And you ( ). Emphatic position, object of the verb (did he quicken) and repeated (second ). You Gentiles as he explains.

Being dead through your trespasses ( ). Moral death, of course, as in Rom 6:11; Eph 2:1; Eph 2:5. Correct text does not have , but even so (from , to fall beside or to lapse, Heb 6:6), a lapse or misstep as in Matt 6:14; Rom 5:15-18; Gal 6:1, can be still in the locative, though the instrumental makes good sense also.

And the uncircumcision of your flesh ( ). “Dead in your trespasses and your alienation from God, of which the uncircumcision of your flesh was a symbol” (Abbott). Clearly so, “the uncircumcision” used merely in a metaphorical sense.

Did he quicken together with him ( ). First aorist active indicative of the double compound verb , to make alive (, ) with (, repeated also with , associative instrumental), found only here and in Eph 2:5, apparently coined by Paul for this passage. Probably (God) is the subject because expressly so stated in Eph 2:4f. and because demanded by here referring to Christ. This can be true even if Christ be the subject of in verse 14.

Having forgiven us ( ). First aorist middle participle of , common verb from (favour, grace). Dative of the person common as in 3:13. The act of forgiving is simultaneous with the quickening, though logically antecedent.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Dead [] . Morally, as Eph 2:1 Eph 1:5; Rom 6:11. In your sins [ ] . The best texts omit ejn in, and the dative is instrumental, through or by. Rev., through your trespasses. See on Mt 6:14.

The uncircumcision of your flesh. That sinful, carnal nature of which uncircumcision was the sign, and which was the source of the trespasses. Compare Eph 2:11.

He quickened together [] . Only here and Eph 2:5. Endowed with a new spiritual life, as ver. 12. This issues in immortal life. Compare Eph 2:6.

Having forgiven us [ ] . Freely (cariv grace, free gift), as Luk 7:42; 2Co 2:7, 10; Col 3:13. Note the change of pronoun from you to us, believers generally, embracing himself. This change from the second to the first person, or, vice versa, is common in Paul ‘s writings. See ch. Col 1:10 – 13; Col 3:3, 4; Eph 2:2, 3, 13, 14; Eph 4:31, 32.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “And you being dead” (kai humas nekrous ontas) and you all being dead, empty, barren, or unfruitful;” this concerns spiritual death in which state one can not please or bear fruit for God, Eph 2:1-5.

2) “In your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh” (tois paraptomasin kai te akrobustia tes sarkos humon) “in the trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh;” this describes the former unsaved state of the brethren of Colosse. It is a blessed thought that God can redeem one from a life half-spent in sin; raise him up and use him, Psa 40:1-3.

3) “Hath he quickened together with him” (sunezoopoiesen humas sun auto) “he co-quickened you with him;” God who raised Jesus from the dead, (quickened) Him from the dead, has also quickened, made us alive in His spirit, by which our resurrection is assured, Rom 8:11; Eph 2:4-5; Joh 5:24.

4) “Having forgiven you all trespasses” (charisamenos hemin panta ta paraptomata) “Forgiving you all the trespasses;” forgiveness and quickening, salvation and eternal life, were here declared to be simultaneously received by grace at the point of faith in Jesus Christ; Eph 1:7; Eph 2:4-5; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 2:11-13; Col 3:13; Eph 4:32; 1Jn 2:12.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

13. And you, when ye were dead. He admonishes the Colossians to recognize, what he had treated of in a general way, as applicable to themselves, which is by far the most effectual way of teaching. Farther, as they were Gentiles when they were converted to Christ, he takes occasion from this to shew them how absurd it is to pass over from Christ to the ceremonies of Moses. Ye were, says he, dead in Uncircumcision. This term, however, may be understood either in its proper signification, or figuratively. If you understand it in its proper sense, the meaning will be, “ Uncircumcision is the badge of alienation from God; for where the covenant of grace is not, there is pollution, (376) and, consequently, curse and ruin. But God has called you to himself from uncircumcision, and, therefore, from death.” (377) In this way he would not represent uncircumcision as the cause of death, but as a token that they were estranged from God. We know, however, that men cannot live otherwise than by cleaving to their God, who alone is their life. Hence it follows, that all wicked persons, however they may seem to themselves to be in the highest degree lively and flourishing, are, nevertheless, spiritually dead. In this manner this passage will correspond with Eph 2:11, where it is said,

Remember that, in time past, when ye were Gentiles, and called uncircumcision, by that circumcision which is made with hands in the flesh, ye were at that time without Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the promises.

Taking it metaphorically, there would, indeed, be an allusion to natural uncircumcision, but at the same time Paul would here be speaking of the obstinacy of the human heart, in opposition to God, and of a nature that is defiled by corrupt affections. I rather prefer the former exposition, because it corresponds better with the context; for Paul declares that uncircumcision was no hinderance in the way of their becoming partakers of Christ’s life. Hence it follows, that circumcision derogated from the grace of God, which they had already obtained.

As to his ascribing death to uncircumcision, this is not as though it were the cause of it, but as being the badge of it, as also in that other passage in the Epistle to the Ephesians, which we have quoted. It is also customary in Scripture to denote deprivation of the reality by deprivation of the sign, as in Gen 3:22, —

Lest peradventure Adam eat of the fruit of life, and live.

For the tree did not confer life, but its being taken away was a sign of death. (378) Paul has in this place briefly expressed both. He says that these were dead in sins: this is the cause, for our sins alienate us from God. He adds, in the uncircumcision of your flesh. This was outward pollution, an evidence of spiritual death.

By forgiving you. God does not quicken us by the mere remission of sins, but he makes mention here of this particularly, because that free reconciliation with God, which overthrows the righteousness of works, is especially connected with the point in hand, where he treats of abrogated ceremonies, as he discourses of more at large in the Epistle to the Galatians. For the false apostles, by establishing ceremonies, bound them with a halter, from which Christ has set them free.

