By Maria Merola אריאל
© Copyright Double Portion Inheritance, August 2006
Not only do they use this letter to insinuate that Sha’ul (Paul) was advocating pagan holidays, but they take it one step further, and suppose that Sha’ul was condemning the holy feast days of our creator.
However, the same Paul who wrote to the Colossians, also wrote to the Corinthians, commanding them to “Purge out the old leaven,” (1st Corinthians 5:7) so that they might become a new lump of dough that is unleavened, and without sin. In the next verse, it is obvious that his letter was being written during “The Feast of Unleavened Bread,” because he continues in the next verse, by writing “Therefore, let us keep the feast [of unleavened bread] with sincerity and truth...” (1st Corinthians 5:8).
However, the same Paul who wrote to the Colossians, also wrote to the Corinthians, commanding them to “Purge out the old leaven,” (1st Corinthians 5:7) so that they might become a new lump of dough that is unleavened, and without sin. In the next verse, it is obvious that his letter was being written during “The Feast of Unleavened Bread,” because he continues in the next verse, by writing “Therefore, let us keep the feast [of unleavened bread] with sincerity and truth...” (1st Corinthians 5:8).
If the Apostle Sha’ul (Paul) was truly preaching against the Sabbaths, and the Festivals of our creator, (and sanctioning paganism), he would have been in direct contradiction with the words of our Messiah, who taught us that humanity (mankind) shall “Live by every word of Elohiym” (Matthew 4:4). The same Messiah whom Sha’ul (Paul) preached is the same one who declared that “One jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the Mosaic Law until heaven and earth have passed away” (Matthew 5:17-19).
Before we examine Sha’ul’s letter to the Colossians, it is important to understand a little bit about the history of the Kingdom of Judah at the time of this letter. At one time, all twelve tribes of Yisra’el were unified under King David. However, after King David and his son Solomon died, the Kingdom of Yisra’el was divided into two separate nations. King Jeroboam ruled over the “Ten Northern Tribes of the House of Ephraiym” while, King Rehoboam ruled the “Two Southern Tribes of Benjamin & Judah.”
The account where two sister harlots came to Solomon to settle a dispute over the living male child, is indicative of what actually took place later, after Solomon died. 1st Kings 3:16–28 recounts that two mothers living in the same house, (each the mother of an infant son), came to Solomon. One of the babies had been smothered, and each claimed the remaining boy as her own. Calling for a sword, Solomon declared his judgment: the baby would be cut in two, and each woman to receive half of a child.
Of course, the true mother protested, and this is how King Solomon settled the dispute, when the true mother was revealed. Our Messiah, Yahuwshuwa is a prophetic picture of the male child who came to bring “A dividing sword,” that would ultimately separate the wheat from the tares, and the goats from the sheep.
King Jeroboam gave an ultimatum to King Rehoboam, stating that the people of Yisra’el would serve him, if he would only lighten their taxes. But King Rehoboam refused to lighten their taxes, and instead promised to raise their taxes, thus making their burdens even heavier.
This is when the two kingdoms of Yisra’el split, and became two separate nations. King Jeroboam did not want the Kingdom of Yisra’el to become loyal to King Rehoboam in Judah, so he forbade them to go to Jerusalem three times per year to keep the pilgrimage feasts commanded in the Torah (Deuteronomy 16:16).
This is when the two kingdoms of Yisra’el split, and became two separate nations. King Jeroboam did not want the Kingdom of Yisra’el to become loyal to King Rehoboam in Judah, so he forbade them to go to Jerusalem three times per year to keep the pilgrimage feasts commanded in the Torah (Deuteronomy 16:16).
Instead, King Jeroboam invented pagan holidays in the 8th month of the year (against the Torah), and he set up golden calves for the people to worship at Dan and at Mount Ephrayim (1st Kings 12:25-33).
YaHuWaH became angry with these ten tribes ruled by Jeroboam, he and ultimately “divorced” them, calling them “Loammi” which means “You are not my people.” (Hosea 1:9-10).
In Jeremiah 3:8 Yisra’el was given a divorce certificate, and sent into exile, into the nations of the earth (Jeremiah 3:8). The entire reason for this was their worship of pagan deities, for which they celebrated false pagan holidays, patterned after Ba’al worship. Today, Christianity keeps the same pagan holidays under different names, but they have the same origins from Ancient Babylon. These holidays are today renamed as: “Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day” etc.
The Southern Kingdom of Judah continued to honor the Feasts of YaHuWaH, and his Sabbaths (which are central to keeping the marriage covenant); and this is why YaHuWaH did not divorce the Kingdom of Judah.
Later, in Ezekiel 23, YaHuWaH called both kingdoms “Two sister harlots,” (Ezekiel 23:1-4). In Jeremiah, 3:7-10, Yah said that “Judah is more treacherous” than the other backsliding sister harlot (Yisra’el). So why didn’t he also divorce Yahuwdah (Judah) as well?
