Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. [The 10 commandments]
Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances [rules and regulations beside the 10 commandments the moral law] that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [in Him this was done]
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
(Albert Barnes) Colossians 2:15
And having spoiled - Plundered as a victorious army does a conquered country. Notes, Col_2:8. The terms used in this verse are all military, and the idea is, that Christ has completely subdued our enemies by his death. A complete victory was achieved by his death, so that every thing is now in subjection to him, and we have nothing to fear.
Principalities and powers - Notes, Eph_1:21; Eph_6:12, note. The “principalities and powers” here referred to, are the formidable enemies that had held man in subjection, and prevented his serving God. There can be no doubt, I think, that the apostle refers to the ranks of fallen, evil spirits which had usurped a dominion over the world, Joh_12:31, note; Eph_2:2, note. The Saviour, by his death, wrested the dominion from them, and seized upon what they had captured as a conqueror seizes upon his prey. Satan and his legions had invaded the earth and drawn its inhabitants into captivity, and subjected them to their evil reign. Christ, by his death. subdues the invaders and recaptures those whom they had subdued.
He made a show of them openly - As a conqueror, returning from a victory, displays in a triumphal procession the kings and princes whom he has taken, and the spoils of victory. This was commonly done when a “triumph” was decreed for a conqueror. On such occasions it sometimes happened that a considerable number of prisoners were led along amidst the scenes of triumph see the notes at 2Co_2:14. Paul says that this was now done “openly” - that is, it was in the face of the whole universe - a grand victory; a glorious triumph over all the powers of hell It does not refer to any public procession or display on the earth; but to the grand victory as achieved in view of the universe, by which Christ, as a conqueror, dragged Satan and his legions at his triumphal car; compare Rom_16:20.
Triumphing over them in it - Margin, or, “himself.” Either “by the cross,” or “by himself.” Or, it may mean, as Rosenmuller suggests, that “God Col_2:12 triumphed over these foes in him; i. e., in Christ. The sense is substantially the same, that this triumph was effected by the atonement made for sin by the Redeemer. See the word “triumph” explained in the Notes on 2Co_2:14. The meaning of all this is, that since Christ has achieved for us such a victory, and has subdued all the foes of man, we should not be led captive, but should regard ourselves as freemen. We should not be made again the slaves of custom, or habit, or ritual observances, or superstitious rites, or anything whatever that has its origin in the kingdom of darkness. We are bound to assert and to use our freedom, and should not allow any hostile power in the form of philosophy or false teaching of any kind, to plunder or “spoil” us; Col_2:8. The Christian is a freeman. His great Captain has subdued all his enemies, and we should not allow them again to set up their dark empire over our souls. The argument of the apostle in these verses Col_2:13-15 is derived from what Christ has done for us. He mentions four things:
(1) He has given us spiritual life.
(2) He has forgiven all our trespasses.
(3) He has blotted out or abolished the “ordinances” that were against us.
(4) He has triumphed over all our foes. From all this he infers (Col_2:16 ff) that we should not be made captive or subdued by any of the rites of superstition, or any of the influences of the kingdom of darkness.
(Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) Colossians 2:15
Alford, Ellicott, and others translate the Greek to accord with the translation of the same Greek, Col_3:9, “Stripping off from Himself the principalities and the powers:” God put off from Himself the angels, that is, their ministry, not employing them to be promulgators of the Gospel in the way that He had given the law by their “disposition” or ministry (Act_7:53; Gal_3:19; Heb_2:2, Heb_2:5): God manifested Himself without a veil in Jesus. “THE principalities and THE powers” refers back to Col_2:10, Jesus, “the Head of all principality and power,” and Col_1:16. In the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, God subjected all the principalities, etc., to Jesus, declaring them to be powerless as to His work and His people (Eph_1:21). Thus Paul’s argument against those grafting on Christianity Jewish observances, along with angel-worship, is, whatever part angels may be supposed to have had under the law, now at an end, God having put the legal dispensation itself away. But the objection is, that the context seems to refer to a triumph over bad angels: in 2Co_2:14, however, Christ’s triumph over those subjected to Him, is not a triumph for destruction, but for their salvation, so that good angels may be referred to (Col_1:20). But the Greek middle is susceptible of English Version, “having spoiled,” or, literally [Tittmann], “having completely stripped,” or “despoiled” for Himself (compare Rom_8:38; 1Co_15:24; Eph_6:2). English Version accords with Mat_12:29; Luk_11:22; Heb_2:14. Translate as the Greek, “The rules and authorities.”
