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Col.2:1. I want you to know what a feat I have for your sake and for the sake of those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis, and for the sake of all who have not seen my face in the flesh. “I want to lead you, since the imam has done great deeds for you and for those who are in Laodicea, and no one has seen my face in the flesh.” It is advisable for me to assure you how great my concern is for you and for the Laodiceans, and not only for you and the Laodiceans, but for everyone who has not even seen me yet. And that the Apostle said this in this sense is clear from what follows. Col.2:2. So that their hearts may be comforted, united in love for all the riches of perfect understanding, for the knowledge of the mystery of God and the Father and Christ. Col.2:3. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. "Let their hearts be comforted." He didn’t say “yours,” but “theirs,” that is, those who have not yet seen me. What is the method of consolation? “Those who dream in love” in order to keep them in harmony with Christ. “And in all the riches of the knowledge of understanding,” and with all confidence receive the riches of preaching. “In the knowledge of the secrets of God and the Father and Christ,” “in Him are all the hidden treasures of wisdom and reason.” The Apostle showed that the mystery of the Economy is a work common to the Father and the Son. He said that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, because through Him in the future life the purpose of the Economy will be revealed to all people. And he says all this, healing a creeping illness and teaching that true salvation is achieved not by legal observations, but by faith in the Lord. For he added: Col.2:4. I say this so that no one will deceive you with insinuating words. “I say this, lest anyone deceive you in contention.” I am conducting this entire speech with you, begging you not to get carried away by seductive words. Col.2:5. For although I am absent in body, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your prosperity and the strength of your faith in Christ. “Even though I am defunct in flesh, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and seeing your rank and the confirmation of your faith; even in Christ." Again he mixes praise into his teaching, softening his ears and preparing free access to his admonition. And he again expressed that he wrote this epistle, having already seen the Colossians. For as he said here: “Even though I am defunct in flesh, I am with you in spirit,” so he wrote to the Corinthians: “Even though he is not with you in body, he is alive in spirit” (1 Cor. 5:3). Col.2:6. Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Col.2:7. Being rooted and established in Him and strengthened in the faith as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, you walk in Him,” “rooted and built up in Him and known through faith, as you have learned, abounding in thanksgiving.” Keep intact the teaching that you have received, and follow the principles of the Gospel, showing in yourself a strong faith (for this is what the word “rooted” means) and adding to this the acquisition of virtue (for this is expressed by the word “rooted”). And this: “known by faith” means: have perfect faith, let there be no lack in it, but let it flow abundantly and abound in you, so that you can praise the Benefactor for everything. This is what the Apostle means by the word “thanksgiving.” Col.2:8. Take heed, brothers, lest anyone lead you astray through philosophy and empty deception, according to human tradition, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. “Be careful that no one deceives you with philosophy and vain flattery, according to human tradition, according to the elements of our world, and not according to Christ.” What the Apostle called above “controversy of words,” here he calls philosophy. “Vainly flattery” he called the vain and harmful tradition of man, not the law itself, but its untimely preservation, and “the elements of the world” - the observation of days, because days and nights depend on the sun and moon. Therefore, the Apostle commands the Colossians to watch, to be sober and to completely turn away from those who intend to steal their faith, as separating them from Christ and tying them to useless legal observations.” Col.2:9. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. “For in Him dwells all the fulfillment of the physical Divinity.” Other teachers argued that the Church here is called Christ and that “in it lives every fulfillment of the Divinity.” But I don’t know whether the word “bodily” is appropriate for such a mental representation. I think that since the Apostle called Christ the head of the Church, and as is obvious, in terms of humanity He is our head, then this is also said about Him as about a man who bears all the Divinity in Himself. For the divine Apostle, wishing to express the difference between law and grace, contrasted Christ with the poverty of the elements and, with the intention of showing His superiority by mutual comparison, added that in Him “lives all the fulfillment of the Divinity bodily,” that is, as in his own body; because, says the Apostle, Christ did not receive any private