Well, for starters, the House of Judah was given to “The scepter of the lawgiver” with which to rule over the other tribes (Genesis 49:10). They were supposed to preach the good news of salvation to the other tribes, and bring them back into covenant relationship with the Father. But instead, they became “elitists” who did not want to share the covenant with the “Ten Lost Tribes.”
The House of Judah became very “exclusive,” as they created “extra” rules and regulations (adding and subtracting to the Torah), making it more difficult for the divorced tribes to return back to the covenant. These lost sheep from the nations deemed these as “Jewish Laws,” because they were “too strict.”
This is what is referred to as “Building a fence around the Torah.” An example of this would be a parent who tells his teenager to drive under 40 miles per hour on the highway, even though the legal speed limit is 50 miles per hour. The parent thinks that by building a fence around the speed limit, the teenager won’t get a speeding ticket. However, it has the opposite effect, because the teenager resents the parent putting a fence around what is legal, therefore (out of defiance), he ignores the parent, and drives faster than the legal speed limit, and still gets a speeding ticket.
This was the attitude of the divorced tribes of Yisra’el. The Kingdom of Judah was unnecessarily strict, because they were trying to prevent the curses of Deuteronomy 28 from coming upon the nation, for disobedience to the Laws of Moses. However, the lost sheep became discouraged, because the lawmakers placed heavy burdens on the people, making it no longer enjoyable to love and serve our creator. It is precisely for this reason, that our Messiah declared that he had come for “The lost sheep of the House of Yisra’el” (Matthew 15:24).
He came to offer up his life as a ransom, (purchasing them with his blood), thereby enabling them to return to his marriage covenant. He also came to rebuke the Jewish leadership for heaping “heavy burdens” on the people, by adding man-made rules and regulations to the commandments of YaHuWaH (Matthew 23:24). With this background, we can begin to understand the attitudes that were present within the two divided kingdoms, and what Paul was addressing in his letter to the Colossians.
The Congregation at Colossi was made up of former pagans, but now, they had returned to the covenant through Messiah’s blood sacrifice, and since they were still “newbies,” there were many infiltrators trying to confuse them about the proper way to keep the Sabbaths and the Feasts.
One of these infiltrators was a sect of Judaism known as “The Essenes.” The Essenes separated themselves from the Pharisees & Sadducees, (refusing to attend the Jerusalem Temple), because they thought themselves to be too holy. Not only were the Essenes too strict in their observance of the Sabbaths and the Feasts, but they also incorporated many unbiblical customs into their sect, such as mysticism, and worshiping angels.
These were the people who were trying to bind up the Colossians with heavy burdens and regulations that are not scriptural. With this historical background, let’s examine the famous quoted text, to find out what Sha’ul was really saying:
Qolasiym (Colossians) 2:16 says: Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
To find out what the Apostle Sha’ul (Paul) was talking about in the above verse we must ask ourselves “What were the circumstances that precipitated this letter?”
In the first century, (after our Messiah died and resurrected), there were three major Jewish Sects in Jerusalem: Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes. The Apostle Sha’ul had a major issue with the Essenes primarily, because their doctrines were deeply rooted in something called “Gnosticism.” In many of Paul’s Epistles, he was addressing the Essenes and their man-made rules and regulations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism
In the first century, (after our Messiah died and resurrected), there were three major Jewish Sects in Jerusalem: Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes. The Apostle Sha’ul had a major issue with the Essenes primarily, because their doctrines were deeply rooted in something called “Gnosticism.” In many of Paul’s Epistles, he was addressing the Essenes and their man-made rules and regulations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism
from gnostikos, meaning “learned.”It comes from the Greek word γνῶσις gnōsis, knowledge and is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism, and Neoplatonism.
Common characteristics of these groups was the realization of “Gnosis” (esoteric or intuitive knowledge), as the way to salvation of the soul from the material world. They saw the material world as created through an intermediary being (called demiurge), rather than directly by Elohiym. In most of these systems, this demiurge was seen as imperfect, in others even as evil. Different gnostic schools sometimes identified the demiurge as Adam, Ahriman, Samael, Satan, Yaldabaoth, or Yahweh.
The Essenes were a Jewish sect that flourished from the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century CE which some scholars claim seceded from the Zadokite priests.
Being much fewer in number than the Pharisees and the Sadducees (the other two major sects at the time), the Essenes lived in various cities but congregated in communal life dedicated to asceticism, voluntary poverty, daily immersion, and abstinence from worldly pleasures, including (for some groups) marriage. Many separate but related religious groups of that era shared similar mystic, eschatological, messianic, and ascetic beliefs.
These groups are collectively referred to by various scholars as the “Essenes.” Josephus records that Essenes existed in large numbers, and thousands lived throughout Roman Judæa.
These groups are collectively referred to by various scholars as the “Essenes.” Josephus records that Essenes existed in large numbers, and thousands lived throughout Roman Judæa.
