June
June 1
Chapter 2, Verse 14, con’t, “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with it legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
καὶ αὐτὸ ἦρκεν ἐκ τοῦ μέσου, kai auto ērken ek tou mesou, and it he has taken out of the way.” Erken, is a contracted form of αἴρω, airó, that means “I raise, lift up, take away, remove.” It is used similarly in John 1:29, “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! The perfect tense indicates a completed action in the past with present effects. This has the greatest of significance for believers. The death of Jesus and his resurrection in the past has produced a permanent, eternal effect, specifically in the removal of the debt of sin that was against us. Out of the way means that what once stood between us and God, that is, sin and its penalty, has been completely removed so that it is out sight, out of mind, and never will be brought up again against us. As King David wrote in Psalm 103, “Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion, who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel. The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (vss. 1-12) It is impossible for us to truly understand what it means to “forgive and forget,” especially the forget part. But that is exactly what God does when we place our trust and hope in Jesus.
June 2
Chapter 2, Verse 14, con’t, “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with it legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
προσηλώσας αὐτὸ τῷ σταυρῷ, prosēlōsas auto tō staurō, “having nailed it to the cross.” The verb proséloó, occurs only here in the New Testament, meaning “I fasten with nails.” When Jesus was nailed to the Cross, he took upon himself the curse of Moses’ law with the many decrees and requirements. The Law, all of it, was abolished in Jesus’ death, as if it was crucified with him. That simply means that law no longer hangs over the heads of man with its many penalties for being broken. There is a new law that takes it place–the law of grace. Paul wrote, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2) As hard as we may try, it is impossible not to be a lawbreaker. So God sent Jesus to save us from laws demands and set us free by his grace. He accomplished this at Calvary, hanging on the Cross for three hours or more, shedding his blood, giving his life, and at the end saying, “It is finished.” The price was paid. And Paul reminded us, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Christ the Wisdom and Power of God For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:17-18) In Christ, we will live eternally. Without Christ, those who refuse to believe will perish.
June 3
Chapter 2, Verse 15, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
ἀπεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας, apekdysamenos tas archas kai tas exousias, “Having disarmed the rulers and the authorities.” apekduomai is the combination of double prefixes apo and ek, ek being part of ekdyo = to go down and completely away from, or “completely strip off,” and in essences, “thoroughly renounce.” The idea is to completely put of something and includes separation from that which was put off. The aorist tense indicates a completed past action and the middle voice is reflexive (He, himself), indicating that He, Jesus, initiated and participated in the disarming and depriving the rulers and authorities of their power and influence. The terms used here are all military in nature and the idea is that Christ has achieved complete victory over all our enemies by his sacrificial death, so that the whole creation is subject to his authority, and his alone. Satan and his demons have zero authority over believers. The only way the devil can overtake us is if we turn our eyes away from Jesus and put them back on the evil of the world. We have nobody to blame for our sin but ourselves.
June 4
Chapter 2, Verse 15, con’t, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
The word for rulers, ἀρχή, arché, primarily means beginning as in the origin of something, temporally speaking; figuratively, it is what comes first and, therefore, is preeminent. Authorities, from ἐξουσία, exousia, means “power to act,” having moral authority. In Judaism, it referred to spiritual power of the ruling religious parties and hence, earthly power. So, Paul was speaking of leaders in government and religion on the one hand, but he was also referring, and more particularly so, to angelic hierarchy. Paul already declared that Jesus created them (Colossians 1:15) and that they are all subject to his authority (Colossians 2:10). Paul addressed the believer’s ongoing battle against evil in the world in Ephesians 6, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm (vss. 10-13). The question is: do these beings have power over us? No, they have been disarmed. The only way they can influence us is if we believe their lies. That is why Paul continued in Ephesians 6, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (vss. 14-18). The battles are real, the threat is huge, but or Commander-in-Chief has already overcome the world. Speak Jesus and resist them by the power of His Spirit in you.
