rudiments of the world--([Col 2:8]). Carnal, outward, worldly, legal ordinances.
as though living--as though you were not dead to the world like your crucified Lord, into whose death ye were buried ([Ga 6:14]; [1Pe 4:1], ).
are ye subject to ordinances--By do ye submit to be made subject to ordinances? Referring to [Col 2:14]: you are again being made subject to "ordinances," the "handwriting" of which had been "blotted out" ([Col 2:14]).
21. Compare [Col 2:16], "meat ... drink." He gives instances of the "ordinances" ([Col 2:20]) in the words of their imposers. There is an ascending climax of superstitious prohibitions. The first Greek word (hapse) is distinguished from the third (thiges), in that the former means close contact and retention: the latter, momentary contact (compare [1Co 7:1]; [Joh 20:17], Greek, "Hold me not"; cling not to me"). Translate, "Handle not, neither taste, nor even touch." The three refer to meats. "Handle not" (a stronger term than "nor even touch"), "nor taste" with the tongue, "nor even touch," however slight the contact.
22. Which--things, namely, the three things handled, touched, and tasted.
are to perish--literally, "are constituted (by their very nature) for perishing (or 'destruction by corruption') in (or 'with') their using up (consumption)." Therefore they cannot really and lastingly defile a man ([Mt 15:17]; [1Co 6:13]).
after--according to. Referring to [Col 2:20], 21. All these "ordinances" are according to human, not divine, injunction.
doctrines--Greek, teachings." Alford translates, "(doctrinal) systems."
23. have--Greek, "are having"; implying the permanent characteristic which these ordinances are supposed to have.
show of wisdom--rather, "a reputation of wisdom" [Alford].
will-worship--arbitrarily invented worship: would-be worship, devised by man's own will, not God's. So jealous is God of human will-worship, that He struck Nadab and Abihu dead for burning strange incense ([Le 10:1-3]). So Uzziah was stricken with leprosy for usurping the office of priest ([2Ch 26:16-21]). Compare the will-worship of Saul ([1Sa 13:8-14]) for which he was doomed to lose his throne. This "voluntary worship" is the counterpart to their "voluntary humility" ([Col 2:18]): both specious in appearance, the former seeming in religion to do even more than God requires (as in the dogmas of the Roman and Greek churches); but really setting aside God's will for man's own; the latter seemingly self-abasing, but really proud of man's self-willed "humility" (Greek, "lowliness of mind"), while virtually rejecting the dignity of direct communion with Christ, the Head; by worshipping of angels.
neglecting of the body--Greek, "not sparing of the body." This asceticism seems to have rested on the Oriental theory that matter is the source of evil. This also looked plausible (compare [1Co 9:27]).
not in any honour--of the body. As "neglecting of the body" describes asceticism positively; so this clause, negatively. Not paying any of that "honor" which is due to the body as redeemed by such a price as the blood of Christ. We should not degrade, but have a just estimation of ourselves, not in ourselves, but in Christ ([Ac 13:46]; [1Co 3:21]; ; ; , ; [1Th 4:4]). True self-denial regards the spirit, and not the forms of ascetical self-mortification in "meats which profit not those occupied therein" ([He 13:9]), and is consistent with Christian self-respect, the "honor" which belongs to the believer as dedicated to the Lord. Compare "vainly," [Col 2:18].
to the satisfying of the flesh--This expresses the real tendency of their human ordinances of bodily asceticism, voluntary humility, and will-worship of angels. While seeming to deny self and the body, they really are pampering the flesh. Thus "satisfying of the flesh" answers to "puffed up by his fleshly mind" ([Col 2:18]), so that "flesh" is used in its ethical sense, "the carnal nature" as opposed to the "spiritual"; not in the sense, "body." The Greek for "satisfying" implies satiating to repletion, or to excess. "A surfeit of the carnal sense is human tradition" [Hilary the Deacon, in Bengel]. Tradition puffs up; it clogs the heavenly perceptions. They put away true "honor" that they may "satiate to the full THE FLESH." Self-imposed ordinances gratify the flesh (namely, self-righteousness), though seeming to mortify it.
Chapter 3
Col 3:1-25. Exhortations to Heavenly Aims, as Opposed to Earthly, on the Ground of Union to the Risen Saviour; to Mortify and Put Off the Old Man, and to Put on the New; in Charity, Humility, Words of Edification, Thankfulness; Relative Duties
1. If ... then--The connection with [Col 2:18], 23, is, he had condemned the "fleshly mind" and the "satiating to the full the flesh"; in contrast to this he now says, "If then ye have been once for all raised up (Greek, aorist tense) together with Christ" (namely, at your conversion and baptism, [Ro 6:4]).
seek those things ... above--([Mt 6:33]; [Php 3:20]).
sitteth--rather, as Greek, "Where Christ is, sitting on the right of God" ([Ep 1:20]). The Head being quickened, the members are also quickened with Him. Where the Head is, there the members must be. The contrast is between the believer's former state, alive to the world but dead to God, and his present state, dead to the world but alive to God; and between the earthly abode of the unbeliever and the heavenly abode of the believer ([1Co 15:47], ). We are already seated there in Him as our Head; and hereafter shall be seated by Him, as the Bestower of our bliss. As Elisha ([2Ki 2:2]) said to Elijah when about to ascend, "As the Lord liveth ... I will not leave thee"; so we must follow the ascended Saviour with the wings of our meditations and the chariots of our affections. We should trample upon and subdue our lusts that our conversation may correspond to our Saviour's condition; that where the eyes of apostles were forced to leave Him, thither our thoughts may follow Him ([Mt 6:21]; [Joh 12:32]) [Pearson]. Of ourselves we can no more ascend than a bar of iron lift itself up' from the earth. But the love of Christ is a powerful magnet to draw us up ([Ep 2:5], ). The design of the Gospel is not merely to give rules, but mainly to supply motives to holiness.