The Essenes have gained fame in modern times as a result of the discovery of an extensive group of religious documents known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are commonly believed to be Essenes’ library—although there is no proof that the Essenes wrote them. These documents include preserved multiple copies of the Hebrew Bible untouched from as early as 300 BCE until their discovery in 1946. Some scholars, however, dispute the notion that the Essenes wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Claiming first-hand knowledge, he lists the Essenoi as one of the three sects of Jewish philosophy alongside the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
He relates the same information concerning piety, celibacy, the absence of personal property and of money, the belief in communality and commitment to a strict observance of the Sabbath.
He further adds that the Essenes ritually immersed in water every morning, ate together after prayer, devoted themselves to charity and benevolence, forbade the expression of anger, studied the books of the elders, preserved secrets, and were very mindful of the names of the angels kept in their sacred writings.
The basic view of Gnosticism is dualism, which teaches the following:
1.) That which is material is intrinsically evil and the source from which all evil has arisen.
2.) That which is from spiritual world is good. In the Gnostic view, an evil god (the demiurge) created the material world as a prison for the divine sparks that originated in a good god and is now imprisoned in human bodies.
The Gnostics identified this evil creator with the “god” of the Old Testament, and saw Adam & Eve and the ministry of Joseph as attempts to liberate humanity from his imprisonment, by imparting divine secret wisdom to an exclusive, privileged, select few.
The superior, “good god” is referred to by several names including “Pleroma” and “Godhead.” Gnostics generally taught that “Yahuwshuwa (Jesus) did not have a physical body, but rather his apparent physical body was an illusion, and hence his crucifixion was not bodily.”
The superior, “good god” is referred to by several names including “Pleroma” and “Godhead.” Gnostics generally taught that “Yahuwshuwa (Jesus) did not have a physical body, but rather his apparent physical body was an illusion, and hence his crucifixion was not bodily.”
In Gnosticism the Holy Spirit was the “feminine” or female aspect of Elohiym. Thus the Holy Spirit was the true “mother” of Yahuwshuwa. They taught that “it was not Yahuwshuwa but instead it was Simon the Cyrene that suffered and died on the cross.”
Gnosticism divides humanity into three groups:
1. The Spiritual: those who are saved irrespective of their behavior while on earth.
2. The Soulish: those who could be saved if they followed the Gnostic path.
3. The Carnal: those who are hopelessly lost.
Early Christian theologians believed that Gnosticism denied the free will of mankind (a doctrine later adopted by Augustine Calvin) and many of their followers of today. Most Gnostics practiced celibacy and asceticism, on the grounds that the pleasures of the flesh were evil; a few however practiced libertinism, arguing that “since the body was evil they should defile it.”
There are two types of Gnosticism:
Ascetic Gnosticism: teaches that all “matter” in the material world is evil. It purports that Yahuwshuwa (Jesus) is both Satan & God at the same time. They teach that “The god of the Old Testament” was evil and harsh and he created everything in the material world. Hence because “God” is both “good and evil” he had an evil side to him which was crucified with Messiah but his “good side” resurrected and ascended back on the throne as Lucifer. These Gnostics even changed the text of Isaiah 14:12 in the Greek Septuagint text (under leadership of Origen & Clement of Alexandria).
They make it appear that it was “The morning star” (Yahuwshuwa or Jesus) who fell from heaven, and that he is one with Lucifer. But the Hebrew Masoretic Text (the King James Version) shows the original Hebrew text as “Son of the morning” (not the morning star) who fell from heaven.
Yahuwshuwa Messiah is “The morning star” (Revelation 22:16), and he is the creator of all things (Colossians 1:16), to include the fallen angel called “Lucifer” in Latin. Hence, Lucifer is a “son” of the morning star (Yahuwshuwa), for he is merely a created being. The name “Lucifer” means “light bringer,” and he was cast down from his position as the “covering cherub” in Heaven (Ezekiel 28).
They make it appear that it was “The morning star” (Yahuwshuwa or Jesus) who fell from heaven, and that he is one with Lucifer. But the Hebrew Masoretic Text (the King James Version) shows the original Hebrew text as “Son of the morning” (not the morning star) who fell from heaven.
Yahuwshuwa Messiah is “The morning star” (Revelation 22:16), and he is the creator of all things (Colossians 1:16), to include the fallen angel called “Lucifer” in Latin. Hence, Lucifer is a “son” of the morning star (Yahuwshuwa), for he is merely a created being. The name “Lucifer” means “light bringer,” and he was cast down from his position as the “covering cherub” in Heaven (Ezekiel 28).
Gnosticism denies that Yahuwshuwa Messiah is YaHuWaH “Come in the flesh” according to 1st John 4:3. This is how we identify the Spirit of Anti-Messiah. This verse was also removed from the “Revised Greek Text” by Hort & Westcott in the 1850’s so that the litmus test on how to identify the Spirit of Anti-Messiah is not discernible. Gnostics teach that all physical pleasures are evil, to include sexual relations in marriage, and enjoying the taste of food. Anything that is enjoyable to the flesh is to be avoided in order to become “more holy.”
