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I. The apostle expresses concern for the Colossians, Col 2:1-3. II. He repeats it again, Col 2:5. III. He cautions them against false teachers among the Jews (Col 2:4,6,7), and against the Gentile philosophy, Col 2:8-12. IV. He represents the privileges of Christians, Col 2:13-15. And, V. Concludes with a caution against the judaizing teachers, and those who would introduce the worship of angels, Col 2:16-23.

This entire chapter may be regarded as designed to guard the Colossians against the seductive influence of the false philosophy which tended to draw them away from the gospel. It is evident from the chapter that there were at Colossae, or in the vicinity, professed instructors in religion, who taught an artful and plausible philosophy, adapting themselves to the prejudices of the people, and inculcating opinions that tended to lead them away from the truths which they had embraced. These teachers were probably of Jewish origin, and had adopted many of the arts of a plausible rhetoric, from the prevailing philosophy in that region. See the Introduction, Section 4. Against the seductive influences of this philosophy, it is the design of this chapter to guard them, and though the apostle does not seem to have intended to pursue an exact logical order; yet the argument in the chapter can be conveniently regarded as consisting of two parts: A statement of the reasons why they should be on their guard against the arts of that philosophy; and a specification of the particular errors to which they were exposed:

I. A statement of the reasons why they should not allow themselves to be drawn away by the influence of the prevalent philosophy; Colossians 2:1-15. This also consists of two parts.

A. The importance of the subject; Colossians 2:1-7.

(1) the apostle felt great solicitude for them, and for all whom he had not seen, that they might hold the truth in reference to the divine existence and perfections; Colossians 2:1-2.

(2) all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were in Christ, and it was, therefore, of the greatest importance to hold to the truth respecting him; Colossians 2:3.

(3) they were in danger of being led astray by enticing words; Colossians 2:4.

(4) Paul says that he was with them in spirit, and he exhorted them, therefore, to remain rooted and grounded in the doctrines which they had received respecting the Saviour; Colossians 2:5-7.

B. Reasons why they should be steadfast and not drawn away by the influence of false philosophy; Colossians 2:8-15.

(1) the danger of depending on traditions and worldly principles in religion; of being "spoiled" or robbed by philosophy; Colossians 2:8.

(2) all that we need to desire is to be found in Christ; Colossians 2:9-10.

(3) we have received through him the true circumcision - the putting away our sins; Colossians 2:11.

(4) we have been buried with him in baptism, and have solemnly devoted ourselves to him, Colossians 2:12.

(5) we have been quickened by him; our sins have been forgiven; and everything that hindered our salvation has been taken out of the way by him, and he has triumphed over our foes; Colossians 2:13-15.

II. Specification of particular errors to which they were exposed, or of particular things to be avoided; Colossians 2:16-23.

The chapter closes Colossians 2:20-23 with an earnest exhortation wholly to avoid these things; not to touch or taste or handle them. However plausible the pretences might be on which they were urged; whatever appearance of wisdom or humility there might be, the apostle assures them that there was no real honor in them, and that they were wholly to be avoided.

The apostle shows his great concern for the Church at Colosse and at Laodicea; and exhorts them to steadfastness in the faith, and to beware of being seduced by specious and enticing words, Colossians 2:1-5. And to walk in Christ, as they had been taught, and to abound in faith and holiness, Colossians 2:6, Colossians 2:7. To beware of false teachers, who strove to pervert the Gospel, and to lead their minds from him in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells; with whom they were filled; by whom they had received spiritual circumcision; and into whom they were baptized and were quickened, and raised from a death of sin to a life of righteousness, Colossians 2:8-12. He points out their former state, and the great things which Christ had done for them, Colossians 2:13-15. Warns them against particular tenets of the Judaizing teachers relative to meats, drinks, holydays, festivals, and the specious pretences of deceivers, Colossians 2:16-19. And shows that all the things taught by these, though they had a show of wisdom, yet perished in the using, and were the commandments and doctrines of men, Colossians 2:20-23.