(376) “ Là il n’y a que souillure et ordure;” — “There, there is nothing but filth and pollution.”

(377) “ Il vous a donc retirez de la mort;” — “He has, therefore, drawn you back from death.”

(378) See Calvin on Genesis, vol. 1, p. 184.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

Col. 2:14. Blotting out the handwriting.Wiping out the old score, as we might say. All that bond which was valid against them Christ had for ever rendered nugatory whilst they confided in His salvation. Against us, which was contrary to us.We have here the author of those hot protests against work-righteousness. The threatening aspect of the law is expressed in this reiteration. The law not only menaces wrong-doers; it proceeds against them with punishment. Nailing it to His cross.The bond is discharged and may be filed. We are reminded of St. Peters equally bold expression: Who His own self bare our sins in His own body [to, and] on the tree (1Pe. 2:24).

Col. 2:15. Having spoiled principalities.R.V. having put off from Himself. The authorities are divided between the A.V. and R.V. The English reader must not conclude that he has again the word and idea of Col. 2:8. The apostle says that Christ had flung off from Himself the powers of wickedness. As these Colossians needed no intercessions of good angels, so, on the other hand, they need fear nothing from the maleficent powers of darkness, now vanquished.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Col. 2:13-14

The Transition from Death to Life.

In relation to man, the physical order is a descent from life to death, the spiritual order an ascent from death to life. The soul of man is held captive in the dark and dismal prison-house of sin, and the divine lawat once its judge and gaolerhas declared its condemnation to death. The great Mediator offers Himself a ransom for human sin. He is accepted. The sentence of condemnation is cancelled, and spiritual liberty proclaimed.
I. That the natural condition of humanity is one of moral and spiritual death.

1. Man is in a condition of spiritual insensibility. You, being dead in your sins (Col. 2:13). The dead know not anything. They are as unconscious as the dust in the midst of which they slumber. The sweetest sounds or the brightest scenes appeal in vain to the locked-up senses. This figure strikingly depicts the moral condition of man. The soul may be keenly alive to the relations and interests of the outer world, and at the same time dead to the grandest spiritual realities. He is insensible to the character and claims of God, to the sublimest truths, to the most ravishing prospects. With faculties to appreciate all that is lovely in nature and wonderful in art, he is insensible and unresponsive to the highest moral beauty.

2. Man is in a condition of moral corruption.And the uncircumcision of your flesh (Col. 2:13). Death unbinds the forces that brace up the body in life and health, and leaves it a prey to the ever-active power of corruption. The flesh is the carnal principlethe old corrupt nature; and its uncircumcision indicates that it has not been cut off, mortified, or conquered. It is the loathsome, putrid fruit of a nature spiritually deadthe outworkings of a wicked, unrenewed heart, through all the channels of unchecked appetites and passionsmoral putrescence fattening on itself. No description of sin can surpass the revolting spectacle of its own self-registered results.

3. Man is in a condition of condemnation.

(1) The divine ordinances record an indictment against the transgressor. The handwriting of ordinances that was against us (Col. 2:14). A handwriting imports what any one writes with his own hand, and is usually applied to a note of hand, a bond, or obligation, as having the signature of the debtor or contracting party. The primary reference in the terms used is to the Jews, who might be said to have signed the contract when they bound themselves, by a curse, to observe all the enactments of the law (Deu. 27:14-26). Ordinances, though referring primarily to the Mosaic ordinances, include all forms of positive decrees (ordinances) in which moral or social principles are embodied or religious duties defined. Man everywhere is under law, written or unwritten; and he is morally obligated to obey it. That law has been universally violated, and its ordinances and sanctions are against us. We are involved in legal condemnation; we owe to God what we can never pay.

(2) The divine ordinances are hostile towards the transgressor. Which was contrary to us (Col. 2:14). We are often painfully reminded of our broken bond, as the debtor is often distressingly reminded of his undischarged obligation. Our peace is disturbed, our conscience troubled, our prospects darkened. The sense of condemnation pursues us in every part of life; and haunts us with visions of terrible vengeance to come.

II. That the believer is raised into a condition of spiritual life.

1. Spiritual life begins in the consciousness of liberty. Having forgiven you all trespasses (Col. 2:13). Sin enthrals the soul in an intolerable bondage, and smites it with a deathly blow. There is no return to life until liberty is bestowed. Forgiveness confers that liberty. Pardon is the point at which spiritual life begins. The sense of liberty is the first glad thrill in the soul of a new and nobler life. The pardon is ample; it is all-comprehensivehaving forgiven you all trespasses. Every legal barrier is removed. All guilt is cancelled. Every stain is purged away. Every vestige of corruption disappears. The divine mercy triumphs in the prompt, generous, loving, full forgiveness of sins.

2. Spiritual life implies a freedom from all condemnation.

(1) The indictment recorded in the divine ordinances is cancelled and abolished. 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 (Col. 2:14). Every assurance is given to the trembling believer that his guilt is pardoned and his condemnation removed. The handwriting is blotted outas it were, cross-strokes are drawn through it; and that all suspicion it may again become legible, may be allayed, it is added, and took it out of the way; it is entirely removed. But lest, haply, it should again be found and produced, it is declaredit is destroyed, torn, nailed to the cross, and so made utterly useless ever to witness anything against the believer. Now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held (Rom. 7:6). The handwriting against us is removed and destroyed by the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross. There we behold the cancelled sentence torn and rent by the very nails that pierced the sacred body of the worlds Redeemer.