June 5
Chapter 2, Verse 15, con’t, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παρρησίᾳ, edeigmatisen en parrēsia, “He made a show [of them] in public.” deigmatizo, from deigma = an example, from deikmo = to show, to exhibit in public, to expose. In Paul’s day, it would be like a victorious warrior returning home with his spoils, leading his captives through the streets in a display of mockery. Here, in Colossians 2, Christ Jesus is exposing the defeated enemy by both proclamation and display. The word public, parrhesia, from pas, = all, and rhesia = the act of speaking or, “speaking all things,” communicates the idea of having freedom to say everything in an open assembly. For believers, all this means the enemy cannot hide. They have been fully exposed, defeated, and overcome by Jesus and the Cross. In Ephesians 4:8, Paul wrote that when Jesus ascended to heaven he “led captivity captive.” The mediator of our salvation proved his case and now we are more than conquerors through him (Romans 8:37).
June 6
Chapter 2, Verse 15, con’t, “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
“In him,” in this verse, is literally “in it,” directly referring to the Cross of Calvary. Triumph means complete and absolute victory over an enemy force–that victory being put on display for everyone to see. As already referenced, the imagery Paul employed was that of a Roman general returning from battle. Here, the victor is certainly the central character–for believers it is, of course, Jesus who saved us by sacrificing himself for our sin and overcoming death by his resurrection to seal our eternal destiny as saints in his presence. Truly born again Christians must be careful not to brag about our victories in life. Why? Because all of our victories are bound up in his victory. Yes, we are more than conquerors through Jesus and we should be glad. But we must always be careful to not let the focus be on us. Others who need Jesus do not need to see us. They need to see him.
June 7
Chapter 2, Verse 16, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath.”
Μὴ οὖν τις ὑμᾶς κρινέτω, Mē oun tis hymas krinetō, “Not therefore anyone you let judge” krino, “I judge,” is widely used in the New Testament as both a legal term and when an individual or group makes a determination privately about another person, persons, or circumstance. Properly, it means to separate or distinguish, i.e., judge, that is, come to a decision by making a judgment that is either positive–a verdict that finds in favor or, negative–a decision that rejects or condemns. Making such determinations is supposed to be based in the truth of a matter or, in legal parlance, a preponderance of the facts. Sadly, in may cases, especially outside the courts, personal bias enters the process and renders a judgment that is unfair and sometimes even unethical or illegal. We must be careful when judging a matter because Jesus said, “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).
June 8
Chapter 2, Verse 16, con’t, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath.”
ἐν πόσει ἢ ἐν μέρει ἑορτῆς, en posei ē en merei heortēs, “in [regard to] drink or in regard to a feast.” Personal judgments against other people are probably worse in religious communities more so than any other. And exactly like what Paul was referencing, it is caused by ritualism which is just a form of legalism. Paul addressed this at the beginning of Romans 8, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Jesus fulfilled the Law (the legal requirements for Jews to get close to God — or so they thought), both the moral and ceremonial requirements. Paul was declaring that we must not let anyone put us under legalism or force us to try to make ourselves acceptable to God by keeping non-spiritual, external rules or rituals (think dressing a certain way, eating or not eating certain foods, singing only certain songs, or using only a certain Bible translation). While it is always necessary to do things decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40), that is done in the Spirit as we are led by the Spirit, not by some religious rule that may well keep someone from coming to Christ.
June 9
Chapter 2, Verse 16, con’t, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath.”
These two observances are just another part of the ritual/legal requirements of religion that Paul insisted believers avoid. The new moon celebration was obviously done monthly and was highlighted by trumpets being blown, special sacrifices, feasting, and religious teaching. No one went to work and private parties of any kind were prohibited on the day of the new moon. This is, for another legalistic reason, that allowed for travel on the Sabbath beyond the normal limitations. The Sabbath, itself, was from Friday at sundown until Saturday at the same time and it came with its own set of rules. What is the overall point of verse 16? In Hebrews 8, Paul made the distinction between the Old Covenant (Law and Prophets) and the New Covenant (in Jesus) very clear, “Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second (vss. 1-7). The shadow has no power over and should not be observed over the substance of freedom we find in Jesus.
June 10
Chapter 2, Verse 17, “These are the shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.”
