Colossians 2

Paul’s purpose in his troubles and prayers

For I want you to know what a great struggle I have for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts might be encouraged, being knit together in love, and so enter into all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, into the complete knowledge of the mystery of God, of the Father and of Christ.

2:2 Another example of the content of Paul’s prayers – Col 1:9.⚜

3 In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

2:3 If we know Christ we are at the source of all spiritual wisdom. Observe the word “all”. All wisdom, without limit, is in Christ. If we do not know Him we are completely lacking in spiritual wisdom even though we know all philosophy and have all of the world’s knowledge. See 1 Cor 1:20-21. What some people call the way of wisdom for salvation is the way to pride and arrogance, not the way to salvation.⚜

4 And I say this so that no one may deceive you with persuasive words.

2:4 There are always those who deceive others (and themselves) with “persuasive words”. They can make man-invented ways and the wisdom of philosophy or religion sound very reasonable and good. Only by faith in Christ and an understanding of the truth, and of the reality He gives, can we keep ourselves from false ways.⚜

5 For though I am absent in the body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Freedom and fullness in Christ

6 Therefore just as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to go forward in him,

2:6 Notes on “Christ” and “Jesus” at Matt 1:1. Notes on “Lord” at Luke 2:11. They had received the truth about the Jesus of history. They had not received some mystical idea, some Christ of speculation and imagination. They believed in a flesh and blood Jesus Who was the God-anointed One and the Lord from heaven. Observe carefully that by faith they had received “the Lord”. This is the truth they had been taught and they had believed it and submitted themselves to Him. Now by that same faith they must continue to live (2 Cor 5:7).⚜

7 rooted and being built up in him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, overflowing in it with thanksgiving.

Freedom from false teaching and philosophy

8 Beware lest any man despoil you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the rudimentary things of the world, and not according to Christ.

God’s fullness is in Christ

9 For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.

2:9 See Col 1:19. This means that Christ is the incarnation of the one true God, the Creator of the universe. All the fullness of the divine nature dwells in His body. See references at Phil 2:6; Luke 2:11.⚜

Believers have fullness in Christ alone

10 And you are complete in him, who is the head of all sovereignty and power.

2:10 Believers are “in Christ”, united to Him by God’s Spirit – John 17:20-23; Rom 6:5; 1 Cor 12:12-13; Eph 1:4, 7, 11, 13. Therefore in Him they have all they need for a holy, wise, and spiritual life. The “completeness” God has given them is not, of course, the fullness of deity. Human beings can never become God and receive God’s attributes (see Gen 1:26; Ps 9:20; Isa 40:6-8, 12-26). But God has given to believers fullness of grace and power and wisdom in Christ. They are to understand this and appropriate these things to themselves and use them. Compare John 1:16-18; Eph 3:19; 5:18.⚜

In Christ believers are a separated people

11 In him also you have been circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh in the circumcision done by Christ, 12 and have been buried with him in baptism, in which you have also been raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

In Christ they have freedom from the law, forgiveness, and new life

13 And when you were dead in your sins and the lack of circumcision in your flesh, he made you alive together with him, forgiving you all trespasses, 14 and blotting out the handwriting of decrees that was against us, which was opposed to us, and took it away, nailing it to his cross. 15 And having plundered principalities and powers, he made an open spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

16 Therefore let no one judge you in the matter of food or drink, or regarding a festival, or new moon observance, or sabbath days. 17 These are a shadow of things that were to come, but the substance is of Christ.

They are to avoid false worship and false teaching

18 Do not let anyone keep you from receiving your reward, by a self-willed humility and worshipping of angels, entering into things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his carnal mind,

2:18 Paul now speaks of another danger. Some people in Colosse were in a false religious path. They were proud of what they considered their humility, and they worshiped angels. This worship and their so-called humility went hand in hand. They may have argued something like this: human beings cannot go to God directly – He is too high above them, too holy, too unapproachable; so men should worship Him only through mediators and these mediators are angels. Some religious people today use a similar argument. But instead of worshiping angels or through angels they venerate those they call the “saints” who have died. They regard them as mediators, and ask them to intercede with God in their behalf. Besides these there are a great many people who worship various “gods”, not God the Creator. All of this is contrary to God’s Word and will revealed in the Bible – Ex 20:1-6; John 14:6; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 10:19-22.⚜

19 and not holding to the Head, from whom the whole body is supplied and knit together by muscles and ligaments, and grows with the increase God gives.

20 Therefore if you died with Christ to the rudimentary things of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you submit to rules 21 (do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, 22 all of which are to perish with the using), according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

2:21-22 Some people thought then (and think now) that laws and rules and regulations about food, drink, etc are at the heart of spiritual life. Believers in Christ have, in Christ, died to all that.⚜

23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in their self-chosen worship, and humility, and bodily austerities, but have no value against fleshly indulgence.

2:16-23 Paul now speaks of some ways false teachers tried to deceive the Colossians by “persuasive words” (v 4).⚜