(2) Freedom from condemnation is effected by the cross. His cross. Much as the doctrine of salvation through the vicarious sufferings of Christ may be misunderstood and despised, it is the only method by which pardon can be bestowed, condemnation removed, and spiritual life imparted. Christ hath reedeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

III. That the transition of the soul from death to spiritual life is a divine work.You hath He quickened together with Him (Col. 2:13). God only can raise the dead. He who first fashioned us in His own image, who raised from the dead Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, rescues man from the gloomy domain of spiritual death, and inspires him with a new and holier life. It is a life of blessed union with the divine. Its activities are spontaneous and Godward in their tendencies. It has the power of growth and endless development. Its aspirations are the purest and noblest. It is intensely individual. It is the movement of the divine in the sphere of the human, not defacing or destroying the human, but exalting and perfecting its worthiest traits.

Lessons.

1. All men are dead in sin.

2. Law condemns but cannot deliver.

3. Pardon of sin is the gateway of spiritual life.

4. Pardon is obtained only by looking to the cross.

GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES

Col. 2:13. Death and Spiritual Life.

I. Man by sin is spiritually dead and disabled from exercising spiritual acts.

II. Man is quickened into spiritual life by virtue of the resurrection of Christ.

III. Spiritual life is obtainable only by the pardon of sin.

Col. 2:14. The Handwriting of Ordinances

I. Describes our condemnation.

II. Must be cancelled in order to pardon.

III. Cancelled by the sufferings on the cross.

IV. Is blotted out against us when we accept the Crucified.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF Col. 2:15

The Triumph of the Cross.

The apostle has shown the worthlessness of the Jewish ceremonies and the galling tyranny of their yoke. He has exposed the emptiness of the philosophy that was of human fabrication, with its illusive theories about angel mediators, its vast accretions of conflicting traditions, and its intolerable impositions. He has declared that they are all transfixed to the crosstorn, lacerated, illegible, cancelledand exhibited there as a spectacle for the perpetual consolation and assurance of the believer. And now the apostle, rising with the grandeur of his theme, compares the scene of the cross to the splendid triumph of a Roman general, in which the captives taken in battle were led in gorgeous procession through the city as substantial trophies of the victor.
I. The triumph of the cross was over the powers of evil.Principalities and Powers.

1. The existence of evil is a painful fact.We meet with it everywhere and in everything. It mars the beauty of external creation, and loads it with a burden of unutterable woe. It flings its shadow over the brightest sky, transforms the music of life into a doleful monotone, and translates the softest zephyrs into sighs. It impregnates mans moral nature, deflects the purest principles, shatters the noblest powers, arrests the loftiest aspirations, and drags the soul down to the lowest hell.

2. Evil is embodied in invisible and potent personalities.They are here called principalities because of their excellency, their deep penetration, vast knowledge, and exalted station. They are called powers because of their ability, the mighty influence they can wield, and the terrible havoc they can work. Their dominion extends over the whole realm of sin. They exist in vast numbers (2Pe. 2:2; Jud. 1:6), but they are inspired and guided by one great master-spiritthe prince of the power of the air. They are animated and bound together by one spirita spirit of bitter hatred and savage hostility towards God, and of contemptuous scorn for His authority. They are eager to obey the slightest behest of their malignant leader.

He spake: and to confirm his words outflew
Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs
Of mighty cherubim: the sudden blaze
Far round illumined hell: highly they raged
Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms
Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war,
Hurling defiance towards the vault of heaven.

These hosts of evil spirits are the great foes of man with which he has incessantly to contend (Eph. 6:12). The struggle would be hopeless had not Christ defeated them.

II. The triumph of the cross was achieved after severe conflict.Having spoiled.

1. The conflict was continuous.It was fought from the earliest period between Satan and man, and the day was lost. The woeful issues of that conquest are with us to-day. The battle has been raging ever since. The enmity existing between the serpent and the seed of the woman is still active. The symbols and foreshadowings of the great strife appeared on many occasions during the Mosaic period. But when Christ assumed our humanity and stepped upon the field as the great Captain of our salvation, the conflict reached its climax.

2. The conflict was fierce.Hosts of demons swarmed around the solitary Warrior, and with incredible fury sought to gain a victory over the human nature He had assumed. Again and again they rushed to the attack; but each fresh assault ended with a new defeat. In the wilderness He was tempted by Satan; but the arch-tempter was compelled to retire, baffled and conquered. Through the voice of His chief disciple the temptation was renewed, and He was urged to decline His appointed sufferings and death (Mat. 16:23). But Satan was again foiled.

3. The conflict was deadly.Then came the final hourthe great crisis when the power of darkness made itself felt, when the prince of this world threw his last fatal shaft and asserted his tyranny (Luk. 22:53; Joh. 12:30). The closing act in the conflict began with the agony of Gethsemane; it ended with the cross of Calvary. The Son of God expires on the accursed tree. But, lo! strange reversal of all human conflictsthe moment of apparent defeat is the moment of victory! By dying Christ has conquered death, and wrested from the enemy his most potent weapon of terror. The principalities and powers of evil, that clung around the humanity of Christ like a fatal Nessus tunic, were spoiledtorn off and cast aside for ever. Evil assailed the great Redeemer from without, but never penetrated Him as it does humanity. In the act of dying the crucified One stripped off and flung to the ground the great potentates of evil never more to be in the ascendant.

III. The triumph of the cross was signal and complete.

1. It was signal. He made a show of them openly. The overthrow of the principalities and powers of evil was boldly declared to the universe. They were declared to be liars, traitors, deceivers, usurpers, and murderers! It was not a private but a public victory, in which the universe was interested, and in which all men may well rejoice. The victory of mankind is involved in the victory of Christ. In His cross we too are divested of the poisonous, clinging garments of temptation, sin, and deathwe spoil, strip off, put away from us the powers of evil, and are liberated from the dominion of the flesh.