This is also characterized by the teachings of Roman Catholicism, which forces members to practice celibacy and to abstain from meat on “Good Friday” (1st Timothy 4:1-4). Gnosticism also enforces vegetarianism for spiritual reasons, as they worship animals and treat them as having an eternal soul like humans. Some monks even practice self-mutilation, believing that if they “suffer with Christ” they will become more like him. This practice of self-mutilation was done by the Ba’al worshipers in Elijah’s day where they cut themselves as a form of “Blood-letting” to attract demons.
This is also characterized by the teachings of Roman Catholicism, which forces members to practice celibacy and to abstain from meat on “Good Friday” (1st Timothy 4:1-4). Gnosticism also enforces vegetarianism for spiritual reasons, as they worship animals and treat them as having an eternal soul like humans. Some monks even practice self-mutilation, believing that if they “suffer with Christ” they will become more like him. This practice of self-mutilation was done by the Ba’al worshipers in Elijah’s day where they cut themselves as a form of “Blood-letting” to attract demons.
Libertine Gnosticism: teaches that nothing done in one’s physical body can harm the soul. They surmise that since the flesh is evil, they conclude that it is better to sin all the more so that “Grace may abound.” Libertine Gnosticism teaches that the commandments of YaHuWaH have been “Nailed to the cross,” and that we are now under “license” and “liberty” to do as we please since we are now “under grace” and no longer “Under the law of our creator.” They also teach “Once saved always saved” and that no matter what sins you may commit in the flesh, they have no power to corrupt your soul.
Now we can understand what many of Paul’s Epistles were talking about simply by understanding the doctrines of the Essenes & Gnosticism.
So you see the Apostle Sha’ul (Paul) was warning the Colossians against the Gnostic teachers who were “Delighting in humility and the worship of the angels” and were “Vainly puffed up by the fleshly mind” (Colossians 2:18-19) who dethroned Messiah from his primacy (Colossians 1:18) and placed him below a long line of angels. These ascetics were teaching the Colossians, “Touch not, taste not, handle not.”
This phrase was the famous “mantra” of ascetic gnosticism.
What they taught was not from YaHuWaH, but “According to the commands and doctrines of men” (Colossians 2:20-22).
Sha’ul was telling the Colossians not to be seduced by false doctrines that promote the worship of angels (putting an angel at the top of your Christmas tree?); Having statues and graven images of angels decorating your house, etc. If Paul were here today, he would use Colossians 2:20-23, as a premise to rebuke the Christian Churches by saying the same thing to them that he said to the Colossians of his day. Let me paraphrase:
“If you are dead to these former pagan customs why as though you are back in the world subject to these man made customs again? You are fasting and weeping for Tammuz (Ezekiel 8:14) for 40 days (called Lent today in Catholicism). You are giving up meat on Fridays (for the Queen of Heaven) during Lent, and all of these man made customs which are patterned after the doctrines and commandments of men. These customs appear to be pious and show a false humility because they make you neglect your body, but they only serve to satisfy the flesh because you make yourself believe that you did something holy.”
As you can see, the Gnosticism of Paul’s day within the Essene Jewish Sect is no different than the beliefs of modern day Christianity. Both have “gnostic” and pagan influences that have crept in. They either feign piety by pretending to deny the flesh. Or they go to the other extreme by taking liberties with the flesh which leads to lasciviousness, licentiousness, gluttony, sexual immorality and drunkenness.
Since so many Christians use passages like Colossians 2 and Galatians 4, in order to justify disobeying the commandments of YaHuWaH regarding his holy feast days and Sabbaths, it is imperative that we find out just exactly what was “blotted out” in Colossians 2:14 and which covenant “genders to bondage” in Galatians 4.
The Apostle Sha’ul (Paul) was telling the Galatians and the Colossians not to allow any man to judge them because they were now keeping the holy feast days of YaHuWaH, which are prophetic shadow pictures of good things to come.
Sha’ul was actually admonishing them not to go back under the “elements” (zodiac signs after which pagan holidays are patterned). He was telling them not to be led by the “rudiments of this world” (nature worship, decorating trees for Nimrod).
Many of these Essenes had picked up pagan customs during the Babylonian captivity and they incorporated it into their worship as seen in the 8th Chapter of Ezekiel. The Essenes were deeply into Babylonian Mysticism called “Kabbalah” just like the Christian Church today has a mixture of Babylonian Mysticism which they adopted from the Roman Catholic Church. Now we can read Colossians 2:16-22 again with the proper historical background and understand which customs were “holy” (set apart) to our Creator, and which ones were extra-biblical and deemed as “The doctrines and commandments of men.”
