11/16/18
Tom Lowe
IVB3: Therefore Don't Let Anyone Judge You In Regards To Food, Festivals, Or Sabbath Days (Col 2:16-17)
• “Special Notes” and “Scripture” appear as endnotes.
• NIV Bible is used throughout unless noted otherwise.
Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV)
(16) 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. (17) These are a; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
INTRODUCTION
“Do Not Let Anyone Judge You” is a warning against the danger of the legalism of the Gnostic{1] teachers in Colosse{2]. Their doctrines were a strange mixture of Oriental mysticism, Jewish legalism, and a smattering of philosophy and Christian teaching. Apparently, Jewish legalism played a very important role. This is no surprise, because human nature thrives in “religious duties.” The flesh is weak when it comes to doing religious things (Matthew 26:41), but it is very strong when it comes to practicing religious rules and regulations. Somehow, adhering to the religious routine inflates the ego and makes a person content in his self-righteousness. In discussing this problem, Paul presented three important truths:
• The basis for our freedom (v. 16a)
• The bondage of legalism (v. 16)
• The blessing of grace (v. 17)
COMMENTARY
(2:16)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.
“THE BASIS FOR OUR FREEDOM” is found in the word “therefore,” which relates this verse to the previous verses. The basis for our freedom is the person and work of Jesus Christ. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him (Col. 2:9). On the cross, He cancelled the debt and the dominion of the Law (Col. 2:14){3]. As believers we are under grace as a rule of life and not under Law (Romans 6:14).
The believing Gentiles in Colosse never were under the Law of Moses since that Law was given only to Israel (Rom. 9:4). It seems strange that, now that they were Christians, they would want to submit themselves to Jewish legalism! Paul had the same problem with the Gentiles in the churches of Galatia, and he refuted Jewish legalism in his letter to Galatian believers (Galatians 3:1).
The person who judges a believer because that believer is not living under Jewish Laws is really judging Jesus Christ. He is saying that Jesus Christ did not finish the work of salvation on the cross, and that we must add something to it. He is also saying that Jesus Christ is not sufficient for all the spiritual needs of the Christian. The false teachers in Colossae were claiming a “deeper spiritual life” for all who would practice the Law. Outwardly, their practices seemed to be spiritual; but in actual fact, these practices accomplished nothing spiritual. These teachers of error in Colosse were also demanding that the believers adhere to the dietetic injunctions of the Law of Moses; but grace declares “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,” (1 Tim. 4:4). To teach that anything created was unclean would be an insult to the Creator. The very fact of its being His creation is enough. If made by God, then it must be good.
And nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.--Every kind of food and drink may become hateful in the eyes of the all-pure God if misused, if partaken of without any sense of gratitude to the Divine giver. But nothing which can be made use of as food ought to be regarded as unclean or as polluted; every kind of food is intended for man, the only condition being that whatever is partaken of should be gratefully received by him as a gift. The Holy Ghost dwells within the bosom of every believer, and will lead believers in matters of dress, as well as what they should eat and drink. “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Rom. 8:14).
“THE BONDAGE OF LEGALISM”{4]. Let no one tell you otherwise: legalism is bondage! Peter called it a “yoke upon the neck” (Acts 15:10). Paul used the same image when he warned the Galatians: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal.5:1). The yoke of bondage or slavery for the Jews is the restraints and restrictions of Judaism. Among the legal demands were the observances of the calendar of the movement of celestial bodies, as well as regulations concerning permitted and forbidden foods and drinks (Gal. 4:9-10){5]. It is not Moses being honored and obeyed, but the spirit powers set forth by the heretics as the forces to be worshipped and obeyed. Those so persuaded graded themselves as spiritually superior and sat in condescending judgment of those members who did not enter into these observances.
These legalistic{4] regulations had to do with food and with eating and drinking (partaking or abstaining). Under the Old Testament system, certain foods were classified as clean or unclean (see Lev. 11). But Jesus made it clear that, of itself, food was neutral. It was what came out of the heart that made a person spiritual or unspiritual (Matt. 15:1-20). Peter was reminded of this lesson again when, he was on the housetop in Joppa (Acts 10:9) and when he was rebuked in Antioch by Paul (Gal. 2:1). “But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (1 Cor. 8:8). But when the apostle says, “do not let anyone judge you,” the implication is that someone is; and though Paul does not say, let no man observe these prophetic customs, he does forbid anyone to set in judgment upon others in such matters (Romans 14:1-13).
