"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a
Sabbath day. These are
a shadow of the things that were to come;
the reality, however, is found in Christ." (
Col 2:16-17)
I always find it interesting that when one uses this verse they always leave out the context which is in 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;
Here is an old post that gives a very detailed explanation of these verses and the proper context. I pray all those who are reading this, read with an open mind, because ignoring context to the Truth of God’s Word is really only hurting yourself, the Truth sets us free and all of God’s commandments are Truth Psalms 119:151.
Hi Everyone, I am new here so nice to meet you all. I thought this may be a good because there seems to be a lot of confusion over the scriptures found in Colosians Chapter 2; especially verses 14-17. This chapter has its basis from the Old Testaments scriptures so this is a study looking at...
www.christianforums.com
PART 1
Colossians 2:14-17,
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;
15, And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in
meat, or
in drink, or in respect of a
holyday, or of the
new moon, or of the
sabbath(s):
17,
which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Colossians 2:14
Let’s start with the context of
Colossians 2:16-17.
The context is verse 14 which is the
blotting out (G1813; ἐξαλείφω; exaleiphō; ex-al-i'-fo; means to
obliterate; erase; wipe away)
the handwriting of ordinances which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way nailing it to the cross.
The next question we need to consider is what is the handwriting of ordinances that are to be erased and nailed to the cross?
The Greek words used here is
handwriting G5498 χειρόγραφον; cheirographon; which means; hand written legal document which is combined with
ordinance G1378 δόγμα dogma dog'-mah From the base of G1380; which means;
civil, ceremonial or ecclesiastical law: - decree;
The Greek meaning of
handwriting of ordinances in V14 is a hand written legal document or book of civil, ceremonial and ecclesiastical laws. These are the laws referred to in verse 14 that have been erased and are nailed to the cross.
What is the legal written document or book (handwriting of ordinances) that includes the civil, ceremonial and ecclesiastical laws referring to?
There was
two sets of laws that were given to God’s people in the Old Testament scriptures.
(1)
God’s Law (10 commandments) pointed out what sin was and the penalty of sin which is death. It was never a cure for sin in the Old Testament as well as in the New. It only gives a knowledge of what sin is and righteousness (right doing) (
Rom 3:20;
1John 3:4;
Rom 6:23;
Ps 119:172).
(2)
The laws of Moses was the second set of laws and included all the civil, ceremonial, and ecclesiastical laws. These laws could not tell you what sin was this was the job of God’s Law, however the laws of Moses were the
prescriptive cure for sin in the Old Covenant. These laws included all the Levitical and ceremonial laws, sacrificial burnt offerings for sin, annual festivals and earthly sanctuary services for sin. These laws were the cure for sin so the sinner could be made right with God. These where all prophetic in nature, teaching the plan of salvation which pointing to Jesus as the true lamb of God and our great high priest and His Work on our behalf in the Heavenly Sanctuary. (Leviticus 1; 3-12; 14-17; 22-
23; Number 6-8; 15; 28-29; Deut 12; 33;
Ex 25:8;
John 1:29;
36;
Rev 5:6;
1Cor 5:6-7;
Heb 8:2-13;
9:1-28)
From the above it can be seen that God’s Law was written on stone and the laws of Moses in a book. God’s Law is forever and only points out what sin is but was never a cure for sin (
Rom 3:20;
1John 3:4;
Rom 6:23).
The laws of Moses included all the ceremonial and ecclesiastical laws that were the cure for sin with all the sin offerings and earthly Sanctuary services, annual festivals and sin offerings which were prophetic in nature and temporary pointing to the life, death, resurrection of Jesus and his role as the true lamb of God and your great high priest to atone for our sins (
John 1:29;
36;
Rev 5:6;
1Cor 5:6-7;
Heb 8:2-13;
9:1-28).
The handwriting of ordinances(ceremonial laws and ordinances written in a book)
is referring to the ceremonial, ecclesiastical laws of Moses which included the Jewish annual festivals and sin offerings that pointed to Jesus.
Why were the ceremonial laws of Moses (handwriting of ordinances) nailed to the cross?
Jesus was our true sacrifice for our sins and the saviour of the world that the ceremonial laws of Moses all pointed to. When Jesus came and died the old Covenant laws of Moses that pointed to Jesus and the plan of salvation was fulfilled (
John 1:29;
36;
Rev 5:6;
1Cor 5:6-7;
Heb 8:2-13;
9:1-28). Jesus is our true Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and our sacrifice for our sins. It is our sins as well as the ceremonial laws of Moses that were nailed to the cross at the death of Jesus (
Col 2:14;
John 3:16).
Colossians 2:14 is the
context of
Colossians 2:16-17. The context is that all the ceremonial laws of Moses pointing to the plan of salvation and Jesus have been fulfilled and nailed to the cross and along with our sins, if we accept Jesus as our true Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world (
John 1:29). We are no longer under the Old Covenant laws of Moses. These do not include God’s Law which is forever (
Ecc 3:14).
Now we have looked at the context of
Colossians 2:16-17 by looking at verse 14 above and we know what it actually is that it is the ceremonial laws and sin offerings that are nailed to the cross along with our sins, let’s look at
Colossians 2:16-17.
Colossians 2:16-17
16 Let no man therefore judge you in
meat, or
in drink, or in respect of a
holyday, or of the
new moon, or of the
sabbath day(s):
17,
which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Here is the actual Greek to English translation of
Col 2:16-17 verses from the interlinear:
16 Not therefore anyone you let judge in regards to food or in regards to drink or in regards to a
feast (
or festival) or a new moon or Sabbath(s).
17 which are a shadow of things coming but body
In
Col 2:16 the word rendered "holy-day" - ἑορτὴ heortē - in the Greek means a
"feast" or "festival;"
Now, notice the key
context within Col 2:16-17; No one is to judge you in regards to
meat or drink, a
feast or festival, or of
the New Moon or of sabbath(s).
The Greek word for sabbath used in
Col 2:16 G4521; σάββατο
; is sabbaton which means to cease from secular labor, stop work, rest. It does not necessarily need to refer to the 7th Day Sabbath commandment. In Leviticus Chapter 23, there is special days within the Jewish annual festivals which are called a Holy convocation. There are special days that can fall on any day of the week. They are not a regular weekly 7th day Sabbath according to God’s Law (
Ex 20:8-11) but are a sabbaton (Greek) in that no secular work was allowed and work was to cease and these Holy convocations were days of rest although not a Sabbath from God’s Law (10 commandments) they were a sabbath (sabbaton) as used in the Greek.
Scripture point summary:
1. Blotting out or nailing the handwriting of ordinances to the cross is referring to the ceremonial and ecclesiastical laws of Moses which includes all the sin offerings and laws relating to sin offering that pointed to the plan of salvation and Jesus (v14)
2. Jesus at the cross triumphing over principalities and powers (v 15)
3. No one to Judge you in meat and drink, festivals, new moon of the sabbath(s) (v16). Holy-day in the Greek means a festival and sabbath(s) in the Greek in this verse means sabbaton which simply means to cease from secular work and rest. It does not have to mean a 7th Day Sabbath (
Ex 20:8-11)
4. The meat and drink, festivals, new moons or of the sabbath(s) are a shadow of things to come (v17)
Context within Col 2:16-17:
(1) meat or drink
(2) feast or festival
(3) new moons
(4) sabbath(s)
(5) Above were shadows of things to come
