Bible Commentaries
Colossians 2

Verses 1-3

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. Colossians 2:1

In this chapter, Paul continues describing the struggle he has just told us about in 1:29. Paul once again reveals his great heart of love for the Christians and churches. The Greek word used here is agnon from which we get our word "agony." ^(F1) Paul agonized in prayer just as a great athlete would agonize as he stretched his body to gain victory in the public games.

Here Paul alludes to the nearby church at Laodicea. We no doubt remember that this church was later rebuked in Revelation 3:16, as a church that had become "lukewarm." Several commentators try to affirm that Paul had surely visited Colossae and perhaps Laodicea as well. However, when we look at his simple statement here it seems to indicate that he had never visited in this particular area. As we saw earlier in the case of Rome, Paul certainly wrote to and prayed for churches he had never visited.

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (2:2-3). Paul's goal and purpose was to build up the churches (2 Corinthians 10:8) and not to tear them down as these false teachers were intent upon doing. He wanted to see them encouraged and unified in love. The word for "encouraged" or "comforted" used here is the Greek parakalein. Barclay says of this, "Sometimes that word means to comfort, sometimes to exhort, but always at the back of it there is the idea of enabling a person to meet some difficult situation with confidence and with gallantry." ^(F2)

The expression "united in love" (Gk. sumbibazo) is translated in several versions of the Bible as "knitted" or "knitted together" (cf. ASV, NAS, NKJ, RSV). Paul was doing his best to knit the churches together, but he must have been greatly frustrated that there were lots of "knit pickers" doing their evil work on unraveling the body just as they still are doing today. Paul continues on to speak of the full riches of complete understanding. With this statement he begins once more to level his attack against the false teachers who had promised the Colossians a mysterious "full knowledge."

Paul also speaks of the full knowledge as mysterious, but as we have said before, the word he uses (musterion) has to do with something that was once hidden but is now revealed to all who will take the time to understand it. This mystery is totally revealed in Jesus and in him only. Paul makes plain that every believer has access to the full knowledge (epignosin) of this mystery. It is not for a certain chosen few as the gnostic teachers had indicated.

The apostle wants to make plain that the essence of this wisdom and full knowledge is hidden in Jesus. Even in the Old Testament, the Son of God is referred to as the wisdom of God (Proverbs 3:19; Proverbs 8:22-30; Psalm 104:24). In 2 Corinthians 4:6 it is written, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge as Paul has said. There is something about the idea of treasure that greatly interests us humans. It seems that even if something is partly hidden it causes us to pursue it all the more.

There is a real sense in which all other knowledge is subservient to the knowledge of Christ. If his knowledge is missing, all other knowledge only leads to foolishness, as the scripture assures us (1 Corinthians 3:19). The songwriter Edwin Hodder spoke of the treasures of Christ and of his word in 1863 saying:

Thy Word is like a deep, deep mine;
and jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths
for every searcher there.

The Venerable Bede (c. 672-735) in speaking of the disciple John has said, "For because in Jesus' breast 'are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,' it was fitting that the one who leaned upon his breast was the one to whom he had granted a larger gift of unique wisdom and knowledge than to the rest." ^(F3)John was given a special measure of this knowledge and was later even able to write the Book of Revelation.

We may wonder why the great treasures of Christ are not so readily known in our society today. The reformer Calvin enlightens us saying, "that the treasures are hidden, because they are not seen glittering with great splendor, but do rather, as it were, lie hid under the contemptible abasement and simplicity of the cross." ^(F4)

Verses 4-5

HIGH-SOUNDING ARGUMENTS

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. Colossians 2:4

It seems that the Colossians were being deceived by great high-sounding speeches and with fancy words. John Dummelow calls them "plausible persuasions." ^(F5)Perhaps we should look at the Greek words used here. The word paralogizetai means to deceive another by sopohistry or subtle reasoning. The second word, pithanologia means to deceive another by enticing words and by plausible conclusions and deductions from reasoning.^(F6) We all have a tendency to be carried away by high-sounding arguments, especially if they come from one who is highly educated and has several degrees behind his or her name.