grace, like Moses. He is the God-man, and with this visible thing is united the entire Divinity of the Only Begotten. The following agrees with this understanding: Col.2:10. And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. “And be complete in Him.” For you have enjoyed grace from Him and received the rays emanating from there. “Who is the head of every principle and power.” And from this it is clear that the Apostle did not say this about the Church, but about the Lord Christ Himself, Who by humanity is our head, and who rules over the Angels and Archangels by Divine nature. For here the Apostle used the word “head” instead of the word “beginning.” And what follows proves that it was not the Church who called Christ above. Col.2:11. In Him you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ. “For He was circumcised quickly with a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of sinful flesh, in the circumcision of Christ.” Since the Colossians, being carried away, loved the lawful life, the Apostle also explains the difference in circumcision and says: it is not carnal, but spiritual, not made with hands, but Divine, not the taking away of a small part of the body, but liberation from all damage. The author of this is not the law, but the Lord Christ, the Lawmaker of the law. For the Apostle expressed this with the words: “Of Him and the circumcision was quick,” and also: “in the circumcision of Christ.” He called saving baptism the “taking off” of the “body of sin”, because in it we take off the defiled tunic of sin; and all-holy baptism is an image of the future, but in the future life the body, having become incorruptible and immortal, can no longer take on sinful filth. And that the Apostle said this about baptism is evidenced by the following words: Col.2:12. Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised again in Him by faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. “Burning Him with Baptism.” And since he called saving baptism an image of death (for in this sense he said: “buried”), then the resurrection is preached. "About Nemzhe and co-host". And since we still have mortal nature, I added: “By faith the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” For, believing in God’s power, we await the resurrection, having as a guarantee for ourselves the Resurrection of the Lord Christ. Col.2:13. And you, who were dead in sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our sins. “And you, who were dead in sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He brought to life with Him, having given us all our sins.” Sin killed us all, because it pronounced a death sentence on us. But the God of all has made us participants in the life of the Lord Christ and granted us remission of sins. The Apostle called sinfulness “uncircumcision” of the “flesh,” teaching that physical uncircumcision does not in the least harm those who have it, but mental uncircumcision is harmful to both body and soul; and this proves that physical circumcision brings no benefit to the circumcised, but the removal of sinfulness brings true salvation. Col.2:14. Having destroyed the handwriting that was against us by teaching, which was against us, He took it out of the way and nailed it to the cross. “Having destroyed the handwriting against us with teachings that were contrary to us, even that was taken from the environment, nailed to the Cross.” By handwriting, others understood the law, for it is said that after pronouncing the legal oath, all the people said: “All that the Lord our God has said, let us create and hear” (Ex. 24:7). But this was the handwriting of the Jews, and not of all people. Therefore, I think that our body is also called handwriting, because through it we dare to commit every lawless act, looking shamelessly with our eyes, speaking inappropriately with our tongue, accepting harmful teaching with our ears, daring with our hands to commit theft, covetousness, and murder. Therefore, God the Word, having assumed our nature, preserved it free from all sin and blotted out the debt obligations we had given to it to our detriment; Having allowed it to be nailed to the Cross, he paid the common debt for all of us and, having fulfilled the law, put an end to it, as in ancient times it was useful for some Jews, but not at all suitable for us, and gave us the Gospel dogmas, promising us salvation for keeping them. Col.2:15. Having taken away the strength of the rulers and authorities, he imperiously subjected them to shame, having triumphed over them with Himself. “He has brought down the principalities and the powers, and brought them to shame by his boldness, having exposed them in Himself.” since through bodily passions the demons had dominion over us, and Christ, having put on the body, became the conqueror of sin, He crushed the dominion of those who resisted and showed all people their obvious weakness, giving us all victory over them with His own body. Col.2:16. So let no one judge you on food or drink, or on any holiday, or the new moon, or the Sabbath. Col.2:17. This is a shadow of the future, and the body is in Christ. “Yes, no one condemns you about eating, or about drinking, or about part of the holiday, or about new moons, or about Saturdays”: “which are the wall of the