Paul is telling them to let go of the superficial and fleshly religions of the world. Christ came so that all religions and religious practices would be wiped away for the believers. The freedom we have in Christ lets us forgo all of those elements.
No more abstaining from certain foods or drink. The Jews had strict dietary laws and could not violate them. It could have been these false teachers who were coming into the Colossae church were trying to implement Jewish practices.
Festivals, New moons, Sabbath. All of it would no longer be necessary for these Gentile Christians. Paul is telling them do not let the false teachers fool you into believing you need to practice these fleshly religious activities.
Vs. 17 – “These are a shadow of the things to come” …
The whole Levitical Law was a shadow, a picture of who the Christ was to be and what His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension were to achieve.
Hebrews 10:1-3
The Greek word “come” (mello) means to be about to or be on the point of. The whole Levitical Law was about to be abolished because as verse 17 finishes with the reality of these things is found in Christ.
The Law had not been abolished yet b/c Christ had not returned.
Matthew 5:18
If Christ still has not returned, then are we still under the Law. Are still unable to go to Heaven?
Hebrews 8:13 – The first is obsolete b/c of Christ but has not gone away. It is becoming obsolete, growing old and ready to disappear. If Christ’s resurrection did not get rid of the Law, then His return does. If He has not returned, then it is still going on. The all ready but not yet.
The consummation and the end of the Old Covenant happened when Jesus returned with the destruction of the Jewish nation and Jerusalem. Destroying once and for all the Old Covenant and its practices.
Daniel 12:7 – Time, times and half a time is understood as 3 and half years. That is how long the Romans took to destroy Jerusalem. Revelation 13:5 talks of 3 and half years. The Romans invaded 66 A.D. and completed the destruction on 70 A.D.
Matthew 3:11 – Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost and Fire (A symbol of Judgement throughout the OT) given to the unbelieving Jewish nation with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
Paul and the first century Saints lived in the Already but Not Yet. To understand this, go to my study on Galatians
Read Colossians 2: 18-20
Vs 18 – “… anyone who delights in false humility” (NIV Translation). The ESV says “asceticism”. This means anyone who deprives their body of something like the Jews had fasting, or other religions hurting themselves to attain a higher consciousness.
The worship of angels. This was Jewish mysticism which might have been taught to the Colossians. Some Jewish sects believed you could pray with the Angles in the Throne room of God.
Paul is saying don’t let these people pull you away from the truth of Christ. None of this is truth and honoring to God.
Vs.19 – They have lost connection with the head (Christ) who holds the whole body of Christ together. Stay focused on Christ and not this false teaching and false worship and God will grow you and the church.
Vs. 20 – Paul is telling the Colossians you have died to the elemental spirits of this world. What are the elemental spirits? Look back at verse 8 of the study guide. Elemental spirits of this world. Naked Bible Commentary does a great job in explaining Spirits as well as this book Angles.
Read Colossians 2:21-23 – Notice the questions Paul asks
Do not handle, do not taste do not touch according to human teaching? Paul is saying they have the appearance of being wise religious practices but have no value in stopping sin or the indulgences of the flesh.
Self-made religions. All of them, even today are not from God but created by man. Some of these religions have been created by men over centuries. Including Judaism and the Muslim faith.
Read Colossians 3:1-3 Seek those things from above.
Paul is telling the Colossians to set their minds on Christ and not of earthly things, like religion. Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship that needs to cultivate and matured as we mature in our faith.
Vs. 3 – For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. We have died to the sin and judgement we were under with Adam and Christ is or new Adam b/c in Him we are righteous before God and have been welcomed into His family.
David Curtis’ commentary on Colossians said this, “The idea of being “hidden” has the implication that what’s there is concealed and covered to protect it. “Hidden with Christ” is a statement of our eternal security in Christ. This does not mean that it is hidden from us, but that it is hidden for us. Jesus lays away our life in His. Our great high priest “is able to save forever those who are drawn to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).”
Read Colossians 3:4 – Christ is your life and when He appears. What does this mean?
Christ is our life eternally. We can have a good life on earth and have everything we need, but without Christ we will never see the Kingdom of God and live forever in the next realm.
The second piece of the verse is eschatological. Meaning it is about the second coming of Christ. When He returns then and only then will we appear in glory with Him. What is the glory?
Hebrews 2:6-10 – Jesus was brought low to bring us out of the bondage of sin back into the presents of God. Like it was before Adam and Eve fell. Glorification is nothing more than dwelling in God’s presents.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 -We have glory through Christ, but we did not obtain it fully until He returned in 70 A.D.
Read Colossians 3: 5-8 – Put away all unrighteousness in your life.
Vs 5 – We are responsible for dealing with our sinful life and we have to put it away every day. We are in Christ, so we live to become more like Him everyday of our lives until we move into the eternal.
