• Key
SRB = Scofield References
JFB = Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary
AC = Adam Clarke Comentary
CHAPTER 2
Colossians
2:1-23.
- HIS STRIVINGS
IN PRAYER FOR THEIR STEADFASTNESS IN CHRIST;
FROM WHOM HE WARNS THEM NOT TO BE LED AWAY
BY FALSE WISDOM.
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Verse 1. For--He explains in what
respect he "labored striving" (Col
1:29). Translate as Greek, "I wish you to know
how great a conflict (the same Greek word as in Col
1:29, "agony of a conflict" of fervent, anxious
prayer; not conflict with the false teachers, which would have
been impossible for him now in prison) I have for you."
them at Laodicea--exposed to
the same danger from false teachers as the Colossians (compare
Col
4:16). This danger was probably the cause of his writing
to Laodicea, as well as to Colosse.
not seen my face in the flesh--including those in
Hierapolis (Col
4:13). Paul considered himself a "debtor" to all the
Gentiles (Ro
1:14). "His face" and presence would have been a "comfort"
(Col
2:2; Ac 20:38). Compare Col
1:4, 7, 8, in proof that he had not seen, but only
heard of the Colossians. Hence he strives by earnest
conflict with God in anxious prayer for them, to make
up for the loss of his bodily presence among them. Though
"absent in the flesh, I am with you in the
Spirit" (Col
2:5).
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Verse 2. Translate, "That their
hearts may be comforted." The "their," compared with
"you" (Col
2:4), proves that in Col
2:1 the words, "have not seen my face in the flesh," is a
general designation of those for whom Paul declares he
has "conflict," including the particular species, "you
(Colossians) and them at Laodicea." For it is plain, the
prayer "that their hearts may be comforted," must
include in it the Colossians for whom he expressly says, "I
have conflict." Thus it is an abbreviated mode of expression
for, "That your and their hearts may be comforted."
ALFORD translates, "confirmed," or allows
"comforted" in its original radical sense strengthened.
But the Greek supports English Version: the
sense, too, is clear: comforted with the consolation of
those whom Paul had not seen, and for whom, in consequence, he
strove in prayerful conflict the more fervently; inasmuch as
we are more anxious in behalf of absent, than present, friends
[DAVENANT]. Their hearts would be
comforted by "knowing what conflict he had for" them, and how
much he is interested for their welfare; and also by being
released from doubts on learning from the apostle, that the
doctrine which they had heard from Epaphras was true and
certain. In writing to churches which he had instructed face
to face, he enters into particular details concerning them, as
a father directing his children. But to those among whom he
had not been in person, he treats of the more general truths
of salvation.
being--Translate
as Greek in oldest manuscripts, "They being knit
together."
in love--the bond
and element of perfect knitting together; the antidote
to the dividing schismatical effect of false doctrine. Love to
God and to one another in Christ.
unto--the object and end of their being "knit
together."
all
riches--Greek, "all the riches of the full
assurance (1Th
1:5; Heb 6:11; 10:22) of the (Christian)
understanding." The accumulation of phrases, not only
"understanding," but "the full assurance of understanding";
not only this, but "the riches of," &c., not only
this, but "all the riches of," &c., implies how he
desires to impress them with the momentous importance of the
subject in hand.
to--Translate
"unto."
acknowledgment--The
Greek implies, "full and accurate knowledge." It is a
distinct Greek word from "knowledge," Col
2:3. ALFORD translates, "thorough
. . . knowledge." Acknowledgment hardly is
strong enough; they did in a measure acknowledge the
truth; what they wanted was the full and accurate
knowledge of it (compare Notes, see on Col
1:9, 10; Php
1:9).
of God, and of the
Father and of Christ--The oldest manuscripts omit "and of
the Father, and of"; then translate, "Of God (namely),
Christ." Two very old manuscripts and Vulgate read, "Of
God the Father of Christ."