Paul experienced some of that when he visited Athens and heard the wisdom of his age. Later he said, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Indeed, Calvin once said, "it is not lawful for a Christian man to know anything except Christ." ^(F7)

"For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is" (2:5). On another occasion in 1 Corinthians 5:3-4, Paul speaks like this of himself as being somehow present in a church meeting in Corinth, while he was living in Ephesus. Somehow through the Holy Spirit Paul was able to pay them a visit or else perceive them through the Spirit.

Here he uses two terms that were unusual. Many scholars see them as military terms. Perhaps that is not so unusual since Paul spent a good deal of time with Roman soldiers. He was actually chained to them in his confinement. The first Greek word here is taxis, which has the meaning of being in rank or ordered. The other word is steroma, which means being a solid bulwark or an immovable phalanx against the enemy.^(F8)

Verses 6-7

CONTINUING IN THE LORD'S FREEDOM

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, Colossians 2:6

This is good and practical advice for us all. Although we received Christ in faith, in simplicity and in great humility, as time goes on we tend to get our Christianity all complicated. It can even become a heavy burden for us. The Scottish divine Robert Jamieson looks at Paul's statement here as the main scope of the whole epistle.^(F9) The continuing on or "walking" in the faith is so well expressed in 1John 2:6 (NET), where the aged disciple says, "The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked" (cf. Isaiah 30:21).

Paul continues, saying we should be "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" (2:7). In many ways today our society is becoming a rootless one. Not only are we uprooted from our native homes and lands on many occasions, but we are uprooted from the deep teachings of our faith. We only have to go into a Christian bookstore to realize this. So many books today are "how to" books, like how to be happy, how to do or quit doing this or that. Such books are sometimes referred to as "Christian Fluff" When we look at the section for serious Bible study, we will realize that it is often very small and sometimes even difficult to locate.

When we examine a tree, we realize that there is a good portion of it down deep in the ground. Likewise should Christians be deeply rooted (cf. Ephesians 3:17) in the strong teachings of our faith. Not only should we be strengthened in our faith, but we should be full of thankfulness. In fact, thankfulness is almost like a thermometer that indicates how our religion is getting along. When thankfulness sags, we can know that trouble is on the way for us. Paul says, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

My wife and I find that as the years go by, we feel more and more thankful. We are thankful for long life and for 56 years of blissfully happy marriage. We are thankful that we can see our children's children and that our children and grandchildren love and respect us. We are thankful for good health – that we can still walk and drive in our mid and late 70s. We are thankful for a place to live, a bed to sleep in and good food to eat. We are just thankful!

Verse 8

DECEITFUL PHILOSOPHY

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8

The word "philosophy" has the meaning of "loving wisdom." It is interesting that Paul would bring up the subject of philosophy here. History tells us that philosophy had its beginning not too many miles from Colossae at the city of Miletus. Here the pre-Socratic philosopher Thales (c. 634- c. 546 BC) was said to have been its originator.

Some think Paul is opposed to philosophy but that is certainly not the case. What he is opposed to is pseudo-philosophy. Just as it is with most fields of study, there are always good things and bad things involved. For instance, the Enlightenment philosopher John Locke (1632 -1704) proposed numerous good ideas on how a government should operate. Many of his views were incorporated into the US Declaration of Independence, things like inalienable rights, the pursuit of happiness, government with the consent of the governed, and right to property ownership. So we can't say that all philosophy is bad.

However, some philosophy is certainly bad. We have spoken a little about this previously. It seems that our modern and postmodern worlds have been immersed and almost drowned in dangerous pseudo-philosophy. This trend began as Enlightenment philosophers searched for some basis of existence apart from the God of the Bible. They initially began with the ideas of rationalism, or that man could solve all the problems of existence through his thought processes. This really was an old idea that could be traced back to the Greek philosopher Protagoras (c. 490 BC- 420 BC). He was the person who came up with the famous dictum, "Man is the measure of all things." Obviously, with such an idea there was really no room for God.

As philosophical thinking ran its course, it went from Rationalism to Empiricism, to Idealism, to Existentialism. In the present postmodern times, it seems that many philosophers have fallen below the "line of despair" as the Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer has termed it. ^(F10) Several philosophers have simply given up on finding any meaning in life. This trend is particularly evident in people like Neitzsche, Sartre, Camus, and finally Michael Foucault, who seemed to think suicide was a great idea. He did not kill himself but he did eventually die with AIDS at a fairly young age. Perhaps Cicero (106 – 43 BC) summed it up well when he said, "There is nothing so absurd that some philosopher has not already said it."

