Colossians 2
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Chapter 2
1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally –
Colossae was just south about 11 miles or so from Laodicea which was a wealthy center of trade and commerce but became eventually became luke warm Cf. Revelation 3:14-22. Struggle translates agōn from which we get our English word agony.
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness – Mixed metaphors: A pilgrim walking (continue to live in Him). And tree which is rooted. A building built up. Strengthened in the faith and taught are school terms and overflowing with thankfulness is a river overflowing.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ - captive sulagōgeō means “to kidnap” or “to capture and take away as spoil.” Philosophy - phileō, “to love,” and sophia, “wisdom.” Basic principles is stoicheia. This term was used for the letters of an alphabet. It simply refers to the basic, ABC’s of elementary knowledge. CF. Matt 11:28-30.
9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority – A false teaching of the early church was called Docetism, which claimed that Jesus had no actual human body, He only seemed to have one and only seemed to have died on the cross. Every power and authority are the invisible spiritual forces (Cf. Romans 8:38, Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 6:12).
11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ – the act of circumcision symbolized cutting off the flesh. It was a sign of the Covenant for the Jews (Gen 17:9-14).
12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead – When a person is saved, they are immediately baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ (1Cor 12:12-13) in which water baptism is a symbol.
14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross – “written code” means an acknowledgement of debt. Jesus paid in full (Tetelestai) our debt Cf. John 19: 28-30.
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross – “Disarmed” apekduomai = to strip off oneself, to put off. Metaphorically it may refer to the stripping away of weapons and the removal of authority and power.
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. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. – “Therfore) (see verse 14). These things were just to be a shadow of what Christ would one day do.Days and foods, as observed under the Mosaic Law, are not binding upon New Covenant people. The shadow has passed, the reality has come. So for the Christian, all foods are pure (1 Timothy 4:4-5) and all days belong to God.
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