Verse 1 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;
The Greek word translated as “conflict” is “agon” and it means a place of assembly or contest, and any struggle. Paul was saying that he was conflicted regarding not being able to be present with the believers in both Colosse and in Laodicea. The name, Laodicea, means “justice of the people”. He is also concerned about others who have not seen him in person.
Verses 2-3 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; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Paul is saying, that he is concerned about the spiritual condition of the believers as he is not there to teach and to preach. He is saying that he wants the believers to work together and to love each other and to understand the Gospel message and the fact that salvation was available to the Gentile as well as the Jew, and that there is a storehouse of wisdom and knowledge available to them through the LORD.
Application: Notice that in the verses above Paul refers to God, to the Father, and to Christ. The Greek word translated as “God” is “theos” and it is translated as God with a capital G 1320 times in Scripture. It is a general name of deities and can refer to a god or goddess in pagan religions. The Greek word translated as “Father” is “pater” and it is capitalized 268 times in Scripture and not capitalized 150 times in Scripture. So it can refer to both a male ancestor, a child’s father, or God Almighty. The context of the verses determined whether theos and pater were capitalized in the English translation of the Scripture, the King James Bible. The Greek word translated as “Christ” is “Christos” and it means anointed. The first mentions of Christ is in Matthew 1:1 and it does not appear in any part of the Old Testament as the Old Testament is written primarily in ancient Hebrew. So Paul does not use a name for God, but uses titles: father, deity, and anointed. Since there is an ongoing debate among some believers today, especially those that lean towards blending Jewish doctrine with Christian doctrine, as to what the real name of Jesus is, remember how Paul referred to the LORD Jesus Christ in these verses as this study progresses.
Verses 4-5 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 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.
The Greek word translated as “enticing” is “pithanologia” and it means speech adapted to persuade. Paul was worried that someone would come into the Church and teach error through persuasive language or speech. Then Paul makes the amazing statement that he knows what is going on in the congregation through the Holy Spirit/Ghost. This is quite possible as the Holy Spirit/Ghost reveals to believers that which they need to know in order to deal with specific situations. Since Paul was basically an overseer for all the churches that he helped establish or mentor, it only makes sense that God would keep him appraised of their spiritual condition.
Verses 6-7 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
The Greek word translated as “received” is “paralambano” and it means to take to, to take with one’s self, or to join to one’s self. So to receive Christ Jesus is to join one’s self to Him. Christ Jesus lives within each believer in the form of the Holy Ghost/Spirit. He is in the believer and so the believer is also in Him. Remember that this is not a physical union, but a spiritual union. Since He lives within the believer, the believer can walk in Him and be like Him.
Without a healthy root, a plant will die. Jesus is the root to the believer and provides the spiritual nourishment that each believer needs to walk like Jesus. Just as the root of a plant provides water and nutrients for the plant to grow and flourish, Jesus provides that which the believer needs to grow and flourish in the Christian walk.
The Greek word translated as “stablished” is “bebaioo” and it means to make firm, establish, or make sure. Just as the root of a plant keeps the plant firmly in the ground and provides stability, the presence of Jesus in a believer’s life keeps that person firmly planted in the faith so that there is Christian stability. As a result, the believer is to be overflowing with thankfulness.
Verse 8 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.
The Greek word translated as “philosophy” is “philosophia” and it means the love of wisdom, or a skill in any branch of knowledge. Vain deceit is useless deceit or deceitfulness. The definition of deceit is “the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.” Most philosophy is man-made. Because man is fallible, any branch of knowledge can be fallible also. How a man thinks and believes is usually the basis of his philosophy. For example, if a person is an atheist, any philosophical arguments that person presents will be in an effort to prove that God does not exist. If a person is anti-creation in belief, all arguments will be in an effort to prove that the cosmos just happened to happen, etc. And if science has to be concealed or lied about, so be it. Paul is warning the Church at Colosse to stay away from man’s fallible wisdom and only follow after the wisdom of God as presented by Jesus Christ, the author of all wisdom, knowledge, and the Word contained in Scripture.
Verses 9-10 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
The Greek word translated as “Godhead” is “theotes” and if means the state of being God. It occurs three times in the New Testament: Acts 17:29, Romans 1:20 and the verse above. Paul is saying that all that is God is in Christ Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is God in a human body. And believers are complete or ‘filled to the top’ when in Him through faith and the indwelling of His Ghost/Spirit. He is supreme and above all else: all that which is in this world and all that which is in Heaven.
Application: Most modern churches today teach the doctrine of the ‘trinity’. This doctrine is not in Scripture. The word, trinity, is not in the English Bible (KJB). It is a false doctrine. The idea is that there are three Gods in one God. Now, the Creator God invented math and His math does not teach or demonstrate that 3=1 or that 1+1+1=1. Deuteronomy 6:4 states, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” All other religions are pantheistic and polytheistic. Christianity is not, and to teach that there is a Godhead made up of three persons in one, is putting Christianity in the same league as all other pagan belief systems. There is one God who chooses to show Himself to His people in three different ways. Try to understand this.