ἅ ἐστιν σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων, ha estiv skia tōn mellontōn, “which [these things] are a shadow [of] the things coming.” Which represents all the “right now” blessings of God in Christ which include encouragement, togetherness, knowledge, understanding, order, firmness, established in faith, thanksgiving, spirit-filled, forgiveness and overcoming–and that is just what is mentioned here in Colossians 2. There are so many more blessings we get to enjoy on this side of eternity as believers, saved by God’s grace. But all these are just a shadow of what is coming. skia, shadow, is an image cast by an object, representing the form of that object. You cannot see the object in the shadow, but you know it is somewhere nearby. Having Christ in us (Colossians 1:27, 1 John 4:4) allow us to experience the beauty and power of God’s blessings now while we confidently expect a great blessing when we come into his presence.
June 11
Chapter 2, Verse 17, con’t, “These are the shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.“
τὸ δὲ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, to de sōma tou Christou, “the however body [is] Christ.” There are really only two thing we human yearn for everyday: rest and peace–and maybe a third: love. In the previous study, I mentioned many, if not all, of the spiritual blessings we enjoy right now. All of these together help us have some peace and get some rest, but they can never give either completely because we live in a world of chaos. However, our reality now is where we learn to enjoy what is coming, in Christ. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Our labors in life may be difficult, our responsibilities overwhelming, and our surroundings chaotic, but in Christ we have liberty from the bondage of sin and the world. So, what must we do about all this? 1), Gain assurance of salvation by faith in Jesus, 2), learn to live a life of practical righteousness as we grow in him, and 3), look forward with confidence to the time when we will see him face to face and live in complete peace forever!
June 12
Chapter 2, Verse 18, “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,”
μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς καταβραβευέτω, mēdeis hymas katabrabeuetō, “No one you let disqualify.” For the benefit of the Colossians believers, Paul has been very clear concerning the preeminence of Christ in their lives and the many benefits of living by faith and enjoying the blessings that come from being in him. He has already cautioned them about being taken captive by false teaching (vs. 8) and being judged by food and festivals (vs. 16). Now, he addresses disqualification. The word katabrabeuo, is used here to describe an umpire (judge) who makes a wrong call. In the electronic, instant media of today, we see it happen all the time, over and over. In the “religious” world, in happened then and it continues to happen now. Paul was telling the believers, “do not let anyone or anything declare you unfit” as you walk with Christ in the freedom of grace while you strive to grow in your faith, caring for one another, and leading others to the same faith. Paul wrote similarly to the church at Ephesus when he wrote, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.So should we live in these chaotic times. (Ephesians 5:6-10) So should we live in these chaotic times.
June 13
Chapter 2, Verse 18, con’t, “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,”
θέλων ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καὶ θρησκείᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, thelōn en tapeinophrosynē kai thrēskeia tōn angelōn, “delighting in self abasement and worship of the angels.” From the very beginning of human existence, someone has always come around trying to get our eyes off of God in an effort to turn our worship toward something else. thelo, delighting [ESV, insisting], is a desire that emanates from emotion and is an active decision of the will. The present tense indicates continual practice. In other words, they were doing this for everyone to see as a regular part of their “worship.” tapeinophrosune, from tapeinos = humble, and phren = think. It represents self-effacement, that is, putting oneself down, and the idea is the humiliation of the mind. It was part of the ascetic practice where outward appearance trumped inward understanding. Those who practiced this thought is was necessary to gain entrance into heaven. It was not the sort of humility that honors God, rather, it was all about self and appearances. Only personal faith in the person of Jesus Christ can prepare us for entry into the heavenly realm to spend eternity in the presence of God.
June 14
Chapter 2, Verse 18, con’t, “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,”
It is clear that among the Colossian community of faith were those who did not believe that faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone, was enough for salvation and a solid relationship with God. Clearly, they were themselves confused and they wanted to cause confusion and dissension among the true believers. This is a common tactic of Satan, one he has employed since the Garden of Eden. threskia, worship, from threskos = religion or pious; it refers to the practice of religion externally, especially ceremonial zeal. The fact that it is connected to asceticism by the simple preposition means that they took their false humility and added to it worship of lower beings, the angels. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” The angels were and are created beings who often brought messages from God, but they were never meant to be objects of worship. In religious/church circles today, this sort of chicanery is still employed to convince people there is more to salvation than trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord. In Galatians 1, Paul wrote, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (vss. 6-9) If you hear anyone adding to the gospel, Run!
