March through Colossians - 2:20-23

When you come across a confusing paragraph in Scripture like the one today, sometimes it can be helpful to try to summarize (in a sentence or so) what the author is trying to say to his readers. Obviously we want to deal with the very words of the paragraph and not just our summary, but forcing yourself to summarize can help you move closer to understanding the author's meaning. In this case, it’s probably something like “Why are you submitting to human regulations that are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh?” This is Paul’s question and challenge to the Colossians.

One way of understanding all this is that the true teaching that Paul is defending is centered on Jesus Christ. The false teaching that Paul is denying is centered on man. The false teaching involves “human precepts and teachings” which have “an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body.” But the true teaching says we have died with Christ, and that we have been raised with Christ (3:1). As Paul goes on to show in chapter 3, only this true teaching centered on Christ has value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. So when your flesh rears its ugly head again today, act upon the reality that you have died with Christ and been raised with Christ.

Read the whole book again tomorrow, and be on the lookout for how central Christ is to all that Paul has to say to the church.