INTRODUCTION TO Colossians 2

In this chapter the apostle expresses his great concern for the Colossians, and others he had never seen; exhorts them to constancy in the faith of Christ; warns them of false teachers, and their tenets; takes notice of various blessings and privileges they had by Christ, and cautions against several superstitions and corruptions, which were obtaining among the churches of Christ: in Colossians 2:1 the apostle declares the conflict he had for the persons he writes to, and for others, though they had never seen him, which he was desirous they might be acquainted with; partly for the comfort of their hearts, their cement in love, and the improvement of their knowledge of divine things, the treasures of which are in Christ, Colossians 2:2, and partly that they might not be deceived by the enticing words of the false teachers, Colossians 2:4, and should his absence and distance from them be objected to his professed concern and affection for them, he answers, that notwithstanding that, he was present with them in spirit, and had a discerning of their faith and order, and the steadfastness thereof, with pleasure, Colossians 2:5, wherefore he exhorts them to perseverance in the faith of Christ, and to an abounding: in it, Colossians 2:6, and to take heed of being hurt by the vain philosophy and traditions of the Jews, but to keep close to Christ, and the truths of his Gospel, seeing all fulness is in him, and they were full in him, who is over all, and superior to all, and therefore had no need to have recourse unto, and hearken to any other, Colossians 2:9, nor did they need any Jewish ordinances, particularly circumcision, since they were partakers of another and better circumcision in Christ; and besides, were buried in baptism with him; and even though they had been dead in sin, and in their fleshly uncircumcision, yet they were alive, quickened with Christ, and had the forgiveness of all their sins for his sake; who had freed them from the ceremonial law, and had rid them of all their former lords and masters, and had brought them into the liberty of the Gospel, Colossians 2:11, wherefore he concludes, by way of exhortation and advice, first with respect to Jewish ceremonies, not to suffer them to be imposed upon them, or to regard the censures of men for the non-observance of them, since these were but shadows, of which Christ is the substance, Colossians 2:16, and next with respect to the worship of angels, under a notion of humility, some were for introducing; who are described as bold intruders, vain, proud, and conceited persons, and as not holding the head Christ, to whom the body the church is joined, and by whom it is nourished and increased, Colossians 2:18, and seeing now they that are Christ's are dead with him to the ceremonial law, and that dead to them, the apostle argues that they should not be subject to the ordinances, commands, and doctrines of men; some of which he instances in, as if they were still under the rudiments of the world; and the rather, since these things had no true wisdom in them, only a show of it, and were no other than will worship and superstition, and lay in a negligence of the body, and were dishonourable and unsatisfying, Colossians 2:20.

II.

[4.Special Enforcement of Doctrinal Teaching (Colossians 2:1 to Colossians 3:4).

(1) EXHORTATION TO STAND FAST IN THE FAITH, dictated by special anxiety for them and the sister churches, urging them to seek all wisdom in Christ alone, and to keep to the old simplicity of the gospel (Colossians 2:1-7).

(2) WARNING AGAINST SPECULATIVE ERROR, turning them “to philosophy and vain deceit” from Christ.

(a)For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead.

(b)In Him they have the true spiritual circumcision of the New Covenant.

(c)From Him, and from Him alone, can they receive justification from sin, and the new life of grace (Colossians 2:8-15).

(3) WARNING AGAINST PRACTICAL SUPERSTITION.

(a)In relation to obsolete Jewish ordinances (Colossians 2:16-17).

(b)In worship of angels, sinning against the sole Headship of Christ (Colossians 2:18-19).

(4) DECLARATION OF THE TRUE CHRISTIAN STATE.

(a)As dead with Christ, and so dead to all the vain and carnal ordinances, which have a show of wisdom but no reality (Colossians 2:20-23).

(b)As risen with Christ, and so bound to seek the things above, and have a life hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-4).]

CHAPTER 2

Colossians 2:1. περί] Lachm. and Tisch. 8 read ὑπέρ, following A B C D* P א min. But how easily may ὑπέρ have been suggested to the copyists by Colossians 1:24 and Colossians 4:12!