June 15
Chapter 2, Verse 18, con’t, “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,”
ἃ ἑόρακεν ἐμβατεύων, ha heoraken embateuōn, “which has seen taking his stand on” heoraken, from horao’, means “to see,” often in the metaphorical sense as it ishere, “to see with the mind,” hence, a vision. embateuo, from en = in, and bateuo = to step, means to set foot upon, or to visit or enter into. Only used here in the New Testament, in Greek mysticism it was a technical term meaning to set foot into the inner shrine so as to be fully initiated into the mysteries of religion. The New English Translation renders the phrase as “goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen.” I believe that is a good way to understand this. Some might call it daydreaming and others might see it as making up a spiritual argument out of a sinful mind. Either way, Paul declares it false and misleading. The overuse of visions is a major part of false religions. For example, in the 1820’s, Joseph Smith supposedly found and translated golden plates from an unknown reformed Egyptian language and they were translated with the assistance of the Urim and Thummim and seer stones. There is no evidence of any kind for his claim except the claim itself. Here is the truth of it: do not trust anyone who adds to or takes away from the established Word of God. People do not need a new revelation, a new prophet, nor a new idea for how to be in relationship with God. Everyone needs Jesus, period.
June 16
Chapter 2, Verse 18, con’t, “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,”
εἰκῇ φυσιούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ νοὸς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, eikē physioumenos hypo tou noos tēs sarkos autou, “vainly being puffed up by the mind of the flesh of him.” eike means “without cause or reason,” i.e., vainly or for nothing. phusioo, meaning “air-bellows” or “inflate by blowing” was used to describe an egotistical person showing their arrogance through their puffed up thoughts gushing from their mouths. The asceticism (practice of self-denial) and gnosticism (knowledge based on personal perception) of Paul’s time could not, or would not harmonize with the gospel he preached. Quite simply, his message was not intricate enough to satisfy their minds and desires of the flesh. But more than just what they thought, they sought power and influence in the congregation of believers–not based upon the truth of Paul’s message but, rather, their mixture of tradition and false narratives added to and sometimes replacing the gospel altogether. Not much has changed in 2,000 years. The religionists of today want you to work your way to heaven according to their contrived misuse of Scripture and their allowances for all sorts of sin being allowed into the church. Somehow, they miss the point of the simplicity of the gospel message–accepting Christ with a repentant heart toward God.
June 17
Chapter 2, Verse 19, “and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”
καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν Κεφαλήν, kai ou kratōn tēn Kephalēn, “not holding fast to the Head,” kephale’, is the common word for the head, used nearly 60 times in the New Testament and around 300 times in the Old Testament (רֹאשׁ – rosh). The more important meanings are largely metaphorical; it is used to mean a corner stone that connects two walls and also to describe a head of household and ruler. Here, in verse 19, it is a beautiful combination of them all–and is clearly describing Jesus. He is a man, the God-man who lived and died and rose from the grave. Jesus is the head of the household of faith, the church. And he is ruler over all creation. The problem with some of the people at Colossae who claimed to be saved but likely were not (as is the case in every local church) was they they could not hold fast because of their lack of real faith. Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Those of us who have truly trusted Christ will hold fast–and better yet, he will not let go of us. Jesus said, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:25-30)
June 18
Chapter 2, Verse 19, con’t, “and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”
ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα, ex hou pan to sōma, “from whom all the body.” From whom clearly refers to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the source of everything, especially growth in the lives of believers. pas, “all,” means all without any exception in the sense of each and every part that applies. soma, “body,” does not refer to the literal physical body but, rather, to the figurative, mysterious body of Christ, which is the Bride of Christ (and is truly just a literal as any particular body). One the issue of the church came to light, first in the testimony of Peter, then at Pentecost, then through the lives of the disciples/apostles, including Paul, and later through the work of every local church that has held true to the gospel right up until today, we must remember that we, who are believers, are all connected in Christ. Beyond all the organizational barriers, every true believer is a blood relative, a brother or a sister in Christ–and we all, by faith in him, will spend eternity in celebration and worship together. We win because He won.
