20If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
Interesting Words
shadow
(σκιά – Greek) – skia ► noun: shade, a shadow (darkness of error) – Matt 4:16; Heb 8:5, 10:1;
substance, body
(σῶμα – Greek) – sóma ► noun: the body, as a sound whole, substance, (from verb sózó, to save) – Matt 6:23; Luke 11:34-35, 36;
defrauding
(καταβραβεύω – Greek) – katabrabeuó ► verb: award the price against, to defraud (of salvation), umpire against, from negative of root to arbitrate – both the word and its positive root are used only once in NT, here. The positive root is used in Col 3:15;
supplied
(ἐπιχορηγέω – Greek) – epichorégeó ► verb: to furnish besides, i.e. fully supply, (figuratively) aid or contribute, minister aid, nourishment – 2Cor 9:10; Gal 3:5; 2Peter 1:5, 11;
held together
(συμβιβάζω – Greek) – sumbibazó ► verb: to drive together, to knit together, unite (in association or affection), (mentally) to infer, show, teach – Acts 9:22; 1Cor 2:16; Eph 4:16; Col 2:2;
growth
(αὐξάνω – Greek) – auxanó ► verb – prolonged form of a primary verb; to grow (“wax”), enlarge, increase – Matt 13:32; Luke 12:27; Acts 6:7, 19:20; 1Cor 3:6-7;
elementary principles
(στοιχεῖον – Greek) – stoicheion ► noun: element, principle, rudiment, basic fundamentals, something orderly in arrangement – Gal 4:3, 9; Heb 5:12; 2Peter 3:10, 11, 12;
self-made
(ἐθελοθρησκεία – Greek) – ethelothréskia ► noun: willful (arbitrary and unwarranted) piety, pretended, false, or counterfeit observance – used once in NT, here.
Cross References
▪︎ The Church is held together by joints and ligaments – Eph 4:3, 16; Col 3:14;
▪︎ Causing growth from God – Acts 6:7; Eph 4:15, 16;
▪︎ Prov 14:12
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1. Describe the two competing systems that Paul is referencing in Col 2:16-17, 18.
▪︎ One is ruled by men who judge based on their own logic and ideas. The other is based on the substance provided by faith in God and Christ (Heb 11:1 KJV, 4:12).
▪︎ The first is a dark shadow of what they think is the future. The latter is an accurate image based on Christ and His interaction with the Church through the Holy Spirit.
▪︎ The former is built on deceit and human illusion. God’s way is based on facts first confirmed by first century miracles and now established by, validated by, confirmed by conformance to the Word of God (Heb 2:3-4).
▪︎ The Church is God’s formal way of dealing with His children. It includes… guidance, oversight, support, discipline, teaching, and training.
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2. What is the real problem as you see it?
▪︎ The problem is man’s false teaching which may have different motivations… sordid gain, philosophy, vain deceit (Col 2:8), simple false teaching, or as serious as involving Satan (the master of deception).
▪︎ The Colossian church may have had a few members that failed to heed Paul’s (or Epaphras’) call to godliness; a call to have an offensive form of defense called for in Col 1:23… Get to know God and resist the devil.
▪︎ Paul gives a very obvious warning against this form of subtrifuge in Col 2:4-5.
▪︎ The definition of “defrauding” implies a willfull deception indicating a possible multi-layer hierarchy to purposely trap those following the Way, and may possibly show a system of financial reward (Col 2:18).
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3. How does Paul describe the solution? (see Col 2:19)
▪︎ Christ in you the hope of glory – Col 1:24, 27;
▪︎ The answer is Christ Himself – Col 2:2, 3; Rom 8:6
▪︎ He is the head. The church under His control is His mechanism for victory. The body makes up the reality of the way He intends us to work together… knitting joints together, healing each other, teaching, exhorting, protecting each other… 2Tim 2:2;
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4. What is the mechanism God uses to cause growth in His children?
▪︎ He totally abandons man’s approach and replaces it with a competely new, transformed man, fueled by the Holy Spirit (1Cor 2:12; 2Cor 5:17)..
▪︎ Man was incapable of contributing anything toward his salvation, or his sanctification (Ps 53:2-3; Rom 3:18, 8:7-8;) and had to be replaced.
▪︎ the body, the church, fellowship, edification, teaching, discipleship… God’s true reality, God’s true substance, God’s true body.
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5. Describe Paul’s final evaluation in the last paragraph.
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