Colossians 1:24–2:23 Superstition and Mysticism

Prayer: With expectant hearts and minds, we seek your truth, O God. In this study, help us to be attentive as we listen, careful as we speak, and awake to your wisdom. Open our hearts to your Scripture and give us the courage to change in light of what we read. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

With your group, take turns reading the introduction and text and answering the questions in each section.

Introduction

Pseudo mysticism surrounded the Colossian church. Today, if you mention to your friend that you have a headache, they may say, “Have you taken an aspirin?” or, “Have you considered going to a doctor?” In ancient Colossae, your friend may say, “Did someone put a hex on you?”, “Do you think you’ve irritated one of the gods?” or, “Have you considered calling on the angel Raphael with a spell?”

A type of folk Judaism—with little in common with the Pharisees and Sadducees we see in the Gospels—thrived in this part of Asia. Ancient historian Josephus describes Jewish folk tales about the Old Testament king Solomon: “And God granted him knowledge of the art used against demons.… He … composed incantations by which illnesses are relieved, and left behind forms of exorcisms with which those possessed by demons drive them out, never to return.”¹ The city around the Colossian church viewed demons and gods as constant, powerful, dangerous realities.

In this letter, Paul writes that God has elevated Jesus as the one and only spiritual authority, protecting the Colossians from the evils of the spiritual world they have been taught to fear and appease. Paul writes that Jesus has “disarmed” the “rulers and authorities” and has “triumphed over them.” The image is supposed to call to mind a Roman military victory: when a conquering general returned to Rome, he would celebrate with a “triumph,” parading defeated, chained enemy captives through the city. Colossians 2 challenges us to see evil spiritual authorities as humiliated and powerless, like the prisoners of war of a vanquished enemy.

The Scripture warns the Colossian church against mixing this mystic folk Judaism and Christianity in verses 16 through 20, where Paul mentions a few practices some in the Colossian church may have performed, including observing specific days, avoiding certain foods and substances, and calling on angels. The ancient Christian Hippolytus describes the teaching of a Christian named Elchasai that could represent this kind of strange mixing of Christianity and demonic superstition:

There exist wicked stars of impiety … baptize not man or woman during the days of the power of these stars.… Beware of the very day up to that on which the moon passes out from these stars, and enter on every beginning of your works.… Take care, however, not to commence your works the third day from a Sabbath.²

In Colossians 2, the Scripture says that these kinds of practices are not just useless and empty; the person who values them is not holding onto Christ.

This study will go from Colossians 1:24 to 2:23.

Section 1

Colossians 1:24–29^{3 1:24} Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body—for the sake of his body, the church—what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. ^1:25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God—given to me for you—in order to complete the word of God, ^1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.^1:27 God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ^1:28 We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. ^1:29 Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.

The point: Paul rejoices in his suffering for the gospel (through imprisonment and persecution); he says that all that matters is for people to learn about Christ.

Question: Paul and Timothy say, “We proclaim him (Christ).” How do they do that?

Section 2

Colossians 2:1–7
^2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face. ^2:2 My goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ^2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ^2:4 I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments that sound reasonable. ^2:5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
^2:6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ^2:7 rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

The point: Though Paul has never met the people of this church, he wants them to know Jesus, the treasury of true wisdom and right knowledge, instead of being distracted by other kinds of spiritual wisdom.

Question: What does this Scripture say Paul prays for the Colossians’ / Laodiceans’ hearts?

Section 3

Colossians 2:8–15
^2:8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. ^2:9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, ^2:10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. ^2:11 In him you also were circumcised—not, however, with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal of the fleshly body, that is, through the circumcision done by Christ.
^2:12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. ^2:13 And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. ^2:14 He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. ^2:15Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

The point: Jesus Christ is the authority over every spiritual ruler, and he defeated sin through his work on the cross, so the Colossian church should ignore superstitions that empower other spiritual authorities.

Question: This paragraph talks about a “circumcision” done through Christ. Is this circumcision physical or metaphorical? Explain.

