What does Colossians 2:16-17 mean? "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. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."
Let us look at this text closely:
Col 2:11-11 "In him you were also circumcised, in the
putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision
done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by
Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised
with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised
him from the dead."
Paul starts off with an illustration. He refers to
uncircumcision as being our sinful nature. Jesus Christ
circumcised us (not literally, but symbolically!) through
baptism as we publicly accepted His offer of redemption and
forgiveness. In other words, baptism replaces circumcision.
This is further confirmed in verse 13:
"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision
of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He
forgave us all our sins,"
Now, starting in verse 14 to 17, we approach our crucial
text: "having canceled the written code, with its
regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to
us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having
disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public
spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
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. These are a shadow of the
things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in
Christ."
What is Paul talking here about? What Sabbath is he
referring here to? Let the Bible explain this by itself.
i. The Sabbath, being part of the ceremonial festivities As
we have seen already in Lev 23:1-24:1, the Sabbath is
included as being part of the ceremonial festivities:
"The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to
them: 'These are my appointed feasts, the appointed
feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred
assemblies. "'There are six days when you may work, but
the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred
assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it
is a Sabbath to the LORD. "'These are the LORD's appointed
feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their
appointed times: The LORD's Passover begins at twilight on
the fourteenth day of the first month.
On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD's Feast of
Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat
bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred
assembly and do no regular work. For seven days present an
offering made to the LORD by fire. And on the seventh day
hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.'"
The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to
them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you and
you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the
first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the
LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to
wave it on the day after the Sabbath. On the day you wave
the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the
LORD a lamb a year old without defect, together with its
grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed
with oil--an offering made to the LORD by fire, a pleasing
aroma--and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine.
You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until
the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to
be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever
you live. "'From the day after the Sabbath, the day you
brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off
seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after
the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new
grain to the LORD. From wherever you live, bring two loaves
made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with
yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the LORD.
1Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old
and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will
be a burnt offering to the LORD, together with their grain
offerings and drink offerings--an offering made by fire, an
aroma pleasing to the LORD.
Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering and two
lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. The
priest is to wave the two lambs before the LORD as a wave
offering, together with the bread of the firstfruits. They
are a sacred offering to the LORD for the priest. On that
same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no
regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the
generations to come, wherever you live. "'When you reap the
harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your
field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them
for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.'"
The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the
first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of
rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do
no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by
fire.'" The LORD said to Moses, "The tenth day of this
seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred
assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made
to the LORD by fire. Do no work on that day, because it is
the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before
the LORD your God. Anyone who does not deny himself on that
day must be cut off from his people. I will destroy from
among his people anyone who does any work on that day. You
shall do no work at all.
This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to
come, wherever you live. It is a sabbath of rest for you,
and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth
day of the month until the following evening you are to
observe your sabbath." The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the
Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the
LORD's Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for
seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no
regular work. For seven days present offerings made to the
LORD by fire, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly
and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. It is the
closing assembly; do no regular work. ("'These are the
LORD's appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred
assemblies for bringing offerings made to the LORD by
fire--the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices
and drink offerings required for each day.
These offerings are in addition to those for the LORD's
Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have
vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the LORD.)
"'So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month,
after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the
festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is
a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. On
the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees,
and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice
before the LORD your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a
festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be
a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate
it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: All
native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your
descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in
booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your
God.'" So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed
feasts of the LORD."
ii. The expression "to a religious festival, a New Moon
celebration or a Sabbath day" The expression "to a religious
festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day" is not an
isolated expression only to be found in the letter to the
Colossians. It is used throughout the Old Testament. It is
used in ascending or descending order repeatedly and always
refers to the seasonal, monthly and yearly festivities (the
weekly festivity being the weekly Sabbath!)
1 Chron 23:31 "and whenever burnt offerings were presented
to the LORD on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at
appointed feasts. They were to serve before the LORD
regularly in the proper number and in the way prescribed for
them." (here weekly, monthly and yearly)
2 Chron 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 Sabbaths and New Moons and at the
appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is a lasting
ordinance for Israel." NIV (here also, weekly, monthly and
yearly)
Neh 10:33 "or the bread set out on the table; for the
regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the
offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moon festivals and appointed
feasts; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make
atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of
our God." (here also, weekly, monthly and yearly)
Hos 2:11 "I will stop all her celebrations: her yearly
festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days-all her appointed
feasts." (here yearly, monthly and weekly)
Ezek 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 feasts of the house of Israel. He will provide the
sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and
fellowship offerings to make atonement for the house of
Israel." (here also yearly, monthly and weekly)
It is clear by reading these texts that the expression "a
religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day"
refers to the yearly festivals (those celebrated yearly),
the monthly festivals (those celebrated at each new moon)
and the weekly Sabbath.
iii. A shadow Let us go back to the text of Col 2:16-18
"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. These are a shadow of the
things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in
Christ." NIV
What is Paul saying here? That all festivities (yearly,
monthly and the weekly Sabbath) were but a shadow of the
reality that is found in Christ. If you want to stand in
Christ's shadow, please go ahead my friend. I prefer to
stand in the reality of Christ.
