Colossians 2:4-23 - Christ Versus The Colossian Heresy

⁴ I say this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments. ⁵ For even though I am absent [from you] in body, still I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing and observing [i.e., with my mind's eye] your orderly behavior and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

⁶ So, since you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, live in [fellowship with] Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in [your relationship to] Him, established by your faith [or, "in the faith"], just as you were taught, overflowing with thanksgiving.

⁸ Pay attention so that no one takes you [spiritually] captive through his philosophy and empty deception based on human tradition, according to the principles of the world and not according to Christ. ⁹ For all of the fullness of Deity lives in His body, ¹⁰ and you people have been made full [i.e., spiritually complete] in [fellowship with] Him, who is the [spiritual] head over all who rule and have authority. ¹¹ In [fellowship with] Him you people were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human beings, but performed by Christ, consisting of the removal of the body of [sinful] flesh. ¹² [This happened when you were] buried with Christ in [the act of] immersion, from which you were also raised up with Him through [your] faith in the accomplishment of God, who raised Him up from the dead. ¹³ And when you were [spiritually] dead because of your sins and your lack of being physically circumcised [Note: This refers to their having been unconverted Gentiles and therefore outside of a relationship with God], God made you alive [again] together with Christ, having forgiven us for all of our sins. ¹⁴ He canceled the document written in ordinances [Note: This obviously refers to the Mosaic law] that was against us and was opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ [In doing this] Christ disarmed the rulers and authorities [i.e., evil forces] and made a public display of them, triumphing over them through the cross. [Note: This could possibly be rendered "God triumphed over them through Christ"].

¹⁶ So, do not allow anyone to judge [i.e., condemn] you for what you eat, or what you drink, or regarding [your non-observance of] a [yearly] festival, or a [monthly] "new moon" observance, or a [weekly] Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These things are [only] a shadow of future things, but the body [i.e., the real substance of things] belongs to Christ. [Note: The idea here is that the ritual observances of the Mosaic law were like shadows pointing to the reality of life in Christ]. ¹⁸ Do not allow anyone, who delights in acting humble [i.e., living an ascetic life] and who worships angels, to rob you of your reward [in heaven]. [Note: This "angel worship" could mean holding angels in high regard because of their role as God's messengers, or the claim that God can be approached only through angelic intermediaries]. He places great importance on what he [claims to] see [i.e., visions], being inflated with pride by his fleshly mind for no [good] reason. ¹⁹ He is not holding on [firmly] to the head [i.e., Christ, the head of the church], from whom the entire body, being nourished and supported by its ligaments and joints, is caused to grow in size by God.

²⁰ Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, [then] why, as though you [still] lived in [harmony with] the world, do you submit yourselves to [its] rules, [such as]: ²¹ "Do not handle [this]; do not taste [that]; do not touch [those things]?" ²² (All these things [i.e., the things handled, tasted or touched] are destined to perish with [constant] use). [These rules are] based on the commands and teachings of men. ²³ They certainly have an appearance of wisdom, [displaying] self-prescribed worship and [false] humility and asceticism, but they lack any value in curbing the desires of the physical passions.