It is likely that God’s instructions about foods given through Moses had physical reasons behind them as well as spiritual. This point that Paul brings up is a different matter. If a man feels he is healthier for abstaining from certain foods, then he should abstain and care for his body. But he should not condemn others who can eat that food, nor should he make it a test of spiritual living. Romans 14-15 is the key passage on this subject.
But the legalistic system{4] not only involved diet; it also involved days. Once again, this was borrowed from the Laws given through Moses. The Old Testament Jew was commanded to keep the weekly Sabbath, which was the seventh day of the week (Ex. 20:9-11). It is wrong to call Sunday “the Christian Sabbath” because it is not designated as such in the New Testament. It is “the Lord’s Day” (Rev. 1:10), the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2); the day that commemorates the victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (John 20:1, 19, 26).
The Jews also had their feast days (Lev. 25) and their special “new moon”{6] celebrations (see Isaiah 1:13). Their religion was tied to the calendar. Now, all of this had its proper function under the old dispensation; but it was not meant to be a permanent part of the faith under the new dispensation (see John 1:17). The Law was a schoolmaster that helped to train and discipline Israel in the childhood of the nation, preparing the people for the coming of the Messiah. Now that Jesus had come, the schoolmaster was no longer needed to perform the same functions (Gal. 3:24-4:11).
Notice that the Judaistic element in the Colossian heresy is strongly in evidence here; for “festival,” “new moon” and “Sabbath”?that is, annual, monthly, and weekly holy times?all suggest Jewish practices. Note, too, that sabbath keeping falls under Paul’s criticism. What would he have said of some of our latter-day sabbatarianism?
Does this mean that the Old Testament Law has no ministry to New Testament Christians? Of course not! The Law still reveals the holiness of God, and in the Law Jesus Christ can be seen (Luke 24:27). “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly” (1 Tim. 1:8). "The Law is good," Paul declared with apostolic authoritative knowledge, "should a man--i.e., a teacher of the Law--make use of it lawfully; if he should use it so as to make men conscious of their sins, conscious that of themselves they deserve no mercy, only punishment." The Law reveals sin and warns of the consequences of sin?but it has no power to prevent sin or redeem the sinner. Only grace can do that.
Some Bible scholars have suggested that Paul, in this passage, may be describing that willful, exaggerated “humility” which says it dare not approach God except through hosts of intermediary beings. I do not believe that the text supports that theory.
(2:17) These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.
Just as the basis of religious life must lie in experiencing salvation, so must the content of religious faith consist, not of theories, visions, self-invented disciplines, but of real events and established facts. In no realm is the “shadow” so easily mistaken for the substance as in religion. Paul passes therefore from analyzing a valuable Christian experience to its expression in realistic religious practice.
“THE BLESSING OF GRACE.” The Law is but “a shadow”; but in Christ we have the reality, the substance. “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming” (Heb. 10:1). Why go back into shadows when we have the reality in Jesus Christ and He is theirs for the having? This is like trying to hug a shadow when the reality is at hand!
People who religiously observe diets and days give an outward semblance of spiritually, but these practices cannot change their hearts. Legalism is a popular thing because you can “measure” your spiritual life?and even brag about it! But this is a far cry from measuring up to Christ! (Eph. 4:13)
Remember?God called, ordained and commissioned Paul a minister to the Gentiles; and the Holy Ghost, speaking through Paul, declared that meat, drink, holy days, new moons and Sabbath days “is a shadow of things to come.” The shadow is the intended likeness of the substance. Almighty God did not fashion Christianity to resemble Judaism, but rather fashioned Judaism to resemble Christianity. The reality is not constructed to bear the likeness of the type, but the type is constructed to bear the likeness of the reality. The Mosaic system was a type of Christianity and pointed to the future existence of Christianity. Every sin-offering in the Mosaic economy pointed to the Lamb of God who would be slain “in the fullness of time.” All Israel looked for their deliverer. The Mosaic Law, with its blood offerings pointed to the day when the divine sacrifice for sins would be offered, and the sacrifice under the Law testified to the death of the One who would come to settle the sin question and purchase redemption. The blood offering under Law not only was a type of the blood to be shed?but it guaranteed that the blood would be shed.
