Colossians 2:11-17 (NKJV) In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
V11 “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ…” Circumcision is still important, but this not the circumcision of the flesh; it is circumcision of the heart performed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:29). This circumcision is the removal of the sin nature that we inherited from Adam. All are sins are atoned for. Romans 8:1-3, AKJV “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”
V12 “…buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. “ Baptism is the illustration and identifying with the Lord Jesus. It is performed by the Holy Spirit, who indwells all believers (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). We didn’t just go under, but we were raised to life when Jesus resurrected. Jesus’s resurrection proved His sinlessness, His victory over death, His successful mission, His obedience, and His work in our lives. Praise you Lord Jesus!!! Faith is what was required (Galatians 3:22 (EHV) But Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ would be given to those who believe). God initiated salvation by opening our minds and heart to our sinful condition (conviction). God freed our will from slavery and blindness to sin and its consequences (enlightenment). With our freed will, we could place our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus or reject Him. Praise God, I believed. Luke 18:13-14, AKJV “13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote on his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.”
V13 “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses…” Death is separation. Sin separated us from fellowship with our creator–the Lord Jesus. Sin separates us from the fruit of the Spirit, from life, from God’s assisting grace, from truth, from life, from light, from every blessing of God. The Lord Jesus became our Passover Lamb for US. His only condition is faith and trust in Him. Uncircumcision of the flesh = our sin nature. When He arose, we arose and we have the promises of heaven, His love, His fellowship, the fruit of the Spirit, heaven, eternity, gifts given to us to serve Him, etc. Note, it says “ALL” trespasses, that is, every crime (sin) that we committed in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. Let us in thankful offer ourselves to God (Romans 12:1-2) and obey Him as the Scriptures teach.
V14 “…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Handwriting of ordinances, Adam Clarke on this verse writes: “By the hand-writing of ordinances the apostle most evidently means the ceremonial law: this was against them, for they were bound to fulfill it; and it was contrary to them, as condemning them for their neglect and transgression of it. This law God himself has blotted out.
Blotting out the hand-writing is probably an allusion to Num 5:23, where the curses written in the book, in the case of the woman suspected of adultery, are directed to be blotted out with the bitter waters.” We had no hope. The crimes were too many. Each crime (sin) carried the death penalty. If I sin 5 times a day (very conservative number for sure), that means in each year I have 1,825 death penalty offenses. In 10 years, I would have 18,250. In 70 years, I would have had 127,750 death penalty offenses. The sentence for each and every one was paid in full by the Lord Jesus. O praise His name.!No wonder we will praise God in eternity for His great love and mercy. Another translation might be helpful. Colossians 2:14 CSB – “He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” Contrary to us refers to something not in our favor; it is the evidence of our sin. Nailed it to the cross is the Lord Jesus nailed to the cross.
V15 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” The principalities and powers = spiritual enemies in satan’s army of fallen angels. They are disarmed, powerless, because of the Lord Jesus and His almighty power. He mocked them openly (public spectacle). He triumphed over them for they thought, “We have killed the Messiah, so we win.” It was short lived joy, because in three days, He resurrected from the dead in VICTORY! Compare Jesus’s victory with this: Revelation 11:9-11, AKJV “And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell on the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelled on the earth. 11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell on them which saw them.” God called to them, and they lived and ascended to their and our Lord. This call is just like Lazarus heard in John 11:43-44, AKJV “And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said to them, Loose him, and let him go.”
V16 “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths…” We are now free from Mosaic Law to obey a new law–the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). We are under a new covenant (Hebrews 8:6 and 13). We have a new priest: Hebrews 9:11-12, AKJV “11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” The Jews, at least in the time of Justin the Philosopher/Martyr, required 4 things: circumcision, keep the feasts, eat kosher, and keep Mosaic Law. We do not need to do these things now.
V17 “…which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” Mosaic Law is a shadow for the reality is in the New. See Hebrews 8:4-9 and Hebrews 10:1-4. Note the pre-eminence of Christ. Note the contrast–shadow with the real thing. What can a shadow offer? Nothing. What can Christ offer? Everything.