To many, it seems clear that the apostle Paul wrote something in Colossians 2, verses 13 through 23 that utterly nullified the teaching of Jesus recorded in Matthew chapter 5, for Paul wrote the Colossians , “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, OR OF THE SABBATH DAYS, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.” Isn’t Paul saying the Jewish dietary laws are now void? We can eat whatever we wish. We can drink whatever we like – a Bloody Mary, or any other mixed drink. No one is to judge us as to what “holy days” we keep. We can honor Christmas, Easter, Lent, Sunday, All Soul’s Day, whatever. Isn’t that what Paul is saying? The Jewish sabbath day has been abolished, right? Not so fast, friend. Paul is saying more in Colossians 2 than first meets the eye. And he is definitely NOT saying what many assume he is saying. This passage in Colossians 2 is one of the classic passages where one must keep in mind the apostle Peter’s WARNING that Paul wrote “some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned (in the Hebrew scriptures especially) and unstable (spiritually, sinning day in and day out) wrest (twist, distort), as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own (spiritual) destruction” (See 2 Peter 3:15-16).
We will come back to Colossians 2 a bit later, but first let’s look at something Jesus said in his sermon on the mount recorded for us in Matthew chapter 5. “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (verses 18 and 19). The Lord then tells us which commandments He is speaking of in this passage by citing two of them word-for-word: “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (See verses 21 and 27, Matthew 5).
Some argue, “Well, Jesus said He came to fulfill the law” (verse 17). He kept the law perfectly for us so that we don’t have to keep the law anymore as His perfect and righteous life is applied to us in lieu of our sinful lives. Well, friend, if Jesus fulfilling the law meant we need not attempt to do so that would mean we are free to kill and commit adultery as well as spurning the keeping of the sabbath or any other commandment, wouldn’t it? The Ten Commandments are a unit. They stand or fall together. Three years later, while enroute to Jerusalem and the cross, a young man confronted Jesus and asked Him what he must do in order to have eternal life. Jesus instant reply was “Keep the commandments!” When asked, “Which?” Jesus began citing the Ten Commandments. (See Matthew 19:16-22). Actually Jesus could have answered the young man with but one word: “Repent!” For WHAT do we repent of? SIN! What IS sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law!” (See I John 3:4). So, if the law has been done away with that would mean men are no longer sinners. One cannot break a non-existent law! Sinners no longer would need to repent. Kind of confusing, isn’t it? Well, hang in there. Things will begin looking a little more clearer in Part 2 of this posting.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley