Colossians 2:14-16 – What was Nailed to the Cross?

Did God forgive our sin by crucifying the Sabbath and the Ten Commandments?
What “things to come” do the Sabbath and holydays foreshadow?

“Nailed to the Cross”

The Sabbath – and the entire Ten Commandments – were “nailed to the cross” according to most Bible teachers, as Colossians 2:14-16 seems to indicate.

Is that what Paul was saying?

COLOSSIAN HERESY

Paul wrote the epistle to the Colossians to fight a heresy that crept into that Church. Paul was in prison when he learned of the Colossian problem. The confusion today about Paul’s message is not surprising considering that Paul wrote it some 2,000 years ago, in a language or usage that had undergone changes that affected how we understand it today. But Paul wrote more than enough for us to adequately appreciate what happened and to understand the message that he was trying to convey.

The problem may have affected both the Colossians and Laodiceans [Col.2:1] and the first hint can be detected from verse 4 of Colossians 2:

Col 2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile [delude] you with enticing words [persuasive language].

From this, it looks like the threat is coming from some “knowledgeable” or learned” people, capable of swaying others with persuasive language. Verse 8 has more details:

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil [seduce, lead away] you through philosophy and vain deceit [empty delusion], after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Philosophy, tradition of men, rudiments of the world… take careful note of these terms. In verses 18-23 the apostle Paul gives even more details:

Col 2:18 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,
Col 2:19 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.
Col 2:20 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,
Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Col 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility [humiliation of mind], and neglecting [asceticism] of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Notice again the terms used: voluntary humility, worshipping of angels, commandments and doctrines of men, will worship, asceticism. These and the other ones enumerated earlier — these are terms foreign to “Torah” or even the entire Old Testament. And notice too Paul’s warning as he discussed them:

• “beware lest any man spoil [seduce] you”
• “let no man beguile you”

Paul described them as “commandments and doctrines of men [v.22]!” So, without even getting into messy exegesis, we can see right off that Paul was not talking about God’s commandments!

Can you see that?

GNOSTIC PHILOSOPHY

The things that Paul warned Colossians to beware of were NOT the commandments of God or the so-called “law of Moses” – and certainly NOT the Sabbath. Rather, the terms that Paul mentioned are all hallmarks of Gnosticism, as most bible commentaries attest to. The problem with those commentaries however, is that they confuse the mention of Sabbath in v.16 with the heretical philosophies being discussed in the entirety of Colossians 2. We’ll examine verse 16 more, as we go on.

Halley’s Bible Handbook [2000 edition] describes Gnosticism as ‘an admixture of Greek, Jewish and Oriental religions, a sort of higher thought cult that presented itself as philosophy… it was proclaimed in higher-sounding phrases and with air of superiority – as part of the Gospel of Christ’.

Incidentally, Gnosticism is also the source of the dangerous doctrine of “progressive revelation“, with which mainstream religions had supplanted God’s written word, with oftentimes diametrically opposite teachings, some alleging to be inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is no wonder we find ourselves today in such a Babel of religious confusion. A simple test of whether it is truly from God is:

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

That means, God will not reveal something that will contradict what is already revealed in His written word. You can go against that to your own destruction!

ENHANCING CHRIST’S COMPLETE SACRIFICE

The heresy Paul was addressing here is an attempt to ‘enhance’ Christ’s sacrifice with a totally foreign human ideas. So Paul belied that by stressing that we are “complete in Him” [v.10]. This will become clear as we go along.

It should be remembered that when God gave His laws, He warned against making additions or deletions

Deu 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

These pagan Greek philosophies, are somewhat like the additions made by the Jews to God’s commandments. The end result is the setting aside of God’s commandment(s) in favor of these man-made commandments and traditions:

Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Mar 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

FORGIVENESS OF SIN

Now, going back, to verse 11:

Col 2:11 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:
Col 2:12 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.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Take good note of what Paul is talking about, here, in this particular block of text. He used vivid metaphors such as circumcision or removal of “body of sin” [foreskin] and burial by baptism which was his colorful way of depicting forgiveness of ALL our trespasses. Now, continue to the very next verse:

Col 2:14 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;

This is where many stumble. Verse 14 is often taken out of the rest and expounded, using fertile imagination, instead of letting the immediately surrounding text explain.

What was this ‘handwriting of ordinances’ that was blotted out and nailed to the cross? Can it be the Sabbath and the Ten Commandments? Is the Sabbath or the Ten Commandments ‘against us’?

Let’s hear from God Himself, rather than from human opinion:

Deu 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

As I often say, Christianity makes sense. Straightforward statement of God shows that His commandments are meant for our good. God calls Sabbath a “delight”. So, they can’t be the “handwriting of ordinances” that was “against us”. But many explanations conveniently leave out God’s own words and preachers take freedom to imagine the ten commandments and Sabbath being “blotted out”. But if we looked back at the immediately preceding verse [v.13], Paul was clearly talking about our sin or trespasses that had all been forgiven.

The word translated “blotting out” comes from the root word that denotes “wiping [out]“, as of tears. It has to do with the wiping out or pardoning of sins.

