Chapter 2
V1 agon/struggle, contest in the KJV translated conflict, is an athletic analogy of how Paul struggled against false teachers for the sake of sound doctrine for the ecclesia of Colossae and Laodecea, and ultimately the generality of Christendom (as many as have not seen my face in the flesh). This is qualified by his reference to them in v4 and 8 and the latter half of Ch 2 which evidently and specifically identifies these as pharisaic Judaizers.
V2-3 Paul’s struggle firstly being that their hearts might be parakaleo/instructed, encouraged translated comforted in KJV. It is transparent from all of Paul’s epistles that this instruction is obtained from Torah in Spirit and in truth. The verse further confirms this in the rest of the phraseology. Being knit in love i.e. love of one’s neighbour, is the summing up of Torah cf Gal 5:14; Matt 7:12; Lev 19:18; Rom 13:8-10.
Paul’s second struggle was proving the mystery of all 3 personages in the triune Yehovah: Elohim (in this instance referring to the Holy Spirit), and of the Father and of the Son/Messiah. Anti-triune doctrine is shattered in this amongst many other epistles. In the triune Yehovah Elohim are hid the thesauros/storehouse, repository of wisdom and knowledge which are defined in Torah cf Ps 119:66; Pro 2:1-9. Also compare Rom 11:33 which quotes Ps 92:5 and 139:6
V4-5 Wisdom and knowledge in the laws of Elohim are indeed essential in counteracting false doctrine spewed by those who paralogizomai/deceive by false reasoning, beguile in KJV, so doing with pithanologia/specious discourse leading others into error, enticing words in KJV. Much doctrinal error bedevils the churches of today, largely due to ignorant regurgitation of false teachings churned out of institutes of theology.
Satan’s infernal host works incessantly to ensure that the so-called gatekeepers/shepherds of the churches i.e. pastors, teachers, preachers, emblazoned with doctorate degrees and the like, may with great conviction knowingly or unknowingly deceive the laity. If we were to fulfil Paul’s wish for individual knowledge and wisdom, through careful self-study of the holy scriptures, the laity would not need to be dependent on these grandiose theatrical mega-church spectacles of delusion that they attend week in week out.
V6 Paul repeats his admonition of 1:10 cf 1 Jn 2:6. We have already discussed and scripturally proven this walk at great length in 1:10 to mean walking in Torah as Yeshua did, does, and will do forever.
V7 This walk in Yeshua is portrayed in 4 conditions:
a. Being rooted in Yeshua our root in whom we need to be built up cf Jn 15:5-10; Rom 11:16-17
b. Being built up in His holy body, the congregation of Israel which represents the ecclesia, of which He is the head Eph 4:15-16
c. Being established in faith of Yeshua which justifies us unto good works Jm 2:14,17,24
d. Giving thanks always for such undeserved grace/mercy bestowed upon us.
V8 Sulagogeo/lead away from truth is translated spoil. Two classes of false teachers are identified in this verse:
a. Those who through philosophia/love of wisdom particularly Jewish sophistry and kenos apate/deceit devoid of truth promote paradosis/traditions of men i.e. pharisaic Judaism cf Gal 1:14
b. Those promulgating belief in the stoicheion/elements of the world i.e. pagan worship cf Gal 4:3,9.
V9 Theotes/state of being Elohim is translated Godhead in KJV. In Him refers to Messiah Yeshua mentioned in v8. It boggles the mind how some denominations such as Jehovah’s witnesses, refuse to accept Yeshua as divine and worthy of worship. Others refuse to accept the triune nature of the Elohim-head, yet Paul succinctly repeats this very undeniable fact mentioned in 1:19 cf Jn 10:30,38.
V10 As the body of Messiah all hagios/holy ones, sanctified by the indwelling in their souls by the Holy Spirit, brought about by observance of the commandments/Torah of Yeshua, are pleroo/filled up, complete in Him. Again, Paul repeats Yeshua’s dominion over all creation inclusive of that in spiritual rulership.
V11 Circumcision of the flesh is only part of the Torah and does not lead to justification. It is an important law to observe, but unfortunately pharisaic Judaizers were teaching its necessity as an entry point into the congregation of Israel i.e. for proselytization. Effectively they were forcing Gentiles to become circumcised in order to be recognised as Jews. The Jews were referred to as the circumcision, and the Gentiles given the appellation of the uncircumcision.
This was contrary to the order in which Abraham was first justified by faith then 24 odd years later circumcised in covenant fellowship with Elohim cf 1 Cor 7:19. This verse is unfortunately misinterpreted as meaning that circumcision is abolished. I emphatically must stress the contrary. Paul was stating that being seen as a Jew/ alternatively called the circumcision is nothing in itself. Additionally, being seen as a Gentile/ alternatively called the uncircumcision is nothing in itself too.
