Colossians 2:11-17 Does It Do Away With God’s Law?

By Peter Salemi

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When discussing the Law of God to some people, especially people of the Christian faith, most of them say that the law was done away on the cross, and that Jesus death did away with law keeping. Are there scriptures to prove this position? There are many such proof text that Christians use to prove that theory. In this article we will focus on just one, and most often used to try and prove that God’s law is done away.

The passages quoted most often is of course in the book of Colossians which says, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

“Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (Col 2:11-17). At first glance it may seem that God’s law is done away. But on closer inspection of the verses we see a totally different message. In actuality, the Apostle Paul was actually confirming that the Gentile church was KEEPING THE SABBATH AND FESTIVAL DAY, NOT DOING AWAY WITH THEM!

Let’s examine this verse by verse, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:”  This is the spiritual circumcision of the heart through the sacrifice of Christ, (1 John 1:7) "Purged" our hearts so we "have no more conscience of sins" (Heb 10:2). "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified...the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"(Heb 10:14; Heb 9:14). This is the “gift of righteousness” given to us at conversion and baptism, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Paul says again in Romans 2, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:...But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (vv.28-29). A true follower of God is circumcised of the heart. God intended this all along for his people, to follow him heart, mind and soul. This is an Old Testament law that God gave, in Deuteronomy, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked...And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live...Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart” (10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4). This is a real Israelite, those who follow the Lord God by keeping his laws. This is what Colossians is telling us in verse 11, the people in the church that were circumcised of the heart and were followers of God now, not the fleshly appetites they once used to follow.

 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead....And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;” (vv.12-13). This is how the forgiveness of sins and the circumcision of the heart happens, through the sacrifice of Christ, baptism, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38). With the Holy Spirit which “beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” (Rom 8:16), when it dwells with our “spirit” which is the heart of man, God circumcises the fleshly heart, through his blood, so that we receive that “gift” of righteousness, and are children of God. Circumcised in the heart, “...the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:4), we walk in the law of God, the Old & the New Testaments shows that this is what is meant to be circumcised of the heart, the obedience the law of God through the method of atonement, repentance and Baptism.

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” (v.14). This is the scripture everyone seems to quote to say the law is done away, but as we shall see this is not the case. First everyone forgets the context of the verse that says in verse 13 that God forgave us “all trespasses” which is sin, and that we are “dead” in our sin, the uncircumcision of the flesh is gone and circumcised in the heart obeying the law of God.

Now continuing the thought Paul says, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” Now does it make sense to say that God’s law is done away now that we are obeying it circumcised in the heart? Of Course Not! Is God’s law “contrary to us?” No God’s law is for our benefit, it is everything that is right, good, and it shows the way of Love. God says, “Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33). No, God’s  laws are not contrary to us. So what is? SIN! Sin is the way of death, contrary to life, “For the wages of sin is death;” (Rom 6:23). God’s Laws are life, sin is death, it works against us. It does not profit man. Jeremiah wrote, “they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit” (2:8). And what is sin? “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). So what has been nailed to the cross? What is contrary to us? The answer is obvious, but let’s examine first what are these “handwriting of ordinances”?

In the Greek language the word for “handwritten” is “cheirographon” (Strong’s # 5498). This word as Biacchiocchi writes in his book Sabbath in the New Testament says, “Recent studies have shed light on the meaning of cheirographon which occurs only once in the Scripture (Col 2:14). Its usage in apocalyptic literature indicates the 'cheirographon' is the ‘record-book of sins or a ‘certificate of sin-indebtedness’ but not the moral or ceremonial laws. This view is supported also by the clause ‘and this he has removed out of the middle’ [“and took it out of the way,” KJV] (2:14). ‘The middle’ was the position occupied at the center of the court or assembly by the accusing witness. In the context of Colossians, the accusing witness is the ‘record-book of sins’ which God in Christ has erased and removed out of the court” (p.111, emphasis added). The Handwriting was the record of our sins that we committed. The “ordinances” which it speaks of, which our sins are “in,” the King James has “handwriting of ordinances” but the literal is “handwriting in the ordinances” (Young’s), What are the "ordinances"?

