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Colossians 2:16-19
The Father has given those who have placed their faith in His Son a new Life - eternal Life, which the
Father availed to men when He raised Christ from the dead. And Paul has been bringing out that the Father
has also cleared the way, so that believers can walk in that new Life; He has removed all obstacles from
their course.
The Father has taken away all charges against the believer; there is now no condemnation, to those who are
in Christ Jesus (Rm 8:1); so the obstacle of their guilt has been removed, and is no longer an impediment
between the believer and God. The past has been dealt with.
Not only that, but the Father has also stripped His enemies in the spiritual realm of their hold over men; Sin
and Death were resounding defeated, at the cross. Believers, who have united themselves to Christ by faith,
have been freed from the power of sin, and their fear of death. They no longer need be subject to the
influence of the agents of the world system - the principalities and powers.
What does all this mean, to believers? That they are now free. The deliverance at the cross was a complete
deliverance. They are free to live the Life that the Father has given to them; free to live, as His born-again
sons, in the present age.
Based on this deliverance, Paul now writes an exhortation to the assemblies in the Lycus valley. This
begins in verse 16. Well read through verse 23, but were only going to be talking about the first four
verses, today.
[Colossians 2:16-23]
Now, from the beginning of this chapter, Paul had specifically been addressing the believers in the
assemblies who had been standing firm in the faith. He had commended them, cautioned them, and taught
them more fully about their completeness, in Christ.
But as Paul continues here, he begins to expand upon his warnings, toward others in the assemblies. Paul is
intending this section of his letter for those believers of little understanding, who were seeing the false
teaching as an alluring possibility.
And Paul reaches out even further with his statements here, to those in the assemblies who merely
professed to believe, or were considering Christ, but are now being drawn right into the deceptions of the
false teachers.
Lets return to verse 16.
v. 16-17 Notice how Paul begins here, and in verse 18: Let no one. It reminds us of what Paul wrote
earlier in the letter: now this I say lest anyone should deceive you (Col 2:4); Beware, lest anyone cheat
you (Col 2:8). Those warnings were addressed to the believers who were steadfast in the faith; they were
to be on their guard.
But notice that the warnings we have here are stronger. They are in the form of a command. This is an
exhortation of Paul, to those in the assemblies who are not established in the truth, not to be drawn away by
the wiles of the false teachers.

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Paul says, So - therefore - let no one judge you. Therefore - based on what the Father has done for
you, in Christ, delivering you, to become a son of God - stay free. Dont let anyone, such as those false
teachers, judge you, in your freedom. What Paul means by judge here is render decisions - like a judge
does.
The false teachers were trying to dictate to the members of the assemblies how they were to live; the right
way to conduct themselves, in order to be able to approach God; the correct things to do, so as to be
pleasing to Him.
The things which Paul records here, taken together, have a distinctive Jewish flavor. Food points to the
dietary restrictions found in the Law of Moses, concerning foods that were considered clean and unclean.
But Paul mentions drink also; the Law did not indicate any restriction on beverages. This suggests that
the false teachers had added their own traditions, to the Law of Moses; the traditions of men, which Jesus
condemned (Mt 15:3, 6; Mk 7:8, 9, 13).
Festival points to the feasts which the LORD had given to Israel, such as Passover and Tabernacles, which
were celebrated on an annual basis. New moon was another festival time for the Jews instituted in the
Law, to be celebrated with sacrifices and offerings (Num 28:11-14, Ps 81:3-4).
And finally, Sabbaths, which is plural in the Greek, does not indicate the weekly day of rest - the
Sabbath - but instead holy days of rest (2 Chr 2:4) which were observed by the Jews, particularly at the
beginning and the close of their great festivals. Taken together, these are all elements of the ceremonial
Law which was given to Moses specifically for the nation, Israel.
It would seem that the false teachers were drawing upon their Jewish traditions to fabricate a religious
system which likely required circumcision as an initiation rite, and then an upholding of the rituals of the
ceremonial Law; and they were trying to impose these observances upon the assemblies.