made a show of them — at His ascension (see on Eph_4:8; confirming English Version of this verse).
openly — Joh_7:4; Joh_11:54, support English Version against Alford’s translation, “in openness of speech.”
in it — namely, His cross, or crucifixion: so the Greek fathers translate. Many of the Latins, “In Himself” or “in Him.” Eph_2:16 favors English Version, “reconcile ... by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.” If “in Him,” that is, Christ, be read, still the Cross will be the place and means of God’s triumph in Christ over the principalities (Eph_1:20; Eph_2:5). Demons, like other angels, were in heaven up to Christ’s ascension, and influenced earth from their heavenly abodes. As heaven was not yet opened to man before Christ (Joh_3:13), so it was not yet shut against demons (Job_1:6; Job_2:1). But at the ascension Satan and his demons were “judged” and “cast out” by Christ’s obedience unto death (Joh_12:31; Joh_16:11; Heb_2:14; Rev_12:5-10), and the Son of man was raised to the throne of God; thus His resurrection and ascension are a public solemn triumph over the principalities and powers of death. It is striking that the heathen oracles were silenced soon after Christ’s ascension.
(Wuest's Word Studies) Colossians 2:15
The principalities and authorities here are the same as in Eph_6:12, the demons of Satan in the atmosphere of this earth. Our Lord, after His death on the Cross, needed to present Himself at the heavenly Mercy Seat in His bloodless body glorified, as the great High Priest, thus completing the atonement, fulfilling the O.T. type when the High Priest on the Day of Atonement killed the sacrifice at the Brazen Altar and then carried the blood into the Holy of Holies, sprinkling it on the Mercy Seat, thus completing in type the atonement for sin. In order to do this, our Lord had to pass through the kingdoms of Satan in the air. The demons offered opposition. He, stripping them off and away from Himself (apekduomai spoiled A.V.), displayed them boldly (deigmatizō, "to make an example of," "made a shew of" A.V.), leading them in triumph in it. These are the captives taken by our Lord in His ascension as He left the tomb (Eph_4:8).
Translation: Having stripped off and away from Himself the principalities and authorities, He boldly made an example of them, leading them in triumph in it.
(Cambridge Bible) Colossians 2:15
having spoiled] “Having put off from Himself” (R.V.).—The Greek verb is apparently unknown before St Paul; classical illustration is impossible. Its literal meaning is “to strip off”; and its voice is middle. This voice, it is alleged, compels us to explain it of the Lord’s stripping off something from Himself, divesting Himself. And explanations vary between (a) that given in margin R.V., (“having put off from Himself His body”), supported by the Peshito Syriac version and (among other Fathers) by Ambrose, Hilary, and Augustine (see Lightfoot); and (b) that given in text R.V., advocated by Lightfoot, and supported by Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and other Fathers. In this last, the thought would be that the powers of evil swarmed, so to speak, around Him who had taken our place under “the curse of the Law,” and that He in His triumph, stripped or cast them off.
The objection to (a) is that it brings in an alien and isolated idea, and in obscure terms. The objection to (b) seems to us to be that it presents to us an image very peculiar in itself, and not obviously proper to the next words. To cast off enemies and then at once to exhibit them are not quite congruous ideas.