There is something about philosophy and its high-sounding wisdom that greatly appeals to the fallen flesh. It is just another way to eat from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge in Genesis 3. Paul says that it depends on human tradition and the basic principles of the world. The Greek expression stoicheia tou kosmou (basic or elemental principles of the world) is dealt with in several places in scripture. Paul deals with it at some length in Galatians 4:3 & 9. The primary meaning of stoicheia is to line things up or set them out in a row. They are like the elementary principles or the ABCs of the world.^(F11) We can understand that these basic principles are still trying to "line up" people in order that they might think and act according to the present evil world system.

Paul's warning against false philosophy is stern. He cautions the Christians of Colossae not to be carried away captive by it. The Greek word used is sulagogein and it has the idea of being kidnapped by a slave raider and carried away, body and soul.^(F12)

Verses 9-12

CHRIST IS THE FULLNESS OF GOD

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, Colossians 2:9

With this statement Paul essentially demolishes the whole foundation of the gnostic argument. If the true God was, and is, fully resident in Christ, then Gnosticism in its entirety goes up in flames. Calvin sums it up saying, "Further, when he says that the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ, he means simply, that God is wholly found in him, so that he who is not contented with Christ alone, desires something better and more excellent than God." ^(F13) We Christians know that if anyone has the Son, he has God (1 John 2:23).

What does this glorious fact mean for humankind? Paul sums that up saying, "and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority" (2:10). Paul is making much of that favorite Gnostic word "fullness" (Gk. pleroma). He says certainly and emphatically that what the Gnostics are promising, the true believers in Christ already possess. Just as Christ is filled with God, believers are filled with Christ who is God. Several translations (NAS, NKJ, NLT) use the expression "you are complete in him." What can be added to completion? What can be added to the gospel?

This verse alone should cause us to be very careful in judging other believers. We cannot look down at fellow saints and judge them as being incomplete in any way. Many of the denominational differences and church splits of modern times have come about because one person or one group of saints would not accept another person or group as being in Christ. While the recent Charismatic Movement gave many blessings to the church, one big problem it caused was division on a massive scale. This was brought about precisely because some Christians judged others as being lacking or incomplete in their spiritual experience. This disputes the clear word of God here and elsewhere (cf. Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 2:3).

We can give thanks and praise to the Lord who has given us this wonderful fullness and completeness in Christ. It is in him alone, not in angels, powers, or the world's wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, Paul says, "It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'"

James Nisbet in his Pulpit Commentary quotes Vaughan who says, "If you could have asked a true believer, in Christ's day, 'What is your creed?' he would have pointed to his Master; he would not have repeated certain articles of faith, but he would have said, 'I believe that glorious Man; my trust is in him; I believe him'…If you want theology, he is the true Theologos, the essential Word of God." ^(F14)

"In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ," (2:11). From this passage we can understand why scholars feel that the heresy at Colossae had an element of legalistic Judaism involved with it. We know from history that there were many Jews in the area, so it is not strange that circumcision would be mentioned here.

Circumcision, the simple operation on the male sex organ, was required for all males who would be born in or else be converted into Judaism. All those who refused circumcision were cut off from the Jewish faith. Still, it was apparent even in the Old Testament that circumcision had deeper spiritual meanings for Israel. It had to do with lips or speech (Exodus 6:12). It had to do with ears, or with hearing (Jeremiah 6:10). It certainly had to do with the heart (Leviticus 26:41; Deuteronomy 30:6). Fleshly ideas and works had to go. Certainly, the predominant idea in the act was that people should no longer reproduce after the flesh but after the spirit. Circumcision was thus a "sign" of a more complete spiritual operation to come (Romans 4:11).

