Colossians · chapter 2 of 4
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Colossians 2 affirms that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and that in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, so believers are complete in him. Paul warns against empty philosophy and human rules about food, festivals and asceticism, and reminds them that Christ canceled the debt at the cross and disarmed the powers. Those rules are a shadow; the reality is Christ.
After presenting the greatness of Christ in chapter 1, Paul faces a teaching that threatened the Colossians and offered them something more than Christ. Colossians 2 is the polemical center of the letter: the answer is always Christ, sufficient to save and to live.
Paul struggles for the Colossians, for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen him in person, that their hearts may be encouraged, knit together in love, and reach full understanding of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom. He says this so that no one may deceive them with plausible arguments; though far away, he rejoices to see their good order and the firmness of their faith.
He invites them to walk in Christ Jesus the Lord as they received him, rooted and built up in him, established in the faith and abounding in thanksgiving. He warns them not to be taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and they have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him they were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, buried with him in baptism and raised with him through faith. Though they were dead in their trespasses, God made them alive together with him, forgiving all their trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against them, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, triumphing over them in it.
Therefore no one is to pass judgment on them in questions of food and drink, or regarding a festival, a new moon or a Sabbath, which are a shadow of the things to come; the substance belongs to Christ. No one is to disqualify them with false humility and worship of angels, not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body grows.
If they died with Christ to the elemental spirits, why submit to regulations such as do not handle, do not taste, do not touch? These are human teachings with an appearance of wisdom and severity to the body, but of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. There is no need to seek a higher wisdom apart from him, because in him everything is already there.
In Christ the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and believers are complete in him, who is the head of all rule. Christ is fully God, and whoever has him needs nothing added.
God made us alive with Christ, forgave all our trespasses and canceled the record of debt by nailing it to the cross. The image shows that the debt we had was fully canceled.
No one should judge them over food, festivals or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of what was to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. The old practices pointed to him, and now the reality is present.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. — Colossians 2:3
Answer: Rooted and built up in him, established in the faith, abounding in thanksgiving. — Colossians 2:6-7
Answer: The whole fullness of deity. — Colossians 2:9
Answer: He canceled it, nailing it to the cross. — Colossians 2:14
Answer: He disarmed them and put them to open shame, triumphing over them. — Colossians 2:15
Answer: Of the things to come; the substance belongs to Christ. — Colossians 2:16-17
Colossians 2 is very current: offers of something more than Christ keep appearing, whether techniques, experiences or rules, to make us feel complete. In a small group you can ask what things we add to Christ today as if they were necessary to be accepted or to grow.
It is also a call not to judge others over secondary practices and not to let ourselves be judged. This does not take away the value of spiritual disciplines but puts them in their place: they help when they bring us nearer to Christ and hinder when they become a requirement. And the image of the debt canceled at the cross encourages us to live with freedom and gratitude.
Colossians 2 shows that Christ is sufficient and that human rules cannot give what he gives. In chapter 3, Paul will explain how that fullness is lived: seeking the things above and putting on the new self.
Paul does not name it but describes it: human philosophy, observance of foods and days, worship of angels, visions and asceticism. Scholars debate whether it was a mixture of Jewish ideas and other religious currents. What is essential is that it asked for something more than Christ.
It is a picture of the believer's union with Christ in his death and resurrection. Baptism publicly represents that change, but the text stresses that the resurrection is through faith in God's power, not through the rite itself.
They are hostile spiritual powers that opposed God's plan. Paul says Christ disarmed them at the cross and displayed them as defeated, so believers no longer have to fear them or serve them.