No one is to act as your judge
Colossians 2:16-17 A Christian’s life should be centered on Jesus, and there is no place for legalism in the church
“Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”
Colossians 2:16-17 NASB1995
Today the Lord pointed us in an interesting direction — Paul and Timothy’s epistle to the Colossians. Colossae was a small city located about 100 miles away from Ephesus, and Paul was writing an admonition to the church in that city, probably during his first imprisonment in Rome.
At the time (around 60 AD) the authors were trying to deal with false teaching in the Colossian church, and chapter two addresses the heresies directly. The Colossians were dabbling with a mix of philosophies, including Jewish mysticism (dietary law and the need for circumcision), Gnosticism (which taught that God would never make direct contact with the world, hence negating the life and work of Jesus), Greek philosophy, and even local idol-driven religions. To the Colossians church leaders, this mish-mash of religion and philosophy seemed high-minded, but to those who had walked with Jesus, it was false teaching.
Today’s verses are a direct call to the church in Colossae to stop following the Jewish dietary laws and feast days. Some legalistic types in the Colossian church were calling on their past association with the Jewish faith in pushing these laws on their church, and the epistle is telling the church leaders and congregation to stop it!
These verses follow after a vivid statement by the authors about Christ’s victory on the cross. Because of that glorious victory, nobody should judge the church on what they eat or drink, or on their observance of festivals and sabbath rules. The life of the Colossians was now centered on Jesus, and there was no place for legalism in the church.
Paul and Timothy were stating that the Old Testament law was filled with these dietary restrictions and festivals that needed to happen on a certain date or time of year, and those laws were done away with Jesus. While these laws were appropriate for their time and place, they were a “a mere shadow of what is to come” and now that “the substance” (Jesus) has arrived, the feast days and food requirements are no longer important.
Of course, Christians are free to observe whatever food and drink restrictions they wish (i.e., no alcohol, no meat), follow a church calendar or set liturgy, and even set aside specific days of the week to attend church. There is nothing wrong with any of these things. They just can’t think that following a legalistic path gives them a higher standing with God than other Christians. Just as important, they cannot judge another brother or sister in Christ who doesn’t follow their “laws”.
Barb and I always check each other’s devotionals before publishing, and she brought up a very good point on this post. So good, that I’m going to cover another question brought up by Colossians 2:16-17 in my next devotional — what is the difference between legalism and heresy?
I’ll close today’s devotional with a commentary from British theologian and Biblical scholar N.T. Wright:
The regulations of Judaism were designed for the period when the people of God consisted of one racial, cultural, and geographical unit, and are simply put out of date now that this people is becoming a world-wide family. They were the ‘shadows’ that the approaching new age casts before it.1
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus:
Heavenly Father, thank You that Christ died for me and paid the full price that was required of a guilty sinner. Thank You that in Him I am no longer under the curse of the Law and required to follow any religious rule and ritual, but have become part of a new creation that is identified with Christ and His righteousness. Thank You that I am no longer under the old cursed creation, but am part of the new creation in Christ. Help me to live as Christ lived, to love as Christ loved, and to do only those things that are pleasing in Your sight. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org.
Wright, N.T. "The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians and to Philemon: An Introduction and Commentary" (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1986)