Now, the ceremonial Law had merit; thats why God gave it to Israel. But it was given to them to act as a
teaching tool. For Israel, the Law was their tutor, to lead them to Christ (Gal 3:24).
In addition, the ceremonial Law, including its food restrictions, kept the nation of Israel separated, as a
people - as a means of preserving them, for it was from the nation Israel that Christ would be born,
according to the Scriptures (Gal 3:23, 4:4).
But the ceremonial Law was merely the shadow of things - things to come. Now, a shadow is not
substantial; there is nothing to it, in itself. So to have a shadow, and no more, is to have no substance.
On the other hand, a shadow is cast, based on a real object - a reality, which has substance. If you were to
first see a shadow, it could tell you a great deal about the real object, couldnt it? And by the shadow, you
might even come to understand that you need the reality, which cast the shadow.
But if you just kept yourself occupied with the shadow, you would never have the reality, would you? No;
in order for that, you would need to lay hold of the reality.
This is Pauls point, here. The ceremonial Law was like a shadow; and the substance, the reality is of
Christ.

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The writer to the Hebrews had much to say concerning this to the assemblies in Jerusalem, some of whose
members had taken into their minds the fundamental truths concerning Christ, but were now considering
turning back to their religion of Judaism. The letter to the Hebrews is an exhortation to them to hold fast to
what they have heard; and a warning of certain judgment, if they fall away from it.
Turn to Hebrews chapter 8. The writer has reached his main point; that Jesus is the fulfillment, of what the
ceremonial Law simply foretold.
[Hebrews 8]
v. 1-2 We have such a High Priest. The writer had just before this described Jesus as this High Priest who came according to the power of an endless life (Heb 7:16); who has an unchangeable priesthood,
because He continues forever (Heb 7:24); who is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God
through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Heb 7:25).
We, who believe, have such a High Priest; and He is seated in the position of power and authority, in
heaven - with the Majesty, on high.
This High Priest is a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle - erected by the Lord, not man. What
does the writer mean? Well, the tabernacle which man erected was a tent, which housed the sanctuary, in
which dwelt the presence of God.
These were just figures of the true - foreshadowing when God would come, and tabernacle in a body of
flesh; the Word became flesh and tabernacled among men (Jn 1:14). This is the sanctuary and the true
tabernacle; Jesus in a flesh body. And Jesus, as High Priest, the risen Lord, is a minister of that; that is
where a man can come and meet God.
v. 3 What did this One have to offer? Himself (Heb 7:27, 9:26).
v. 4-5 Jesus, on earth, was the son of David; He was not descended from Aaron, from whom came the
Levitical priesthood.
But Jesus is no longer on the earth, having died; He rose as High Priest, and serves as such in heaven. All
of these realities were foreshadowed in the tabernacle service, the priesthood and the offerings; the
ceremonial Law. They were just the earthly pattern of the heavenly reality.
v. 6 Better is a key word in Hebrews; everything is better in Jesus, because He is the reality of what
was only pictured, in the Law. He is Mediator of a better covenant - the covenant in His blood; and that
covenant was established on better promises - the promise of eternal Life, as a glorified son of God.
v. 7 The first covenant refers to the covenant of the Law - here, the ceremonial Law. It was not faultless, in
that it could not save men. The blood of goats and calves symbolically covered over sin, but it did not take
sin away (Heb 9:12). It was just a picture.
v. 8-12 What is the new covenant (v. 8), which the LORD will make with Israel? Its the eternal covenant through the blood of the Covenant Son. Jesus is that covenant; and when Israel receives Him as her
Messiah, they will be delivered.
v. 13 Again, what is the new covenant? The covenant for eternal Life, in the Covenant Son. What is the
first covenant? The covenant of the Law - here referring to the ceremonial Law.

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The writer to the Hebrews is saying that if there is a new covenant - a new agreement - that must mean that
it is replacing the old covenant - the old agreement. So he concludes - that makes the first covenant
obsolete. The new covenant is in effect, so the old is no longer in effect; it is null and void.
