Understanding the Meaning of Colossians 2:16-17 - Shadow of Things to Come

This post is going to take a look at Colossians 2:16-17, which is a Bible passage that is frequently misunderstood or taken out of context. We will see that this is not a license to take part in any holiday of our choice, but a reminder to those under religious oppression that they are able to take part in the Biblical holidays like Passover because of the work of the Messiah.

"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a new moon celebration or a Sabbath day, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." -Colossians 2:16-17

Many people believe that this verse is a license to essentially do whatever you want, not only with food, but when it comes to holidays. They believe it's up to each of us to decide what holidays to take part in and we are given a free pass to avoid judgment. This is the verse that is most frequently used whenever anyone raises objections to certain Christmas customs or Easter practices. People are quick to say whatever they are doing is okay because this verse says not to let anyone judge you.

But you can only view this verse from that perspective if you are looking through some very dirty lenses.

On this blog, we have discussed time and again why the New Testament does not teach or permit eating animals that God said were off limits. I'll link to those posts below for anyone not familiar with why that is.  

Many Christians today think Paul's phrasing here in Colossians gives them license to trade in the Biblical holidays that God commanded his people celebrate, for manmade religious holidays like Christmas, Easter, Lent and so on. Some take it to mean it's okay to celebrate anything and everything from Oscar Night to Halloween. 

But let's look at the phrasing. Colossians doesn't say, "Don't let anyone judge you for taking part in cultural holidays." God's word says, "Don't let anyone judge you for taking part in Sabbath days."

It specifically lists feast days, new moons, and the Sabbath. What's significant about this? These are all holidays and markers found in the Bible. Scripture doesn't say don't let anyone judge you for taking part in the world's holidays, it says don't worry if people condemn you for taking part in God's.

And while many translations use something like 'religous festival' we know this is referencing the Biblical holidays of Passover, Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, Trumpets, the Day of Cleansing, and Tabernacles, and not any manmade holiday that happens to be religious, such as Christmas. We know this because of verse 17. These holidays are a shadow of the things to come! 

God's Biblical holidays were designed to tell the Gospel story and speak of his promises. All of these holidays point to things yet to come and still be fulfilled. While manmade holidays can be fun and even have spiritual signficance, these were not designed by the Creator to be shadows of the ultimate story of his work.

So what Paul is saying is not to let anyone judge you for the Bible holidays you keep or for honoring the Sabbath. And doesn't this fit better with what we see today? Believers who keep the Sabbath or celebrate Passover and Unleavened Bread instead of Easter are routinely criticized by other believers. That is not a surprise to God.

This also fits better with the rest of the text and the world that Paul lived in at the time of this writing. In ancient Rome, worshipping certain gods and goddesses was considered a civic duty, and those not taking part in the customs and celebrations were often blamed for any great or small calamity in the area. So would it make more sense for Paul to encourage people to not fear condemnation from others for skipping those festivities, or for him to say, 'Don't worry what other believers tell you - God's Sabbaths and holidays don't matter'? Keep in mind, much of the New Testament shows us how hard Paul worked to set a legal precedent that believers didn't have to take part in the worship of Roman gods.

If we back up to verse 15 we can see that this fits with this understanding of what Paul is getting at, because he's talking about principalities and powers being disarmed and the Messiah having made a public spectacle over them. Paul doesn't think it's fine to ignore the Sabbath and the rest of God's calendar because ungodly principalities have been disarmed, he thinks all can now celebrate God's holy days because they are no longer held in the clutches of those powerful entities that would keep them away. 

So what are we supposed to not have people judge us about? Doing things God's way. We know that this passage is refering to both Biblical dietary commands, and the holidays and Sabbaths created by God. We see this because Paul said they are shadows of things still to come and that the substance of these things belongs to the Messiah. So don't let anyone judge you for living out your faith in the Messiah!

To recap, we know that while many pastors and Christians believe that this passage means you can ignore God's holidays and replace them with anything you want, that's not what the Bible teaches and is not what Paul intends to say here.