2. It was complete.Triumphing over them in it. Christ proved Himself on the cross the Conqueror of death and hell. Here the paradox of the Crucifixion is placed in the strongest lighttriumph in helplessness, glory in shame, the vanquished become the conqueror. The gloom of the convicts gibbet is transformed into the splendour of the victors chariot. In the cross we see the greatest triumph of our Immanuelthe law fulfilled; Gods moral government vindicated; death robbed of its prey; Satan, the prince of this world cast out; principalities and powers dragged in procession as captives; a show of them boldly made; the imprisoned world set free; and the final victory over every enemy assured.

Lessons.

1. Christ has conquered the powers of evil.

2. To the believer ultimate victory is certain.

3. Keep up a brave heart in the fiercest conflict.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

13. And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;

Translation and Paraphrase

13. And (to make clear what I refer to by your being raised up by baptism,) when you were (spiritually) dead because of the trespasses (you had once) and (because of) the uncircumcision of your flesh (you being outside of the covenant), he (God) made you alive together with him (Christ; and this he did by) graciously forgiving you all your misdeeds.

Notes

1.

Col. 2:13 gives us a word picture of Christ making dead people alive. It grows out of the remarks in Col. 2:12 about our being raised with Christ. The resurrection Paul speaks of is not the resurrection of the body from the grave, although it is plainly taught in numerous places in the scripture. The resurrection under discussion is the new life we live following our baptism.

2.

Two things are mentioned by Paul as having caused us to be dead spiritually:

(1) Our trespasses (or sins, or misdeeds); Eph. 2:1; Eph. 2:5.

(2) The uncircumcision of our flesh. In O.T. times uncircumcised people were cut off from Gods covenant with Abraham. (Gen. 17:14). Thus the Gentiles, who were uncircumcised, were outside of Gods covenant, and in this sense DEAD. Death in the scripture never implies an end to existence, or unconsciousness, or annihilation. To be cut off from God, who is life, is to be dead, whether we are in sin in this world, or in the lake of fire to come. (Rev. 20:14-15.)

3.

Paul identifies our being made alive with Christ as being caused by, or synonymous with, or simultaneous to, Gods having forgiven us our trespasses. Too few people sense the DEAD-liness of sin, or the resurrection-reality in salvation. Compare notes on Col. 1:11.

Study and Review

27.

What two things caused us to be dead? (Col. 2:13)

28.

Why would the uncircumcision of our flesh cause us to be spiritually dead?

29.

What act of God is associated with his making us alive in Christ? (Col. 2:13)

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(13) And you . . .Here, exactly as in Eph. 2:1-18, there is a remarkable intermixture of the word we and the word you, the former conveying the universal statement of the gospel message of mercy, the other applying it emphatically to the Gentiles, as Gentiles. The two passages should be read side by side. There is, as always, strong similarity, yet complete independence. Through the passage of the Ephesian Epistle there runs a two-fold idea, the reconcilement of Jew and Gentile to God, and the union of both in one Catholic Church. In this Epistle it is only on the reconcilement to God in Christ that stress is laid. Even the detailed expressions of the two passages illustrate each other at once by likeness and by variety.

Dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh.See Eph. 2:1, You who were dead in trespasses and sins . . . who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh. Here the deadness is spoken of, as coming both from the actual power of sins (transgressions), and from the alienation from God marked by uncircumcision. In the other passage the uncircumcision is looked upon only as a name of reproach.

Hath he quickened.It is difficult to determine what is the subject in this sentence. According to all analogy it should be God, yet in the latter clauses (as in Col. 2:14-15) it must surely be Christ. Now, when we turn to the fuller parallel passage, we see an overt change of subject. It is said (Eph. 2:5), God quickened us together with Christ; God in Christ forgave us (Eph. 4:32); but Christ abolished the Law, reconciled us to God on the cross. This suggests a similar change of subject here also, which must be at the words and took it away, or (for the tense here is changed) and He (Christ) hath taken it away. This, speaking grammatically, introduces an anomaly; but such anomalies are not uncommon in St. Paul, especially in passages of high spiritual teaching.

Having forgiven you . . .There is no corresponding clause in the parallel passage; but in a different context (corresponding to Col. 3:13 of this Epistle) we read, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you (Eph. 4:32).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

13. And you This is an appeal again to their experience, as in Col 1:20. It is the argumentum ad hominem, showing that what has been said generally in Col 2:11-12, is true in them specially. Their old state was one of spiritual death: they were wicked and heathen uncircumcised Gentiles. God quickened them, made them alive through the life of the risen Christ. To complete and point the argument, it is further added that with this new life was given them the free, gracious forgiveness of all their transgressions, and which, without the imposition of the physical rite of circumcision, as the next verse shows, was no longer in force. Through Christ alone, without accessories, they were saved.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘And you being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.’

Paul now makes the significance of it all crystal clear. We were dead through our trespasses (compare Eph 2:1-3), dead to the Spirit and under sentence of final death. We were dead because our fleshly hearts were not spiritually circumcised with the resultant willingness to hear and obey and to love God with all our being. We were not alive to God. But God in His mercy has forgiven the trespasses of all who believe in Christ and has made them alive in Him.

‘Dead through your trespasses.’ This is amplified in Eph 2:1-3 where it is associated with being controlled by the world’s ideas and ways, and by Satan himself.. Thus are they dead to God and under sentence of final death.

‘And the uncircumcision of your flesh.’ This can hardly refer only to physical circumcision. Paul would not have seen that as a cause for being dead to God. He did not believe that circumcision made a man alive to God and he knew of far too many circumcised people who were dead to God as well. Indeed he regarded them as ‘uncircumcised’ (Rom 2:25). But he did see untransformed  flesh as resulting in death (Rom 8:6). The point is that they had not experienced spiritual circumcision to their ‘flesh’, their fleshly hearts and minds, through the working of God, and were thus dead in sin and doomed (see on Rom 8:11).