The writer is saying that all of the sacrifices and the offerings, the tabernacle service, the priesthood - the
festivals, new moons, Sabbaths - all of the ritualistic observances of the ceremonial Law - they have all
been fulfilled, in Christ. And having been fulfilled, the rituals are no longer needed - for they simply
foretold of the Coming Christ.
But now He has come; and those rituals are unnecessary; obsolete. The writer emphasizes this by
indicating that they are about to vanish - which may actually have been a prophecy of the pending
destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, the site where the ceremonial Law was carried out.
[Return to Colossians 2]
The ceremonial Law foretold of Christ, in its many types and symbols. But if a man simply went through
the rituals of the Law, without ever believing to see what those observances meant, it would be like trying
to embrace a shadow. He would never have grasped the substance behind it; the substance is of Christ.
Pauls point goes further. Some of those in the assemblies had actually laid hold of the reality, by faith Christ. But now, with their little understanding, they are being persuaded by the religionists to take upon
themselves the rituals of the Law, which merely pictured Christ. Pauls point is, why would you occupy
yourself with a picture, when you have the reality? Occupy yourself with the reality - Christ.
And there is an inherent danger, in ritual and ceremony, which Paul would have known, through his own
experience. The repetitious aspect of ritual can have a dulling effect on the mind; and the observance of
ceremony can draw the attention to the earthly form, and not the heavenly reality.
This is a danger to the quality of the believers fellowship with the Lord, rendering the relationship cold,
and distant; depriving it of its vitality, of its love, through the routine of religion (Rev 2:4).
Paul is saying, dont allow anyone such as these false teachers decide for you how you are to live, before
God. No man can dictate that, to you.
You have a new Life; who gave it to you? The Lord did. And whose Life is it? Its the Lords life. So
who is the only One who can show you how to live this Life? The Lord, and He freely does so; through His
Spirit, in you.
If we are listening to no other voice, which would include our own, then we will clearly hear His. And the
Life that we live will be one which is drawn from our vital union of love, with Him.
Having warned against legalistic ritual, Paul now continues to address another element of the false
teaching.
v. 18-19 Let no one cheat your of your reward - Paul is showing those who are swayed by the deception
just how much is at stake, here. In the NKJV, this sounds somewhat like what Paul said back in verse 8:
Beware lest anyone cheat you - but actually, it is quite different, in the Greek.

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In verse 8, the word is referring to believers being robbed - robbed of their full riches that they have, in
Christ. But the word here actually means disqualify. The word is used in reference to the distribution of
prizes at the Greek games. It means to be deprived of the reward, in a race; to forfeit the crown of victory.
Now, this word (katabrabeuo) is not used anywhere else in the NT, but Paul uses a related word - the word
for the prize itself (brabeion) - in two other letters. Were going to look at one of these - in Pauls letter to
the Philippian assembly.
Turn to Philippians chapter 3. Paul had just been writing of his own union with Christ by faith, through
which Paul has experienced the power of Christs resurrection, right in his life on earth - through the eternal
Life of Christ, in him.
Through that Life, Pauls lowly body - his earthen vessel - will one day be transformed - conformed to the
Lords glorious body; for having been planted together in the likeness of Christs death, Paul will be of
resurrection - the Lords (Rm 6:5).
Paul speaks of this as attaining in this passage - attaining his glorified body.
[Philippians 3:12-14] So we see that Paul is likening this to a race; like in the Greek games. The word for
prize here is the one related to our word for disqualify in Colossians - there, speaking of being
disqualified from the prize.
Here, Paul has not already attained the prize; that means he is currently in the race. Paul entered this race
when he first believed. So the race is the believers earthly course.
The pressing on, the reaching forward, is competing in the race; living the Life we have been given, eternal
Life - the upward call of God, as a son of God, in Christ Jesus.
The goal is the finish line. Where would that be? Heaven. And thats where the competitor, who
completes the race, receives the prize. What then would be the prize? What is the reward of the believer,
as he completes his earthly course? A body of glory; thats the victors crown.