Section 4

Colossians 2:16–19
^2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days— ^2:17 these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!^2:18 Let no one who delights in false humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind. ^2:19 He has not held fast to the head from whom the whole body, supported and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.

The point: Since Jesus is the authority over all spiritual rulers, the Colossians should ignore those who push religious practices to make Christians become more “spiritual.”

Question: This Scripture criticizes a false teacher, concluding that “he has not held fast to the head from whom the whole body … grows with a growth that is from God.” In context, who is the head Christians must hold on to?

Section 5

Colossians 2:20–23
^2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? ^2:21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” ^2:22 These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings. ^2:23 Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship and humility achieved by an unsparing treatment of the body—a wisdom with no true value—they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.

The point: The church has died with Christ to this world, so there is no point in practicing useless superstitions—in fact, physical punishment in the pursuit of spiritualism has the opposite effect.

Question: Why does Paul say that these commands have “a wisdom with no true value”?

Read through the text again below.⁴

Section 1

Colossians 1:24–29
^1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body—for the sake of his body, the church—what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ. ^1:25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God—given to me for you—in order to complete the word of God, ^1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.^1:27 God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ^1:28 We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ. ^1:29 Toward this goal I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully works in me.

Section 2

Colossians 2:1–7
^2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face. ^2:2 My goal is that their hearts, having been knit together in love, may be encouraged, and that they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ^2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ^2:4 I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments that sound reasonable. ^2:5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your morale and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
^2:6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ^2:7 rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Section 3

Colossians 2:8–15
^2:8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. ^2:9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, ^2:10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. ^2:11 In him you also were circumcised—not, however, with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal of the fleshly body, that is, through the circumcision done by Christ.
^2:12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. ^2:13 And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. ^2:14 He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. ^2:15Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Section 4

Colossians 2:16–19
^2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days— ^2:17 these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!^2:18 Let no one who delights in false humility and the worship of angels pass judgment on you. That person goes on at great lengths about what he has supposedly seen, but he is puffed up with empty notions by his fleshly mind. ^2:19 He has not held fast to the head from whom the whole body, supported and knit together through its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.

Section 5

Colossians 2:20–23
^2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world? ^2:21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” ^2:22 These are all destined to perish with use, founded as they are on human commands and teachings. ^2:23 Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship and humility achieved by an unsparing treatment of the body—a wisdom with no true value—they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.

Discussion and application questions

1. In this chapter, Paul writes, “For in him (Christ) all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” You may remember that in chapter 1, Paul compared Jesus to the temple and the tabernacle, ancient dwelling-places of God where Israel met and worshiped him. Why would Paul make the same comparison again here?
2. In this chapter, Paul writes that the Colossians have been buried with Christ in baptism. Romans 6 fleshes out this comparison: “Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3–4). How do you think a former pagan person would feel hearing about this close identification with the Christ described in Colossians 1 and 2?
3. In verses 20–23, Paul warns the Colossian church against putting themselves under regulations that “have the appearance of wisdom with their … unsparing treatment of the body.” Can you think of any seemingly virtuous or spiritual modern practices that could compare?
4. In the modern West, we rarely encounter the superstitions and fears surrounding evil spirits that pervaded the ancient world. Can you think of something else that people fear today, but which is under the supremacy of Christ?

Conclusion

Challenge: As you go through your normal routine this week, think about whether you are prioritizing other natural forces over Jesus’ supremacy. Pray to God that he would help you disregard things that try to seem bigger than Jesus.

Blessing: May your heart be encouraged, and may you have all the riches that assurance brings in your understanding of God’s son. May you walk in confidence knowing that nothing in this world is bigger than Christ.

1. Clinton E. Arnold, “Colossians,” in Romans to Philemon, vol. 3 of Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: New Testament. ed. Clinton E. Arnold; Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002), 392.[↩]
2. Hippolytus, Haer. 9.11. Translation by J. H. MacMahon in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, n.d. [repr. 1990]).[↩]
3. Scripture and/or notes quoted by permission. Quotations are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.[↩]
4. We find that rereading the text is very helpful—please don’t skip this part of the study![↩]