future.” Therefore, having realized that the law has lost its force, do not be in the least carried away by those who are trying to sow legal observations among you. The Apostle added this beautifully: “about part of the holiday”; because they could not do this. For was it possible to go from Phrygia to Judea three times a year in order to celebrate the holidays in Jerusalem according to the law, especially since Pentecost was close to Easter, while more than fifty days were required for the journey? The Apostle called the “shadow” of “those to come” the law, teaching that the grace of the New Testament was prefigured by it. This is what he added: “The Body of Christ,” that is, the life of the Gospel, is a “body,” and the law is a “wall,” while the shadow precedes the body when light appears. And just as law is a shadow, grace is a body, and the Lord Christ is light. Col.2:18. Let no one deceive you with self-willed humility and the ministry of Angels, intruding into what he has not seen, recklessly puffed up with his carnal mind. “Let no one deceive you” (καταβραβέυετω). Those assigned to judge those competing in the lists are called connoisseurs (βραβεοται), because they give voice to the victory of those who prevail. To value incorrectly means to deceive. So, since the legal observations from the higher who mixed into the Gospel brought the Colossians down to the lower, the Apostle rightly said: “Let no one deceive you.” Then it shows more clearly the harm being caused. “He was destined by humility and the service of the Angels, even though he was not led astray in vain from the mind of his flesh.” The defenders of the law urged to pay respect to the Angels, saying that they gave the law. This commitment lasted for a long time in Phrygia and Pisidia. That is why the council that met in Laodicea of ​​Phrygia, by law, forbade the prayer of Angels (Rules 35). But in those and adjacent places you can still see the churches of St. Michael. Therefore, this is what the defenders of the law advised to do, guided, of course, by humility and saying that the God of all is invisible, unapproachable and incomprehensible, and that through the Angels one must acquire God’s favor. This is what the Apostle means in the words: “by humility and the service of Angels.” What was said: “humble” does not contradict humility, for they covered themselves with humility, but in reality they were possessed by the passion of pride. And this: “I am not led astray by walking” means: being led by my own thoughts, for the Apostle added this: “I was crushing in vain from the mind of my flesh.” Col.2:19. And not holding on to the head, from which the whole body, being united and held together by joints and bonds, grows with the growth of God. “And without holding the head, from which the whole body, joints and joints are given and removed, the return of God grows.” The Apostle again called the Lord Christ the head, and the composition of the Church - the body. Yes, and he said everything in a figurative sense. For just as in the body the brain is the root of the veins, and through the veins the body receives sensations, so the body of the Church receives both the sources of teaching and the principles of salvation from the Lord Christ. And what is in the body of the joints, then in the composition of the Church are the apostles, prophets and teachers. Then the Apostle proves in other ways that it is not at all proper for them to keep the law. Col. 2:20 . So, if you and Christ died to the elements of the world, then why do you, as those living in the world, adhere to the decrees. “Even if you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why do you contend with those who live in the world?” Col.2:21. “don’t touch”, “don’t taste”, “don’t touch” Col.2:22. (that everything decays through use), according to the commandments and teachings of man? “Do not touch, do not taste, do not touch”: “all things are destroyed by use, according to the commandments and teachings of men.” In baptism you were buried with Christ, you became dead to the law. Why do you tolerate those teaching this, and think that some of the dishes are legal, while others are illegal, and do not take into account that there is nothing permanent in them? Because everything turns to pus. The Apostle did not call the law “commandments” and “teachings,” but their untimely teaching. Col.2:23. This has only the appearance of wisdom in self-willed service, humility and exhaustion of the body, in some neglect of the saturation of the flesh. “Even the essence of the word is that it has wisdom in self-willed service and humility and unsparing of the body, not in honor, for the satiety of the flesh.” The apostle pointed to those who have only appearance, and not reality, for this is meant by the expression: “unauthorized service”, that is, they introduce their own decree, do not follow the purpose of the law, deceive with the pomp of words and call keeping the law humility, saying that one should not break the law as given by God. And the Apostle calls it “unsparing of the body” - not everyone can use it without fear, but this is obvious slavery and the taking away of bestowed honor, for one must abstain from other things freely, not as something vile, but as the most pleasant. You might be interested in: