Col 2.13-19

Psg: Col 2.13-19 (http://biblia.com/bible/gs-netbible/Col2.13-19)
Date: 5/9/12

Read

2:13And even though you were dead in your* transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless* made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. 2:14 He has destroyed*what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness* expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 2:15 Disarming* the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.*

2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days – 2:17 these are only* the shadow of the things to come, but the reality* is Christ!* 2:18 Let no one who delights in humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths* about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind.* 2:19 He has not held fast* to the head from whom the whole body, supported* and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.*

Record

He has destroyed what was against us … disarming the rulers and authorities, he made a public disgrace of them...

Reflect

• LN 33.40 χειρόγραφον, ου n: a handwritten statement, especially a record of financial accounts (similar in meaning to γράμμαd‘account,’ 33.39, but perhaps with emphasis upon the handwritten nature of the document)—‘account, record of debts.’ ε’ξαλείψας τὸ καθ̓ ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον ‘he cancelled the record of our debts’ Col 2:14.
• LN 33.333 νόμοςa, ου m; δόγμαa, τος n: a formalized rule (or set of rules) prescribing what people must do—‘law, ordinance, rule.’
• νόμοςa: ὃς οὐ κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκίνης γέγονεν ‘he was not made (a priest) by the law of human decree’ He 7:16.
• δόγμαa: παρεδίδοσαν αὐτοῖς φυλάσσειν τὰ δόγματα ‘they delivered to them the rules which they were to obey’ Ac 16:4.

• Verse 15 is often taken as a separate thought (although relating to the same Cross event). However, what if verse 14 and verse 15 referred to the same thing from different angles? What if the disarming and disgrace were accomplished by destroying the certificate of debts and decrees opposed against us?
• These decrees were more damning and severe than we can typically appreciated.
• As part of the spiritual battle, these decrees were posted against us, with a lot at stake for those who battled (let alone for those who were named in the decrees!).
• The image here seems to be a devastating turn of events in the battle, where the opposing forces took a mighty blow with respect to these decrees.
• How valuable, then, is salvation? Not only do we get something personally good out of it, and avoid something personally bad, but our salvation marks a devastating blow in the larger battle. (This is true, even if this passage is not making that specific connection, but what if this passage is linking the two ideas?)

Respond

• Father, I look forward to the day when I will fully appreciate the value of salvation. Until then, open my eyes that I may see beyond my own personal benefit. Help me to see better the wonder of what the Cross did. Do not let me become complacent with something so magnificent.
• O my soul, what are you doing with so great a salvation? It is to be valued far beyond an attitude, beyond actionless admiration. Its value is demonstrated by living it out, sharing it, rearranging all of life to match it. O my soul, lift up this salvation to the heavens by spending your days aligning everything on earth with it. The dominions, both evil and good, are eagerly watching.