Colossians 2:20-23 20If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why are you submitting yourself as if living in the world? 21“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”22 which are all things destined for destruction by being consumed according to the commandments and teachings of people, 23which are words which have the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and harsh treatment of the body, not in value against indulgence of the flesh
Through several rhetorical questions beginning with a conditional clause, Paul now applies what the Colossians must do in their battle against the humanistic thinking and religions around them. This is a pause in the letter that allows the readers to think about all that has been written. How will they respond? What is the key issue? The Colossians were believers in Jesus Christ. They had been redeemed from sin and possessed the inheritance of eternal life. Why were they allowing themselves to be adversely influenced by the elementary teachings around them.
Paul uses the same word here (stoicheiōn) as in verse 8. This word was used in various philosophies and religious contexts for the basic elements or spirits in the world. One of the major religions of all ages has been animism, which can take on many forms depending on the cultural context. Animism is the belief that there are spirits behind the things of nature, such as the elements. This is a human-based religious system that attempts to find meaning in the world.
Paul tells the Colossians that they have left that old way of thinking because of the new revelation they received and believed in Jesus Christ, the true Creator of all things. The type of conditional statement assumes the truth of the protasis: “Since indeed it is true that you have aligned your life with Jesus Christ and have forsaken your old life deceived by humanistic religions, philosophies, and teachings, then you should not let these things control you anymore. They are gone, dead, and no longer have control over you.”
These worldly ways of living include legalistic regulations like those listed in verse 21. Paul makes it clear in verse 22 that legalistic interpretations of ethical behavior are just human commands and teachings. This is the big problem. Human interpretations, teachings, and thinking are futile endeavors to make sense of the world. The Colossians have been given the deep insight to the way the world truly operates, which is “in Christ.” This profound claim has two effects. Negatively, it grates the world in the wrong way and is often regarded as foolish and weak (1 Corinthians 1:18), resulting in the persecution of believers. And positively, it provides purpose and meaning to those who accept it and influences everything about how they live. This claim confronts people with a choice. Those who reject it are destined for destruction just like the things they believe in. Those who accept it will receive eternal life.
In verse 23, Paul piles up a series of complex words about the humanism against which he has written in the previous verses. The Colossians needed to be aware of words (logos) that look and sound wise but are empty of meaning and power. The reason for this is because they are from self-made religion. This type of religion is made up and has no revelatory content from God. It is all humanism, though disguised as religion. This type of religion results when people try to figure out God and truth by their own imagination and logic. This type of thinking remains a problem in our day. Humility is used in a negative sense here of pretend humility but is only disguised pride. It is like going around and boasting about how humble you are. Harsh treatment of the body could refer to ascetic self-denial by staying away from certain pleasures or forcing the body to abstain from certain things, healthy or unhealthy. This is just a form of personal abuse in the name of religion. The clause indicates that trying to fight the flesh by human effort is bound to fail.
All the effort to abstain or control the desires of the flesh done by human religion does not actually deal with the deep problem of sin that urges the flesh to act in certain ways. Holiness is not a matter of self-effort or discipline but of circumcision of the heart through sanctification. The Colossians needed to see through the clouds of false teachings and human philosophies to which they were exposed and to see clearly the gospel of grace in Christ. This gospel is what could really change them and can change us.
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