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Verse 3. Translate in the
Greek order, "In whom (not as ALFORD, 'in which') mystery; Christ is
Himself the 'mystery' (Col
2:2; 1Ti 3:16), and to Christ the relative refers) are all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." The "all" here,
answers to "all" in Col
2:2; as "treasures" answer to the "riches"; it is from the
treasures that the riches (Col
2:2) are derived. "Are" is the predicate of the sentence;
all the treasures ARE in Him;
hidden is predicated of the state or manner in which
they are in Him. Like a mine of unknown and inexhaustible
wealth, the treasures of wisdom are all in Him
hidden, but not in order to remain so; they only need
to be explored for you to attain "unto the riches" in them (Col
2:2); but until you, Colossians, press after attaining
the full knowledge (see on Col
2:2) of them, they remain "hidden." Compare the parable,
Mt
13:44, "treasure hid." This sense suits the scope of the
apostle, and sets aside ALFORD'S objection
that "the treasures are not hidden, but revealed." "Hidden"
plainly answers to "mystery" (Col
2:2), which is designed by God, if we be faithful to our
privileges, not to remain hidden, but to be revealed
(compare 1Co
2:7, 8). Still as the mine is unfathomable, there will,
through eternity, be always fresh treasures in Him to be drawn
forth from their hidden state.
wisdom--general, and as to experimental and
practical truth; whence comes "understanding" (Col
2:2).
knowledge--special and intellectual, in
regard to doctrinal truth; whence comes "the full
knowledge" (Col
2:2).
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Verse 4. And--"Now." Compare with
"lest any man," &c. Col
2:8, 16, 18. He refers to the blending of Judaism with
Oriental philosophy, and the combination of this mixture with
Christianity.
enticing
words--plausible as wearing the guise of wisdom and
humility (Col
2:18, 23).
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Verse 5. For--argument against their
suffering themselves to be beguiled, drawn from a
regard to his personal authority as though he were present.
joying and
beholding--beholding with joy.
order--your good order; answering to "knit
together" (Col
2:2) as a well-organized body; the same Greek as
that for knit together, is used of the body" of the
Church compacted," in Eph
4:16. Compare 1Co
14:33, 40.
steadfastness--Greek, "the firm (or
'solid') foundation." As "order" expresses the
outward aspect of the Church; so "steadfastness" expresses the
inner basis on which their Church rested. The Greek
literally implies not an abstract quality, but the
thing in the concrete; thus their "faith" here is
the solid thing which constituted the basis of
their Church.
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Verse 6. "As therefore ye received
(once for all; the aorist tense; from Epaphras) Jesus
the Christ as your Lord (compare 1Co
12:3; 2Co 4:5; Php 3:8), so walk in Him." He says not
merely, "Ye received" the doctrine of Christ, but "Jesus"
Himself; this is the essence of faith (Joh
14:21, 23; Ga 1:16). Ye have received once for all the
Spirit of life in Christ; carry into practice that life
in your walk (Ga
5:25). This is the main scope of the Epistle.
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Verse 7. Rooted-- (Eph
3:17).
built
up--Greek, "being builded up." As "rooted"
implies their vitality; so "builded up," massive
solidity. As in the Song of Solomon, when one image is
not sufficient to express the varied aspects of divine truth,
another is employed to supply the idea required. Thus
"walking," a third image (Col
2:6), expresses the thought which "rooted" and "built,"
though each suggesting a thought peculiar to itself, could not
express, namely, onward motion. "Rooted" is in the
past tense, implying their first conversion and
vital grafting "in Him." "Built up" is present (in the
Greek), implying their progressive increase in
religion by union with Him. Eph
2:20 refers to the Church; but the passage here to
their individual progress in edification (Ac
20:32).
stablished--confirmed.
as--"even as."
abounding
therein with thanksgiving--advancing to fuller maturity
(compare Col
2:2) in the faith, "with thanksgiving" to God as the
gracious Author of this whole blessing.
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Verse 8. Translate, "Beware
(literally, 'Look' well) lest there shall be (as I fear
there is: the Greek indicative expresses this) any man
(pointing to some known emissary of evil, Ga
1:7) leading you away as his spoil (not merely
gaining spoil out of you, but making yourselves his
spoil) through (by means of) his philosophy," &c. The
apostle does not condemn all philosophy, but
"the philosophy" (so Greek) of the
Judaic-oriental heretics at Colosse, which afterwards was
developed into Gnosticism. You, who may have "the
riches of full assurance" and "the
treasures of wisdom," should not suffer yourselves to
be led away as a spoil by empty, deceitful
philosophy: "riches" are contrasted with spoil; "full" with
"vain," or empty (Col
2:2, 3, 9).
after--"according to."
tradition of men--opposed to, "the fulness of the
Godhead." Applied to Rabbinical traditions, Mr
7:8. When men could not make revelation even seem
to tell about deep mysteries which they were curious to pry
into, they brought in human philosophy and pretended
traditions to help it, as if one should bring a lamp to the
sundial to find the hour [Cauations for Times, p. 85].