Qolasiym (Colossians) 2:16 says: Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
While the above verse is often used out of context to justify keeping pagan days, we can see that it is saying just the opposite. Sha’ul (Paul) was telling the new converts not to be influenced by the Essenes or the Gnostics who were judging them for wanting to keep the Feasts of YaHuWaH from Leviticus 23.
Since the temple was destroyed in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D., there is no need to offer up animal sacrifices when keeping the Feast Days of YaHuWaH. We are now doing them as a “memorial” under the new administration of Melchizedek. Every believer in Yahuwshuwa Messiah is now under a royal priesthood and so we do not celebrate these feasts in the way that they were formerly kept when there was a Temple standing in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).
Instead of doing animal sacrifices, we are to offer up our own lives to YaHuWaH as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). When our Messiah returns, he will perform animal sacrifices under the order of Melchizedek along with the Levites during the Millennium. He will do these animal sacrifices as a “memorial” of his himself as “The lamb slain since the foundations of the world” (Revelation 13:8, Ezekiel 40-48). But for now, we offer up a spiritual sacrifice (ourselves).
Instead of doing animal sacrifices, we are to offer up our own lives to YaHuWaH as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). When our Messiah returns, he will perform animal sacrifices under the order of Melchizedek along with the Levites during the Millennium. He will do these animal sacrifices as a “memorial” of his himself as “The lamb slain since the foundations of the world” (Revelation 13:8, Ezekiel 40-48). But for now, we offer up a spiritual sacrifice (ourselves).
We are now led by the Holy Spirit in how we keep these holy days as he teaches us how to keep them according to Torah. So you see Sha’ul (Paul) was in no way condoning pagan days, because YaHuWaH never called them holy to begin with.
Sha’ul was telling these Colossians not to let any man judge them for wanting to keep the holy days and “Sabbaths” that our creator asks us to keep as a “sign” between us and him forever (Exodus 31:13, Ezekiel 20:12-20). He was telling them not to let any man judge them for eating biblically clean foods rather than unclean foods which defile our body.
Our body is called “The Temple of the Holy Spirit” (1st Corinthians 6:19). And our creator does not want us to eat things that are going to give us parasites and worms. Now let us move on to another verse that can easily be misconstrued if one does not know the context:
Our body is called “The Temple of the Holy Spirit” (1st Corinthians 6:19). And our creator does not want us to eat things that are going to give us parasites and worms. Now let us move on to another verse that can easily be misconstrued if one does not know the context:
Qolasiym (Colossians) 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
What was blotted out? The word ordinance here is “dogma” in Greek which means “a man-made decree.“ What caused these man-made decrees to come into existence? It was the sinful nature of man-pride. Because of pride, the Jewish Sandhedrin invented a decree that prevented the other “lost sheep” of Yisra’el (the ten northern tribes) from coming near to the temple of YaHuWaH thereby giving them a chance to hear the Torah, repent and be restored back to the covenant.
The Essenes were much stricter with their observance of the Sabbath than were the Pharisees & Sadducees. These man-made ordinances were “against us” because they were added decrees not commanded by our creator in the first place. Yahuwshuwa nailed these “ordinances” (man-made traditions) inspired by the sinful nature to the tree. This is why our Messiah warned us to “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:12, Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1). We are commanded not to “add” nor “subtract” from the Torah.
The Essenes were much stricter with their observance of the Sabbath than were the Pharisees & Sadducees. These man-made ordinances were “against us” because they were added decrees not commanded by our creator in the first place. Yahuwshuwa nailed these “ordinances” (man-made traditions) inspired by the sinful nature to the tree. This is why our Messiah warned us to “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:12, Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1). We are commanded not to “add” nor “subtract” from the Torah.
Debariym (Deuteronomy) 4:2 You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it, that you may keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohiym which I command you.
Debariym (Deuteronomy) 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Let us continue in Colossians 2 with a more accurate frame of reference based on the historical background that I just presented. What was Sha’ul (Paul) really talking about?
Qolasiym (Colossians) 2:
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body (is) of Christ.
*Note: “....But the Body is of Christ?” This phrase makes no sense and it does not fit into the context of what is being written. When reading this in the King James Version, we will see that the word “is” is italicized and this means that the word was not there in the original text! So how should it read? “......but the body of Christ...”
What does he mean here? He is telling these Colossians (who were former pagans) not to allow any pagan to judge them for wanting to keep holy days, and not to allow these pagans to judge them for sighting the new moons, and for honoring the Sabbath Days according to the scriptures.
The Gnostics & Essenes were trying to enforce man-made rules and regulations to the scriptural commandments on how to observe Sabbath and Feast days. Paul was telling these Colossians that the only people who were qualified to judge them in these matters are “THE BODY OF MESSIAH...”
This is why he concluded with this phrase “but the body of Christ (Messiah).”
In 1st Corinthians 5:12 the Apostle Sha’ul (Paul) tells us that we are supposed to judge those “inside” the body of Messiah, but we are not supposed to judge those outside the body of Messiah.