The “ordinances’ in the Greek is “dogma” (Strong’s # 1378). This word “dogma” means, “decree.” Vines writes, “transliterated in English, primarily denoted ‘an opinion or JUDGMENT’ (from dokeo, ‘to be of opinion’) hence an ‘opinion expressed with AUTHORITY’, a doctrine, ordinance, decree” (p. 153, emphasis added).

So God has "blotted" out the record book of our sins, and the "judgment" applied to those sins. What is that judgment?  

“Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them....

“And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

“And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

“And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

“Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Ex 21:15-17, 23-25). The sins, and the judgment for these sins are laid out in these verses. The “wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). The judgment for breaking the law which is sin (1 John 3:4) is the death penalty. Jesus nailed the judgment for our sins to the cross, it has nothing to do with the law being done away, but the penalty for breaking it. Biacchiocchi concludes as well, “We conclude then that the document nailed to the Cross is not the law in general or the Sabbath in particular, but rather the record of our sins. Any attempt to read into it a reference to the Sabbath, or to any other Old Testament ordinance, is unwarranted, gratuitous fantasy" (ibid, p.111, emphasis added).

Now it’s interesting that the Apostle Paul uses the expression “Blotting out” in verse 14. In connection with Baptism (v.12), our sins have been forgiven (v.13), the record of our sins have been “blotted out” with the waters of baptism and the judgment (death penalty) nailed to the cross with the Sacrifice of Christ. He paid the penalty for our sins. Like in the Old Testament, the sins of the person was transferred to the innocent victim, and sacrifice was made, and the “ blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” (Lev 17:11). Jesus’ blood, “cleanseth us from all sin....And he is the propitiation [Gr. “Atonement” Strong’s # 2434] for our sins:’ (1 John 1:7, 2:2). The sacrificial lamb in the Old Testament paid the penalty for the sinner, as in the New with Jesus Christ our sacrificial Lamb!

The “blotting out” with water Paul here “is probably an allusion to Num 5:23, where the curses written in the book, in the case of the woman suspected of adultery, are directed to be blotted out with the bitter waters.” (Clarke’s Commentary, emphasis added). Numbers says, “And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:” (v.23).  The word “curse” in this passage was “alah” (Strong’s # 423) which means, “The ‘oath’ was a ‘curse’ on the head of the one who broke the agreement” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary, p.54, emphasis added). Because we have broken God’s law, the record of our sins written in the book was washed away with the waters of baptism, and the curse on our head, for breaking the law of God was nailed to the cross, through the sacrifice of Christ.

Colossians 2:16-17-“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:...Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (vv.16-17). When people see the church of God celebrating the festivals of God and the weekly Sabbath, many will point to this scripture and say “its all been done away with in the New Testament.” Waltar Martin in his book Kingdom of the Cults in his weak refutation of some of the beliefs of the church of God boldly asserts that, “...law keeping, dietary prohibitions, the Mosaic ordinances which were binding on Israel, and the Jewish custom of observances of Feasts etc... were abrogated by the Holy Spirit...” (Herbert W. Armstrong and the World Wide Church of God Tract, p.45, emphasis added). It is interesting how he contradicts himself a few pages earlier and says, “It is certainly true that no informed Christian believes in the destruction or setting aside of the laws of God...” (p.42, emphasis added). He uses the very scriptures we are dealing with here to prove God’s law has been done away.

The Colossian Heresy

In the letter to the Colossians you see Paul warning the church about false teachers. This is repeated, and is scattered in the second chapter:

"And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words." (v.4)

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (v.8)

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:" (v.16)

"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind," (v.18). Who are these people Paul is speaking of?

In the letter to the Colossians, Paul had a problem with outside elements that were trying in infect the church with their doctrines. These doctrines consisted of Gnosticism.