‘He made you alive together with Him.’ It is Paul’s constant theme that by union with Him in His death and resurrection, that is in union with His own body and ‘in Him’, we are made alive with His life (Rom 8:12; Col 3:1; Rom 6:4-11; Rom 8:9-11; Gal 2:20; Eph 2:5-6; Php 3:10 compare Joh 5:25; Joh 14:19; Jas 1:18; 2Pe 1:3-4).

‘Having forgiven us all our trespasses.’ Note the change from ‘you’ to ‘our’. It is added on almost as a note because Paul is so aware of the unmerited love of God and the wonderful forgiveness that is his and ours through that love. So Paul identifies himself and his fellow-workers, and the whole Christian church, as in need of, and as enjoying, the assurance of, forgiveness. ‘Having forgiven’ (charizomai). The word means to give freely as a favour and then comes to refer to forgiveness given freely by grace. Compare its use in Col 3:13; Eph 4:32 see also 2Co 2:7; 2Co 2:10. Its use stresses the graciousness in forgiving. ‘Trespasses’, the taking of false steps and therefore the positive doing of wrong.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Col 2:13 . Since that was the awaking to eternal life , Paul now goes on to give special prominence to this great blessing, the making alive , and that in reference to the Gentile -Christian position of the readers; and to this he annexes, in Col 2:14 f., an anti-Judaistic triumphant statement reminding them of the cancelling of their debt-bond with the law.

To attach still to Col 2:12 , and to make it depend on (Steiger), is rendered impossible by the right explanation of . . in Col 2:12 , [101] to say nothing of the abrupt position in which . would thus appear. goes along with ., so that is then repeated (see Fritzsche, Quaest. Luc . p. 14; Bornemann in the Schs. Stud . 1846, p. 66; Khner, II. 1, p. 568; Winer, p. 139 [E. T. 184]), the repetition being here occasioned by the emphasis of the .: “You also, when ye were dead He made you alive together with Him.” The therefore is not the copula and , but, in harmony with the placed in the front emphatically: also , as in Eph 2:1 . It has its reference in this, that the readers had been Gentiles liable to eternal death, but the . had been extended, as to all believers, so also to them . The correctness of this reference is shown by the context as well through . ., as through the pronoun of the first person which is introduced after . Extremely arbitrary is the view of Olshausen, who thinks that in Col 2:11 f. the readers are addressed as representatives of the collective community , but by in Col 2:13 personally; while Baumgarten-Crusius, in complete antagonism to the position of the words, joins , not to , but to the verb: “ also He has called you to the new life that abideth .”

To arrive at a proper understanding of what follows we must observe: (1) That is not to be taken, any more than previously, in an ethical sense, as referring to regeneration (so usually since Oecumenius, as e.g . Grotius: “sicut Christo novam contulit vitam ex morte corporis, ita et nobis novam ex morte animorum; ” comp. also Bleek and Hofmann), but in its proper sense, and that (comp. Kaeuffer, de . not. p. 94 f.) as referring to the everlasting life to which God [102] raised up Christ, and which He has thereby also provided for believers in virtue of their fellowship with Christ (as an ideal possession now, but to be realized at the Parousia). See also Eph 2:5 . The reconciliation (which de Wette understands) is not the itself, as is plain from the compound ., but its precursor and medium. The stands in the same relation to the as the nature of the act to its process; but the reason why . here stands before the (it is different in Eph 2:5 ) is, that the was correlative with the in Col 2:12 , hence that word is used first, while in Eph. l.c . the being dead preceded, with which the primarily corresponds. (2) Like ., so also is not to be taken in an ethical sense (so usually both here and in Eph 2:1 , as e.g . Calvin, who thinks that the alienatio a Deo is meant), but, with Chrysostom and Theodoret, in its proper sense; the readers have been this is the conception prior to their conversion to Christ a prey of death . This is by no means to be understood, however, in the sense of physical death (for that comes from Adam’s sin, see on Rom 5:12 ), but in that of eternal death, to which they were liable through their sins, so that they could not have become partakers of the eternal (comp. on Rom 7:9 f.). See also on Eph 2:1 . What is meant, therefore, is not a death which would have only become their eternal death in the absence of the quickening (Hofmann), but the eternal death itself , in which they already lay , and out of which they would not have come without that deliverance, nay, which on the contrary and here we have a prolepsis of the thought would only have completed itself in the future . [103] (3) This being dead occurred in the state ( ) of their sins ( indicates the sins which they had committed) and of the uncircumcision of their flesh, i.e . when as respects their sinful materially-psychical nature they were still uncircumcised, and had not yet put off by conversion their Gentile fleshly constitution. [104] The in itself they even now had as Gentile Christians, but according to Col 2:11 it was no longer . in their case, but was now indifferent (Col 3:11 ; 1Co 7:19 ; Gal 5:6 ; Gal 6:15 ), since they had been provided with the ethical circumcision of Christ and emptied of the . The ethical reference of the expression does not lie, therefore, in itself, but in the characteristic (genitive of the subject ); in this uncircumcision they were as Gentiles prior to their conversion, but were so no longer as Christians . Consequently . is not to be taken figuratively (Deu 10:16 ; Eze 44:7 ; Jer 4:4 ) as a designation of vitiositas (so Theodoret, Beza, Grotius, Bhr, Bleek, and most expositors), but in its proper sense, in which the readers as could not but have understood it, and therein withal not as a symbol of uncleanness (Huther), or of the alienatio a Deo (Calvin, comp. Hofmann), or the like; on the contrary, the entire ethical stress lies on . . The idea of original sin (Flacius and other dogmatic expositors, comp. Bengel: “ exquisita appellatio peccati origin.”) is likewise involved, and that according to its N. T. meaning (Rom 7:14 ff.), not in ., but doubtless in . . Nevertheless this . belongs only to , and not to as well (Hofmann); comp. Eph 2:11 . Otherwise we should have, quite unnecessarily, two references heterogeneous in sense for the genitive; besides, the notion of presupposes not the , but the Ego in its relation to the divine law as the subject; hence also the expression . . (or . . ) does not occur, while we find in Gal 5:19 . Holtzmann, p. 71, ascribes the words . . . to the interpolator’s love for synonyms and tautological expressions, and wishes to condemn them also in consequence of what in Col 2:11 belongs to the latter (p. 155). But they are not at all tautological; and see on Col 2:11 .