The Friberg Lexicon explains “handwriting of ordinances” [cheirographon dogma] as:

“…strictly handwritten document; in legal matters a promissory note, record of indebtedness, bond; figuratively in [Colossians] 2.14 not as the law itself, but as the record of charges . . .which stood against us and which God symbolically removed by ‘nailing it to the cross’”

The statement or note of guilt, shame and debt that each one of us had deservingly incurred by committing sin, has been taken away – blotted out – by the victorious death and resurrection of Jesus Christ [v.15]!

That note of our indebtedness is WHAT was nailed to the cross!

And it cost the life of our Savior Jesus Christ!

Think about that again.
The fact alone that Christ had to die, shows that the law was and still is very much in force! It shows that God is not about to compromise His laws, which actually reflects His holy righteous character. IF the law was such that it can be discarded, then there was no reason for Christ to die — God could just simply declared it abolished without blood and without fanfare! But Christ’s had to give His life IN ORDER to satisfy the demand of the law.

Being now cleared of that weight of sin and debt, we can now march on triumphantly! [v.15]

We ought to thank Christ for that!

SABBATH, HOLYDAYS AND THINGS TO COME

We now move on to the next verse of Colossians 2:

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect [part] of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

How about that? Does it say we should stop observing God’s seventh-day Sabbath and holy days?

Notice again how Paul said it: “Let no man judge you…”

At face value, does that statement make sense to you? Why would Paul tell his listeners to not let anybody judge them? Can we prevent someone from judging us if he wants to, short of punching him in the face?

What was Paul really saying here?

First, let’s take a look at the original Greek words used in v.16:

• “judge” comes from the Greek krino which also means distinguish, decide or ordain.
• “meat” comes from the Greek brosis which means eating.
• “drink” comes from the Greek posis which means drinking.
• “respect” comes from Greek meros which means in regard to or part of

Now look at the last phrase of verse 17: “…but the body is of Christ”. Notice that the verb is is in italic, which means it is supplied by the translators – that is, not found in the original.

In Col.2:20-22, Paul was asking Colossians why they subject themselves to ordinances such as “touch not, taste not” [v.20]. What was Paul talking about here? Verse 22 makes it clear: Paul was referring to “commandments and doctrines of men” – not the ten commandments, or Sabbath, or even the statutes. These man-made ordinances are being peddled in connection with the “eating and drinking” aspect of festival keeping. In particular it is the asceticism, which espouse “neglecting [asceticism] of the body” v.23. Festivals or even Sabbath are a time of feasting, but these ascetics are obviously criticizing Colossians for their feasting during holydays. And some gave in, as Paul indicated.

That’s why, Paul told the Colossians not to let others influence them or to tell them what they can do in regards to the eating and drinking aspect of the Sabbath and holydays or even new moon. Instead they should let the body [church] of Christ do the deciding or ordaining on those matters.

The word “body” comes from Greek soma which means body or slave. Modern translations such as NIV, GNB, NRSV and NKJV translate soma as “reality” or “substance”, which is out of place and makes no sense in the context of v.16-17.

Colossians 2:16-17 is one long sentence in which Paul was telling the Colossians not to let other men to tell or dictate to them how to keep Sabbath and holydays with respect to eating and drinking, or any aspect of its observance, but rather to let the Church — body of Christ [compare v.19] — do it.

Verse 17 also talks of “things to come” which Sabbath and holydays foreshadow. But since Christ had come to earth and gone back to heaven, as Paul was writing the letter to the Colossians, the “things to come” can hardly refer to Christ. The fact is Sabbath, during the time of Moses, pictured the “entering of the promised land” [Josh 1:13-15, also compare Num 20:24 and Ps.95:8-11] which is but a type of the ultimate “promised-land-rest“, thus:

Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

Furthermore,

Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away

THAT, by any language, is real rest.

The holydays picture specific events in the future — “things to come”. The Passover lamb foreshadowed Christ – His sacrifice in particular. But nowhere does it say we may stop observing Passover now that Christ had come. Such conclusion is merely read into the text.

The other feasts picture other things – war, Christ’s return [feast of trumpets], chaining of Satan, release of Israel from captivity, day of wrath [atonement], millenium [feast of tabernacles], etc. [Read more from the booklet From Holidays to Holy Days: God's Plan for You].

So in short, Paul in Colossians 2 was warning the Colossians against Gnostics who tried to modify God’s teaching by incorporating philosophy and man-made “commandments and doctrines”. Paul stressed that Christ’s sacrifice was enough to forgive all our transgression and there’s no need for those man-made ordinances. It is amazing how by careless reading, the commandments of God had become the target. But the culprits will in no way, get away with it. That’s for sure.

CONCLUSION

With all the wars, calamities, deaths and unhappiness we see in the world today, it is doubtful that our present system is the good ‘things to come’ foretold in Colossians [as also mentioned in Hebrews 10]. And therefore there is no basis in saying that the seventh-day Sabbath that reminds us of it had ceased to be relevant.

Related Posts:

• What is Saving Faith?
• Saved by Grace Alone?
• Did Jesus Christ Break the Sabbath?
• Is the Sabbath Command Moral or Ceremonial?
• The Law and Grace Confusion
• What is the OLD COVENANT?
• My Yoke is Easy and My Burden is Light

Tags: cross, holydays, law, Sabbath, sin