The Gnostics basically believe that the "spirit is entirely good, and matter [the physical] is entirely evil" (NIV Study Bible Intro to 1 John). Now "since the body was considered evil, it was to be treated harshly. This ascetic form of Gnosticism is the background of part of the letter to the Colossians" (Vaughan, p.167, emphasis added). This also included the "occult...astrology and magic," "special knowledge," and "mediating beings." All these elements are seen to have been influencing the Colossian congregation. It is clear in the letter that Paul was combating some of these things. Like the special knowledge of the Gnostics, Paul claimed he had a higher and saving knowledge of God and Jesus (Col 1:9, 25-29; 2:2-3). He said "lest anyone [Gnostics] should deceive you with persuasive words" (verse 4). He called this special knowledge of the Gnostics, "philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (verse 8). The most important knowledge was that of God and Christ, "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (verse 3). Adherents to the heresy included people who advocated obeisance to Angels and other spiritual powers. Paul warned the Colossians of those who delight in the "worship of Angels" (Col 2:18). In the light of Christ's atoning sacrifice, these supposed  "principalities and powers were useless as a means of access to God," he said in (verses 10, 15).

Based on the belief that the flesh was evil and the spirit is good, these teachers taught strict asceticism, denying the self any physical pleasure. Through "neglect of the body" (v.23), they hoped to attain increased spirituality. Paul described their rules as "do not touch, do not taste, do not handle" (v.21). These regulations concerned only "things which perish with the using," he wrote that these beliefs were based on "the commandments and the doctrines of men [NOT God]" (v.22).

These early Gnostics also combined Judaism with their gentile concepts such as circumcision (v.11). "It is likely therefore, that the Colossian heresy was a mixture of an extreme form of Judaism and an early stage of Gnosticism" (NIV Study Bible, Intro to Colossians).

Now that we understand the background of the letter, when Paul says “let no man,” we understand that he is speaking of the Gnostics and their teachings of the “commandments of men” and not the Commandments of God. “Let no man [Gnostics] therefore judge you” The word “judge” “Krino” (Strong’s # 2919) means, “to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong” (Thayer's Lexicon). Samuele Bacchiocchi writes, "This statement, 'Therefore let no one pass judgment on you' has been interpreted as a Pauline condemnation of the observance of Old Testament Holy Days. In spite of its antiquity and popularity, this interpretation is totally wrong, because in the passage Paul is not warning the Colossians against the observances of the five mentioned practices...but against 'anyone' (tis) who passes judgment on HOW TO OBSERVE THEM.

"Also, Note should be taken of the fact that the judge who passes judgment IS NOT PAUL, but the Colossian false teachers...

"D.R. Lacey, writing in the symposium From Sabbath to the Lord's Day, rightly comments: 'The judge is likely to be a man of ascetic tendencies who objects to the Colossians' eating and drinking. The most natural way of taking the rest of the passage is not that he also imposes a ritual of feast days, but rather that he objects to certain elements of such observation..." (God's Festivals in Scripture and History, pp.89-90, emphasis added).  The Gnostics were the JUDGES, NOT THE CHURCH! These men were expressing their opinion TO THE CHURCH OF GOD on HOW THEY WERE KEEPING THE HOLY DAYS AND THE SABBATH! This was NOT a question of “IF” but “How” they were keeping them. In this light, the scripture shows that the New Testament Gentile Church were KEEPING THE HOLY DAYS OF GOD! The Gnostics wanted them to enhance and improve THEIR EXISTING BELIEFS! Why? What was it that the Gnostics didn't like about how the church celebrated the festivals of God? “...they [the church] observed those times, apparently in a joyous and festive manner. These days were, after all, given by God as festivals and celebrations. This approach was entirely contrary to the Gnostic approach of stolid self-denial so evident in this chapter...Paul addressed is that Christians should not be criticized for observing these days in a festive manner. Paul cautioned that members should not let others judge them by those misguided ascetic standards in what they ate or drank or how they observed the Sabbaths or festivals (verse16)” (God’s Sabbath Rest, p.46, emphasis added). But God taught us to "rejoice before YHWH your God" (Lev 23:40). This was entirely contrary to the Gnostic teaching of self denial so evident in this chapter. This is why Paul wrote, "Let no man [The Gnostics] therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an HOLYDAY, or of the new moon, or of the SABBATH DAYS:" (Col 2:16). To improve their worship of God, the church, in the eyes of the Gnostics, had to do it their way, not God's way!

"Shadow of things to Come?"