. . . ] after having granted to us , i.e. forgiven , etc. This blotting out of our whole debt of sin was necessarily prior to the . . By the fact, namely, that He remitted to us all the sins which we had committed ( .), the causa efficiens of the being (eternally) dead was done away . Comp. Chrysostom: , . This . . . is the appropriation of the reconciliation on the part of God, which believers experienced when they believed and were baptized; the objective expiatory act through the death of Christ had preceded, and is described in Col 2:14 .

] applies to believers generally . [105] This extension, embracing himself in common with others, is prepared for by , but could not have been introduced, if . . . . had been conceived as synchronous with ., in which case Paul must logically have used (not ), as the reading is in B ** Vulg. Hilary. On , comp. 2Co 2:10 ; 2Co 12:13 ; Eph 4:32 . On the subject-matter: 2Co 5:19 ff.

[101] This applies also in opposition to Hofmann, who takes ver. 13 likewise as a continuation of the description of God given in . ., and therein makes the apostle guilty of a clumsy change of construction, viz. that he intended to make follow, but, because this word would have been “inconvenient” after . . ., exchanged it for an independent sentence. But would have been inserted without any inconvenience whatever: on the contrary, it would only have expressed the alleged idea conformably to the construction clearly and definitely. The comparison of Col 1:26 is unsuitable. Holtzmann follows substantially the view of Hofmann, but regards the change of structure as the result of dictation. There is no change of structure in the passage at all.

[102] God is the subject of , not Christ (Ewald and the older expositors); for God has raised up Christ, and God is, according to the present context (it is different in Col 3:13 ), the forgiver of sins, and has brought about the remission of sins through the of Christ (ver. 14). Hence also it is not to be written . (with the aspirate). Just as God was obviously the acting subject in , in , and in ., so also He is introduced in the same character emphatically in ver. 12, and remains so till the close of ver. 15.

[103] Quite correlative is the conception of the as eternal life, which the righteous man already has, although he has still in prospect the glorious perfection of it in the future .

[104] The is not repeated before . because the two elements coupled by are conceived together so as to form the single idea of unconversion; Khner, II. 1, p. 476. This applies also in opposition to Holtzmann, p. 156.

[105] Not specially to Jewish Christians (Hofmann, who discovers here the same idea that is expressed in Heb 9:15 , and makes a new period begin with ), since Paul does not express a contrast with the Gentile-Christians, but very often passes from the second person, which refers to the readers, to the first, in which he, in accordance with the sense and connection, continues the discourse from the standpoint of the common Christian consciousness. Comp. Col 1:12 ; Gal 4:5-6 ; Eph 2:1 ; Eph 2:4 , et al.; Winer, p. 539 [E. T. 725]. Nor does the idea of the figurative , which Hofmann urges, by any means require such a limitation which there is nothing to indicate of the embracing himself and others.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 2178
TRIUMPHS OF THE CROSS

Col 2:13-15. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 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; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

THERE is one great mystery spoken of throughout the Scriptures, connected indeed with innumerable other truths, but itself the centre and substance of them all: this mystery is Christ crucified. St. Paul in particular insists upon it in all his epistles; he declares that it was the one only thing which he deemed necessary for him to preach, or for his people to be acquainted with. He takes every occasion of magnifying its importance, and of urging his converts to maintain the strictest regard to it. This appears remarkably in the preceding context [Note: See Col 1:27-28; Col 2:1-4; Col 2:6-7.]; wherein not only the mystery itself is stated, but the rich benefits arising from it are largely recited. Having in general terms said, We are complete in Christ, he enters more minutely into the subject, and declares that we have communion with him in the whole of his humiliation and exaltation, being circumcised in him, and buried with him, and risen with him, and, in short, partakers of all his victories and triumphs.

In the text, three benefits are enumerated as conferred by him upon his believing people, and which we propose for our present consideration. If we were to adhere strictly to the order of time in which these benefits were procured for us and imparted to us, we must take the latter clauses of the text first: but, as this is not necessary, we shall rather notice them as they stand; and observe,

I.

He has quickened us when dead

The state of the Gentile world fitly represents the state of every unregenerate man
[We are dead before God, and doomed to everlasting death, on account of our sins [Note: Gal 3:10.] We are also under the habitual influence of the most corrupt desires, the mortifying of which was signified by the rite of circumcision, and the indulgence of which characterizes those who are uncircumcised in heart [Note: Tit 3:3. Eph 2:3.] We have no spiritual life whatever; nor are we even conscious of our own guilt and corruption; so justly may we be said to be altogether dead in our sins.]

But God has quickened us with, and by, his Son
[There is a federal relation subsisting between Christ and his people; so that when he was circumcised, they were circumcised; when he died, they died; when he rose, they rose. In all that he did and suffered, he was their representative, and they had communion with him as members with their head.

But besides this, they have a vital union with him, so as actually to receive life and vigour from him, whereby they rise to newness of life [Note: Gal 2:20.] In this restoration to life they are conformed to his likeness; they come forth from the grave of sin and corruption, and soar in their affections to the highest heavens, where from thenceforth their conversation is, and where they shall have their everlasting abode.]

In addition to this benefit,

II.

He has cancelled our obligation to punishment

This he has done in reference to,

1.

