Colossians chapter 2

vs 13

Paul is fond of making this point, and it is a good point - that our salvation came while we were still sinners. We don't have to reach some arbitrary point of goodness, let alone perfection, before Christ's death is enough to save us.

vs 14

Wow, the TNIV certainly says something different here. It puts a lot more of the focus on "us", on our indebtedness. That's not a way that we normally look at this verse. The NIV suggests a more neutral "written code" and "regulations" which is taken away. The NASB called it a 'certificate of debt'. The focus on us obviously makes this a lot more personal a move.

vs 15

The powers and authorities are distanced from us. Obviously they had power over us, or else their disarming wouldn't have been quite so great as Paul makes out here. But it's less that we place them over us, and more that they dominate us. But not anymore! Jesus not only disarms them, but embarrasses them through his death. It's such a weird victory, but it works!

vs 16

Therefore - so we don't let people judge us for these things because powers and authorities have been disarmed, and the indebtedness which was against us has been cancelled.

vs 17

So notice that it is only these things which are shadows of Christ that we aren't to be judged on. Things that were covered by legalisms and governed by authorities. People will still judge you if you're doing things outside this framework.

vs 18

The worship of angels is not as prevalent as it was then, I don't think anyway. But the puffery of false humility is huge. Note that in the end, their mind isn't spiritual, although their actions might puff themselves up to make them look super spiritual.

vs 19

We wouldn't often describe a body as growing from the head down. But 'head' in greek is apparently as nebulous a word as it is in English. So you might imagine a corporation growing from it's 'head' down. Note that while the body is still supported by all its other members, it is God's will that it grows from the head. All growth comes from Christ. And these false humble people have lost that connection, so there is no growth there. They are the clipped toenails of the body.

vs 20

Here this term 'elemental spiritual forces' comes up again. The idea that the following verses refer to spiritual forces is really a little beyond me, with my cultural background anyway. But it's a novel notion, and it would have been far more prevalent an understanding when Paul wrote I am sure.

Anyway, even if it is the truth that these forces are spiritual in nature, we are free from them, because of Christ's death! Woo!

vs 21

These rules, which Paul possibly sees as basic concepts of the world, are not given any power over us anymore. We are able, because of our freedom through Christ's death, to ignore these things.

vs 22

Ahhh, the truth comes out here. Even if they are basic spiritual principles, they are still based on human teachings. They are not fundamentally from God. "Do not handle things that are red hot" is of God - "Do not touch a corpse" is just a human teaching. Sure, you might catch a disease, but someone's got to move the corpse, right?

vs 23

That's often the biggest trap for us - these rules seem like they are wise! People can give you any number of reasons why to follow them. Take the food laws for example. Now, these are a little different because God put them in place. But people even today will talk about how much healthier these laws are to follow, how you shouldn't eat pork, or blood. But health isn't the issue - we're talking about spiritual morality, and there's no spiritual immorality in eating black pudding. Following any set of rules or laws is not going to help you feel less sinful, it's not going to help you stop sinning. Christ's power does that, by cancelling the whole debt.