This is why Jesus is able to say: Matt 11:28-29 "Come to me,
all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls." NIV Jesus is the ultimate Sabbath!
You can choose to take a break from your workload and have
some physical rest once a week, but the reality is, you can
find rest for your soul 24 hours a day! How? By coming to
Jesus and standing on His promise. He will give you rest
beyond understanding. It is your choice my friend! Will you
invite Him into your heart and enjoy His peace into your
life? If you do, please answer His altar's call at
http://www.answers2prayer.org/saviours_call.html
Rob Chaffart
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INTRODUCTION: It is good to at other translations of the
bible to enjoy answering this question. Let’s look at the
way some translations below renders the verses above.
(1) Let no man therefore judge you in meet 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 of Christ (KJV).,
(2) Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matter of
food and drink or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon
or a Sabbath. Such (things) are only the shadow of things
that arte to come, and they have only a symbolic value. But
the reality (the substance, the solid fact of what is
fore-shadowed, the body of it) belongs to Christ (Amplified
Version)
(3) So don’t let anyone criticize you of what you eat or
drink or for not celebrating Jewish holidays and feasts or
Sabbaths. For these were only temporary rules that ended
when Christ came. They were only shadows of the real thing –
of Christ himself (Living Bible)
(4) So don’t anyone criticize you of what you eat or drink,
or for not celebrating Jewish holidays and feast or new moon
ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these were only temporary rules
that ended when Christ came. They were only shadow of the
real thing of Christ himself (Living Bible)
(5) So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or
drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon
ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules were only shadows of
the real thing – Christ himself (NLT).
To attempt the interpretation of the above verses let us
consider the following:
1. Five (5) things not to judge other about (Colossians
2:16)
a. What to eat (v 16, 1 Tim. 4; Romans 14)
b. What to drink (v.16; I Cor. 10:31)
c. What holy days to keep (vs 16; Gal. 4)
d. What new moon festivals to keep (v. 16)
e. What Sabbath to observe (v. 16, Rom. 14:5-6; Gal. 4:9-10)
What to eat:: These refers to clean and unclean animals of
the law (Lev. 11; Deut. 14). The new covenant permits any
kind of meat to be used as food (Rom. 14, I Cor. 8 & 10;
Col. 2:14 – 17; I Tim 4:1-8).
What to drink: The law was very literal about drinks (Dt.
14:26) and yet under it god condemned strong drink (Pro.
2):1; 31:4-7; Is. 5:11-23. Like every other subject, we must
go to the new covenant to find out God’s will for
Christians. It demands that whatever we eat or drink, we are
to do it to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31). It condemns all
drunkenness. A Christian must decide on this basis what to
drink and what not to drink (Lk 21:34; Rom. 13:13, I Cor.
5:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21).
What holy days to keep: Jew had many holy days; new moons,
festivals, and Sabbaths; that were binding upon all men (Lv
23; I Chr. 23:31). None of them are commanded in the new
covenant; so men are now free to do as they please in all
these (Col. 2:14-17; Rom 14:5-6; Gal 4:9-10)
What new moon festivals to keep: This is not stressed in the
bible especially in the New Testament.
What Sabbaths to observe: this refers to all the Sabbaths of
the Law of Moses, including the regular weekly Sabbath. All
of them are now abolished with the law thus fulfilling
prophecy (Isaiah 1:13-15; Hos. 2:11). Christians are now
free, to keep any day they want to as a Sabbath (Col.
2:14-17; Rom 14:5-6; Gal. 3:9-10. All Sabbaths were a shadow
of the rest we now have in Jesus Christ (Col. 2:17, Matt.
11:28-30, Hebrew 4:3, 10-10; 10:1).
With the above truth on the verses under consideration no
Christian is bound to the law of eating any particular food
or meat. We have liberty as to what to eat only not to eat
and make another brother to offend or sin in the process.
Love must prevail over our freedom of eating. That is why a
Christina my not eat food that has been sacrificed to idols
so that others will not be offended.
In drinking, drunkenness must be avoided and the best way is
to stay clear of drinks that can lead to drunkenness.
No Christian is bound to the keeping of a particular day as
stated earlier. We are at liberty as to when to gather for
fellowship or worship. No one is condemned for keeping or
for not keeping a particular day of worship. To foster love
and unity however, the day agreed upon by our local assembly
and fellowship should be honored for the bible says we must
not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. For
example, Sunday is universally agreed to be a day of worship
by Christians. This symbolizes a lot of things from the Word
of God.