June 19
Chapter 2, Verse 19, con’t, “and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”
ἐπιχορηγούμενον καὶ συμβιβαζόμενον, epichorēgoumenon kai symbibazomenon, “being supplied and being knit together,” In the Greek text, this phrase follows “through its joints and ligaments,” but to be consistent I will follow the English word order. epichorégeó, “to supply,” used only 5 times in the New Testament, literally means “lavish supply” as it is appropriate and necessary to dress or prepare–in every way, physically, emotionally, spiritually–to accomplish an otherwise insurmountable task. I hear “completely furnish.” In Paul’s millieu, it was use to describe an abundant supply given to a ancient chorale so they may produce and share a grand event. sumbibazó, “to join together,” from syn = “identified with” and embibazo =”to board a ship,” means to bring together so as to grasp a truth; in the vernacular, “get on board.” This is a beautiful word picture of what happens when the Spirit of Christ leads believers to agree concerning the truth of God’s word so they can share the truth and walk together in harmony that leads others to know Christ.
June 20
Chapter 2, Verse 19, con’t, “and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”
τῶν ἁφῶν καὶ συνδέσμων, tōn haphōn kai syndesmōn, “the joints and ligaments” haphé, “a joint” means “to fasten together;” syndesmos, from syn = “closely identified with,” and deo = “to bind.” Here, these are used, of course, figuratively, describing a close union that produces harmony “from the head downward.” Just as the human body is hindered when all the connecting points and moving parts do not function well, the church of God in Jesus can seem handcuffed when something goes awry among its members. Paul is very clear when he tells us that problems arise when we get our eyes of Jesus and the clear teaching of his word by being enticed by those who desire to impose tradition and lies upon the fellowship of believers. The biggest reason the modern day church in being unfaithful is change of focus. Paul described what that looks like in Romans 1:18-24, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,g in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” Satan is using human perversion to sidetrack believers. Do not let that happen in your church.
June 21
Chapter 2, Verse 19, con’t, “and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”
αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, auxei tēn auxēsin tou Theou. “increases with the increase of God.” Both auxano and auxesis, used here, are about growth, in particular, growth that brings maturity which is the key to genuine discipleship. The body of Christ, authentic believers who make up the true church, do not grow in the Lord by denying certain foods, keeping certain days, worshipping angels, etc.. They grown in the unity of faith as God grows them. Paul also wrote about this in Ephesians 4, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (vss. 11-16) The word grow in verse 16 is auxesis, and like Colossians 2:19, it is growth that comes from the hand of God. We must remember that spiritual growth is not an option for believers. Without the intervening growth that comes from God as we are in the Word and guided by His Spirit, we cannot expect to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). It is that conforming that makes us both warriors and witnesses for the kingdom of God.
June 22
Chapter 2, Verse 20, “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations–”
Εἰ ἀπεθάνετε σὺν Χριστῷ, Ei apethanete syn Christō, “If you have died with Christ,” ei, in the Greek text of the Bible is always used to introduce a first class conditional clause (followed by a verb) assuming whatever action follows is true. It can sometimes be translated since, as is the case here–“since you have died with Christ.” Every true follower of Jesus, in their faith, from the moment they trusted him as Savior, has been crucified (figuratively) with him. Paul addressed this in Romans 6:5-7, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.” The truth contained herein that believer often overlook or forget about in our daily lives where sin raises its ugly head (we have been saved from the penalty of sin but not from its presence), is this, “For you have died (an aorist verb indicating a past and completed action) and your life is hidden (a perfect tense indicating permanence) with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Nothing can change that, nothing!