My Paraphrase of Colossians 2:15-17:
“Because Messiah spoiled these demonic principalities which are behind these man-made doctrines, and he made an open show of them, therefore.......do not allow the Gnostic Essenes to restrict you (judge you) for eating the Kosher (clean) meat that you eat (now that you don’t eat parasite infested pork) and do not allow the Gnostics to restrict you from drinking the Passover Wine as part of the Covenant.”
The Gnostics & Essenes had varying methods for sighting the new moons and calculating the Calendar and Sabbath days. Their methods were not in keeping with the Jewish Sanhedrin of the day, and they were not keeping a Calendar that was biblically accurate. This is why Sha’ul was telling the Colossians “Let no pagan judge you for watching for the new moons each month according to the commandments” (Deuteronomy 16:1).
The holy feast days of YaHuWaH are called “A prophetic shadow picture of good things to come” because they point to prophetic events that our Messiah has already fulfilled therefore they are a “memorial” and we are to honor him for the great things he has done for us. And these feasts are also events that are yet to happen in the future.
This is the reason why Sha’ul said that the feasts are “A shadow of things to come.” However, the body of Messiah is allowed to judge you in these things. In 1st Corinthians 5, Sha’ul tells us that we are supposed to judge those inside the household of faith, but not those outside of the faith.
Qolasiym (Colossians) 2:
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility (false humility) and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of Elohiym.
20 Wherefore if you be dead with Messiah from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using); after the commandments and doctrines of men?
23 Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Aha! Did you see what Sha’ul said?
He is calling these “ordinances” THE DOCTRINES & COMMANDMENTS OF MEN!
As I stated earlier the “mantra” for the Ascetic Gnostics was “Touch not; taste not; handle not…”
This is not talking about the dietary laws given to us by YaHuWaH. This is actually referring to Gnosticism, which restricts it’s members from enjoying all foods given to us by our creator.
It is obvious now that Sha’ul is not talking about the commandments of YaHuWaH. If the commandments were written with “The finger of Elohiym” (Exodus 31:18, Deuteronomy 9:10), how can they be of human origin? This one single verse in Colossians 2:22 blows apart the entire false argument that Sha’ul was preaching against the Holy Feasts of YaHuWaH, and giving permission to keep pagan holidays!
Sha’ul addresses these things again to the Galatians:
Galatiym (Galatians) 4:
8 Howbeit then, when you knew not Elohiym, you did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9 But now, after that you have known Elohiym, or rather are known of Elohiym, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage?
10 You observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Maria’s Paraphrase:
When you did not know the Creator, of heaven and earth the Almighty Elohiym of Abraham, Yitzhak (Isaac) & Ya’aqob (Jacob), and you were pagans, you served other gods by worshipping the created things in nature. However, now that you know the Elohiym of Yisra’el, why are you turning again to the weak elements of nature and zodiac signs? (Four elements of zodiac are: fire, water, air, earth).
Why do you desire to be in bondage again to paganism? You observe the pagan sun god holidays patterned after the zodiac signs; you follow your astrological forecast, by observing times and years etc. (Deuteronomy 18:10-11 calls these an abomination).
Messiah Abolished the “Enmity” between Jew & Gentile
Ephsiym (Ephesians) 2:
11 Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time you were without Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Yisra’el, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and wiyout Elohiym in the world:
13 But now in Messiah Yahuwshuwa you who sometimes were far off are made near by the blood of Messiah.
14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of two (the two houses of Yisra’el) one new man, so making peace;
The word “ordinance” once again here is the Greek word “dogma” or a man-made decree. There was a man-made ordinance whereby the Jewish Sanhedrin decreed to build a wall around the outer court which prevented the Gentiles from being allowed to come near the temple so that they could know YaHuWaH. But this was “against us” because YaHuWaH never commanded this in his temple. This was a man-made decree (ordinance) and this was brought on by the “enmity” (hatred) between Judah (Jews) and Ephrayim (Gentiles).
And this is what Yahuwshuwa destroyed---the “enmity,” not the commandments that he wrote with his very own finger! Because of the sinful, prideful nature of man, there was “enmity” between Ephrayim & Yahuwdah/Judah (Gentile & Jew).
And this is what Yahuwshuwa destroyed---the “enmity,” not the commandments that he wrote with his very own finger! Because of the sinful, prideful nature of man, there was “enmity” between Ephrayim & Yahuwdah/Judah (Gentile & Jew).
This enmity was like an invisible “wall” in the spirit which separated us, but we are now able to become “one new man” corporately as one body through Messiah. Sha’ul was describing this “enmity” as being the “Middle wall of partition” between us. But there was also a “literal wall” that was built under rabbinic ordinances that kept the Gentiles from being allowed to “come near” to the Temple of Elohiym.
Ephesians 2:
16 And that he might reconcile both unto Elohiym in one body by the Taw (cross), having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were near.