The false teachers boasted of a higher wisdom in theory,
transmitted by tradition among the initiated; in practice they
enjoined asceticism, as though matter and the body were the
sources of evil. Phrygia (in which was Colosse) had a
propensity for the mystical and magical, which appeared in
their worship of Cybele and subsequent Montanism [NEANDER].
rudiments
of the world--(See on Ga
4:3). "The rudiments" or elementary lessons "of the
(outward) world," such as legal ordinances; our Judaic
childhood's lessons (Col
2:11, 16, 20; Ga 4:1-3). But NEANDER,
"the elements of the world," in the sense, what is
earthly, carnal and outward, not "the rudiments of
religion," in Judaism and heathenism.
not after Christ--"Their" boasted higher "philosophy"
is but human tradition, and a cleaving to the carnal and
worldly, and not to Christ. Though acknowledging Christ
nominally, in spirit they by their doctrine deny Him.
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Verse 9. For--"Because." Their
"philosophy" (Col
2:8) is not "after Christ," as all true philosophy is,
everything which comes not from, and tends not to, Him, being
a delusion; "For in Him (alone) dwelleth" as in a
temple, &c.
the
fulness-- (Col
1:19; Joh 14:10).
of the
Godhead--The Greek (theotes) means the ESSENCE and NATURE of the
Godhead, not merely the divine perfections and
attributes of Divinity (Greek, "theiotes"). He,
as man, was not merely God-like, but in the fullest sense,
God.
bodily--not merely as
before His incarnation, but now "bodily in Him" as the
incarnate word (Joh
1:14, 18). Believers, by union with Him, partake of His
fulness of the divine nature (Joh
1:16; 2Pe 1:4; see on Eph
3:19).
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Verse 10. And--And therefore;
and so. Translate in the Greek order, "Ye are in Him
(by virtue of union with Him) filled full" of all that
you need (Joh
1:16). Believers receive of the divine unction which flows
down from their Divine Head and High Priest (Ps
133:2). He is full of the "fulness" itself; we,
filled from Him. Paul implies, Therefore ye Colossians
need no supplementary sources of grace, such as the false
teachers dream of. Christ is "the Head of all rule and
authority" (so the Greek), Eph
1:10; He, therefore, alone, not these subject
"authorities" also, is to be adored (Col
2:18).
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Verse 11. Implying that they did not
need, as the Judaizers taught, the outward rite of
circumcision, since they had already the inward spiritual
reality of it.
are--rather, as
the Greek, "Ye were (once for all) circumcised
(spiritually, at your conversion and baptism, Ro
2:28, 29; Php 3:3) with a (so the Greek)
circumcision made without hands"; opposed to "the circumcision
in the flesh made by hands" (Eph
2:11). Christ's own body, by which the believer is
sanctified, is said to be "not made with hands" (Mr
14:58; Heb 9:11; compare Da
2:45).
in putting
off--rather as Greek, "in your putting off"; as an
old garment (Eph
4:22); alluding to the putting off the foreskin in
circumcision.
the body of the sins
of the flesh--The oldest manuscripts read, "the body of
the flesh," omitting "of the sins," that is, "the body," of
which the prominent feature is fleshiness (compare Ro
8:13, where "flesh" and "the body" mutually correspond).
