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 and the positive root 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.
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2. What is the real problem as you see it?
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3. How does Paul describe the solution? (see Col 2:19)
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4. What is the mechanism God uses to cause growth in His children?
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5. Describe Paul’s final evaluation in the last paragraph.
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