God on earth, head over all, in whom we were ‘circumcised'
– our ‘self' being cut off when we died to the old life and were
raised by Christ to the new forgiven life, our sins having been
taken away in the Cross and the enemy powers disarmed.]
v.6,7
(so carry on
and be built up even stronger in Christ) So
then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live
your lives in him, rooted
and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,
and overflowing with thankfulness.
v.8
(beware those
who would bring a man-based tradition rather than Christ-based)
See
to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive
philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental
spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
v.9,10
(for only in
him is the full presence of God so he is over every authority)
For
in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
and
in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over
every power and authority.
v.11,12
(through Christ
you received a different sort of circumcision whereby you old
‘self' was cut off and destroyed when you died and were raised
again through faith) In
him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed
by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off
when you were circumcised by Christ, having
been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised
with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised
him from the dead.
v.13,14
(and God came
and made you alive again, forgiven as your sins were taken by
Christ on the Cross) When
you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh,
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having
canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against
us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
v.15
(and thus he
disarmed the (accusing) enemy) And
having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle
of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
v.16-23
Freedom From Human Rules
[Passage
Synopsis: Part of that freedom means we no longer have to worry
about what we eat or drink or about keeping special days, for
those laws merely pointed to a future reality, so don't let be
put off by false teachers not part of the body of Christ, so don't
accept the rules they seek to impose that seem good but have no
ability to set you free]
v.16
(so refuse to
be judged on what you eat or drink or what you do on so-called
religious days) Therefore
do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with
regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath
day.
v.17
(those laws
simply pointed to the reality in Christ to come) These
are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however,
is found in Christ.
v.18
(don't let these
humble-looking deceivers out you off, they are unspiritual)
Do
not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship
of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail
about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions
by their unspiritual mind.
v.19
(they aren't
connected to Christ our head who unites us and causes us to grow)
They
have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body,
supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows
as God causes it to grow.
v.20,21
(because we
died to all these things so don't follow their rule-keeping)
Since
you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this
world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you
submit to its rules: “Do
not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?
v.22
(these human-originating
rules won't last) These
rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish
with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.
v.23 (at
first sight they appear good but do nothing to set us free some
self-centred sin) Such
regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed
worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the
body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.