Paul says we Christians have now received that newer and fuller circumcision. It was not done in the flesh by the Jewish leader but in the spirit by Christ. It is not just a part of man that is circumcised but the whole man. David Guzik, the popular web commentator, in quoting Vaughn says, "Our spiritual circumcision meant the putting off of the old man. 'The Greek word for putting off, a double compound, denotes both stripping off and casting away. The imagery is that of discarding – or being divested of – a piece of filthy clothing.'" ^(F15)

Paul continues, "having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead" (2:12). Some early Christian writers like Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia and Ambrose made a close connection between circumcision and baptism. ^(F16)

Actually, the early church placed a lot of emphasis on baptism. Early baptism was by adult immersion and this act signified burying the old man in the water and raising up the new man or new person. Our burial and resurrection with Christ through baptism is pictured plainly for us in Romans 6:3-5. Verse 4 reads, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." We can easily see how circumcision, baptism, and even crucifixion all had to do with putting off the flesh.

Verses 13-15

ALIVE WITH CHRIST AND FORGIVEN

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, Colossians 2:13

The Colossians were once dead in their sin and spiritual uncircumcision but now they were alive with Christ's circumcision and with his resurrection. They were also forgiven by him. Lucas says here, "Paul is countering any suggestion that God can do for people anything greater than he has already done for them in Christ." ^(F17) Certainly, the Gnostics had no secret power that could accomplish such things.

Paul says the great work of Christ has more benefits for us, "having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross" (2:14). The legal indebtedness seems to be a reference to the Law of God, especially the Ten Commandments that were written with the hand of God. While the Law itself was good, and even perfect (Psalm 19:7), it was nevertheless impossible for us to keep it. The Law had a built- in curse for all those who would fail to keep it perfectly. It is said in Galatians 3:10, "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'"

There is possibly another meaning to the "works of the law." The early preacher John Chrysostom sees it also as a "certificate of our ancestral indebtedness which Adam wrote and signed. Adam contracted the debt; by our subsequent sins we increased the amount owed…Christ took all these away and pardoned them…he has taken it completely away, nailing it to the cross." ^(F18)

Perhaps there are several shades of meaning here. The Greek word for "cancelled" is exaleiphein and has the meaning of "wiping out." Barclay mentions how documents were written in ancient times on papyrus and on vellum. Since both of these materials were expensive, the writing was often wiped out and the materials were used again. In ancient times ink did not have acid in it as it does today. Therefore, it did not bite into the material and was easily removed.^(F19) In such a way Christ has literally wiped our evil and guilty slate clean.

Barnes also mentions how it was a custom in Asia to drive a nail through a cancelled bond and affix it to a post.^(F20) The laws and codes that were against us were nailed to the cross as Paul tells us. They were thus cancelled and finished. I have in my desk an old passport that I used many times to travel from country to country. Now it is cancelled, and I have a new one. It is interesting that the US government has punched a hole in the old one showing that it is cancelled.

"And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (2:15). We likely have a picture here of a triumphant Roman general returning from war and marching through the streets of Rome with his captives in tow. This was Rome's way of insuring that the victories were genuine.^(F21)

Christ did a very similar thing when he arose from the dead. No doubt with his crucifixion the devil and his angels were certain that victory was in their grasp. It did not turn out that way. In Ephesians 4:8 Paul writes, "This is why it says: 'When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.'" When Jesus arose from the grave he led the devil and all of hades captive (cf. Isaiah 53:12; John 12:31; Hebrews 2:14-15).

Verses 16-17

BE DONE WITH THE OLD TYPES AND SHADOWS

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. Colossians 2:16

There is good reason to believe that the Gnostics were trying to introduce a lot of Jewish teachings like circumcision, food laws, festivals and Sabbaths. These things continue to have a lot of attraction for people, and it is still very easy to get in bondage to them.

We can understand why Gnostics would have problems with food and drink. We remember that they considered all matter to be essentially evil. That included the body itself. Of course, it would have included food and all other matters that pertained to the body and its needs. Fleshly things had to be starved and beaten down in their minds and thus it often resulted in a rigid form of asceticism.^(F22)

Both Judaism and Christianity considered the world as good as well as everything in it. The body was considered good and made in God's image. Food and drink were a blessing and were to be enjoyed with thanksgiving. While there were certain food laws in Judaism, Jesus made it very clear that food no longer had spiritual values (Mark 7:14-23). The same was true with festivals, new moons and Sabbath celebrations. Such things were types and shadows of reality as the writer will point out. The noted scholar F.F. Bruce says, "It would be preposterous indeed for those who had reaped the benefit of Christ's victory to put themselves voluntarily under the control of the powers which he had conquered." ^(F23)

Therefore, the Christian must not let himself or herself be judged with such things. The Christian has the freedom to eat or not to eat; to drink or not to drink; to observe a Sabbath or not to observe it. Paul says in Romans 14:17-18, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval." We are free in all things, but we must always take care not to make others stumble (Romans 14:20).