To them that were “afar off” (Ephrayim) and to them who were near (Judah) who never left the feast days of Jerusalem, Yahuwshuwa preached peace. Once again we see Ephrayim as the younger son and Yahuwdah (Judah) as the older son in the parable of the prodigal son. Both of them will be “reconciled unto Elohiym” because the enmity (hatred) was slain.
In the story of the prodigal son, when the Father killed the fatted calf, the “enmity” between the brothers was also “slain” and the younger brother was treated the same as the older brother who never left home. The commandments were the “terms and conditions” of a holy marriage covenant. Prophecies in the book of Daniel tell us that the Anti-Messiah will be against the Torah or “The holy covenant.”
In the story of the prodigal son, when the Father killed the fatted calf, the “enmity” between the brothers was also “slain” and the younger brother was treated the same as the older brother who never left home. The commandments were the “terms and conditions” of a holy marriage covenant. Prophecies in the book of Daniel tell us that the Anti-Messiah will be against the Torah or “The holy covenant.”
Daniyel 11:28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.
Daniyel 11:30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
Daniyel 11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their Elohiym shall be strong, and do exploits.
Since our Messiah is YaHuWaH Elohiym manifested in the flesh (John 1:1 1st John 4:3), it was he who wrote the Torah with his very own finger into stone tablets, and then they were transferred under the Renewed Covenant from Stone into “fleshy tables of the heart.”
Ibriym (Hebrews) 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Yisra’el after those days, says YHWH; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them an Elohiym, and they shall be to me a people:
Ibriym (Hebrews) 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says YHWH, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Such an image is the highest insult to our Savior, and makes his sacrifice a mockery. In Yahuwchanon (John) 1:1 we are told that Yahuwshuwa is the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us...”
If the eternal word of our creator took on human flesh, that also includes the first five books of the Bible called “Torah” or in Greek the “Pentateuch.”
Many Christians have erroneously come to the conclusion that our Messiah Yahuwshuwa blotted out these instructions and “Nailed the Ten Commandments to the cross.” To believe such a ridiculous notion is to call our Savior a liar. Listen to what he says:
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Torah (law), or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
*Note: the Greek word for “fulfill” here is “pleroo” which means: “to liberally supply, to furnish; to carry through to the end; to cause to abound; to carry into effect; to execute, to ratify.
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Torah (law), till all be fulfilled.
*Note: when does heaven & earth pass away? In Revelation 21, it happens after the one-thousand year Millennial reign of Messiah. The new heaven and the new earth will come down, and the first heaven and the first earth will pass away!
Until then, the Mosaic Law (Torah) will be preached throughout the entire world from Mount Zion to the nations. Even the tiniest stroke of the pen, will be taught and practiced--- in other words, (the jots and tittles) throughout the Millennium (Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2). And this even includes the re-establishment of the Ezekiel Temple by our Messiah himself. This will also include animal sacrifices as a “memorial” of his finished work on the Taw (the cross). See Ezekiel 40-48.
Mattithyahuw (Matthew) 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The prophet Malachi, foretold of the second coming of Messiah, and that he will introduce again the former Temple ordinances, as in the days of old. He concludes the prophecy by telling us that a “Book of Remembrance” will record those who fear YaHuWaH and his name.
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my Malak (messenger), and he shall prepare the way before me: and YHWH, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his Temple, even the Malak (messenger) of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says YHWH of hosts.
Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto YHWH an offering in righteousness.
Malachi 3:4 Then shall the offering of Yahuwdah (Judah) and Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) be pleasant unto YHWH, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared YHWH spoke often one to another: and YHWH hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared YHWH, and that thought upon his name.
Blotting Out the Curses of the Adulterous Wife
Why would our Messiah blot out his own instructions that were written with his own finger? He didn’t blot out the Torah, for then he would have blotted out the terms and conditions of his marriage covenant given to his beloved bride. But something else was blotted out. What was it? In the Torah we read about an “ordinance” that was to be done for an adulterous wife. Yisra’el was the “adulterous wife” of YaHuWaH, and so we learn from this “ordinance” that Yahuwshuwa was the Priest who performed the “Law of Jealousy” for Yisra’el:
Bemidbar (Numbers) 5:
12 Speak unto the children of Yisra’el, and say unto them, If any man’s wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;
14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before YHWH:
17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:
18 And the priest shall set the woman before YHWH, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causes the curse:
19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with you, and if you have not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of your husband, be you free from this bitter water that causes the curse:
20 But if you have gone aside to another instead of your husband, and if you be defiled, and some man have lain with you beside your husband:
21 Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, YHWH make you a curse and an oath among your people, when YHWH does make your thigh to rot, and your belly to swell;
22 And this water that causes the curse shall go into your bowels, to make your belly to swell, and your thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Awmane, awmane.
Bemidbar (Numbers) 5:23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water.