As Paul put it, the Old Testament Law was only a shadow of the things that were to come. The reality or “substance” (lit. “body”), however, is to be found in Christ (Heb. 8:5; 10:1). What the Old Testament foreshadowed, Christ fulfilled (Matt. 5:17; Rom. 8:3-4). A shadow is only an image cast by an object which represents its form. Once one finds Christ, he no longer needs to follow the old shadow. A shadow is nothing in itself; it is empty and baseless. The Hebrew ceremonies could not give deliverance, nor could the blood of bulls, pigeons and lambs purge the sinner “as pertaining to the flesh.” The shadow had no power to purge the conscience, nor could it bring peace to the heart and assurance to the soul. The blood of a lamb could not satisfy Jehovah God. But in the fullness of time the Lamb of God came and offered His blood willingly. He, the great High priest of God, willingly came, clothed in humanity. He took a body?and in that body he conquered and accomplished what the Law could not accomplish because of the weakness of the flesh (Rom 8:1-3). The Law is no longer engraved on tablets of stone. It is now written indelibly on “the fleshly tables of the heart.” Christ in you is the fulfillment of God’s holy Law in you because Jesus fulfilled every jot and every tittle of that Law (Mat. 5:18). In this way, Christ disarmed the demonic powers and authorities (1:16; 2:10), triumphing over them (2 Cor. 2:14). Every born again believer is now a royal priest (1 Peter 2:9).
Paul is therefore asking, “Why return to the weak and beggarly elements? Christ has come; why return to the ritual; an obsolete religion of externals pertaining to meat, drink, garments, days?when you have received Christianity, and Christ (the completeness of God) dwells in you?”
Believers do not belong to a system ?they belong to a body . . . the body of Christ. [Read carefully 1 Corinthians 12:12-27]. Paul clearly sets forth the fundamental truth that Jesus is the head of the Church, and that every born again believer, regardless of nationality or whatsoever, is baptized into the one body of which Christ is the head. Therefore we do not belong to an organization?we are part of an organism . . . the living body of Jesus Christ. In Colossians 3:3 we read: “For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
Scripture and Special Notes
[1} Gnosticism is the name given to a loosely organized religious and philosophical movement that flourished in the first and second centuries CE. The exact origin(s) of this school of thought cannot be traced, although it is possible to locate influences or sources as far back as the second and first centuries BCE, such as the early treatises of the Corpus Hermeticum, the Jewish Apocalyptic writings, and especially Platonic philosophy and the Hebrew Scriptures themselves.
[2} Colosse, more properly Colossae, was a city of Phrygia in Asia Minor, in the upper part of the basin of the Maeander, on the Lycus. Hierapolis and Laodicea were in its immediate neighborhood. (Colossians 1:2; Colossians 4:13-16; also see Revelations 1:11 and 3:14). St. Paul is supposed by some to have visited Colosse and founded or confirmed the Colossian church on his third missionary journey. (Acts 18:23; 19:1)
[3} “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” (Col. 2:14).
[4} “Legalism” holds that human beings are essentially bad because they are inherently selfish. No one, unless forced to, willingly sacrifices for another. According to the precepts of Legalism, if it is in one's best interest to kill another person, that person will most probably be killed. In order to prevent such deaths, a ruler had to create a body of laws which would direct people's natural inclination of self-interest toward the good of the state.
[5} “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years” (Gal. 4:9-10).
[6} In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the unaided eye, except when silhouetted during a solar eclipse. Daylight outshines the earthlight that dimly illuminates the dark side of the new Moon. The actual phase is usually a very thin crescent because the Moon rarely passes directly in front of the Sun, except in a solar eclipse.