And for that crown, the believe presses on, that he may lay hold of it; he reaches forward, for that which is
ahead; he presses toward the goal. Paul is showing the perseverance of a Christ One, through this life.
[Return to Colossians 2]
Paul uses the word prize in a similar way in his first letter to the Corinthians, where he speaks of the
believers as running in a race, to receive the prize; they should run in such a way that they obtain it; with
discipline; with perseverance (1 Cor 9:24-27).
So when Paul uses this term here in Colossians for being disqualified from receiving the prize in a race, we
understand he is speaking to those in the assemblies who have no assurance of a body of glory.
This would mean those who have not truly believed into Christ, to receive His Life, in the first place; thats
the only way to be disqualified with God, from receiving the prize; you never entered the race, through
faith.

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Perhaps they had professed to believe; perhaps they were mulling over the claims of the gospel, in their
minds. But they had never actually purified their souls by obeying the truth (1 Pet 1:22); and that left them
completely open to the deception sweeping through the Lycus valley.
Recognizing that they were in jeopardy, Paul issues a strong warning - dont let those false teachers defraud
you of what it is that God wants to give you. How would the false teachers do that? Paul indicates its
through the mysticism, which they offer. Caught up in mysticism, some in the assemblies could be kept
from Christ, forever.
Paul goes on to describe this mystical mindset. There is a delighting in humility. The mystic makes a
parade of his exceptional piety.
But this is a mockery of humility, for the truly humble man is unconscious of his humility, let alone taking
delight or pride in it. It is indeed a false humility, as the translators have qualified it. The mystic assumes
the position of a humble inquirer, with a great reverence for divine things.
And what divine things do these mystics delight in, here? Angel worship, for they consider the angelic
realm to be the avenue of their ascent, to God.
In the original manuscripts, the word not in verse 18 is absent; Paul was saying that the false teacher
intrudes into things which he has seen.
The word translated intruding is used as a technical term in the mystery religions. It denotes the entrance
of an initiate into the new life, in order to see the sacred mysteries.
This is a term which would have been familiar to Pauls audience, who were exposed to the mystery
religions through their Phrygian culture. And they certainly were also becoming familiar with the
particular brand of mysticism held out by the false teachers.
Those teachers claimed to have had extraordinary visions of the angelic realm - a superior enlightenment,
which they now, with great humility, were offering to share with those who were willing to join them on
this higher plane of spiritual experience.
But what does Paul say, of the one who claims such an experience? That he is vainly puffed up by his
fleshly mind.
The mind of the flesh is the mind of men in the flesh; men who are dead and in the dark to God. The mind
of the flesh is taken up with the perceptions of the senses; including those perceptions that would be
received, through a self-induced state of ecstasy, as would likely be the case, here.
As the mind of the flesh fulfills its lust for knowledge, that knowledge gives the man a false illusion of
himself - he thinks more highly of himself than he ought; and he is filled with pride.
But this self-aggrandizement is all in vain, because in reality, the man is just a creation of God; a creation
that willfully believes he can ascend to heaven by his own method, which he cannot; who thinks he has
seen heavenly things, which he has not. In fact, heaven is closed to such a one; for the mind of the flesh is
enmity against God (Rm 8:7).
Now, Paul makes it clear in verse 19 that the false teacher here is not unwilling to include Christ in his
religious concoction, but as Paul indicates, the false teacher doesnt hold fast to the Head.

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As in chapter 1, Paul is speaking of Christ as the Head here meaning the source of Life for the members of
His Body; eternal Life. Paul is saying that Christ is not the source of Life, for the false teacher; he is still
just a man in the flesh.
Pauls concern was for those who could be lured into joining such a one as the false teacher, in his so-called
spiritual quest.
For there were those in the assemblies who likewise had no firm grasp on the Head, Christ; for they had
never laid a hold of Him, by faith. They had never believed into Christ, to receive His life. They were not
truly members of His Body; they were just members of the assemblies. If they were to reach out, and grab
hold instead to these false teachers, they could be lost to God, forever.