Rather keeping of the commandments/Torah of Elohim is something! Hence why Paul carefully used the word but in the sense of rather. The seeming ambiguity of this verse has been extricated by Torah detractors as proof that circumcision has been outlawed, yet Paul in the following verse i.e. 1 Cor 7:20 categorically states that let every man called to become a member of the body of Messiah/congregation of Israel abide in the same calling i.e. Jew on one hand and Gentile on the other. One who has become a member of the body of Messiah must not seek to be referred to as a proselyte Jew.
This is where most in the Hebraic roots movement of our day and age are stumbling and being sucked into traditions of man. Let us seek observance of Torah of Elohim, and not vie for worldly carnal acceptance into an ethnic clique. Yehovah is no respecter of persons cf Rom 2:11. Circumcision of the heart supersedes that of the flesh, as one may be circumcised physically, yet be morally bankrupt. Circumcision of the heart was not a new concept, having been admonished in the days of Moses and codification of Torah on Mt Sinai cf Deut 30:6 and Ps 37:30-31. Abraham was undoubtedly circumcised of the heart to be justified by faith when he was 75 years old, his physical circumcision being commanded of him only at age 99 cf Gen 12:1-4 and Gen 17:24.
V12-13 Being circumcised in the heart in Messiah, our sinful carnal nature is ceremonially buried in water baptisma/immersion, baptism in the name of Yeshua. This is representative of Yeshua dying for our sins and being buried in the belly of the earth. On rising from the water, we through our faith in Yeshua, rise in newness of life, with Holy Spirit power as Yeshua was at His resurrection, freed of all our sins which were atoned for on the cross of calvary. Note that this faith is exclusively of the energeia/superhuman working of Elohim the Father.
It is crucial to note that grace is not the only gift from Elohim at the entry level of the road to salvation, but also the faith itself. Our intrinsic faith pales in comparison and magnitude to that bestowed us by Elohim our Father cf 1 Cor 12:8-9. There are different types of faith. That which is intrinsically within us, which can only go so far, as opposed to that which is supernaturally bestowed upon us, whose potency increases through prayer and fasting as we mature in our Christian walk cf Matt 17:17-21. Believers of today may be saints but not necessarily have faith. This is why there is a paucity of true miraculous healings and casting out of demons in the churches of today. We need to fast more often and pray more intensely to be given this powerful faith that vanquishes the kingdom of Satan.
V14 The word dogma is translated ordinances in this verse. This Greek word means rules, doctrines and decrees of men. In the Septuagint LXX it is only ever found in the book of Daniel in 2:13; 3:10,12,29; 4:6; 6:8-10,12-13,15,26. In the NT it is found in Lk 2:1; Acts 16:4; 17:7; Eph 2:15; Col 2:14. It is never used in reference to Torah law but rather to decrees of man. In this verse then we are told that Yeshua blotted out the handwriting of the laws in decrees of men/traditions of men/pharisaic Judaism doctrines of men that were strangulating the Torah. Eph 2:15 equally misinterpreted as abolishing Torah, actually refers to the Torah interpreted in the handwritten traditions of men, being at enmity with Torah truth for the ecclesia for both Jew and Gentile.
Yeshua abolished this falsehood in His flesh which He sacrificed for us. How could a Torah observing Jew such as Paul, have the audacity to claim Torah was contrary to him and his kinsmen. That would be a treasonous statement and contrary to his claim of Acts 25:8. Yeshua spent a great part of His ministry denouncing the traditions of men which were suffocating the liberating truth that lies in Torah cf Mk 7:1-13. Much vilification against Torah has perpetuated through gross misinterpretation of scripture of which this verse is a classic case. Semantics is key when sifting through scripture, as every word in the original manuscripts breathed by the Holy Spirit is more precise and more so perfect than any other form of literature on the face of this earth.
V15 Returning to where this narrative began in v10, Yeshua is said to have apekdumoai/disarmed, spoiled the evil angelic rulers of empires/arche, principalities and evil angelic rulers of nations/exousia at Calvary. The Greek Septuagint LXX uses the same word archon for prince of Persia and for Michael one of the chief princes in Daniel 10;13. Hence we can with confidence confirm that principalities are beings on the same level as Michael the archangel.
They clearly lead empires as the prince of Grecia is mentioned in Daniel 10:20. Daniel 12:1 identifies Michael as the principality for Yehovah’s people Israel, of which is the body of Messiah Isa 41:8. In Dan 3:2,3 exousia/powers of authority is in the KJV translated as sheriffs. A sheriff in England is the chief executive officer of the crown, in Scotland being a judge. Dan 3:30 of the LXX reads: Then the king promoted Shadrach{gr.Sedrach}, Meshach{gr.Misach}, [and] Abednego{gr.Abdenago}, in the province of Babylon, and advanced them, and gave them authority to rule over all the Jews who were in his kingdom. Exousia is the word used for authority. It is quite clear that this authority is for those ruling over nations.
At calvary the spiritual beings present far outnumbered the physical human beings at the scene of their treachery cf Ps 22:12,16,20,21. These evil angelic beings at the behest of their commander in chief Satan, the devil were/are responsible amongst many other nefarious stratagems, for the spiritual attack of pharisaic Judaism and pagan error upon the ecclesia and the world at large.
V16 Another verse viciously misinterpreted for the ignorant benefit of Torah despisers in their false deduction of proof of abolition of Torah. It expresses quite transparently that we should not be condemned for the manner in which we eat or drink within Torah parameters of Lev ch 11 which outlines clean versus unclean food. Pharisaic Judaizers had created all manner of traditional rituals which pertained to meat and drink, of which Yeshua abhorred cf Mk 7:1-13. Additionally, they had created an insurmountable number of rules on how to observe the Sabbath and new moons and the feast days of Yehovah of Lev 23.
This frustrated Yeshua considerably too as narrated in the gospels e.g. healing on a Sabbath day and
picking heads of grain on the Sabbath cf Mk 3:1-6 and Matt 12:1-14. Additionally, Colossae was a Gentile nation steeped in paganism. The ecclesia would in addition to the pharisaic Judaizers been also judged/condemned by the pagans for partaking in the observance of Holydays, new moons and sabbath days of Israel in preference to their pagan observance of days, months times and years as described by Paul in Gal 4:9-10.
V17 This verse immediately dispels the false notion that these Torah based observations of v 16 have been abolished. The Holy Spirit always provides in advance, scriptural proof against false interpretation, usually in the same narrative, so as to clear any perceived ambiguity. Why oh why do the clergy preach that v16 has proven abolition of Torah, when in the next verse we are expressly informed that these very observances of Torah are actually a shadow of things to come? It boggles the mind. In Yeshua’s millennial reign on earth all this falsehood shall be scrapped and the saints shall live in a world that has returned to true Torah observance cf Is 2:2-4; 66:20-23; Zech 14:16-19.
V18-19 Gen 3:5 elohim is not capitalised depicting reference to false gods i.e. fallen angels which know good from evil. Also, cf 1 Sam 28:11-13-elohim referring to fallen angels. These from time immemorial have been worshipped as false elohim by mankind, and have infiltrated churches of today examples being mariolatry, veneration of saints, observance of demon god holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, advent and more worryingly Halloween even cf 1 Cor 10:20-21. The churches have been dumbed down into even condoning outright, the respect of other demonic religions in eccumenalism, which perversely states that all paths lead to heaven.
In recent times, the Catholic church has through their leader the pope united themselves with shamans, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, new-agers, witches, scientologists and a whole host of other religions under the sun, under the umbrella of eccumenalism. A one world religion is indeed in its early stages of formation, and shall ultimately be hijacked by the coming antichrist in open rebellion to Yehovah El Shaddai, the one true Almighty Elohim. Paul expressly warns us not to be deceived by such false beliefs which only have the outcome of us losing our reward of salvation and eternal life which await those who complete the race of life in Spirit and in truth cf 2 Tim 4:7-8.
The word ‘beguile’ and ‘reward’ in KJV is katabrabeuo/deprive of salvation. Voluntary humility/ascetism is the denying of oneself, practising self-mortification and extreme abstinence as done by Buddhists in the false belief that a high spiritual and moral state may be achieved. It is demonic to the core and distracts one from focusing on Yeshua the Messiah, and rather on one’s own deeds. Seeking angelic mediation opens up the realm of the occult, a practice which through cinematography, music and literature has gripped the youth and adults of today, mesmerised by a dangerous spiritual world that they do not understand. Instead of seeking Holy Spirit power, mankind seeks alternative powers, which indeed are real, yet demonic. We must not pursue this fleshy mindset but that of Messiah whom we must uphold. cf 1 Cor 2:16; Phil 2:5. It is in Messiah that we the body are spiritually nourished and mature in truth.
V20-22 This is further proof that the dogmatizo/ordinances, decrees of man mentioned in v14 are not Torah at all. Paul through the Holy Spirit further clarifies what these ordinances are i.e. pharisaic judaizing doctrines of the Jerusalem Talmud, which in our epoch are further extended in the Babylonian Talmud, which Yeshua hated and concerning which He had several heated debates against these false gatekeepers of Torah.
V23 Doctrines and traditions of men simply promote and are enshrined in sanctimonious piety and misdirected zeal and practice of asceticism, which actually unnecessarily damages the body without the remotest hint of benefit thereof. To summarize Paul was teaching against:
a. Gnosticism which in our day is erroneously conceived higher knowledge in scientific, archaeological and paleontological false evidences that contradict scripture e.g. evolution, scientology
b. Traditions of men/dogma which ring-fenced Torah making it impossible for one to follow it in Spirit and in truth
c. Mysticism which involves communication with the spiritual underworld which disguise themselves as angels of light
d. Ascetism which falsely harms the body with no falsely perceived spiritual benefit.