Past sins

[The trespasses which we commit in our unregenerate state are as numerous as the sands upon the sea shore: yet, on our believing in Christ, they are all forgiven. Whether they have been more or less heinous, they are all pardoned. This is not spoken of as a blessing that shall be enjoyed in the eternal world, but as actually possessed at this time. God has cast our sins behind him into the very depths of the sea [Note: Mic 7:19.] ]

2.

Present infirmities

[We must not be understood to say that believers have obtained a licence to commit sin with impunity; for nothing can be more contrary to truth: this would make Christ himself a minister of sin. But our meaning is this: the moral law denounces a curse against every one that transgresses it even in the smallest point. The ceremonial law illustrates and confirms those penal sanctions. The very sacrifices which were the appointed means of expiating sin, declared that the offerer deserved to die, and that he could not be saved but by the sufferings and death of an innocent victim. From hence it appears, that the hand-writing of ordinances, which, in its external obligation, related only to the Jews, did, in its spiritual and more enlarged sense, declare the state of all mankind, whether Jews or Gentiles: and in this view it was equally against us, and contrary to us.

Now this hand-writing Christ has blotted out, and, by nailing it to his cross, has taken it out of the way. There were different ways of cancelling a bond: sometimes it was blotted out; and sometimes it was pierced with a nail, and rendered thereby of no effect. Both these ways, if we may so speak, has Christ adopted, that we might have the fullest security that we shall never be dealt with according to the rigour of the law; and that the debt we owe on account of our unhallowed infirmities shall never be required at our hands.]
A further obligation he has conferred upon us, in that,

III.

He has defeated all our spiritual enemies

Satan and all his hosts are combined against us
[They have usurped a power over us, and governed us with most despotic sway [Note: Eph 2:2 and 2Ti 2:26.] ]

But Christ has completely triumphed over them upon his cross
[As a conqueror, he invaded the empire of Satan, and rescued millions of the human race from his dominion. He spoiled the principalities and powers of hell, and seized as his prey the souls of which they had so long held an undisturbed possession [Note: Luk 11:22. Isa 53:12.]. It was upon his cross that he effected this: for there it was that he satisfied divine justice; there it was he fulfilled and cancelled the obligations of the law; there it was that he paid the price of our salvation. He redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us [Note: Gal 3:13.]. His triumph was then complete. Like a victorious general leading in chains the distinguished personages whom the chance of war had put into his hands, our blessed Lord exhibited, as it were, to the view of God, of angels, and of his believing people, the vanquished powers of darkness: he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them upon his cross. He did not indeed, like earthly conquerors, exult in victories gained by the sword of others, and at the expense of their blood: his triumphs were gained by no sword but his, and with the loss of no blood but his: His own arm brought salvation; and he trod the wine-press of Gods wrath alone [Note: Isa 63:3; Isa 63:5.].]

Infer
1.

What a wonderful sight is the cross of Christ!

[The eye of sense can behold nothing in it but an instrument of punishment, and a person suffering upon it as a malefactor. But what will the eye of faith behold? It will discern, not a sufferer, but a conqueror; not one raised on an accursed tree, but exalted on a triumphant car: not one crowned with thorns, but wearing a wreath of victory: not one nailed and bleeding, but one blotting out with blood, and cancelling with nails, the bonds that were against his chosen people: not one himself a spectacle, but exhibiting to view his vanquished enemies: not the despised Nazarene, but the Lord of glory. Strange as it may sound, we affirm, that it was not Jesus, but the prince of this world that was then judged [Note: Joh 16:11.], cast out [Note: Joh 12:31.], destroyed [Note: Heb 2:14.]: for it was then that Jesus bruised the serpents head [Note: Gen 3:15.]: by death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered them who till that hour had been all their life-time subject to bondage [Note: Heb 2:14 and Psa 68:18.]. Prostrate before him lay the principalities and powers of hell. Yes, Satan, it was thy power that was then broken, thy shame that was then exposed, thy doom that was then irrevocably sealed. Thou art now an object of our contempt; and the weakest amongst us will set his feet upon thy neck, and tremble at thee no more [Note: Jos 10:24.]. Thou art fallen, O Lucifer, son of the morning; thou art fallen from heaven like lightning; and lower still shalt thou fall; for we thy once infatuated vassals can triumph over thee now; and thou shalt ere long be bruised under our feet [Note: Rom 16:20.].

Beloved brethren, turn aside and see this great sight,your triumphing Lord, and your despoiled enemies! Nor cease to contemplate it, till you are filled with admiration, and gratitude, and joy.]

2.

What folly is it to suffer ourselves to be diverted from it!

[This is the particular improvement which the Apostle himself makes of the passage. He had guarded the Colossians against the sceptical pride of philosophers [Note: ver. 8.]; and he proceeds to guard them against the self-justifying pride of Judaizing teachers [Note: ver. 16.]. To the one of these the cross of Christ was a stumbling-block, and to the other foolishness; but to those who viewed it aright, it was the power of God and the wisdom of God [Note: 1Co 1:23-24.]. Thus at this time we are particularly in danger of being led away from the simplicity of the Gospel, either by the conceits of philosophy, falsely so called, or by the observance of a formal round of duties. But let nothing draw your attention from the cross of Christ. It is by that only that you can be quickened: by that only you can be forgiven: by that only you can obtain deliverance from the penal sanction of the law, or victory over the enemies of your salvation. When you can find another object, or other principles, that can effect these things, then we consent that you shall disregard the cross of Christ. But till then, determine to know nothing [Note: 1Co 2:2.], trust in nothing [Note: Php 3:9.], glory in nothing [Note: Gal 6:14.], but Christ, and him crucified.]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

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;

Ver. 13. And you being dead ] See Trapp on “ Eph 2:1 “

Hath he quickened ] The first springing in the womb of grace is precious before God.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