Colossians 2:16-17 is not about celebrating Christmas or Easter because:

1. Because it's talking about God's holidays and Sabbaths! 

2. Paul told believers elsewhere to keep the feasts, and worked to do so himself.

3. Paul worked to establish legal precedent for believers in the Messiah to not take part in Roman holidays and worship.

Related posts:
Mars Hill and Paul's Legal Precedent to Worship Jesus
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Understanding Mark 7:19 and the Messiah Declaring All Foods Clean

5 Things Christians Should Know about the Sabbath

Discover powerful Biblical truths about the Sabbath day in this post. Here we examine a few tenets of God's Sabbath day that are often overlooked by Christians. This is not everything there is to know about God's day of rest, but basics that every believer should know and learn from.

Here's what all Christians should know about the Sabbath day:

1. Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. We first see this in Genesis 2:2, "On the seventh day God rested." Verse 3 goes on to say that then "God blessed the seventh day and set it apart."

2. Nowhere in the Bible does the Sabbath get changed to Sunday. Look through the Old and New Testaments, and you will see there is no part of Scripture that says the Sabbath was switched to Sundays or that the disciples or early church did or approved of this.

3. Keeping the Sabbath holy means not working on it, not causing someone else to work, and not doing ordinary household chores. Instructions for this are in the ten commandments, and we see Jesus and the disciples honoring Biblical Sabbath laws throughout the New Testament.

4. Scripture instructs all believers to keep the Sabbath, no matter their ancestry, family traditions, or when they were born. This is consistent throughout Scripture. We have New Testament passages telling us that we are all one in the Messiah, so why would he give different instructions? Additionally, verses like Ezekiel 46:3, Isaiah 56:6 expressly say that foreigners should take part in worshiping God on the Sabbath and honoring this day.

5. The Bible says that people who keep the Sabbath are happy! Isaiah 56:2 tells us this truth and most people who have started keeping the Sabbath day will attest to the joy and peace that intentionally setting apart God's holy day to rest and worship him brings!

More posts about the Sabbath:
Did Jesus Break the Sabbath?
Why I Still Keep the Sabbath After 15 Years
What To Do on the Sabbath

What is the Curse of the Law? (Galatians 3:13 Meaning)

Here we are going to address the famous phrase, "curse of the law," from Galatians 3:13. We will look at common misunderstandings about this passage, and find out what Paul was really getting at when he used these words. We will see this from a 'covenant of vocation' perspective instead of the more common 'works contract' view of God's plan for humanity - as explained by N.T. Wright. 

"The Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse on our behalf." -Galatians 3:13

Most of Christianity teaches that the curse of the law is eternal condemnation when we fail to follow God's instructions in the tiniest way. Any slip up, whether intentional or not, cuts us off from God and sends us to hell. Within this framework, God's law is believed to be so complex that we can't even know what it consists of. Therefore, many of us sin without realizing it and becoming "cursed by the law."

Tradition tells us that the curse of the law is being sent to hell when we are imperfect.

But if that was what Paul was getting at, it would make more sense for him to follow that up with something like, "so that we might be freed from sin and go to heaven." But he doesn't say anything like this. He also doesn't say that this brings us back into fellowship with God. Those are important topics, but not what Paul is addressing here.

What does Paul go on to say?

"He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to all people through the Messiah, so that by faith we would receive the promise of the Spirit." -Galatians 3:14

This ties into God's promises to Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3, Genesis 18:18, Genesis 26:4, etc.). Having a worldwide family of his people was always part of the Creator's plan, and the Messiah's death makes that possible. Not because certain ethnicities or nations weren't 'allowed' into God's family before - but because the curse of the law had cut off many people.

The Messiah bore the curse of the law so that the blessing given to Abraham would go to all people.

Why is Paul bringing up promises made to Abraham and Sarah when he's talking about the curse of the law?

Because according to N.T. Wright the "Biblical view of what was achieved through Jesus's death has to do with the restoration of the human vocation, and Israel's larger divine purpose for the world."

The curse of the law was that human idolatry kept YHWH's people from participating in his covenant!

