Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

2:16 food and drink . . . a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. The false teacher(s) were advocating a number of Jewish observances, arguing that they were essential for spiritual advancement. On "new moon," see note on Num. 28:11-15.

2:17 a shadow of the things to come. The old covenant observances pointed to a future reality that was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Heb. 10:1). Hence, Christians are no longer under the Mosaic covenant (cf. Rom. 6:14-15; 7:1-6; 2 Cor. 3:4-18; Gal. 3:15-4:7). Christians are no longer obligated to observe OT dietary laws ("food and drink") or festivals, holidays, and special days ("a festival . . . new moon . . . Sabbath," Col. 2:16), for what these things foreshadowed has been fulfilled in Christ. It is debated whether the Sabbaths in question included the regular seventh-day rest of the fourth commandment, or were only the special Sabbaths of the Jewish festal calendar.

2:18 Paul lists a variety of ways the false teachers had tried to disqualify the genuine believers in Colossae. Asceticism translates the Greek word for "humility" (tapeinophrosynē). Paul probably had in mind fasting and perhaps also the taboos mentioned in v. 21. Worship of angels involves invoking angels for help and protection from evil spirits (see Introduction: Purpose, Occasion, and Background). The verb translated going on in detail (Gk. embateuō) is rare in Greek literature and difficult to interpret. The use of this word on a series of inscriptions found near Ephesus, however, has clarified its meaning here. It denoted the higher stage of mystery cult initiation that involved "entering" the innermost sanctuary of the pagan temple. The term suggests that the leader of the Colossian faction may be basing part of his teaching on spiritual experiences he gained in a pagan ritual initiation, thus showing the syncretistic nature of his false teaching. about visions. Some form of visionary experience and, thus, mystical insight was offered as part of the false teaching.

2:19 not holding fast to the Head. The fundamental problem with the competing teacher at Colossae is that he has not maintained contact with Christ and has thus become influenced by evil spirits (see v. 8). As the head of the body, Christ not only provides leadership but is also a source of provision for every member of the body (its joints and ligaments) so that it grows and matures (see note on 1 Cor. 11:3). On the church as a body, see Rom. 12:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12; Eph. 4:4, 12-16.

2:20 the elemental spirits. See note on v. 8.

2:21 "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch." Quotation marks are used here to indicate that these are specific taboos, which the teacher of the false philosophy is insisting the Colossians must obey. These rules are not divine but human, for the food a person eats is not crucial in his or her spiritual life (cf. Mark 7:18-19).

2:23 an appearance of wisdom. The ringleader of the faction in Colossae was advocating an esoteric wisdom for daily life that would allegedly help the Colossians deal with evil spirits and cope with life's circumstances. self-made religion. The Greek word (ethelothrēskia) could also be translated "voluntary worship," which may allude to the fact that the false teacher was stressing the Colossians' freedom to choose this syncretistic path contrary to apostolic tradition. severity to the body. This refers to the fasting and taboos that were part of the ascetic behavior advocated by "the philosophy." It may have gone beyond this, however, to include forms of self-mutilation similar to what was practiced in some of the local cults. Such asceticism may appear to be spiritual, but it actually promotes nothing more than confidence in self rather than in Christ.