Paul is illustrating just what a loss that would be, to them. Some of what Paul says, in verse 19, is also
found in the Ephesians letter, where he expands on the idea, further. So before we consider Pauls meaning
here, lets get a little more insight to his illustration of the Body, that is in Christ.
Turn to Ephesians chapter 4. Paul had been writing of the unity of believers in the Body of Christ, but then
as he continues, he speaks of the diversity, among the members - based on the spiritual graces they have
received from the Lord, through the Holy Spirit. Paul will bring out the purpose of this diversity.
Well begin in verse 11.
[Ephesians 4:11-16]
v. 11 The words to be are not in the original. Paul is saying that Christ gave some apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers. To who? To the Body of Christ; He equipped some members of His
Body, for this particular ministry. Notice that these are all ministers of the Word of God, and that they are
in a particular order.
First the Lord appointed His apostles, those who were eye-witnesses to His life, His death, His resurrection;
and they bore witness to Him in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Then prophets and evangelists were sent out, itinerant preachers of the gospel, who planted many of the
assemblies. Pastors and teachers then worked within the assemblies to establish them in the foundational
truths, concerning Christ.
As Paul continues in verse 12, he shows how the spiritual graces that Christ gave benefited the Body.
v. 12-13 So as the Word of God was ministered to the members of the Body, it resulted in the equipping of
them, for their ministry. And what is their ministry? Reconciling men to God.
Now the members of Christs Body were equipped for their work, together; unified through their likemindedness, joined, one to another, in their intimate knowledge of the Son, Himself.
And that resulted in the edification of the Body of Christ; the building up of the Body, in members, in
numbers, through their ministry; until such time as it is complete - a perfect Man, in Christ.
This understanding of the Son Himself, through the Word, served a further purpose.

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v. 14-15 This term used in verse 14 for children means an unenlightened one, and is used by Paul
metaphorically for those who are devoid of understanding.
Those who have no understanding are not believers, and they are easily swayed by every wind of doctrine
that comes their way. Such were some in the assemblies in the Lycus valley, for whom Paul was greatly
concerned. They are present in all assemblies.
Paul exhorts others in the Body to help these unenlightened ones. How do they do that? By bludgeoning
them with the truth? No; they speak the truth to them in love, to encourage them in the truth, so that they
can see, and understand, and thereby, grow; its not grow up as in the NKJV. They will then grow into
the Head, Christ, by laying hold of Him, by faith; they will begin to draw their Life, from Him.
And that is the note that Paul finishes on; the Body, as a vital living being in Christ, the Head.
v. 16 Its one Body, with many members, each doing their part, fulfilling their unique role. The growth of
the Body is speaking of collective growth, here; its the Body growing, in numbers; members. And what
causes it to grow? Love.
The love of Christ for the members of His Body; the love of God, as expressed by the members to one
another, reaching out to those on the outside; is what causes the Body to grow - to completion.
[Return to Colossians 2]
Consider now the contrast that Paul is making, between what the false teachers offer, and what can be had,
through Christ.
Mysticism is just a sensual experience in disguise. Offing the illusion of divine enlightenment, what it
really does is to feed the self-life. It is completely selfish, self-indulgent; its all about your own personal,
individual experience, supposedly spiritual.
Theres no love for others in mysticism; its about love for yourself; building yourself up. But its all a
veneer; theres no reality to it. And underneath is a flesh man.
The one who insists on the mystical experience deprives himself of the goal that God desires for every
man; to be a son of God.
As a son of God, a man becomes part of a greater whole. He is a member of Christs Body; united to God,
in intimate fellowship with Father and Son; and united to others - others whom he can love, and who will
love him in return. And this is a reality; the heavenly reality, that we live, in the here and now.
God did not design us to love ourselves. He designed us to love others. The one who insists on loving
himself, such as the mystic, is never fulfilled, and he will go from experience to experience, in his
dissatisfaction.
Heart satisfaction comes from being filled with the love of God, when we first believe. And ever after that,
satisfaction comes as we give that love away.
Reading: Galatians 5:16-25.