When we participate in covenant with YHWH we get to bear his image to the world. It becomes our job to reflect God's love and truth to the world and to care for people and steward creation. The curse of the law was that humans were unable to do this properly because of idolatry.

Wright says, "Jesus's death got rid of the roadblock between the divine promises and the nations for whom they were intended. And it opened the way for the Spirit to be poured out to equip God's people for their tasks." This understanding fits with Romans 8:28 - "God works all things together for good with those who love him." We were created to impact the world by being in covenant with YHWH. 

This understanding means that the law was not a threatening moral code that cursed us. Human idolatry - the failure to worship only YHWH - kept God's people from participating in his covenant. Breaking the law was a sign that idolatry was happening. Biblical law is given as a guideline to help us to stay away from idolatry.

What does it mean when it says Jesus became a curse?

This can be a very confusing verse. Paul is not saying the Messiah is somehow a bad thing or connected to cursing. Rather, the Messiah bore the penalty for mankind not holding up their end of the covenant. When humans broke the covenant by worshipping gods that were not YHWH, they were not punished. Jesus died in their place, even though he had not broken the covenant.

In Galatians Paul is celebrating that the reconciling death of the Messiah sets people free to take up their true vocation, and be part of the divine plan for the world.

More posts like this:
God Offers Us a Covenant of Vocation - Not a Works Contract
What Romans 8:28 Actually Means
The Three Types of Law in the Bible

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Sukkah (Easy Sukkot Craft for Kids)

This post shows you how to make a great kids craft for Sukkot and the Feast of Tabernacles - popsicle stick sukkahs! These are easy to make from simple materials and kids of all ages can be involved. This is a great way to teach children more about Sukkot and the significance of this joyful Biblical holiday!

Depending on how much time you have and the age of the kids involved, it may make sense to have an adult create the basic structures of the sukkahs ahead of time, and then have the kids paint, decorate, and add on as they choose.

Here's how to make popsicle stick sukkahs.

You will need:
•Popsicle sticks (at least 8 per sukkah)
•Glue
•Small blocks to hold the popsicle sticks in place as they dry (optional, but it makes it easier)

Materials for decoration:
•Pipe cleaners
•Leaves
•Paint or markers
•Construction paper
•Beads
•Stickers
•Anything else you want

How to make a popsicle stick sukkah:

Line up two popsicle sticks so that they are parallel and about three inches apart. Glue a third popsicle across the top, connecting the three pieces. 

Repeat this process at least once more (you'll need two of these roughly 'H' shaped pieces per sukkah), and let dry thoroughly. I used hot glue which dries quickly, but you can use school or craft glue which will take longer to dry.

Once your ends are dry prop them up between small blocks, as shown. I used medicine bottles but any sort of small jar or paperweight will work. Position both of the H pieces so that they are close enough to be connected with more sticks.

Put glue in each corner and place additional popsicle sticks across. Once dry, you will have a basic sukkah structure for kids to decorate or play with.

Some ideas for decorating:

•Paint or color the popsicle sticks with markers.

•Cut out walls or roof from paper. They can be attached with glue, tape, or stickers.

•Wrap pipe cleaners around the posts, or string them across the top to create a unique roof.

•Have kids find small leaves in the yard to put on top their sukkah roof.

•More popsicle sticks can be added to create a roof or walls.

•Use sticky book tab markers to make a festive banner.

The possibilities are endless and can evolve throughout the time of Sukkot! Have fun and remember making these is about joy and better experiencing God's word and this holiday - not about making a flawless masterpiece.

What we can teach kids through making and decorating sukkahs.

•Talking points for this craft include:

•That tents are a special part of Sukkot. 

•How God took care of his people even when they wandered in the desert without permanent homes.

•That sometimes the Creator calls us to go new places with him.

•That God will one day come and pitch his tent with us.

More fun activities for the Feast of Tabernacles:
Fall Biblical Holiday Crafts for Kids
DIY Sukkah Decorations
Eight Days of Activities for the Feast of Tabernacles