And why should we reject the A.V. rendering as if ungrammatical? The lawful force of the middle voice would be as well represented by “stripping for Himself” as “stripping from Himself”; it makes the subject of the verb to be also in some degree the object of the action. And the Lord did “strip His foes for Himself”: “He taketh from him the armour, and divideth the spoils” (Luk_11:22). The imagery is then congruous; the disarmed and despoiled foes are then appropriately, as captives, “shewn” in triumph. We recommend accordingly the A.V.[83]
[83] It is objected that below, Col_3:9, we have the same verb in the same voice used where the meaning clearly is “to strip from oneself.” But classical parallels exist to such a varying use of the middle in neighbouring contexts. See Sophocles, Ajax, 245, 647 (Dindorf). (Note by the Bishop of Worcester.)
The Old Latin Version has exuens se, following explanation (b). The Vulgate renders the verb exspolians—the immediate original of the A.V.
principalities and powers] Lit., the governments and the authorities, the recognized enemies of Redemption and the Redeemer. These made their dire hostility supremely felt in that “hour” which He Himself called “the authority of the Darkness” (Luk_22:53). The personal adversaries (under their Chief; see the intimations of Luk_4:13; Joh_13:2; Joh_14:30), who had crossed His path so often as the “demons” of possession, now directly assailed Himself, as they are still permitted in measure to assail (Eph_6:12) His followers, who meet them in Him the Conqueror.—See further above on Col_1:16.
made a shew of them] Nearly the same Greek verb as that used Mat_1:19; “make her a public example.” The Latin Versions have traduxit, “led them along,” as the captives in a Roman triumph.
openly] Rather, boldly (Lightfoot). The “openness” indicated by the Greek phrase (quite literally, “in, or with, outspokenness”) is the openness of confidence. It is used Joh_7:4 (where Lightfoot explains it to mean “to assume a bold attitude”); Eph_6:19; Php_1:20.
triumphing over them] The Greek verb (thriambeuein) occurs elsewhere (in N.T.) only 2Co_2:14; where it is variously explained “to make to triumph” or “to lead in triumph.” Here it is of course the latter.—Philologically it is probably akin to the Latin triumphus.
in it] The Cross. The margin A.V., “in Himself” is quite untenable, though it is countenanced by the Latin, (in semetipso), and by Wyclif, Tyndale (“in his awne persone”), Cranmer, and Rheims. The Genevan version has “in the same crosse.”
The Lord’s atoning Death, the apparent triumph of His foes over Him, was His absolute and eternal triumph over them, when it was seen, in His Resurrection, to be the mysterious Ransom of His Church from the curse and from sin, and so His own glorification as its Head. Vicit qui passus est; cui gloria in œternum.
This whole passage while pregnant with primary and universal truth has doubtless a special reference all the while to the “Colossian heresy” with its angelology and angelolatry. He who is King of all orders of good Angels is here presented as Conqueror of their evil counterpart; he, from both points of view, fills the field.
(Gal 5:1 KJV) Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
(Summarized Bible) Galatians 5:1-26
Contents: Liberty of the believer in Christ, apart from the law. Conflict of flesh and the Spirit. Christian character the result of the Spirit’s work not self-effort.
Characters: Christ, Holy Spirit, Paul.
Conclusion: Since we are justified only by faith in Christ Jesus, not by the righteousness of the law, let us not again stand in fear of and bondage to legal ordinances. While our salvation is settled by the work of Christ, the conflict of sin which still wars in the believer’s members, may be settled by yieldedness to the Holy Spirit, Who is present in the believer to subdue the fleshly nature and to bear heavenly fruit through our lives.
Key Word: Liberty, Gal_5:1, Gal_5:13. Flesh and Spirit, Gal_5:16.
Strong Verses: Gal_5:1, Gal_5:6, Gal_5:14, Gal_5:16, Gal_5:17, Gal_5:18, Gal_5:22, Gal_5:23, Gal_5:24.
Striking Facts: Gal_5:4. To “fall from grace” is to fall back on legal ordinances and mix law and grace. One who is fallen from grace is not a believer who has lost his salvation by failure to do good works (the popular Methodist explanation), but one who is doing good works and trusting in them as a means of salvation and sanctification.
Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised [or do any part of the law of Moses], Christ shall profit you nothing.
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. {if you do anything in the Law of Moses for salvation to be saved this verse is definitely for you}
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
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