This fleshly body, in its sinful aspect, is put off in baptism
(where baptism answers its ideal) as the seal of regeneration
where received in repentance and faith. In circumcision the
foreskin only was put off; in Christian regeneration
"the body of the flesh" is spiritually put off, at
least it is so in its ideal conception, however imperfectly
believers realize that ideal.
by--Greek, "in." This spiritual
circumcision is realized in, or by, union with Christ, whose
"circumcision," whereby He became responsible for us to keep
the whole law, is imputed to believers for justification; and
union with whom, in all His vicarious obedience, including
HIS CIRCUMCISION, is the source of our
sanctification. ALFORD makes it
explanatory of the previous, "a circumcision made without
hands," namely, "the circumcision brought about by your union
with Christ." The former view seems to me better to accord
with Col
2:12; 3:1, 3, 4, which similarly makes the believer, by
spiritual union with Christ, to have personal fellowship in
the several states of Christ, namely, His death, resurrection,
and appearing in glory. Nothing was done or suffered by our
Mediator as such, but may be acted in our souls and
represented in our spirits. PEARSON'S
view, however, is that of ALFORD. JOSHUA, the type (not Moses in the wilderness),
circumcised the Israelites in Canaan (Jos
5:2-9) the second time: the people that came out of Egypt
having been circumcised, and afterwards having died in the
wilderness; but those born after the Exodus not having been
so. Jesus, the Antitype, is the author of the true
circumcision, which is therefore called "the circumcision of
Christ" (Ro
2:29). As Joshua was "Moses' minister," so Jesus,
"minister of the circumcision for the truth of God" unto the
Gentiles (Ro
15:8).
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Verse 12. Translate, "Having
been buried with Him in your baptism." The past
participle is here coincident in time with the preceding verb,
"ye were (Greek) circumcised." Baptism is regarded as
the burial of the old carnal life, to which the act of
immersion symbolically corresponds; and in warm climates where
immersion is safe, it is the mode most accordant with
the significance of the ordinance; but the spirit of the
ordinance is kept by affusion, where immersion would be
inconvenient or dangerous; to insist on literal immersion in
all cases would be mere legal ceremonialism (Ro 6:3,
4).
are risen--rather as
Greek, "were raised with Him."
through the faith, &c.--by means of
your faith in the operation of God; so "faith of,"
for "faith in" (Eph
3:12; Php 3:9). Faith in God's mighty operation in raising
again Jesus, is saving faith (Ro
4:24; 10:9); and it is wrought in the soul by His same
"mighty working" whereby He "raised Jesus from the dead" (Eph
1:19, 20). BENGEL seems to me (not as
ALFORD understands him) to express the
latter sense, namely, "Through the faith which is a work
of the operation of God who," &c. Eph
1:19, 20 accords with this; the same mighty power of God
is exercised in raising one spiritually dead to the life of
faith, as was "wrought in Christ when God raised Him literally
from the dead." However, "faith of" usually is "faith
in" (Ro
3:22); but there is no grammatical impropriety in
understanding it "the faith which is the effect of the
operation of God" (Eph
2:8; 1Th 2:13). As His literal resurrection is the ground
of the power put forth in our spiritual resurrection now, so
it is a pledge of our literal resurrection hereafter (Ro
8:11).
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Verse 13. you, being dead--formerly
(Eph
2:1, 2); even as Christ was among the dead, before that
God raised Him "from the dead" (Col
2:12).
sins--rather as
Greek is translated at end of this verse, "trespasses,"
literally, "failings aside" from God's ways; actual
transgressions, as that of Adam.
uncircumcision of your flesh--your not having put off
the old fleshly nature, the carnal foreskin, or original
sin, which now by spiritual circumcision, that is,
conversion and baptism, you have put off.
he quickened--GOD "quickened
together with Him (CHRIST)." Just as
Christ's resurrection proved that He was delivered from the
sin laid on Him, so our spiritual quickening proves that we
have been forgiven our sins (1Pe
3:22; 4:1, 2).
forgiven
you--So Vulgate and HILARY. But
the oldest manuscripts read, "us," passing from the particular
persons, the Colossians, to the general Church (Col
1:14; Eph 1:7).
all
trespasses--Greek, "all our
trespasses."
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Verse 14. Blotting out--Greek,
"Having wiped out"; coincident in time with "having forgiven
you" (Col
2:13); hereby having cancelled the law's indictment
against you. The law (including especially the moral
law, wherein lay the chief difficulty in obeying) is abrogated
to the believer, as far as it was a compulsory, accusing code,
and as far as "righteousness" (justification) and "life" were
sought for by it. It can only produce outward works, not
inward obedience of the will, which in the believer flows from
the Holy Spirit in Him (Ro
3:21; 7:2, 4; Ga 2:19).
the
handwriting of ordinances--rather, "IN
ordinances" (see on Eph
2:15); "the law of commandments contained in ordinances."
