Manly Luscombe Commentary on NT
Colossians 2:10-15
New Men in Christ - 2:10-15
10and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Those who are in Christ - are complete. What else do we need?
Christ is our head, making our decisions, guiding our lives.
Christ is Lord over all other lords. He is King over all human kings. He is higher in rank and authority than the most powerful ruler on this earth.
10 - Because we are in Christ, we are also complete. Christ is the supreme authority over all.
11In 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 was the sign of being in covenant to God under the Law of Moses. Paul is now introducing a new kind of circumcision. The circumcision that Paul is talking about is special and spiritual. This circumcision is not the cutting off of flesh, but the cutting off of sin.
This comparison is also used in other places in our New Testament. (Romans 2:28; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 2:11; Colossians 3:11)
There is a list of some of the sins of the flesh in Galatians 5:1-26 and a shorter list in Colossians 3:5-9.
11 - Through Christ you have had the spiritual removal of the sins of your body.
12buried 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 a burial. Not sprinkling, nor pouring. It is immersion. You do not need to know Greek to understand this. See also Romans 6:4-3.
We die to sin. We are buried. We are raised to walk in a new life in Christ. Baptism is a symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
We have been raised with Him. When one comes from that watery grave of baptism, they are raised to a new life. It is a spiritual resurrection. (Romans 8:11; Colossians 3:1; Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 2:6)
All of this is the working of God. The Greek word here is "energia" and is the basis of our English word, energy. In every baptism God demonstrates His "energy" by raising us from spiritual death. The energy of God is demonstrated in the power of the resurrection. (Romans 1:4; Ephesians 1:19-20)
The only reason our baptism has any value or purpose is found in the resurrection of Christ.
12 - You were buried in baptism and raised from spiritual death by the same energizing power which raised Jesus from the dead.
13And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
You were dead in your sins before you were received spiritual circumcision. You had a choice to remain dead in your sins, (John 8:24) or dying to sin. (Romans 6:2; Romans 6:11)
Either way - you are dead. God has brought you to life. He has forgiven your sins at the same time.
13 - You were dead in your sins of the flesh. God has brought you to life and forgiven your of all sins.
14having 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.
God wiped out the requirement we could not keep. (Acts 3:19; Revelation 3:5)
God took away that which hindered us. TEV "canceled the unfavorable record of our debts" NIV "canceled the written code"
Some try to make a difference in the moral law (Ten Commandments) and the rest of the Law of Moses (Ceremonial). Such differences do not exist. Study these passages:
The Law of Moses died when Jesus died on the cross. Christ fulfilled the law by living it without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) We were free from its bondage when it died. (Romans 7:1-4)
14 - Christ wiped out the written code of regulations. It was a record of debts which we could not pay. Jesus nailed that law to his cross.
15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Phillips "completely annulled" God totally disarmed the law. It has no power in our lives.
Like the stockades, Jesus made a public spectacle of the old law. This was done so all the world would know and rejoice.
We are triumphant. The picture painted here is that of a victory procession. Phillips "final glorious triumphant act."
15 - Having disarmed its power, he made a public spectacle of it. Christ led the victory march in celebration.