"These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ" (2:17). Paul used the Greek word skia here for "shadow." This expresses something that is imperfect and unsubstantial. He contrasts that to "reality" or body (Gk. soma) which is the opposite, being something solid, substantial and firm.^(F24) A shadow does not tell us much but a body tells us a lot. In Hebrews 8:5 and 10:1, we see that the tabernacle and the law were shadows of what was to come. Who would want to hold on the shadow instead of the reality? Of course, the reality is Christ.

Lucas says in regret, "Why has it come about so often in the church's story, that people have led their fellow Christians back to 'shadowland' in order to try to find a spiritual reality they have missed in Christ?" ^(F25) It is interesting that the light of a candle will actually cast a shadow in the light of the noonday sun. So it is with Christ in comparison to the old practices of Judaism.

Verses 18-19

DON'T BE DISQUALIFIED!

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. Colossians 2:18

It is so easy for a Christian to get tripped up in his race. Paul mentions "false humility" and the "worship of angels" as a couple of stumbling blocks to spirituality. Coffman describes false humility in this way, "It is therefore that lowliness that causes a man to think himself unworthy to come into fellowship with God, and therefore prompts the worship of angels. Such humility was perverted." ^(F26)

Apparently, there was a rather serious problem of angel worship in the early church and the problem persisted for a long time in the very areas of Phrygia and Pisidia. Jamieson relates how oratories were even made to Michael the Archangel. He mentions how the Council of Laodicea (360 AD) was finally called to deal with the problem. The council framed its thirty-fifth canon against these so-called "Angelici." ^(F27)

Once again in our day there is considerable emphasis upon angels. Many books are written about them and several recent TV programs and series have focused on them. Paul assures us that such an emphasis will get us into trouble with living out our Christian faith. The real problem with such worship and with angelic visions is that these things are totally subjective. There is no possibility of verifying such sightings. The result is that people become puffed up with their visions. These visions have become more and more spectacular and even outrageous in time.

Paul says such things disqualify us for the prize. They send us down a wrong path and we miss the goal. In Galatians 5:7, he says of his recipients, "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?" In the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the Dutch speed skating star Sven Kramer was the hot favorite to win the 10,000-meter speed skating title. He had already won gold in his earlier 5,000-meter victory, and he had completed the grueling circuit in what would have been an Olympic record time. Suddenly his coach called for him to switch to the inner lane. In a split-second decision Kramer made the lane change and was promptly disqualified from the race. Kramer said in tears "My world collapsed… This is a disaster. This is the worst moment in my career!" Later Sports Illustrated headlined the event, "Coach's gaffe costs Kramer gold." ^(F28)

It is interesting that Paul himself had seen several glorious visions. On one occasion he was even caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2). But it is also interesting that Paul would not speak of the things he saw there.^(F29)

"They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow" (2:19). Scripture is clear that Christians make up the body of Christ and that Christ himself is the Head of this spiritual body (Ephesians 4:15-16). We have already spoken about how important the Head is to the body. The body functions and grows through the Head. If the body is somehow separated from the head, it is not much better than a chicken flopping around with its head chopped off

Paul describes how the body is connected to the head through many supporting ligaments and sinews. Some years ago, Dr. Paul Brand became famous for his work with the disease of leprosy. In his later book he has some interesting things to say about the body. He says, "God requires only one thing of his cells: that each person be loyal to the Head." He says that "Each cell is flooded with communication about the rest of the body… The body's cells have a nearly infallible sense of belonging." He notes how DNA "gives each cell a coded imprint and how we believers in a real sense become genetically like Christ." He explains how the body experiences a "stuff-exchange" and how the actual substance of God flows through believers just as in a physical body. ^(F30)

