Colossians 2:20 - Exposition

If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world ( Colossians 2:8 , Colossians 2:10-13 ; Colossians 3:3 ; Romans 6:1-11 ; Romans 7:1-6 ; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 ). "Therefore" is struck out by the Revisers on the best authority. It would imply a logical dependence of this verse upon the last, which does not exist. This warning, like those of Colossians 2:16 , Colossians 2:18 , looks back to the previous section, and especially to Colossians 2:8 , Colossians 2:10 , Colossians 2:12 . It is a new application of St. Paul's fundamental principle of the union of the Christian with Christ in his death and resurrection (see notes, Colossians 2:11 , Colossians 2:12 ). Accepting the death of Christ as supplying the means of his redemption ( Colossians 1:14 , Colossians 1:22 ), and the law of his future life ( Philippians 3:10 ; 2 Corinthians 5:14 , 2 Corinthians 5:15 ; Galatians 2:20 ), the Christian breaks with and becomes dead ( to and) from all other, former religious principles; which appear to him now but childish, tentative gropings after and preparations for what is given him in Christ (comp. Galatians 2:19 ; Galatians 3:24 ; Galatians 4:2 , Galatians 4:3 ; Romans 7:6 ). On "rudiments," see note, Colossians 2:8 . There these "rudiments of the world" appear as general ("philosophical'') principles of religion, intrinsically false and empty; here they are moral rules of life, mean and worthless substitutes for "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus."," comp. Romans 7:2 , Romans 7:6 ; Acts 13:39 .) Why, as (men) living in (the) world, are you made subject to decrees ( Galatians 4:9 ; Galatians 5:1 ; Galatians 6:14 ; 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). To adopt the rules of the new teachers is to return to the worldly, pre-Christian type of religion which the Christian had once for all abandoned ( Galatians 4:9 ). "World" bears the emphasis rather than "living". Standing without the article, it signifies "the world as such," in its natural character and attainments, without Christ ( Acts 13:8 ; Ephesians 2:12 ; 1 Corinthians 1:21 ). δογματίζεσθε (the verb only here in the New Testament) is passive rather than middle in voice ; literally, why are yon being dogmatized, overridden with decrees? Compare "spell" ( Acts 13:8 ), "judge" ( Acts 13:16 ), for the domineering spirit of the false teacher. The "dogmas" or "decrees" of Acts 13:14 (see note) are those of the Divine Law; these are of human imposition ( Acts 13:8 , Acts 13:22 ), which their authors, however, seem to put upon a level with the former. In each case the decree is an external enforcement, not an inner principle of life.