“You died with Christ; therefore, you died to sin as well. Sin has no more power over you than it has over Christ! So why, then, does Paul tell believers to put sin to death? Because our positional reality must be worked out in our practical living.” – David Curtis
Sexual Immorality (Porneia). Paul said it was good not to marry. Why? 1 Corinthians 7:7-8. 1 Corinthians 7:2, 5–6. It was not good b/c if you want to serve Christ and be a disciple you do need any distractions, but God created marriage between and man and a woman b/c of the fleshly desires we have. But it is to stay between one man and one woman to not fornicate. Not the only reason for marriage, but one of them.
Impurity. Greek word akatharisa meaning filthiness from the standpoint of perverted sexual forms like homosexuality, molestation, strange and kinky sexual practices.
Passions. Greek word Pathos. Referring to erotic passions which arouse. Could be literature, movies, anything that sexually arouses.
Evil desires. Associated with lust.
Greed (Covetousness). Paul here is talking about wanting another person that you can’t have. He links it with idolatry, so he is talking about another person not about money or material possessions. Having an affair is the context in this passage.
Read Colossians 3:6 – The wraith of God is coming. What does Paul mean?
The wraith of God is not some destructive anger from God with lighting and fire like on Sodom but means His judgement. His judicial reaction to evil. David Curtis puts it this way. “it is the way a Holy God reacts to a civilization or individual who turns his back on moral absolutes and tries to ignore moral laws.” He keeps going. “The first chapter of Romans gives a vivid description of what God does in such a case. He removes the restraints within society against evil, and lets it have its way, allowing it to produce what evil always produces – death in the midst of life. We all find ourselves facing a flood of evil practices. The restraints that once kept evil under bonds and within bounds are lifted, and evil practices flood the scene. Laws are laughed at, morality is cast aside, evil is praised and defended on every side. Finally, we reach a stage in society where almost anything goes, and we cannot legislate against anything; the moral fabric of society is destroyed. You may think that nothing happens when you allow yourself to fall into immoral practices, but something is happening – God has not lost His power. He is quite able to react to evil, and He does react. He allows it to have its head. He removes restraints upon this dissolution of society, and nothing man can do can prevent it…” Sin brings wraith and the loss of blessings. Hebrews 12:5-6
Read Colossians 3:7-10 – Put away anger, malice slander and disrespect.
Sinful anger is caused by Pride. The root of all sins.
“Christian morality is the experience of divine power. But the experience in moment by moment living includes conscious choices.” – David Curtis
Wrath. The Greeks likened wrath to a straw fire that came on suddenly and left quickly. It is our outburst of anger without thinking, just emotion.
Malice. The desire to hurt someone. A strong dislike of something or someone, maybe even to the point of wanting them hurt.
Slander. All of these previous result in slander. The Greek word is blasphemia. We get blasphemy. It is speaking against someone. Hurt them or their reputation.
Obscene Talk. Foul language intended to hurt or provoke someone. Jesus said that the mouth reveals what is in the heart. Matthew 12:35.
Vs. 9-11 – Do not lie to one another that was your old self and you have put on a new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. What does this mean? “renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”
Paul says is being renewed. Has not been completed yet. What has not been completed yet?
The renewal that Paul is speaking to the Colossians about is a positional renewal that was happening in the first century church. During the transition period, the already but not yet, the church was moving from infancy to maturity. After Christ’s return in 70 A.D., we were made like Him. Righteous and can enter God’s presents with confidence.
2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 John 3:2, 8:29, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. If Christ has not returned, then we are not complete in Him.
Vs. 11 – Paul is saying once Jesus returns there will no longer be Greek and Jew, but one way to God. Before Jesus returned the Law was still applicable to the Jew and the Gentiles were under it from the standpoint of judgement. No one could go to heaven when they died until Jesus had returned and completed the fulfillment. Now we are all in Christ and when we die go straight into the heavenly Kingdom. All who believe in Christ, Jew, and Gentile.
Barbarian just meant someone who spoke harsh and was uncouth. One you speaks a strange language outside of Greek, Latin, Hebrew, or Arabic. Uncultured in Greek life.
Scythian these were from north of the Black and Caspian sea. Barbarians that offered human sacrifices and scalped their enemies and used their skulls as drinking cups. Reference
Read Colossians 3:12-17 – What it means to be a Christian
Notice Paul says in verse 12 God’s chosen ones. Not our choice to be Holy, but God’s choice to make us Holy through the belief of the Christ.
Paul said in Vs. 13 …bearing with one another. What does that mean? Bearing with means to put up with, to endure one another. Then Paul says to forgive each other just as Christ forgave you. Above all of the other attributes listed in 12 and 13 make sure you put on love.
Romans 13:8, 1 Peter 4:8
Vs. 16 – teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. When something is not right with one of our brothers or sisters in Christ we are to teach and admonish them in the wisdom provided by the Holy Spirit.
Vs. 17 – Giving thanks to God the Father through Christ.
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