The form ἑώρακαν (Lachm. and Tisch. 7) or ἑόρακαν (Tisch. 8) is more than sufficiently attested by A B C D* א*, etc., to induce its reception in opposition to the usage elsewhere. Respecting this Alexandrian form see Winer, p. 73 [E. T. 90]; and on ἑόρ., Fritzsche, ad Aristoph. Th. 32.

Colossians 2:2. Instead of συμβιβασθέντες, Elzevir has συμβιβασθέντων, in opposition to decisive testimony; an emendation.

πάντα πλοῦτον] A C min. have πᾶν τὸ πλοῦτος (so Lachm. Tisch. 7), and are also joined by B א* Clem. with πᾶν πλοῦτος (so Tisch. 8). Here also (comp. Colossians 1:27) the neuter is the original; in thinking of the more common ὁ πλοῦτος the ΠΑΝΤΟ became ΠΑΝΤΑ, in accordance with which πλοῦτον also came to be written. The reading of Tisch. 8 is a restoration of the neuter form after the article had been lost.

Instead of the simple τοῦ Θεοῦ (so Griesb. Scholz, Tisch. 7, Rinck; among modern expositors, Bähr, Olshausen, de Wette, Ewald), Elzevir has τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, while Lachm. reads τοῦ Θεοῦ Χριστοῦ, and Tisch. 8 τοῦ Θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ. Among the numerous various readings, τοῦ Θεοῦ Χριστοῦ (also adopted by Steiger, Huther, Bleek, Hofmann) is certainly strongly enough attested by B. Hilar, (but without vss.), while the simple τοῦ Θεοῦ has only 37, 67**, 71, 80*, 116, Arm. ed. Venet. in its favour. A C * א, 4, Sahid. Vulg. ms. have τοῦ Θεοῦ πατρὸς (τοῦ) Χ., which Böhmer and Reiche prefer, whilst א** Syr. p. have τ. Θεοῦ καὶ πατρ. τοῦ Χ., and others still, such as Syr. Copt. Chrys. read τ. Θ. πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, and consequently come nearest to the Recepta; but a few authorities, after the mention of God, insert ἐν Χριστῷ, as Clem. Ambrosiaster: τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χ. Regarding these variations we must judge thus: (1) the far too weak attestation of the bare τοῦ Θεοῦ is decisive against it; (2) the reading of Lachm.: τοῦ Θεοῦ Χριστοῦ, is to be regarded as the original, from which have arisen as glosses the amplifications τοῦ Θεοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ Χ.,[77] and τοῦ Θεοῦ πατρ. καὶ τοῦ Χ., as well as the Recepta; (3) the reading τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ arose out of a gloss (ἐν Χριστῷ) written on the margin at ἐν ᾧ, in accordance with Colossians 1:27, which supplanted the original Χριστοῦ; (4) the ἐν Χριστῷ thus introduced was again subsequently eliminated, without, however, the original Χριστοῦ being reinserted, and thus arose the reading of Griesb. τοῦ Θεοῦ, which therefore—and with this accords its late and weak attestation—appears to be merely a half completed critical restoration.

Colossians 2:4. δέ] is wanting in B א*, Tisch. 8; but it was readily omitted by the copyists before the syllable ΛΕ.

μή τις] Lachm. and Tisch. read μηδείς, which, following preponderant codd. (A B C D E P א), is to be preferred.

Colossians 2:7. ἐν τῇ πίστ.] Lachm. and Tisch. have only τῇ πίστει, following B D* min. Vulg. It. Archel. Ambrosiast. Theophyl. Properly; the ἐν was mechanically introduced from the adjoining text.

ἐν αὐτῇ] though suspected by Griesb., and rejected by Tisch. 8 (it is wanting in A C א*, min. Copt. Tol. Archel.), is to be defended. Its omission was easily occasioned by the fact that περισσ. was found to be already accompanied by a more precise definition expressed by ἐν. The ἐν αὐτῷ read by D* א**, 1, Pel. VSS., though only a mechanical repetition of the preceding ἐν αὐτῷ, testifies indirectly to the fact that originally ἐν αὐτῇ was in the text.

