Study through Colossians lesson 4

Introduction

As we continue our exposition of Colossians we must remember what the reason for the letter is. The battle against the Colossian Heresy, also known as gnosticism. We today could relate this to cult or pagan religion. In chapter 2 Paul doubles down on his direct attack of the heretical beliefs and in doin so re-affirms the proper belief system.

Colossians 2:1–5 ESV

1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

In the very first verse we see Paul opening up about his willingness to fight even though he has never seen some of the congregants face to face. This is a good picture of how our general out look should be on fellow believers. Even though we have not met them we are willing to struggle with them for the cause of Christ.

Verse 2 continues the sentence, it explains why Paul is willing to struggle for them. According to verse 2 says he is doing this so their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ.

Let us not skim over the packaging of this verse. What a beautiful picture of the church this verse is.

Phillips says it this way.

Exploring Colossians & Philemon: An Expository Commentary b. We Are Encircled in a Common Bond (2:2a)

We cannot unravel our lives from those of other believers. We come from different social backgrounds. We have different levels of education. Often we have been raised in different countries and cultures. But we are knit together. A woman like Mary Magdalene is made one with a woman like Mary, the mother of Jesus. A man like Simon the Zealot is made one with Matthew the publican. Peter the doer is made one with John the dreamer. We share a common bond.

As this body of Christ is forming may we never forget that we are not knit together through race, political affiliation, or cultural back ground. What is tying us together is the knowledge of Christ. And as a group knit together in love we get the full picture of our assurance of understanding. Believing that what we believe is right. Regardless of what the world around us is saying.

Colossians 2:3 ESV

3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

What a statement in such a small sentence. This verse tells us that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

We live in a day where knowledge is ever in creasing.

Exploring Colossians & Philemon: An Expository Commentary b. Know Him in an Inexhaustible Way (2:3)

I read somewhere recently that every hour scientists are publishing enough new information to fill a thousand-page volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Think of it—enough information every day to fill an entire edition of an encyclopedia!

The fact of this makes it hard to comprehend how all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. Makes weeding out the other distracting things in life so much easier. Paul tells us this in verse 4

Colossians 2:4 ESV

4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

The fact of the matter is there are plausible arguments out there that are able to deceive people. The next verse tells us how we can stand when these types of belief systems tries to deviate us from the truth.

Just the same, they were making an impact on the unwary believers at Colosse who, until they received this epistle, were ill equipped to deal with them. Such glib talkers occupy the seat of the learned in our high schools, colleges, and universities and, often enough, in our seminaries and pulpits. Our young people are often poorly armed to refute their scornful tirades against Christianity and the great doctrines of the faith.

Paul is about to begin a masterly dissection of the cult. But first he brings his readers back to Christ one more time, for all truth is centered in Him. He is the truth (John 14:6). It is worth remembering that by the time Christ came, all major world religions except for Islam had already been founded. Buddha and Confucius had come and gone. The great thinkers of the Greek and Roman worlds had seen their day. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Diogenes, and Pythagoras had each held the stage and then retired. The worlds of man-made religion and human philosophy had shown themselves to be bankrupt. Paul puts forth Christ with whom no one can be compared for He stands alone. His words and wisdom are as high above the musings of men as the heavens are high above the earth. “Don’t let any man beguile you with enticing words,” Paul warns. Christ has totally eclipsed all others. Know Christ! That is Paul’s advice. “Know Him,” and you will be invincible. All of this world’s clever ideas stand exposed in their moral and spiritual bankruptcy when made to put their balance sheets alongside Christ’s.

~Excerpt from Exploring Colossians by John Phillips

Colossians 2:6 ESV

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,

Very plainly put we are to walk in Christ. How are we to do this

Colossians 2:7 ESV

7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

What does the words rooted and established both carry the connotation of? A firm foundation, a steady base.

We are to be rooted in HIM, and established in the FAITH.

Exploring Colossians & Philemon: An Expository Commentary c. Life with a New Distinction (2:7)

We are to think of ourselves first as a great tree. A tree is a marvel of nature. On a mountain in California just north of Death Valley grows a gnarled and weather-beaten bristlecone pine. It is known as “Methuselah,” and it is well named for it is estimated to be forty-six hundred years old. When David was writing his psalms, old Methuselah had been growing and growing for some sixteen hundred years. When Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldees, old Methuselah had been growing for hundreds of years and was already a hardy veteran on earth. In fact, if its age is correctly estimated, Old Methuselah has been here since the days of the Flood.

When we consider that he was slain before the foundations of the earth, we can be confident his roots are deep.

Colossians 2:8 ESV

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

This word human tradition can have a few applications. Primarily in this context human tradition is referring to cult practices. Traditions that go the whole way back to the tower of Babel.

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 2

the elemental spirits (Gk. stoicheia) of the world. Stoicheia is sometimes translated “the basic principles” of the world and then interpreted to be something like the fundamental principles of pagan religion. In the ancient world, however, the term stoicheia was widely used for spirits in Persian religious texts, magical papyri, astrological documents, and some Jewish texts. Paul is likely using it here to refer to demonic spirits; it is the equivalent of “rulers and authorities” (vv. 10, 15). Although the false teaching is handed down as human tradition, it can ultimately be traced to the influence of demonic forces. The fundamental problem with this philosophy is that it is not in accord with Jesus Christ and the gospel proclaimed by him and the apostle Paul.

Colossians 2:9–10 ESV

9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

What an amazing statement that Christ would be willing o fill us. We a lost depraved race, having the holy one, the Christ being willing and able to fill us. He is the head of all things and the authority. This word goes back to “power” in the great commission.

Colossians 2:11–12 ESV

11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Paul here emphasizes the unseen realm that we are born into and that we are battling in. He reminds us of the spiritual implication of baptism. Not for salvation but for a symbol that we have been raised with him, but the same God who raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:13–14 ESV

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

People are used as tools of the devil and if we can realize our enemy is not the humans next to us, but the one who is using them as a tool we will be able to see people more through the eyes of Christ.

Colossians 2:15 ESV

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Application

Do you feel rooted and established in Christ. What would assist in you feeling this way?

Do you have the discernment to differ the vain philosophies of this world and the real truth of scripture?

Do you live your life understanding the enemy is disarmed?