CONCLUSION:
Remember the real thing is Jesus Christ. All the law and
ordinance are but a shadow of Him that was to come. If we
allow Him to reign supreme, He will give us guidance as to
how to lead our lives concerning what to eat or drink or day
to keep for Him.
Don’t live in shadows of things to come, live in Jesus. He
is the way, the truth, the Life,. Have you accepted Him into
your heart? If not today is the day of Salvation. Tomorrow
may be too late for you.
Jesus is alive!!!
God bless you!
Rev Debo Adeyemo
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The Mosaic law was good in that it watched over us as a
guardian would, however, it was just a shadow of the things
to come. When Christ Jesus hung on the cross of Calvary as
the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, God
took all of the Mosaic law with its rules and regulations
and cancelled it (He nailed it to the cross as a sign of its
cancellation). What the Mosaic law couldn't do, Christ Jesus
does, and in light of this, the apostle Paul is encouraging
the Colossian church (an indeed all Christians) not to allow
anyone to sit in judgment of you in regards to the Mosaic
law. As the apostle Paul wrote, "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.
These were a shadow of the things that were to come; the
reality, however, is found in Christ." (Colossians 2:16-17)
Jim Futral
http://www.biblepath.com (Answers to questions from a
Biblical perspective)
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Do not be deceived by cults, false pagan beliefs and
false gods. Paul declared that Christ is enough. He is
God, the fullness of God, the one who made the world, the
reason that everything exists. All the mystery and treasure
and wisdom you could ask for are found in the person of
Jesus Christ; there is no need to look elsewhere. Approach
God directly. Jesus bridged the chasm between God and us, so
we don't have to approach God indirectly through a ladder of
angels or other gods. We have no need to prove our worth
through superior behavior. We can come to God directly and
boldly because of Christ. As for Jewish practices, they were
mere shadows, made obsolete by Christ's coming. Why not
concentrate on the actual image that God sent to earth? MAY
ALL BE BLESSED!
Love DeeDee
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Colossians 2:16,17 means that all the Old Testament
rituals and ordinances of the Jewish nation pointed forward
to the Messiah.
He is the Firstfruits, He is the Unleavened Bread, He is the
Passover Lamb, He is the Light of the World, He is the Fruit
of the Vine, He is the Manna, He is the Water of Life.
All those services and ceremonial Sabbaths were instituted
by God to point forward to the Messiah, coming to die for us
and to redeem us from our sins by His Blood.
When He hung upon the cross and died at that very instant
the High Priest was going to slay the Passover Lamb, God the
Father tore the thick curtain from top to bottom thus
exposing the Most Holy Place, and the intended Passover Lamb
escaped. By this act and Jesus death on the cross, God is
showing us the that the ceremonial Sabbaths and ordinances
are no longer required. Jesus our Saviour was the Passover
Lamb. The Law of Moses, the ordinances and ceremonial
Sabbaths were nailed to the cross.
Thus anyone keeping the ceremonial Sabbaths and the
ordinances now, and urging others to do the same is
crucifying Jesus afresh by denying His Sacrifice.
He died once for all.
Jesus fulfilled the Law of God or the Ten Commandments by
living a sinless life. He was judged by the standard of the
10 Commandments, as we all will be. If they could have been
done away Jesus would not have had to die. We are sinners,
for 1John 3:4 tells us that sin is transgression of the Law,
and we have all sinned. Jesus lived His Law perfectly and
because He is our Creator and our Redeemer He is the only
One who can save us from the penalty of that Law.
He did not do away with the 10 Commandments, He said if you
love me keep My Commandments. They were not nailed to the
cross. We prove we are His disciples if we love Him and keep
His commandments. We are saved by Grace, but Grace is not
license to sin.
The 7th day Sabbath is a commemoration of the 7 day
creation. It is in sharp conflict with the theory of
evolution, and shows the world we worship the Creator who
made the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th.It is part of
the 10 Commandments, and was not nailed to the cross. God
said to remember it, because He knew that almost the whole
world would forget it.
The Old Testament ceremonial Sabbaths and ordinances were
the shadow of things to come, Jesus came and died for us,
and He is the focus of our lives now.
God bless, Noeline
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Paul warned the church of Colosse of those who teach Law instead of Grace. There are people who practiced and teach the law of Moses at this period. Because of this, Paul warned the church of those who teach Dietary and Asceticism. What do I mean by these ? I mean those who forbid certain food and eat certain food because of their religion, and those who strictly self -disciplined themselves and avoid pleasures or luxuries thinking that will amount to salvation. Paul said, now that Christ has come to nail all on the cross there is no need for us to observe all these laws because we in Dispensation of Grace and not under the law of Moses. These are shadows of the reality and Christ is the end of the law.
Rev. Israel Adeoye