2. Translate, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things," &c. ([Col 2:20]). Contrast "who mind earthly things" ([Php 3:19]). Whatever we make an idol of, will either be a cross to us if we be believers, or a curse to us if unbelievers.
3. The Greek aorist tense implies, "For ye have died once for all" ([Col 2:12]; [Ro 6:4-7]). It is not said, Ye must die practically to the world in order to become dead with Christ; but the latter is assumed as once for all having taken place in the regeneration; what believers are told is, Develop this spiritual life in practice. "No one longs for eternal, incorruptible, and immortal life, unless he be wearied of this temporal, corruptible, and mortal life" [Augustine].
and your life ... hid--([Psa 83:3]); like a seed buried in the earth; compare "planted," [Ro 6:5]. Compare [Mt 13:31], , "like ... leaven ... hid." As the glory of Christ now is hid from the world, so also the glory of believers' inner life, proceeding from communion with Him, is still hidden with Christ in God; but ([Col 3:4]) when Christ, the Source of this life, shall manifest Himself in glory, then shall their hidden glory be manifest, and correspond in appearance to its original [Neander]. The Christian's secret communion with God will now at times make itself seen without his intending it ([Mt 5:14], ); but his full manifestation is at Christ's manifestation ([Mt 13:43]; [Ro 8:19-23]). "It doth not yet appear (Greek, 'is not yet manifested') what we shall be" ([1Jo 3:2]; [1Pe 1:7]). As yet Christians do not always recognize the "life" of one another, so hidden is it, and even at times doubt as to their own life, so weak is it, and so harassed with temptations ([Psa 51:1-19]; [Ro 7:1-25]).
in God--to whom Christ has ascended. Our "life" is "laid up for" us in God ([Col 1:5]), and is secured by the decree of Him who is invisible to the world ([2Ti 4:8]).
4. Translate, "When Christ shall be manifested who is our life ([Joh 11:25]; , ), then shall ye also with Him be manifested in glory" ([1Pe 4:13]). The spiritual life our souls have now in Him shall be extended to our bodies ([Ro 8:11]).
then--and not till then. Those err who think to find a perfect Church before then. The true Church is now militant. Rome errs in trying to set up a Church now regnant and triumphant. The true Church shall be visible as a perfect and reigning Church, when Christ shall be visibly manifested as her reigning Head. Rome having ceased to look for Him in patient faith, has set up a visible mockhead, a false anticipation of the millennial kingdom. The Papacy took to itself by robbery that glory which is an object of hope, and can only be reached by bearing the cross now. When the Church became a harlot, she ceased to be a bride who goes to meet her Bridegroom. Hence the millennial kingdom ceased to be looked for [Auberlen].
5. Mortify--Greek, "make a corpse of"; "make dead"; "put to death."
therefore--(See on [Col 3:3]). Follow out to its necessary consequence the fact of your having once for all died with Christ spiritually at your regeneration, by daily "deadening your members," of which united "the body of the sins of the flesh" consists (compare [Col 2:11]). "The members" to be mortified are the fleshly instruments of lust, in so far as the members of the body are abused to such purposes. Habitually repress and do violence to corrupt desires of which the members are the instruments (compare [Ro 6:19]; ; [Ga 5:24], ).
upon the earth--where they find their support [Bengel] (Compare [Col 3:2], "things on earth"). See [Ep 5:3], .
inordinate affection--"lustful passion."
evil concupiscence--more general than the last [Alford], the disorder of the external senses; "lustful passion," lust within [Bengel].
covetousness--marked off by the Greek article as forming a whole genus by itself, distinct from the genus containing the various species just enumerated. It implies a self-idolizing, grasping spirit; far worse than another Greek term translated "the love of money" ([1Ti 6:10]).
which is--that is, inasmuch as it is "idolatry." Compare Note, see on [Ep 4:19], on its connection with sins of impurity. Self and mammon are deified in the heart instead of God ([Mt 6:24]; see on [Ep 5:5]).
6. (See on [Ep 5:6].)
7. sometime--"once."
walked ... when ye lived in them--These sins were the very element in which ye "lived" (before ye became once for all dead with Christ to them); no wonder, then, that ye "walked" in them. Compare on the opposite side, "living in the Spirit," having as its legitimate consequence, "walking in the Spirit" ([Ga 5:25]). The "living" comes first in both cases, the walking follows.
8. But now--that ye are no longer living in them.
ye also--like other believers; answering to "ye also" ([Col 3:7]) like other unbelievers formerly.
put off--"Do ye also put away all these," namely, those just enumerated, and those which follow [Alford].
anger, wrath--(See on [Ep 4:31]).
blasphemy--rather, "reviling," "evil-speaking," as it is translated in [Ep 4:31].
filthy communication--The context favors the translation, "abusive language," rather than impure conversation. "Foul language" best retains the ambiguity of the original.
9. ([Ep 4:25].)
put off--Greek, "wholly put off"; utterly renounced [Tittmann]. ([Ep 4:22]).
the old man--the unregenerate nature which ye had before conversion.
his deeds--habits of acting.