"The handwriting" (alluding to the Decalogue, the
representative of the law, written by the hand of God)
is the whole law, the obligatory bond, under which all
lay; the Jews primarily were under the bond, but they in this
respect were the representative people of the world (Ro
3:19); and in their inability to keep the law was involved
the inability of the Gentiles also, in whose hearts "the work
of the law was written" (Ro
2:15); and as they did not keep this, they were condemned
by it.
that was against us
. . . contrary to us--Greek
"adversary to us"; so it is translated, Heb
10:27. "Not only was the law against us by its
demands, but also an adversary to us by its
accusations" [BENGEL]. TITTMANN explains the Greek, "having a
latent contrariety to us"; not open designed
hostility, but virtual unintentional opposition through our
frailty; not through any opposition in the law itself
to our good (Ro
7:7-12, 14; 1Co 15:56; Ga 3:21; Heb 10:3). The "WRITING" is part of "that which was contrary to
us"; for "the letter killeth" (see on 2Co
3:6).
and took
it--Greek, and hath taken it out of the way" (so as
to be no longer a hindrance to us), by "nailing it to
the cross." Christ, by bearing the curse of the broken
law, has redeemed us from its curse (Ga
3:13). In His person nailed to the cross, the law itself
was nailed to it. One ancient mode of cancelling bonds was by
striking a nail through the writing: this seems at that time
to have existed in Asia [GROTIUS]. The
bond cancelled in the present case was the obligation lying
against the Jews as representatives of the world, and attested
by their amen, to keep the whole law under penalty of
the curse (De
27:26; Ne 10:29).
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Verse 15. ALFORD,
ELLICOTT, and others translate the
Greek to accord with the translation of the same
Greek, Col
3:9, "Stripping off from Himself the principalities and
the powers: " GOD put off from Himself
the angels, that is, their ministry, not employing them
to be promulgators of the Gospel in the way that He had given
the law by their "disposition" or ministry (Ac
7:53; Ga 3:19; Heb 2:2, 5): God manifested Himself without
a veil in Jesus. "THE principalities and
THE powers" refers back to Col
2:10, Jesus, "the Head of all principality and power," and
Col
1:16. In the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, God
subjected all the principalities, &c., to Jesus, declaring
them to be powerless as to His work and His people (Eph
1:21). Thus Paul's argument against those grafting on
Christianity Jewish observances, along with angel-worship, is,
whatever part angels may be supposed to have had under the
law, now at an end, God having put the legal dispensation
itself away. But the objection is, that the context
seems to refer to a triumph over bad angels: in
2Co
2:14, however, Christ's triumph over those
subjected to Him, is not a triumph for destruction, but for
their salvation, so that good angels may be referred to
(Col
1:20). But the Greek middle is susceptible of
English Version, "having spoiled," or, literally
[TITTMANN], "having completely
stripped," or "despoiled" for Himself (compare Ro
8:38; 1Co 15:24; Eph 6:2). English Version accords
with Mt
12:29; Lu 11:22; Heb 2:14. Translate as the Greek,
"The rules and authorities."
made a show of them--at His ascension (see on Eph
4:8; confirming English Version of this verse).
openly--Joh
7:4; 11:54, support English Version against ALFORD'S translation, "in openness of speech."
in it--namely, His cross, or
crucifixion: so the Greek fathers translate. Many of the
Latins, "In Himself" or "in Him." Eph
2:16 favors English Version, "reconcile
. . . by the cross, having slain the enmity
thereby." If "in Him," that is, Christ, be read, still the
Cross will be the place and means of God's triumph in Christ
over the principalities (Eph
1:20; 2:5). Demons, like other angels, were in heaven up
to Christ's ascension, and influenced earth from their
heavenly abodes. As heaven was not yet opened to man before
Christ (Joh
3:13), so it was not yet shut against demons (Job
1:6; 2:1). But at the ascension Satan and his demons were
"judged" and "cast out" by Christ's obedience unto death (Joh
12:31; 16:11; Heb 2:14; Re 12:5-10), and the Son of man
was raised to the throne of God; thus His resurrection and
ascension are a public solemn triumph over the principalities
and powers of death. It is striking that the heathen oracles
were silenced soon after Christ's ascension.
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Verse 16. therefore--because ye are
complete in Christ, and God in Him has dispensed with all
subordinate means as essential to acceptance with Him.
meat . . .
drink--Greek, "eating . . . drinking" (Ro
14:1-17). Pay no regard to any one who sits in judgment on
you as to legal observances in respect to foods.
holyday--a feast yearly. Compare
the three, 1Ch
23:31.
new moon--monthly.
the sabbath--Omit "THE," which is not in the Greek (compare
Note, see on Ga
4:10). "SABBATHS" (not "the sabbaths")
of the day of atonement and feast of tabernacles have come to
an end with the Jewish services to which they belonged (Le
23:32, 37-39). The weekly sabbath rests on a more
permanent foundation, having been instituted in Paradise to
commemorate the completion of creation in six days. Le
23:38 expressly distinguished "the sabbath of the Lord"
from the other sabbaths. A positive precept is right
because it is commanded, and ceases to be obligatory when
abrogated; a moral precept is commanded eternally,
because it is eternally right. If we could keep
a perpetual sabbath, as we shall hereafter, the positive
precept of the sabbath, one in each week, would not be needed.
Heb
4:9, "rests," Greek, "keeping of sabbath" (Isa
66:23). But we cannot, since even Adam, in innocence,
needed one amidst his earthly employments; therefore the
sabbath is still needed and is therefore still linked with the
other nine commandments, as obligatory in the spirit, though
the letter of the law has been superseded by that higher
spirit of love which is the essence of law and Gospel alike
(Ro
13:8-10).
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Verse 17. things to come--the
blessings of the Christian covenant, the substance of which
Jewish ordinances were but the type. Compare "ages to come,"
that is, the Gospel dispensation (Eph
2:7). Heb
2:5, "the world to come."
the
body is of Christ--The real substance (of the
blessings typified by the law) belongs to Christ (Heb
8:5; 10:1).
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Verse 18. beguile--Translate,
"Defraud you of your prize," literally, "to adjudge a prize
out of hostility away from him who deserves it" [TRENCH]. "To be umpire in a contest to the
detriment of one." This defrauding of their prize the
Colossians would suffer, by letting any self-constituted
arbitrator or judge (that is, false teacher)
draw them away from Christ," the righteous Judge" and Awarder
of the prize (2Ti
4:8; Jas 1:12; 1Pe 5:4), to angel-worship.
in a voluntary humility--So
"will-worship" (Col
2:23). Literally, "Delighting ([WAHL])
in humility"; loving (so the Greek is
translated, Mr
12:38, "love to go in long clothing") to indulge
himself in a humility of his own imposing: a
volunteer in humility [DALLÆUS]. Not
as ALFORD, "Let no one of purpose
defraud you," &c. Not as GROTIUS, "If
he ever so much wish" (to defraud you). For the participle
"wishing" or "delighting," is one of the series, and stands in
the same category as "intruding," "puffed up," "not holding";
and the self-pleasing implied in it stands in happy
contrast to the (mock) humility with which it seems to
me, therefore, to be connected. His "humility," so called, is
a pleasing of self: thus it stands in parallelism to
"his fleshly mind" (its real name, though he styles it
"humility"), as "wishing" or "delighting" does to "puffed up."
The Greek for "humility" is literally, "lowliness of
mind," which forms a clearer parallel to "puffed up by
his fleshly mind." Under pretext of humility, as if
they durst not come directly to God and Christ (like the
modern Church of Rome), they invoked angels: as Judaizers,
they justified this on the ground that the law was given by
angels. This error continued long in Phrygia (where Colosse
and Laodicea were), so that the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 360) expressly framed its thirty-fifth
canon against the "Angelici" (as AUGUSTINE [Heresies, 39], calls them) or
"invokers of angels." Even as late as THEODORET'S time, there were oratories to Michael
the archangel. The modern Greeks have a legend that Michael
opened a chasm to draw off an inundation threatening the
Colossian Christians. Once men admit the inferior powers to
share invocation with the Supreme, the former gradually
engrosses all our serious worship, almost to the exclusion of
the latter; thus the heathen, beginning with adding the
worship of other deities to that of the Supreme, ended with
ceasing to worship Him at all. Nor does it signify much,
whether we regard such as directly controlling us (the pagan
view), or as only influencing the Supreme in our behalf
(the Church of Rome's view); because he from whom I expect
happiness or misery, becomes the uppermost object in my mind,
whether he give, or only procure it [Cautions
for Times]. Scripture opposes the idea of "patrons" or
"intercessors" (1Ti
2:5, 6). True Christian humility joins consciousness of
utter personal demerit, with a sense of participation in the
divine life through Christ, and in the dignity of our adoption
by God. Without the latter being realized, a false
self-humiliation results, which displays itself in ceremonies
and ascetic self-abasement (Col
2:23), which after all is but spiritual pride under the
mock guise of humility. Contrast "glorying in the Lord" (1Co
1:31).