Verse 11 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:
You have probably heard the saying, “Boys will be boys” and it means that certain behaviors are characteristic of men. The purpose of circumcision as ordered by God in the Old Testament days was to mark the Hebrew males is such a way as to make them different from the males in the heathen nations around them. This was to remind the Hebrew males to keep themselves sexually pure and to follow the law as set forth by Moses. It was to keep God’s people separate or holy. Adultery or any sexual act outside of the marriage bed was a stoning offense and resulted in the physical death of the guilty person. The circumcision in the verse above refers to that which occurs spiritually by the power of the LORD Jesus Christ that changes a person’s heart attitude and separates Christians from the spiritually unclean masses and consecrates them to God. Without this circumcision, a changing of the heart, the person remains in sin and will die spiritually, never to access the throne of God in Heaven.
Verse 12 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.
Baptism has been a part of God’s plan since Old Testament days. The Hebrew people experienced a type of baptism when they passed through the waters of the Red Sea. That passage signified a cleansing from the old life in Egypt and the beginning of a new life under the leadership of God through His prophet, Moses, a type of Christ. That journey on dry land through the sea separated the Hebrew people from the pagan Egyptians and protected them from harm. Today, many churches teach that baptism is not necessary for salvation, and that baptism is merely an outward show of repentance and humility by the new believer, but Scripture teaches otherwise. John the baptist came to Judea and preached, “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;” Luke 3:3 . Romans 6:4 states, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Just as the Hebrew people embarked upon a new life after passing through the Red Sea, the believer embarks on a new life after repenting of sins and being baptized. The LORD Jesus Christ is the believer’s example. He was baptized by John and so for the believer to be like Jesus, baptism is essential. When Jesus was obedient and allowed John to baptize Him, Scripture records that John saw the Holy Ghost in the shape of a dove descend from Heaven onto Jesus. When the believer is baptized, the Holy Ghost/Spirit will come upon that believer just as it did when Jesus was baptized. Yes, baptism has a purpose and is more than an outward showing of a repentant heart. It is an actual transformation from the old person to the new person, not bodily, but spiritually.
Application: When unbelievers asked Peter what they needed to do in order to be saved, Peter replied, “Repent; and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” Acts 2:38 This was a command and not a suggestion from the apostle Peter. Therefore, baptism is more than an outward show of humility and of repentance. It is an intricate part of the salvation plan of God Almighty.
Verses 13-14 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 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;
An unrepentant sinner is not physically dead, but walking around in this world sinning. The “dead in your sins” in the verse above is spiritual. An unrepentant sinner cannot enter the Kingdom of God. But the baptized believer becomes dead to the life of sin and is cleansed from all unrighteousness, forgiven because all the sins are erased because of and through the death of the LORD Jesus Christ. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, all the sins of the world were cast upon Him so that He, who had no sin, became the sacrificial Lamb to take away the sins of the world. Think about the marvel of this and give thanks to God for what He has done.
Verse 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
The Devil and all the spirits of darkness have tried to stop the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ to this Earth to redeem His people. When reading thought the Bible, various events are recorded in which the Devil attempted to destroy the people that God had chosen to use to provide a physical line of descent from Adam to Jesus. They failed. Neither worldly authorities nor spiritual authorities could stop God’s plan. Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.” He accomplished what He came to Earth to do, and the Devil and his demonic followers have been defeated. Yes, they still are working hard to destroy that which God created, but they will fail and the Church will triumph.
Verses 16-17 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: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
The Greek word translated as “body” is “soma” and it means the body both of men or animals, a corpse, the living body, the body of planets and of stars, and can refer to the New Testament church.
Application: As long as the believer is in Christ and Christ is in him/her, the believer has power over evil spirits just as Jesus has. As long as the believer is obeying Jesus, it doesn’t matter what other people think, so the believer should not be bothered by criticism from men. They criticized Jesus, and the unbelievers will criticize His followers.
Verses 18-19 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, 19 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.
The warning above is to not let anyone deprive the believer of salvation by influencing the believer to not hold on to Jesus and His doctrine. A person who appears humble and knowledgeable about spiritual things and who is yet secretly proud of himself and all his ungodly wisdom, can influence a believer to stray from the truth of the Gospel into other philosophies that are not consistent with the truth.
Verses 20-23 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, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 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. (Colossians 2)
The question Paul asked in this letter to the Colossian Church is relevant today. Most main stream denominational churches are full of man made rules and regulations, binding the believer just as the Jewish religious system bound the people in Jesus’ day. If the LORD has not said it or commanded it, don’t become captive to a church that demands obedience to their denominational doctrines. The believer is free in Christ.
Application: When the believer is baptized and the old person is washed away and a new creation rises out of the water, that person is no longer a slave to the world system which is of the Devil. Yes, as far as possible, the believer is to be obedient to the governing body under which he/she lives as long as the laws of that governing body do not violate the laws and commandments of God. But the believer is not a slave to the Devil or his demonic spirits. The believer is not a slave to a religious system, but has true freedom in the LORD Jesus Christ who came to set the captives free.