Greek speculations, Jewish legalism, Oriental syncretism are in this chapter. So are circumcision, dietary regulations, ritual worship, asceticism, worship of angels and mystical experiences.
You Are Built Up in Christ (Danger-Christ’s preeminence defended; A: Beware of philosophies, B. legalism and C. disciplines)
1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, (lukewarm per Revelation; capitol / metropolis of the valley, Jensen) and for all those who have not personally seen my face,
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, (like Christian friends around the world) and attaining to all the wealth (not $) that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (1 Cor 12 – charismata reference?)
Freedom from enticing words (NKJV) .
4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. WARNING 1
5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. (I do because of you.)
6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 having been firmly rooted (like a plant / tree) and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed (discipleship), and overflowing with gratitude. Are we thankful?
Freedom from vain philosophy
8 – 15 sufficiency of Christ
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy (knowledge / science) and empty deception (what is full deception?), according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world (nature), rather than according to Christ. (The following are key verses of the chapter.) WARNING 2
9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Christ),
10 and in Him you have been made complete (not by family or freedom), and He is the head over all rule and authority; (President, boss, etc.)
Freedom from judgment of man
11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; (not our flesh but our heart) LEGALISM
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your transgressions (sins of commission vs. omission) and the uncircumcision of your flesh(dirtiness), He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt (sin) consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities (spiritual warfare), He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
16-19 Twofold warning
16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to (religious) food or drink or in respect to a festival (other religions) or a new moon (Muslims – Ramadan) or a Sabbath day(Jews/ Law) LEGALISM
17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
Freedom from improper worship
18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement =
“the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification, and the like. Self-mortification is the inflicting of pain or privation on oneself: He was certain that self-mortification was the only road to salvation. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/asceticism
and the worship of the angels, (like the TV show?) taking his stand on visions (1 Cor 12) he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind (pride) DISCIPLINE
19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
Freedom from doctrine of man - two 2 fold exhortation
20 If 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!" (this is the law)
22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
In addition to the laws that come directly from Torah (d'oraita), halakhah includes laws that were enacted by the rabbis (d'rabbanan). These rabbinic laws are still referred to as mitzvot (commandments), even though they are not part of the original 613 mitzvot d'oraita. Mitzvot d'rabbanan are considered to be as binding as Torah laws, but there are differences in the way we apply laws that are d'oraita and laws that are d'rabbanan (see below). Mitzvot d'rabbanan are commonly divided into three categories: gezeirah, takkanah and minhag.
www.jewfaq.org/halakhah.htm
23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion (there are about 20 approved religions in the Federal Bureau of Prisons) and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. (37 minutes into CNN’s God’s Muslim Warriors clip – Iranians beat themselves)
SUMMARY / APPLICATION / CONCLUSION
Are we spiritually growing? Are we inviting others to Christ / church? Are we using the Spirit’s gifts?
Notes from biblegateway.org:
a. Colossians 2:1 Lit in the flesh
b. Colossians 2:2 Lit of the full assurance
c. Colossians 2:5 Lit and seeing
d. Colossians 2:5 Or your good order
e. Colossians 2:6 Or lead your life
f. Colossians 2:7 Or by
g. Colossians 2:7 Or the faith
h. Colossians 2:7 One early ms in it with
i. Colossians 2:8 Lit and not
j. Colossians 2:10 Lit full
k. Colossians 2:10 Lit of
l. Colossians 2:13 Or although
m. Colossians 2:13 Or by reason of
n. Colossians 2:15 Or divested Himself of
o. Colossians 2:15 Or it; i.e., the cross
p. Colossians 2:16 Lit judge you
q. Colossians 2:16 Or days
r. Colossians 2:17 Lit body
s. Colossians 2:17 Lit of Christ
t. Colossians 2:18 Or deciding against you
u. Colossians 2:18 Or going into detail about
v. Colossians 2:18 Or conceited
w. Colossians 2:19 Lit bonds
x. Colossians 2:19 Lit of God
y. Colossians 2:20 Lit from
z. Colossians 2:22 Or by being consumed
aa. Colossians 2:23 Lit report; Gr logos
bb. Colossians 2:23 Or would-be religion