intruding into
. . . things which he hath not seen--So very old
manuscripts and Vulgate and ORIGEN
read. But the oldest manuscripts and LUCIFER omit "not"; then translate, "haughtily
treading on ('Standing on' [ALFORD]) the
things which he hath seen." TREGELLES
refers this to fancied visions of angels. But if Paul
had meant a fancied seeing, he would have used some
qualifying word, as, "which he seemed to see," not
"which he hath seen." Plainly the things were
actually seen by him, whether of demoniacal origination
(1Sa
28:11-20), or phenomena resulting from natural causation,
mistaken by him as if supernatural. Paul, not stopping to
discuss the nature of the things so seen, fixes on the radical
error, the tendency of such a one in all this to walk by SENSE (namely, what he haughtily prides
himself on having SEEN), rather than
by FAITH in the UNSEEN "Head" (Col
2:19; compare Joh
20:29; 2Co 5:7; Heb 11:1). Thus is the parallelism,
"vainly puffed up" answers to "haughtily treading on," or
"setting his foot on"; "his fleshly mind" answers to the
things which he hath seen," since his fleshliness betrays
itself in priding himself on what he hath seen, rather
than on the unseen objects of faith. That the
things seen may have been of demoniacal origination, appears
from 1Ti
4:1, "Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed
to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" (Greek,
"demons"). A warning to modern spiritualists.
puffed up--implying that the previous so
called "humility" (Greek, "lowliness of mind") was
really a "puffing up."
fleshly
mind--Greek, "By the mind of his own flesh." The
flesh, or sensuous principle, is the fountain head whence his
mind draws its craving after religious objects of
sight, instead of, in true humility as a member,
"holding fast the (unseen) Head."
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Verse 19. Translate, "Not holding
fast the Head." He who does not hold Christ solely and
supremely above all others, does not hold Him at all [BENGEL]. The want of firm holding of Christ has
set him loose to (pry into, and so) "tread haughtily on (pride
himself on) things which he hath seen." Each must hold fast
the Head for himself, not merely be attached to the other
members, however high in the body [ALFORD].
from
which--rather, "from whom."
the body--that is, all the members of the body (Eph
4:16).
joints--the points
of union where the supply of nourishment passes to the
different members, furnishing the body with the materials of
growth.
bands--the sinews and
nerves which bind together limb and limb. Faith, love, and
peace, are the spiritual bands. Compare "knit together in
love" (Col
2:2; Col 3:14; Eph 4:3).
having nourishment ministered--that is, supplied to it
continually. "Receiving ministration."
knit together--The Greek is translated,
"compacted," Eph
4:16: implying firm consolidation.
with the increase of God-- (Eph
4:16); that is, wrought by God, the Author and
Sustainer of the believer's spiritual life, in union with
Christ, the Head (1Co
3:6); and tending to the honor of God, being worthy of
Him, its Author.
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Verse 20. Wherefore--The oldest
manuscripts omit "Wherefore."
if
ye be dead--Greek, "if ye died (so as to be freed)
from," &c. (compare Ro
6:2; 7:2, 3; Ga 2:19).
rudiments of the world-- (Col
2:8). Carnal, outward, worldly, legal ordinances.
as though living--as though
you were not dead to the world like your crucified Lord, into
whose death ye were buried (Ga
6:14; 1Pe 4:1, 2).
are ye
subject to ordinances--By do ye submit to be made subject
to ordinances? Referring to Col
2:14: you are again being made subject to "ordinances,"
the "handwriting" of which had been "blotted out" (Col
2:14).