June 23
Chapter 2, Verse 20, con’t, “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations–“
ἀπὸ τῶν στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου, apo tōn stoicheiōn tou kosmou, “away from the principles of the world,” apo, “away from” an also be rendered “to” as a marker of dissociation and suggest a tearing apart of a former association, picturing a complete separation. stoicheion, from stoicheo, describes something set in rows for order and, hence, an element of the whole. In most New Testament uses, at least seven times, it is translated elemental things, elementary principles, elementary, or principles. Generally, it refers to the most basic elements of any field of study–like earth, air, fire, and water–the four basic elements. Paul’s point is that the basic lusts of the world should have no influence in our lives if we have truly been saved. In 1 John 2, John expressed it this way, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (vss. 15-17). All of this occurs while we are living in the world. kosmou, “world,” does not refer to the physical earth but the Satan led system of the present evil age which is alienated from and hostile to the people of God. The only way the world can have a negative effect upon believers is if we allow it by yielding to the temptations that lead us away from God.
June 24
Chapter 2, Verse 20, con’t, “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations–“
τί ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ δογματίζεσθε, ti hōs zōntes en kosmō dogmatizesthe, “why as if living in the world do you submit to decrees–” Paul’s why question draws out an important contrast between lifestyles. Living, zao, from zoe, is not just the quality of having physical life that belongs to all who are breathing. Life for believers is possessing a living relationship with Jesus. The Lord, himself, said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). And, while believers do live in the world, we are not to be of the world. Jesus also said, I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-16). Rather than being caught up in the evil frivolity of the world, we are to be a shining light to the world–“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15). So, Paul asked the why question concerning decrees. dogmatizo, from dogma, is a rule, decree, regulation, or ordinance putting people under obligation to recognize and follow the rules. The apostle was speaking about man-made rules that some were trying to impose on the church as a requirement for spirituality. Such rules draw people way from Christ instead of leading them to him.
June 25
Chapter 2, Verse 21, “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”
Μὴ ἅψῃ! μηδὲ γεύσῃ! μηδὲ θίγῃς!, Mē hapsē mēde geusē mēde thigēs, Not you should handle! Not you should taste! Not you should touch! Asceticism is the teaching that spirituality is reached through denial of physical pleasures and desires. Legalism is an emphasis on man-made rules as the standard of spirituality. The Greek sentence structure here shows that Paul was highlighting the demands these camps were trying to force upon the church. hapse, from haptomai, meaning to fasten or bind, refers to handling certain things and then being influenced or changed by the handling. It involves a conscious effort (strong desire) to touch, which is different from just simple contact. This is the essence of asceticism. Paul has already commended the Colossians for being disciplined (2:5), noting that christian discipline grows out of love for God. The ascetics wanted to heap on unnecessary self-denial to somehow prove their capacity to be spiritual. True spirituality does not come from a simple act of the human will. It is the result of knowing God in a personal relationship with Jesus and being led by his Spirit. Certainly, believers deny self in many ways, but not as a show to prove anything. We deny self because we love God and want to lead others into the same loving relationship.
June 26
Chapter 2, Verse 21, “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch“
The entire ascetic/legalist argument, which Paul vehemently opposed, was and is based on unnecessary denial and limitations to conform to man-made religious standards. geuomai, = taste, means to taste with the mouth and here it is used literally. Used figuratively, as it is in Hebrews 9 and elsewhere, it typically means “come to know” or “experience.” The Lord Jesus had/has freed believers from the taboos of asceticism (which still exist today in many churches) that can only give the appearance of widsom and holiness through dealing severely with the body–understand that “appearances” is what it it about, anyway. thiggano = touch, means to come into physical contact with something. Moving from do not handle to do not touch is just legalism that says follow this rule or that rule if you want to be spiritual. While self-denial is biblical, it becomes untenable when take to extremes to prove spiritual mastery. It all comes down to motive. Am I giving stuff up to follow rules so I can look spiritual, or am I denying self because the Spirit of Christ is leading me in my faith. The list of rules among legalists is endless and meaningless. If I am walking with God in the Spirit of Christ, I will know what to avoid and how to handle it. The end game here is to know Jesus and share him with the world, period.
June 27
Chapter 2, Verse 22, “(referring to things that all perish as they are used)–according to human precepts and teachings?”
