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Colossians Chapter Two
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1) What did Paul want those at Laodicea to
know, and for all who have not met him personally, why does Paul want to
encourage them in heart and united in love, who is the mystery of God, and what
is hidden in Jesus?
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Laodicea was located a few miles northwest of
Colosse. Like the church at Colosse, the Laodicean church was probably founded
by one of Paul's converts while Paul was staying in Ephesus (Acts 19:10.) The
city was a wealthy center of trade and commerce, but later Christ would
criticize the believers at Laodicea for their lukewarm commitment (Revelation
3:14-22.) The fact that Paul wanted this letter to be passed on to the Laodicean
church (4:16) indicates that false teaching may have spread there as well. Paul
was counting on ties of love to bring the churches together to stand against
this heresy and to encourage each other to remain true to God's plan of
salvation in Christ. Our churches should be encouraging, unified communities
committed to carry out Christ's work. (NIV Life Application Study Bible)
This Christ is now described as the One "in whom are hidden all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge." This statement contains two thoughts. (1) All the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ. The false teachers claimed to
have, through their relation with a supposed hierarchy of supernatural beings, a
higher knowledge than that possessed by ordinary believers. Against this, Paul
argues that all wisdom and knowledge are in Christ and that their treasures are
accessible to every believer. (2) The treasures of wisdom are in Christ in a
hidden way. "Hidden" does not, however, mean that they are concealed but rather
that they are laid up or stored away as a treasure. (NIV Bible Commentary,
Zondervan Publishers)
2) For what reason did Paul say he told them
this, from where did Paul say he was absent, in what way did Paul say he was
with them, and in what is Paul delighted?
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The problem that Paul was combating in the
Colossian church was similar to Gnosticism (from the Greek word for
knowledge). This heresy (a teaching contrary to Biblical doctrine
undermined Christianity in several basic ways: (1) It insisted that important
secret knowledge was hidden from most believers; Paul, however, said that Christ
provides all the knowledge we need. (2) It taught that the body was evil; Paul
countered that God himself lived in a body-that is, he was embodied in Jesus
Christ. (3) It contended that Christ only seemed to be human, but was not Paul
insisted that Jesus is fully human and fully God.
Gnosticism became fashionable in the second century. Even in Paul's day,
these ideas sounded attractive to many, and exposed to such teachings could
easily seduce a church that didn't know Christian doctrine well. Similar
teachings still pose significant problems for many in the church today. We
combat heresy by becoming thoroughly acquainted with God's Word through personal
study and sound Bible teaching. (NIV Life Application Study Bible, Zondervan
Publishers)
Paul now expresses the reason for his anxious concern. His words in verse 1-3
have been written so that the Colossians errorists will not "deceive" the
Christians in Colosse and lead them away from their convictions about Christ.
"Deceived" implies leading astray by false reasoning; "fine-sounding arguments"
has something of the same meaning, implying the attempt to convince someone by
"fast talk."
Paul was no indifferent spectator of his readers' problems but had a sincere
interest in them. Though not physically with them, he felt his spiritual oneness
with them and rejoiced in their orderliness and in the firmness of their faith.
"How orderly you are" contains a military term connoting the orderly array of a
band of disciplined soldiers. "Firm" also belongs to military parlance and means
solidity and compactness. If this is the imagery Paul intended, he sees the
situation of the Colossians as being like that of an army under attack and
affirms that their lines were unbroken, their discipline intact, and their
"faith in [reliance on] Christ" unshaken. (NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan
Publishers)
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Freedom From Human Regulations Through
Life With Christ
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3) What did Paul tell the Colossians to do
since they have received Christ Jesus as Lord, in what way did Paul tell the
Colossians to be strengthened in faith, and what did he tell them to be
overflowing with?
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Receiving Christ as Lord of your life is the
beginning of life with Christ. But you must continue to follow his leadership by
being rooted, built up, and strengthened in the faith. Christ wants to guide you
and help you with your daily problems. You can live for Christ by (1) committing
your life and submitting your will to him (Romans 12:1, 2); (2) seeking to learn
from him, his life, and his teachings (3:16); and (3) recognizing the Holy
Spirit's power in you (Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22).
Paul uses the illustration of our being rooted soil through their roots, so
we draw our life-giving strength from Christ. The more we draw our strength from
him, the less we will be fooled by those who falsely claim to be free from human
regulations.
4) What did Paul tell them not to let no one
take them captive through, and what do these hollow and deceptive philosophy
depend on?
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Paul writes against any philosophy
of life based only on human ideas and experiences. Paul himself was a gifted
philosopher, so he is not condemning philosophy. He is condemning teaching that
credits humanity, not Christ, with being the answer to life's problems. That
approach becomes a false religion. There are man-made approaches to life's
problem that totally disregard God. To resist heresy you must use your mind,
keep your eyes on Christ, and study God's Word.
5) For in Christ, what lives in bodily form,
what did Paul say we have been given, and who is Christ the head over?
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Again Paul asserts Christ's deity. "In Christ
all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" means that all of God was in
Christ's human body. When we have Christ we have everything we need for
salvation and right living.
When we know Jesus Christ, we don't need to seek God by means of other
religions, cults, or unbiblical philosophies as the Colossians were doing.
Christ alone holds the answers to the true meaning of life, because he is
life. Christ is the unique source of knowledge and power in addition to what
Christ has provided to be saved. We are complete in him.
6) In Jesus, how were you also circumcised,
what was the circumcision not done with, by whom was the circumcision done, how
have we been buried with Christ, how were we raised with Jesus, and who raised
Jesus from the dead?
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Jewish males were circumcised as a sign of
the Jews' covenant with God (Genesis 17:9-14). With the death of Christ,
circumcision was no longer necessary. So now our commitment to God is written on
our hearts, not our bodies. Christ sets us free from our evil desires by a
spiritual operation, not a bodily one. God removes the old nature and gives us a
new nature.
In this passage, circumcision is related to baptism; therefore, some see
baptism as the New Testament sign of the covenant, identifying the person with
the covenant community. Baptism parallels the death, burial, and resurrection of
Christ, and it also portrays the death and burial of our sinful old way of life
followed by resurrection to new life in Christ. Remembering that our old sinful
life is dead and buried with Christ gives us a powerful motive to resist sin.
Not wanting the desires of our past to come back to power again, we can
consciously choose to treat our desires as if they were dead. Then we can
continue to enjoy our wonderful new life with Christ (see Galatians 3:27 and
Colossians 3:1-4).
7) When did God make you alive with Christ,
what did God forgive, what did God cancel, what did God do with our sins, what
did God disarm, and how did God make a public spectacle of them?
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Before we believed in Christ, our nature was
evil. We disobeyed, rebelled, and ignored God (even at our best, we did not love
him with all our heart, soul, and mind). The Christian, however, has a new
nature. God has crucified the old rebellious nature (Romans 6:6) and replaced it
with a new loving nature (3:9, 10). The penalty of sin died with Christ on the
cross. God has declared us not guilty, and we need no longer live under sin's
power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots-we will still
feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we
were saved, we were slaves to our sinful nature; but now we are free to live for
Christ (see Galatians 2:20).
The written code that was cancelled was the legal demands of the Old
Testament law. The law opposed us by its demands for payment for our sin. Though
no one can be saved by merely keeping that code, the moral truths and principles
in the Old Testament still teach and guide today.
We can enjoy our new life in Christ because we have joined him in his death
and resurrection. Our evil desires, our bondage to sin, and our love of sin died
with him. Now, joining him in his resurrection life, we may have unbroken
fellowship with God and freedom from sin. Our debt for sin has been paid in
full; our sins are swept away and forgotten by God; and we can be clean and new.
Who are these powers and authorities? Several suggestions have been made,
including (1) demonic powers, (2) the gods of the powerful nations, (3) angels
(highly regarded by the heretical teachers), or (4) the government of Rome.
These powers and authorities were probably not the demonic forces in 2:10. More
likely they are the angels who were mediators of the law (Galatians 3:19). The
Colossian false teachers were encouraging worship of angels. But at his death,
Christ surpassed the position and authority of any angel. So rather than fear
angels or worship them, we are to view them as deposed rulers. Paul meant no
disrespect toward angles, but he showed that they are not to be compared with
Jesus Christ. Some scholar believe these powers are the powers of Rome. By his
resurrection, Christ stripped the power away from a world empire that seemed to
temporarily defeat him.
8) In what way did Paul say not to let anyone
judge you, of what did Paul say these were a shadow, and where is the reality
found?
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"What you eat or drink" probably refers to
the Jewish dietary laws. The festivals mentioned are Jewish holy days celebrated
annually, monthly (New Moon), and weekly (the Sabbath). These rituals
distinguished the Jews from their pagan neighbors. Failure to observe them could
be easily noticed by those who were keeping track of what others did. But we
should not let ourselves be judged by the opinions of others, because Christ has
set us free.
Paul told the Colossian Christians not to let others criticize their diet or
their religious ceremonies. Instead of outward observance, believers should
focus on faith in Christ alone. Our worship, traditions and ceremonies can help
bring us close to God, but we should never criticize fellow Christians whose
traditions and ceremonies differ from ours. More important than how we worship
is we worship Christ. Don't let anyone judge you. You are responsible to Christ.
The Old Testament laws, holidays, and feasts pointed toward Christ. Paul
calls them a "shadow" of the reality that was to come-Christ himself. When
Christ came, he dispelled the shadow. If we have Christ, we have what we need to
know and please God.
9) Who does Paul say not to let disqualify you
for the prize, what does such a person go into great details about, what does
his unspiritual mind puff him up with, who has he lost connection with, and how
does the body grow?
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The false teachers were proud of
their humility! This false humility brought attention and praise to themselves
rather than to God. True humility means seeing ourselves as we really are from
God's prospective, and acting accordingly. People today practice false humility
when they talk negatively about themselves so that others will think they are
spiritual. False humility is self-centered; true humility is God-centered.
The false teachers were claiming that God was far away and could be
approached only through various levels of angels. They taught that people had to
worship angels in order, eventually, to reach God. This is unscriptural; the
Bible teaches that angels are God's servants, and it forbids worshiping them
(Exodus 20:3, 4; Revelation 22:8, 9). As you grow in your Christian faith, let
God's Word be your guide, not the opinions of other people.
The expression "unspiritual mind" means that these people had a self-made
religion. The false teachers were trying to deny the significance of the body by
saying that it was evil, but their desire for attention from others showed that,
in reality, they were obsessed with the physical realm.
The fundamental problem with the false teachers was that they were not
connected to Christ, the Head of the body of believers. If they had been joined
to him, they could not have taught false doctrine or lived immorally. Anyone who
teaches about God without being connected to him by faith should not be trusted.
10) What did we die in Christ to, what are the
rules of this world, why are these all destine to perish with use, of what do
such regulations have an appearance, and what do they lack?
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The "basic principles" are the beliefs of
pagans.
How do we die with Christ, and how are we raised with him? When a person
becomes a Christian, he or she is given new life through the power of the Holy
Spirit.
People should be able to see a difference between the way Christians and
non-Christians live. Still, we should not expect instant maturity in new
Christians. Christian growth is a lifelong process. Although we have a new
nature, we don't automatically think all good thoughts and have all pure
attitudes when we become new people in Christ. But if we keep listening to God,
we will be changing all the time. As you look over the last year, what changes
for the better have you seen in your thoughts and attitudes? Change may be slow,
but your life will change significantly if you trust God to change you.
We cannot reach up to God by following rules of self-denial, by observing
rituals, or by practicing religion. Paul isn't saying all rules are bad. But no
keeping of laws or rules will earn salvation. The Good News is that God reaches
down to human beings, and he asks for our response. Man-made religions focus on
human effort; Christianity focuses on Christ's work. Believers must put aside
sinful desires, but doing so is the by-product of our new life in Christ, not
the reason for our new life. Our salvation does not depend on our own discipline
and rule-keeping, but on the power of Christ's death and resurrection.
We can guard against man-made religions by asking these questions about any
religious group: (1) Does it stress man-made rules and taboos rather than God's
grace? (2) Does it foster a critical spirit toward others, or does it exercise
discipline discreetly and lovingly? (3) Does it stress formulas, secret
knowledge, or special visions more than the Word of God? (4) Does it elevate
self-righteousness, honoring those who keep the rules rather than elevating
Christ? (5) Does it neglect Christ's universal church, claiming to be an elite
group? (6) Does it teach humiliation of the body as a means of spiritual growth
rather than focusing on the growth of the whole person? (7) Does it disregard
the family rather than holding it in high regard as the Bible does?
To the Colossians, the discipline demanded by the false teachers seemed
good, and legalism still attracts many people today. Following a long list of
religious rules requires strong self-discipline and can make a person appear
moral, but religious rules cannot change a person's heart. Only the Holy Spirit
can do that.
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Answers Colossians Chapter Two
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1) how much I am struggling for you...so that
they may have the full riches of complete understanding...Christ...all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge
2) so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments...in body...in
spirit...to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is
3) continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him...as you were
taught...thankfulness
4) hollow and deceptive philosophy...human traditions and the basic principles
of this world rather than of Christ
5) all the fullness of the Deity...fullness in Christ...every power and
authority
6) in the putting off of the sinful nature...human hands...by Christ...in
baptism...through your faith in the power of God...God
7) when you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful
nature...all our sins...the written code, with its regulations, that was against
us and that stood opposed to us...nailed it to the cross...the powers and
authorities...by triumphing over them by the cross
8) by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon
celebration or a Sabbath day...of the things that were to come...in Christ
9) anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels...what he has
seen...idle notions...the Head (Jesus)...as God causes it to grow
10) the basic principles of this world..."Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not
Touch!"...because they are based on human commands and teachings...wisdom, with
their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of
the body...any value in restraining sensual indulgence
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Taken from the NIV Life Application Study Bible,
Zondervan Publishers
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