Colossians 2 Questions and Answers

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.

1a. What does verse 1 tell us about Paul? What kind of ministry did Paul have for these people?

Paul wanted them to know that he was contending, spiritually battling for the people at Colossae and Laodicea, even those whom he had not yet met. He felt he could struggle on behalf of other. It is interesting that Paul struggled for people he had never met. From the context, the only struggling Paul could be doing while under house arrest in Rome would be that of prayer.

1b. Is there even one person that you could commit yourself to be diligent about their relational and spiritual progress?

Each father should be in intercession for each of his children and his wife. Perhaps there are people at work or family members that you can intercede for.

2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

What was Paul's goal for the the work he was doing on their behalf?

Paul wanted them to be encouraged and united in love. If they were encouraged and united in love, they would better understand the full riches they had and that they would come to know Christ completely.

3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

What can we find in Christ? Do we think there is enough treasure there to take some time to mine it? How can we do more digging?

We will find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ. This should be one of the greatest treasures for us. If we want wisdom and knowledge we should be looking to Jesus for these.

4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

Are we able to be discerning to see through arguments that we hear on TV or by preachers that sound good but end up being self serving? (Holy Water, Special cloths, Books, Recordings)

Are Christians being oppressive by not accepting Homosexual Marriages? Is Homosexuality the same as Black Civil rights? Always check what you here by those teaching and preaching that all scripture confirms without a doubt their teachings. If there is even one verse which teaches differently, we cannot accept the fine sounding argument.

5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

5a. Could you say that you are present in spirit with anyone else? How could we be present in spirit with someone?

We could visualize the circumstances of another person. When we think of others, are we could be present with them in spirit. Imagine yourself to be in their setting and pray about the things God lays on your heart about them. Can we imagine the struggles they are going through and intercede on their behalf for those problems that they are facing? Can we visualize their ministry and ask God to bless them in their labours?

Pray for someone right now in that way.

Would you consider yourself to be disciplined and firm in the faith? How do you demonstrate that?

We demonstrate this by being diligent in the study of God's word and how we live our life for Christ. We show our sincerity by our involvement in the body of Christ.

Spiritual Fullness in Christ

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him,

6 Notice we are to live our lives IN Christ. Is everything you do lived as though you were in the skin of Jesus? Are we looking from His perspective on the world around us?

Many times we don't even know how Jesus would respond so we need to saturate ourselves with a study of Jesus so that we can understand the mystery of Christ living in us, Him giving us power and authority because He has all power and authority and use that power and authority to glorify the Father.

7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

7. What descriptive words does Paul use for the Colossian Christians? What images come to your mind when you read these descriptions? Do these terms describe your life as a Christian? If not what could you do about it?

A plant needs to be rooted in a medium to grow. Roots exposed to the air will die. We need to be rooted in the Words of Jesus. The other picture Paul uses is that of a building that is under construction. The next picture is that of an athlete who is being strengthened for the marathon. I need to make sure that I keep my priorities to focus on the Word of God.

The more that we understand the sacrifice that Christ made for us that greater will be our grateful spirit. KJV - thankfulness / gratitude is overflowing in (because of) this faith

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

8. Do we depend of human tradition to live our lives in accordance with the Bible? Have you ever been taken in by some kind of hollow or deceptive philosophy? What are the elemental spiritual forces of this world? Are there religions today that require activities that take our focus off of Christ?

Many religious organizations have a faith plus religion. You have to do something to be a true believer. In Paul's day, there were those who believed that if you didn't attend a certain ritual, then you were not a good member of the group.

The elemental spiritual forces could be the belief that all animals and plants have a spirit nature as well as humans. (Hinduism, Shintoism, Animism) The Catholic Church encourages people to pray to Mary and the Saints to take their focus off of Christ.

9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

9. How would this counter the arguments of Gnosticism?

Here Paul affirms that Christ was not just part God, part man like the greek gods, but fully God and in human form, just like you and I. Many religions believe Jesus was a good teacher and prophet (Hinduism, Islam) but Paul is saying here that Jesus is fully God.

10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

10. Are you immersed in Christ like you were when you were baptized?

This idea should lift our spirits knowing that there can't be anything better than the relationship we have with Christ. Our union with Him sets us over every power and authority as well. We don't have to bow to any worldly powers nor spiritually corrupt spirits (demonic powers) We have power over them as we are IN CHRIST.

11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ,

11. Why was circumcision implemented? Read Genesis 17. How did Christ circumcise us?

The flesh has two meanings. One is our physical flesh which the Jews removed to show that they were a part of God's covenant with Abraham when a male was a convert to Judaism or born into a Jewish family and circumcised at 8 days according to the law. The spiritual circumcision which Paul is speaking about is when we were made a part of the family of God and we were made new creatures. The flesh was to be removed, done away with and we were to live to fulfill the promptings of the Spirit of God.

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

12. What was the significance of being buried with Christ in baptism? What picture do you get when you reflect on this verse?

