Commentary On The Epistle To The Colossians
By the Rev. Horace M. Patton
Colossians 2:8-12
Paul had been encouraging the believers at Colosse to continue to live out their faith in Christ. He exhorted them to be rooted and built up in Him, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Verse 8
Paul goes on to say, See to it that no one takes you captive (leads you away in a different direction) through hollow and deceptive philosophy. He knew that the so-called “truth-seekers,” who were leading people astray, really had nothing to offer. What they taught depended on human tradition and worldly principles (laws).
These traditions and principles were suppposed to guide people into living a simple and satisfied life, and hopefully prepare them for life after death. The problem was they were of human origin. These religious leaders were not sure they had all the answers, yet they desired to lead the Christians away from the basics they had learned in Christ.
Their teaching caused a severe reaction in Paul. He had met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He knew who was his risen Lord. Paul had been pursuing the followers of Jesus to set them straight. However, Jesus set him straight. Paul, therefore, knew whom these Colossian believers had come to know. He did not want any of them to be led away from their Lord and Savior. He wanted the believers to stay where they had been, i.e., built on Christ and growing in Him.
Verse 9
In Christ all the fullness of the Deity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) lives in bodily form. The above statement deals a death blow to the religious systems’ claims that a person can make direct contact with God by thoughtful observation or meditation. Some of the Gnostics (a sect in the early Church that valued inquiring into spiritual truth above faith) did not believe that Christ was fully God and fully human. Some years later the Church at Nicea adopted the Nicean Creed in which they clearly stated that Christ was fully human and fully Divine. Their statement has since been the orthodox view of Christ (the accepted, traditional belief).
Verse 10
Paul further affirms, You have been given the fullness of Christ. The false teachers claimed that all the believers needed help by learning various secrets which would permit them to grow spiritually. But Paul points out that the true believer has already been given the fullness of Christ. No amount of spiritual effort will make believers more worthy to be full of Christ.
The world around us is debating, “Who is Jesus?” He is the head over all authority and power. He is King of kings and Lord of lords! In writing to the early churches, Paul describes the exaltation of Christ again and again. Christ is “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephes. 1:21). (Also see Phil. 2:8-11). True believers have always declared positively as Thomas did (when Jesus told him to touch his hands and side), “My Lord and my God!” (See Jn. 20:28.)
Verse 11
For the Jewish male, circumcision was a physical mark in his body that marked him as belonging to God’s family. Paul raised the understanding of circumcision from a physical act to a spiritual work, no longer done by a human, but done by Christ wherein the baptized believer is brought into the family of God and looks forward to a new life in Christ.
Verse 12
Baptism illustrates death to our old life and a resurrection to a new life in Christ. Thus we share in His death and resurrection. However, it is through faith that this new life is imparted. (See Rom.6:1-14.) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).
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