BOOK 51 OF 66 · PAULINE EPISTLES · KING JAMES BIBLE

Colossians 2

Colossians book home•Chapter 2 of 4•23 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

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Colossians 2 Overview

Paul warns against philosophy, human tradition, legalistic judgment, angel worship, ascetic rules, and other substitutes for Christ. In Christ dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and believers are complete in Him. They are spiritually circumcised, buried and risen with Him, forgiven, and freed from the handwriting of ordinances that was against them.

ColossiansBook

2Chapter

23Verses

Pauline EpistlesDivision

Before you read Colossians 2

Coming from

Paul thanks God for the Colossians’ faith and love, prays that they will walk worthy of the Lord, and presents one of Scripture’s strongest portraits of Christ’s supremacy. Jesus is the image of the invisible God, Creator and sustainer of all things, head of the church, firstborn from the dead, and the One through whose blood God reconciles.

In this chapter

Leads into

Because believers are risen with Christ, Paul tells them to seek things above, put sinful practices to death, and put off the old man’s habits. They are to put on compassion, kindness, humility, forgiveness, charity, peace, Scripture-filled worship, and gratitude. The chapter then applies Christian order to wives, husbands, children, fathers, servants, and work done unto the Lord.

Key understandingExplore deeper

‘Ye are complete in him’ is central: spiritual fullness is not obtained by adding mystical experiences or law observance to Christ.

Paul’s references to meat, drink, holy days, new moons, and sabbaths show that Mosaic calendar regulations are shadows whose substance is Christ.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Christ is fully divine

All the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him.

Believers are complete in Christ

They do not need legal or mystical supplements for spiritual standing.

The cross cancels the hostile record

Christ blots out the handwriting of ordinances and triumphs over powers.

Human regulations cannot conquer the flesh

Touch-not/taste-not rules have an appearance of wisdom but lack true power.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Galatians 4:9–11

Paul warns against returning to bondage through observing days and seasons as a legal system.

Hebrews 10:1

The law’s ceremonial features are described as a shadow.

Ephesians 2:14–16

Christ abolishes dividing ordinances and reconciles in one body through the cross.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use ‘philosophy’ to condemn all disciplined thinking

Paul condemns vain deceit and human tradition rather than Christ.

Do not make circumcision or baptism additional saving works

The emphasis is union with Christ and divine operation.

Do not let ascetic rules replace dependence on Christ

Paul says they fail to restrain fleshly indulgence.

Read Colossians 2 watching for…

The repeated phrase ‘in him.’

The fulness of the Godhead bodily.

The circumcision/burial/resurrection language.

The handwriting of ordinances nailed to the cross.

The shadows versus Christ.

Chapter outline5 sections

1-5Paul desires the believers to be comforted, united in love, and assured in the knowledge of Christ 6-10Believers are told to walk in Christ and beware of philosophy and vain deceit because they are complete in him 11-15Believers are spiritually circumcised, raised with Christ, forgiven, and freed from the handwriting of ordinances 16-19No one should judge believers in ceremonial matters or beguile them through false humility and angel worship 20-23Believers who died with Christ should not return to man-made ordinances that have only an appearance of wisdom

For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

(Touch not; taste not; handle not;

Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

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Colossians 2:9

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