This is the same concept as Paul wrote us in Romans 6:1 - 7. We were buried with Christ. Just as Christ was put into the tomb, so we are put under the waters of baptism. If we remain covered with water we will die but we are then raised up and just as Christ was raised up, He was released from the tomb - so we are released from the grip of death. The curse of Adam is gone. We have the blessing of Jesus to receive eternal life with Him.

13a When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ.

13. Why do you think that people don't understand that they are dead spiritually? What do you think it means when Paul says we are alive with Christ?

They excuse their behaviour to appease their conscience. We have not cut off the flesh - the sin in our lives to be made free with Christ. We no longer live under the curse of a spiritual death and separation from God in hell but are united with Christ and He energizes us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

13b He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal debtedness,which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

14. What image is Paul using in these verses? Is there a way in which as representatives of God we should be proclaiming the triumph which is in Christ? How could we do that?

This section deals with the legal concepts of justification and being forgiven from our sins. This is in the court room of heaven where Satan attempts to bring accusations to God about people like he did with Job. (Job 1, 2) Jesus is able to take on our sin because He was sinless and He became our substitute so we are no longer under the law of sin and death.

Freedom From Human Rules

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

16. By what standard do you think people judge the religiosity of others today?

In certain religious groups the standard of religiosity is based on performance. The Pharisees were more concerned about getting the right activities in that they didn't have time for cultivating their relationship with God. What kind of rules did you grow up under and how do they influence your worship and relationship with Christ? Do you feel guilty when you break a rule?

New Moon festival - info from BibleGateway.com

The festival which marked the consecration to God of each new month in the year.

New Moon festivals were required under the Mosaic law

Nu 28:1111 '"On the first of every month, present to the Lord a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.

New Moon festivals were times of celebration

They were marked by blowing of trumpets

Nu 10:10 Also at your times of rejoicing - your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts - you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.'

Ps 81:3 Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;

They were celebrated with offerings

'"On the first of every month, present to the Lord a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 12 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of one-fifth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; 13 and with each lamb, a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord. 14 With each bull there is to be a drink offering of half a hin of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon during the year. 15 Besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the Lord as a sin offering.

1Ch 23:30-31 They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening 31 and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals. They were to serve before the Lord regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for them.

2Ch 2:4; Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals of the Lord our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.

2Ch 8:12-13; On the altar of the Lord that he had built in front of the portico, Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord, 13 according to the daily requirement for offerings commanded by Moses for the Sabbaths, the New Moons and the three annual festivals - the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles.

2Ch 31:3 The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord.

Reformed temple worship under Hezekiah; Ne 10:32-33 'We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God: 33 for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.

New Moon festivals were restored on the return from exile; Eze 45:17; It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths - at all the appointed festivals of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the Israelites.

Eze 46:1,3,6 '"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: the gate of the inner court facing east is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon it is to be opened. 3 On the Sabbaths and New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the Lord at the entrance of that gateway. 6 On the day of the New Moon he is to offer a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect.

A wrong inner attitude at New Moon celebrations incurs God's anger

Isa 1:13-14; Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me.

New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations - I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals - I hate with all my being.

They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.

Hos 2:11; I will stop all her celebrations: her yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days - all her appointed festivals.

Hos 5:7They are unfaithful to the Lord; they give birth to illegitimate children. Then they celebrate their New Moon feasts, he will devour their fields.

17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

17. How are the things in verse 16 fulfilled in Christ? If they were a shadow, how did they function to show the real thing?

Food and drink had to do with the eating of clean and unclean foods. It is not just our physical body that counts, it is the spiritual cleansing that is impoortant. Christ cleanses the soul, the inner person.

18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

18 How can we recognize false humility? Why would people worship angels or saints?

False humility is a comparative humility - "I am better because …" type of humility. People with false humility will talk a lot and not let you in on the conversation. Some people who have experienced great things write books, go on the preaching circuit and let everyone know how spiritual they must be if God would show Himself to them. Few people have had the experience of seeing angels so they believe that they must be special people and let everyone know that.

19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

19. Put this verse in your own words in a simple to understand sentence.

They are not connected to Christ who holds the church together as God expands the church. The church is the body of christ, His hands - to show care and love, helping others in need, His arms to surround the hurting, His feet - to bring the good news to others. The bones are the structure and muscles give strength but ligaments and sinews hold the muscle to the bones. One part without the other doesn't work. They all have to work together - taking instructions from the head to do His will in this world.

20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.

20. Are there other rules that are performance based and keep our faith focused on rules and not Christ?

We can focus on rules to create outward uniformity and conformity or we can focus on Christ and to make Him our Lord director and ruler. A focus on Christ leads to an inner transformation.

23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

23. Where does Paul see the real problem with outward regulations?

Rules and regulations create a standard but they don't transform the heart. Outward conformity does not mean inward change. Only taking on the mind of Christ will transform our lives.