ἅ ἐστιν πάντα εἰς φθορὰν τῇ ἀποχρήσει, ha estin panta eis phtoran tē apochrēsei, “which are all unto decay with the use,” The religionists of Paul’s day (ascetics & legalists) focused on the temporal to achieve the eternal. For them, self-denial, rigorous rules, and even self-infliction of pain were hallmarks of their empty attempt to live a holy life. Paul’s warning to Timothy reminds us that while physical training is necessary, it does not build up godliness. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:1-8). Jesus warned against “putting on a show” to display supposed spiritual living. In Matthew 6:1-2, he said, ““Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” He also said, ““And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18). “Things that all perish,” phthora, from phtheiro = to shrivel, spoil, corrupt–to spoil like milk, is Paul’s reference again to those who only ate and drank certain things and fasted in public for a show of holiness. All this “showing off” is useless (not that a real, spiritual, private fast is bad) and leads away from God to a focus on self. That is not who we are in Christ. We walk in his freedom by the power of his Spirit and in doing so we look to the Word to guide us into godly living apart from the rules of men.
June 28
Chapter 2, Verse 22, con’t, “(referring to things that all perish as they are used)–according to human precepts and teachings?”
κατὰ τὰ ἐντάλματα καὶ διδασκαλίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, kata ta entalmata kai didaskalias tōn anthrōpōn, “according to the commandments and teachings of man.” entalma, from entellomai = to charge or command–put emphasis on whatever is commanded and makes referenxce to the command being legally or officially sanctioned. didaskalia, “teachings,” which is related to didasko, portray the method of shaping a person’s will by word of mouth. “Of man” is the focus point. All these teachings and forced traditions were from the minds of men and not from the word of God. This is exactly what got men like John Wycliffe (c1330-1384, England), Jan Hus (c1372-1415, Czech Republic), and William Tyndale (c1494-1536, England) condemned, tortured, and killed. The wanted to translate the biblical text out of Latin, which could only be read by the priests, into the language of the people. This threatened to undermine all the requirements and traditions of the Roman church which were unbiblical. Their efforts got them burned at the stake. The religion of men destroys. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ saves and encourages godliness in the lives of those who believe.
June 29
Chapter 2, Verse 23, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”
ἅτινά ἐστιν λόγον μὲν ἔχοντα σοφίας, hatina estin logon men echonta sophias, “which are an appearance indeed having of wisdom,” At first glance, logon, from logos = a word, does not seem to fit here. logos is often used concerning Christ as in John 1:1 where he is described as the word. It is also a common term in the New Testament concerning anyone sharing a thought, as in giving a speech or reasoning expressed by using words. But sometimes it is used of simple talking with the idea of the words used to build reputation as it is in this verse. So, it can be translated “these ideas have a reputation of wisdom,” meaning the ideas are popular but not necessarily true. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Paul wrote, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” Plausible–persuasive words (logois) of wisdom in verse 4 carries the same idea as Colossians 2:23. Religion wants to use “fancy” language and “believable” speech to convince people to follow rules in their feeble effort to be godly. The devil still uses this ploy to trick people into following completely unnecessary regulations in their attempt to live a holy life. Even worse, false teachers, with wit and personality charm people into believing a lie that will damn their soul to hell.
June 30
Chapter 2, Verse 23, con’t, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”
οὐκ ἐν τιμῇ τινι πρὸς πλησμονὴν τῆς σαρκός, ouk en timē tini pros plēsmonēn tēs sarkos, “not of honor a certain against [the] indulgence of the flesh.” timé = honor, as in paying repect is used here to describe perceived value, a price assigned to something. plésmoné, used only here in the New Testament, mean “a filling up” reflecting the idea of satisfaction gained from doing something. In this context, timé is used along with the negative particle ouk denoting absolute negation. In other words, all the claims of the ascetics/legalists were of absolutely no value, especially in regard to indulging fleshly habits that work against spiritual living. Paul addressed this in Romans 13:8-14, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Religious rules, regulations, traditions, and fleshly self-denial do nothign to build up the spirit nor do they work to actually prevent believers from giving in (indulging) to the desires of the flesh. In fact, many times, legalism is used to cover up underlying sin. The only way to have victory over ungodly desires it to love Jesus, follow the clear teaching of the Word in the power of his Spirit, and love others with godly love in the manner we seek to be loved. The love of God always chases away the darkness.
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