*Note: did you get that? The priest wrote curses in a book of remembrance for the adulterous wife, and then what did he do?
HE BLOTTED OUT THE CURSES WITH THE BITTER WATER!!!
Bemidbar (Numbers) 5:24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causes the curse: and the water that causes the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
*Note: Do you remember the bitter waters that Yisra’el drank in the wilderness? YaHuWaH caused them to drink bitter waters at “Marah” because their adulterous hearts were not satisfied with him as their husband. They were always lusting after other things and murmuring against him. No matter what miracle of provision he did for them they were never content.
Shemoth (Exodus) 15:
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Mosheh, saying, What shall we drink?
25 And he cried unto YHWH; and YHWH showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
26 And said, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of YHWH your Elohiym, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am YHWH that heals you.
YaHuWaH was giving Yisra’el an “ordinance,” so they would not allow their hearts to become bitter. He promised that he would heal them of all of their diseases, if they would obey his voice, his commandments and statutes. At the same time that he gave this ordinance, he showed Mosheh a “tree” (symbolic of Messiah’s sacrifice). When Mosheh cast the tree into the bitter water, it removed the bitterness of the curses from the water, thus making it sweet!
Likewise, the priest in Numbers 5 was “Blotting out the curses” for the adulterous wife (Yisra’el) using the bitter water. The bitter water was a reminder to them that their hearts were full of bitterness and sin. When the “tree” was cast into the waters, they were made sweet. The tree is a picture of Messiah’s sacrifice when he “became a curse for us.”
He was acting as the High Priest by “blotting out the curses” and giving Yisra’el an “ordinance,” not of punishment--- but one of blessings, if they would only obey him. He would later remind them again of these blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28, promising blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience to his commandments.
Now we know what was “blotted out.” It was the curses that were against Yisra’el for being an adulterous wife! The House of Yahuwdah (Judah, Jews) were supposed to be “The Kinsman Tedeemer” for the ten divorced tribes, but they refused to perform the duty of a “kinsman.” Their sin was in the fact that they prevented the lost tribes from returning back to the covenant.
They did this by building up a wall around the outer court, preventing the lost sheep from “coming near,” so they could hear the Torah, repent and be saved. The curses against the “Ten Northern Tribes” of Yisra’el (Ephrayim) were being born out in the fact that the “Two Southern Tribes” were unwilling to restore them back to the covenant.
They did this by building up a wall around the outer court, preventing the lost sheep from “coming near,” so they could hear the Torah, repent and be saved. The curses against the “Ten Northern Tribes” of Yisra’el (Ephrayim) were being born out in the fact that the “Two Southern Tribes” were unwilling to restore them back to the covenant.
Now we get a picture of the entire scenario. The House of Ephrayim were under a curse for disobeying the commandments of Yah, as described in Deuteronomy 28. This is why Yah divorced them in Jeremiah 3:8. But also promised to restore them back to his marriage covenant at a later time in the future, when they receive his commandments into their hearts and minds. The House of Judah were not helping to make this a reality, therefore, they too were in violation of the covenant.
Thus, both Houses of Yisra’el have been under the curses of Deuteronomy 28, and this is why Paul wrote the following words:
Colossians 2:11 In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Messiah:
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of Elohiym, who has raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.
Colossians 2:14 Blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
If I may paraphrase, Shaul (Paul) is telling us that Messiah’s sacrifice has made us circumcised spiritually---not with human hands. When we are immersed (baptized) in water, it is a symbol of being baptized into his death and resurrection. This means that because of what Yahuwshuwa has done, we are now dead to the sins of the flesh. But what does it mean to be dead to the sins of the flesh? To answer that question, we must first define what sin is:
1st Yahuwchanon (John) 3:4 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the Torah (law): for sin is the transgression of the Torah (law).
Okay! So if sin is the violation of the Mosaic Law, and Deuteronomy 28 also tells us that we are under a curse when we violate these laws, Paul cannot be telling us that our Messiah blotted out his own laws! If that is what Paul was teaching us in Colossians 2:14, we would have to deem him as a false Apostle, because he would be in contradiction to the rest of Scripture.
But Shaul (Paul) was not a false Apostle, and he was not teaching us that Yahuwshuwa blotted out his own laws. For if that is what he was doing, we would not have a standard for judging what sin is. Therefore, it is obvious that something else was being blotted out, and it was not the terms and conditions of the marriage covenant with is bride.
Thus, our Messiah came to earth, to be the eternal High Priest who caused the adulterous wife to drink the bitter water. This brings new meaning to the prophecy in Zechariah 12. It will be the bitterness of realizing that (as a nation) they had pierced their own Messiah, and this will bring about repentance and restoration.
Zecharyahuw (Zechariah) 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of Dawiyd (David), and upon the inhabitants of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon ME [Aleph & Taw] whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for HIM, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in BITTERNESS for him, as one that is in BITTERNESS for his firstborn.