Colossians 2:10. ὅζ ἐστιν] Lachm. reads ὅ ἐστιν, following B D E F G Germ. Hilar. A mistaken correction, occasioned by the reference of the preceding ἐν αὐτῷ to τὸ πλήρωμα.

Colossians 2:11. After σώματος Elz. has τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν; an exegetical addition, in opposition to decisive testimony. Comp. Romans 6:6.

Colossians 2:13. The second ὑμᾶς is indeed wanting in Elz., but receives so sufficient attestation through A C K L א*, min. VSS. and Fathers, that its omission must be explained on the ground of its seeming superfluous. B min. Ambr. have ἡμᾶς, which is conformed to the following ἡμῖν. Instead of this ἡμῖν, Elz. has ὑμῖν, in opposition to decisive testimony.

Colossians 2:17. ἅ] Lachm. reads ὅ, following B F G It. Goth. Epiph. Ambrosiast. Aug. To be preferred, inasmuch as the plural was naturally suggested to the copyists by the plurality of the things previously mentioned.

Colossians 2:18. ἃ μὴ ἐώρακεν] μή is wanting in A B D* א*, 17, 28, 67**, Copt. Clar. Germ. codd. in Aug., Or. ed. Tert. ? Lucif. Ambrosiast., while F G have οὐκ. The negation is with justice condemned by Griesb., Steiger, Olshausen, Huther, Ewald; deleted by Tisch. 8 (bracketed by Lachm.), although defended specially by Reiche, whom Hofmann also follows. An addition owing to misapprehension. See the exegetical remarks.

Colossians 2:20. εἰ] Elz. reads εἰ οὖν, in opposition to decisive testimony. An addition for the sake of connecting, after the analogy of Colossians 2:16; Colossians 3:1.

[77] If this reading, relatively so strongly attested, were the original one, it would not be easy to see why it should have been glossed or altered. The original expression must have given rise to dogmatic scruples, and only the description of God as τοῦ Θεοῦ Χριστοῦ could have done so.

Expressing in a heart-winning way his earnest concern for the salvation of the souls of his readers, Paul introduces (Colossians 2:1-3) what he has to urge upon them in the way of warning against the seduction of false teachers (Colossians 2:4-5), of exhortation to faithfulness (Colossians 2:6-7), and then, again, of warning (Colossians 2:8). He then supports what he has urged by subjoining the relative soteriological instructions and remindings (Colossians 2:9-15), from which he finally draws further special warnings as respects the dangers threatening them on the part of the false teachers (Colossians 2:16-23).

Col 2:1-23.

HIS STRIVINGS IN PRAYER FOR THEIR STEADFASTNESS IN CHRIST; FROM WHOM HE WARNS THEM NOT TO BE LED AWAY BY FALSE WISDOM.

1. For--He explains in what respect he "labored striving"

(Col 1:29).

Translate as Greek, "I wish you to know how great a conflict (the same Greek word as in

Col 1:29,

"agony of a conflict" of fervent, anxious prayer; not conflict with the false teachers, which would have been impossible for him now in prison) I have for you."

them at Laodicea--exposed to the same danger from false teachers as the Colossians (compare

Col 4:16).

This danger was probably the cause of his writing to Laodicea, as well as to Colosse.

not seen my face in the flesh--including those in Hierapolis

(Col 4:13).

Paul considered himself a "debtor" to all the Gentiles

(Ro 1:14).

"His face" and presence would have been a "comfort"

(Col 2:2; Ac 20:38).

Compare

Col 1:4, 7, 8,

in proof that he had not seen, but only heard of the Colossians. Hence he strives by earnest conflict with God in anxious prayer for them, to make up for the loss of his bodily presence among them. Though "absent in the flesh, I am with you in the Spirit"

(Col 2:5).