Colossians 2:17, many believe that this passage shows that the feasts are but a "shadow" and the "substance" is Christ. Is that truly the right way to read this passage? It says, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
"Which [Gr. "These"] are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (vv.16-17). What is he referring to? The Feasts, or as we have learned, HOW to celebrate these feasts? If it was referring to the Feasts and the Sabbath, and we read it that they were fulfilled and made obsolete in Jesus Christ, then Paul  would of said that they “were a shadow” and to have used entirely different wording. But Colossians 2:17 says that these things “are a shadow.” The Greek word esti, translated here as “are,” is in the present-active tense and means “to be” or “is” (Zodhiates, p. 660). So this cannot mean the Feasts and Sabbath were fulfilled in Christ.

Samuele Bacchiocchi deals with this scripture and he concludes, "To what does the relative pronoun "these" (ha in Greek) refer? Does it refer to the five practices mentioned in the previous verse or to the 'regulations' (dogmata) regarding these practices promoted by the false teachers?...[I] agree with Eduard Lohse that the relative pronoun 'these' refers not to the five mentioned practices as such, but rather to the 'regulations' regarding such practices promoted by the false teachers...

"This conclusion is supported by two considerations. First, in verse 16, Paul is not warning against the merits or demerits of the Mosaic law regarding food and festivals, but against the 'regulations' regarding these practices advocated by the false teachers. Thus, it is more plausible to take 'the regulations' rather than the actual practices as the antecedent of 'these.'

"Second, in the verses that immediately follow, Paul continues his warning against the deceptive teachings, saying, for example, 'Let no one disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement . . .' (Col 2:18); 'Why do you submit to regulations, ‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch’?' (Col 2:20-21). Since what precedes and what follows that relative pronoun 'these' deals with the 'regulations' of the Colossian 'philosophy,' it is most likely that Paul describes the latter as 'a shadow of what is to come' (Col 2:17).

"In the light of the above indications, we conclude that what Paul calls a 'bygone shadow' is not the Sabbath but the deceptive teachings of the Colossian 'philosophy' which promoted dietary practices and the observance of sacred times as auxiliary aids to salvation." (The Sabbath Under Crossfire: A Biblical analysis of Recent Sabbath/Sunday Developments, Chpt.6., Paul and the Sabbath, emphasis added).

Paul uses the same word construction in Ephesians 1:21, stating that Jesus 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” (NIV). He contrasts the present age with one “to come,” showing there is clearly a future fulfillment. Paul in actual fact gave a prophecy of what is to come. A false Church not getting its wisdom from Christ, but by other means. Man made rules, touch not, taste not, worshipping angels, denial of the body etc...A perfect description of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches of the middle ages and modern era. These False Churches have their roots in Gnosticism, and Paul in his time saw it as a shadow of future things to come. 

"But the body is of Christ." (v.17). First, “is” in this verse is italicized and not in the original Greek Text, but added by the translators, so it should read, “BUT THE BODY OF CHRIST” The Bible says that the body of Christ is the church of God (see 1 Corinthians 12:27).

Second, the word for "body" in the Greek is "soma." (Strong's 4983). It means "Body." The reason why some translate it "substance" is for the simple reason of scholars trying to interpret the verse thinking the Feasts and Sabbath are a shadow and distinguish the shadow from the reality which is Christ. But as we have seen this is not the case. Page 72 in Vine's shows the word is never used in that sense. There are three Greek words that Paul could of used for "substance," "ousia" (3776),  "huparchonta" (5224), "huparxis" (5223) and especially "hupostasis" (5287).

The Bible says that the "body of Christ" is the church of God, which Jesus is the head (see 1Corinthians 12:27; Colossians 1:18). The point Paul is making here is not to let the false teachers tell you HOW to keep God’s holy days, but true wisdom comes from Christ and the true people of God, the CHURCH. Christ and the church determines doctrine by what is inspired by the holy word of God the Bible. Paul is basically saying, "How do we keep the feasts? Get the commandments from Jesus, the church and the Bible where true wisdom is." Truly, the two verses can read, in its proper context, “Let no man [False brethren, Gnostic teachings etc...] therefore judge you [give their opinion] in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of , the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which [These false Teachings] are a shadow of things to come but the body of Christ [therefore judge you on how to observe these days].”

By Peter Salemi