Day 19: Colossians 2:16-23
Read Colossians 2:16-23
Helpful Background Information:
When looking at our passage for today, we must note the context. Notice how, in verse 16, Paul uses the word “Therefore.” When you see a “therefore” in the Bible, a good study tool is to look at what the author wrote before to see what it is “there for.” Earlier in Chapter 2, Paul speaks on the spectacular reality that we have received Jesus Christ as Lord, we have been made alive in him, our sins are forgiven through him, and we have been filled with him.
Because of this, Paul disapproves of various spiritual laws that were being forced upon the Colossians, including what foods to eat, religious holidays, and when and how to observe the Sabbath (v. 2:16). These laws have their origin in the Old Testament law.
On these rules specifically, Paul says that these things are “a shadow of what is to come, the substance is Christ.” Paul’s imagery is pretty straightforward: a shadow points to what’s coming, and it only lasts until the real thing shows up. The Old Testament Laws were a guardrail for the Israelites so they could live in a holy manner until Christ would come and fulfill them. They were never meant to save anyone, even in the Old Testament.
Paul also disapproves of common practices in Roman/Greek paganism, such as extreme self-denial, worshipping created beings, and mysticism (v. 2:18). He then ends this section by stating that these man-made rules do not have any actual power to change the heart or to make us grow in faith.
Reflection Questions:
How does freedom in Christ affect when and how believers observe the Sabbath, and who should be at the center of that observance?
When you sabbath, are you relying more on your own efforts or discipline than on Christ’s finished work? What would it look like to rest in what Jesus has already done for you?
How does understanding the purpose of the Old Testament laws help you rely more on Christ for your growth and acceptance with God, rather than on your own efforts or rule-following? Why do you think outward rules can’t change the heart?