Nisbet quotes pastor Hubert Brooke who sums it up well:

All the physical life of a man lies in the head. From the head run little cords, almost innumerable and of exquisite fineness, to every spot in the body, and from every spot in the body little cords again run back to the head. The little cords running up to the head carry intelligence to the head of everything which causes pain or pleasure in that spot from which they come, and the little cords running from the head to the body carry instruction, will, and motion to the affected spot; but all meet in the head. All the guidance and the supply come from the head, and so the whole life centers there. The head is the life. Separate any part from the head, and immediately it dies. Such is union with Christ. As the body lives in the head, we live in him: we in him, and he in us.^(F31)

Verses 20-23

RULES, RULES, RULES!

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules, "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? Colossians 2:20-21

As Christians, we have died with Christ. We have all been crucified with him (Romans 6:6). So, how can we go on living with the principles and dogmas (Gk. dogmatesthe) of this world? As we have mentioned, there is something about the flesh that delights in trying to keep commandments and rules. We delight in these things because they make the flesh feel proud in its accomplishments. However, the simple gospel truth is that all these things are worthless so far as true righteousness is concerned.

The law, with all its requirements and restrictions, was given in the first place to positively prove to humans that they could not keep its demands and that they needed a Savior (Romans 7:24-25). Commands and rules puff people up. Bruce says, "In fact, the most rigorous asceticism can coexist with insufferable spiritual pride, one of the subtlest and most intractable of the 'works of the flesh.'" ^(F32)

Throughout his ministry Jesus was dogged by the religious leaders of Israel. They often insisted that he pay heed to their almost unending rabbinical laws and customs. Jesus refused to accommodate them. He spoke reproachfully of them in Matthew 15:9, "They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." God is not impressed with what we eat or do not eat. Food and drink do not bring us closer to him (1 Corinthians 8:8). He is not impressed when we keep feasts and special days, or when we deprive our bodies to gain his attention. As Novatian (c. 200-258), the scholar, priest and theologian put it, "God delights only in our faith, our innocence, our truthfulness, those virtues of ours which dwell in the soul, not the stomach." ^(F33)

So far as gaining God's approval is concerned, we Christians already have that. The Bible says of us in Ephesians 1:6, "…He has made us accepted in the Beloved." (NKJ) Because of the cross and the shed blood of Jesus we can boldly say that the Lord is our righteousness (cf. Jeremiah 23:6).

"These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings" (2:22). It is truly amazing how people often praise and guard human commands more than the commands of God. It all goes back to our pride, no doubt.

"Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence" (2:23). Gaebelein sums it up well saying:

Asceticism is utterly powerless to affect the object aimed at: it does not, it cannot sanctify the flesh. It has a show of wisdom. It is extravagant in its pretensions and loud in its promises. But it never fulfills them…Asceticism has often proved to be a hotbed of vice. Some of the vilest men have been found among those who advocated the strictest austerities…Marriage was degraded, celibacy glorified, the family disparaged, domestic life despised. And some of these foes of truth have been canonized! …So long as the heart is corrupt, no bodily restraints will make the life holy. ^(F34)

In human history people have gone to great lengths in depriving themselves, in painful rites, in abusing and starving the flesh, in abstinence, and in penance of all types trying to impress God and gain his approval. It was all in vain. In fact, it is often the case that, "…What people value highly is detestable in God's sight" (Luke 16:15).

With this we do not want to speak disparagingly about Christian disciplines like prayer and fasting. These are disciplines that come after the cross of Christ and they certainly are not designed to gain salvation or even the favor of God. We see in the New Testament that there were instances of believers fasting for certain things (Acts 13:2; 14:23). The Lord may call on us to give up particular items at times in our lives, but we must emphasize that these acts are not for the sake of gaining righteousness. That is already given to us in Christ.

In this passage Paul speaks of "self-imposed worship" or what is called "will worship" in other translations. This is a worship of a type other than what God has decreed. We immediately think of the priests Nadab and Abihu as they offered strange incense to God in Leviticus 10:1-3. In that case the fire of God came out and destroyed the two. We must not go beyond what is revealed and what God requires.