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Verse 21. Compare Col
2:16, "meat . . . drink." He gives instances of
the "ordinances" (Col
2:20) in the words of their imposers. There is an
ascending climax of superstitious prohibitions. The first
Greek word (hapse) is distinguished from the
third (thiges), in that the former means close
contact and retention: the latter, momentary
contact (compare 1Co
7:1; Joh 20:17, Greek, "Hold me not"; cling not to
me"). Translate, "Handle not, neither taste,
nor even touch." The three refer to meats.
"Handle not" (a stronger term than "nor even
touch"), "nor taste" with the tongue, "nor even
touch," however slight the contact.
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Verse 22. Which--things, namely, the
three things handled, touched, and tasted.
are to perish--literally, "are constituted (by
their very nature) for perishing (or 'destruction by
corruption') in (or 'with') their using up
(consumption)." Therefore they cannot really and lastingly
defile a man (Mt
15:17; 1Co 6:13).
after--according to. Referring to Col
2:20, 21. All these "ordinances" are according to human,
not divine, injunction.
doctrines--Greek, teachings." ALFORD translates, "(doctrinal) systems."
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Verse 23. have--Greek, "are
having"; implying the permanent characteristic which
these ordinances are supposed to have.
show of wisdom--rather, "a reputation of
wisdom" [ALFORD].
will-worship--arbitrarily invented worship: would-be
worship, devised by man's own will, not God's. So
jealous is God of human will-worship, that He struck Nadab and
Abihu dead for burning strange incense (Le
10:1-3). So Uzziah was stricken with leprosy for usurping
the office of priest (2Ch
26:16-21). Compare the will-worship of Saul (1Sa
13:8-14) for which he was doomed to lose his throne. This
"voluntary worship" is the counterpart to their "voluntary
humility" (Col
2:18): both specious in appearance, the former seeming in
religion to do even more than God requires (as in the
dogmas of the Roman and Greek churches); but really setting
aside God's will for man's own; the latter seemingly
self-abasing, but really proud of man's self-willed "humility"
(Greek, "lowliness of mind"), while virtually rejecting
the dignity of direct communion with Christ, the Head; by
worshipping of angels.
neglecting
of the body--Greek, "not sparing of the body." This
asceticism seems to have rested on the Oriental theory that
matter is the source of evil. This also looked plausible
(compare 1Co
9:27).
not in any
honour--of the body. As "neglecting of the body" describes
asceticism positively; so this clause,
negatively. Not paying any of that "honor" which is due
to the body as redeemed by such a price as the blood of
Christ. We should not degrade, but have a just estimation of
ourselves, not in ourselves, but in Christ (Ac
13:46; 1Co 3:21; 6:15; 7:23; 12:23, 24; 1Th 4:4). True
self-denial regards the spirit, and not the forms of ascetical
self-mortification in "meats which profit not those occupied
therein" (Heb
13:9), and is consistent with Christian self-respect, the
"honor" which belongs to the believer as dedicated to the
Lord. Compare "vainly," Col
2:18.
to the satisfying of the
flesh--This expresses the real tendency of their
human ordinances of bodily asceticism, voluntary humility, and
will-worship of angels. While seeming to deny self and
the body, they really are pampering the flesh. Thus
"satisfying of the flesh" answers to "puffed up by his
fleshly mind" (Col
2:18), so that "flesh" is used in its ethical sense, "the
carnal nature" as opposed to the "spiritual"; not in the
sense, "body." The Greek for "satisfying" implies
satiating to repletion, or to excess. "A surfeit
of the carnal sense is human tradition" [HILARY
THE DEACON, in BENGEL]. Tradition puffs up; it clogs the
heavenly perceptions. They put away true "honor" that they may
"satiate to the full THE FLESH."
Self-imposed ordinances gratify the flesh (namely,
self-righteousness), though seeming to mortify
it.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition
prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown
Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely used and
distributed.
Bibliography
Information
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.
"Commentary on Colossians 2". "Commentary Critical and
Explanatory
on the Whole Bible".
<http://www.studylight.org/com/jfb/view.cgi?book=col&chapter=002>.
1871.
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