13 15 .] Application, first to the (Gentile) Colossians, then to all believers, of the whole blessedness of this participation in Christ’s resurrection, and assertion of the antiquation of the law, and subjection of all secondary powers to Christ . And you, who were (or perhaps more strictly, when you were ) dead (allusion to [ ] immediately preceding) in your trespasses (see Eph 2:1 , notes) and ( in ) the uncircumcision of (i.e. which consisted in: this is better than, with Ellic., to regard the gen. as simply possessive) your flesh (i.e. having on you still your fleshly sinful nature, the carnal prputium which now, as spiritual, you have put away. So that, as Mey. very properly urges, it is not in , but in , that the ethical significance lies being their state still, but now indifferent), He (God who, not Christ, is the subject of the whole sentence, Col 2:13-15 . See the other side ingeniously, but to me not convincingly defended in Ellic.’s note here. He has to resort to the somewhat lame expedient of altering into : and even then the sentence would labour under the theological indecorum of making our Lord not the Resumer of His own Life merely, but the very Worker of acts which are by Himself and His Apostles always predicated of the Father. It will be seen by the whole translation and exegesis which follows, that I cannot for a moment accept the view which makes Christ the subject of these clauses) quickened you (this repetition of the personal pronoun is by no means unexampled, cf. Aristoph. Acharn. 391, | : see also Soph. d. Col. 1407: Demosth. p. 1225. 16 19. Bernhardy, p. 275 f.) together with Him (Christ: brought you up, objectively at His Resurrection, and subjectively when you were received among His people, out of this death. The question as to the reference, whether to spiritual or physical resurrection, is answered by remembering that the former includes the latter), having forgiven (the aorist participle (which aor. ‘ having forgiven ’ is in English, we having but one past active participle) is here not contemporaneous with . but antecedent: this forgiveness was an act of God wrought once for all in Christ, cf. below, and 2Co 5:19 ; Eph 4:32 ) us (he here passes from the particular to the general from the Colossian Gentiles to all believers) all our transgressions ( , Chrys.: but this, though true, makes the . apply to the ., which it does not), having wiped out (contemporary with in fact the same act explained in its conditions and details. On the word, see reff., and Plato, Rep. vi. p. 501, , , , : Dem. 468. 1, ( ) , 😉 the handwriting in decrees (cf. the similar expression , Eph 2:15 , and notes. Here, the force of – passes on to the dative, as if it were cf. Plato, Ep. vii. p. 343 a, . , . This explanation of the construction is negatived by Ellicott, on the ground of being “a synthetic compound, and apparently incapable of such a decomposition:” referring to Donaldson, Gram. 369 (it is 377). But there it is laid down that in synthetic compounds of this kind, the accent makes the difference between transitive and intransitive, without any assertion that the verbal element may not pass on in the construction. If means written by hands, then surely the element in which the writing consists may follow. Meyer would make the dative instrumental: but it can be so only in a very modified sense, the contents taken as the instrument whereby the sense is conveyed. The . represents the whole law , the obligatory bond which was against us (see below), and is apparently used because the Decalogue, representing that law, was written on tables of stone with the finger of God. The most various interpretations of it have been given. Calv., Beza, al., understand it of the mere ritual law : Calov., of the moral , against . above: Luther, Zwingl., al., of the law of conscience . Thdrt.’s view is very curious: he interprets . to mean our human body, , , , . . He urges as an objection to the usual interpretation, that the law was for Jews, not Gentiles, whereas the Apostle says . But this is answered by remembering, that the law was just as much against the Gentiles as against the Jews: it stood in their way of approach to God, see Rom 3:19 ; through it they would be compelled to come to Him, and by it, whether written on stone or on fleshy tablets, they were condemned before Him. Chrys., c., Thl., al., would understand , but this is against the whole anti-judaistic turn of the sentence) which was hostile to us (the repetition of the sentiment already contained in seems to be made by way of stronger emphasis, as against the false teachers, reasserting and invigorating the fact that the law was no help, but a hindrance to us. There does not appear to be any force of ‘ sub contrarius’ in ; Mey. refers, besides reff., to Herod. iii. 80, to , Diog. Laert. x. 77: , Aristot. poet. xxvi. 22 , Demosth. 1405. 18), and (not only so, but) has taken it (the handwriting itself , thus obliterated) away (i.e. ‘from out of the way,’ cf. reff.: Dem. de corona, p. 323, . : other places in Kypke, ii. 323: and the contrary expression, Dem. 682. 1, ), by nailing (contemporary with the beginning of ) it to the cross (“since by the death of Christ on the cross the condemnatory law lost its hold on us, inasmuch as Christ by this death bore the curse of the law for mankind ( Gal 3:13 ), in the fact of Christ being nailed to the Cross the Law was nailed thereon, in so far as, by Christ’s crucifixion, it lost its obligatory power and ceased to be .” Meyer. Chrys. finely says, . . ; . , . . ).

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Col 2:13 . Partially parallel to Eph 2:1 ; Eph 2:5 . : “and you”. Frequently this is taken to mean “you also,” i.e. , you Gentiles. But since Paul has been using the second person before, he can hardly be introducing a contrast. We should therefore take as simply copulative. It means “you as well as Christ,” as is shown also by the verbal parallel between . and . . Here Paul varies the sense of death. In the preceding verses it is death to the old life, here the old life itself is described as a condition of spiritual death. It is not of liability to eternal death (Mey.), or to physical death as the certain consequence of sin that he is speaking, but of a state of actual death, which can only be spiritual ( cf. “sin revived and I died,” Rom 7:9 ). : “by your trespasses”. The dative is probably one of Cause, but it could be translated by “in”. . are individual acts of transgression, of which is the principle. : “by the uncircumcision of your flesh”. This is often supposed to refer to literal uncircumcision, i.e. , to the fact that they were Gentiles. But we have already seen that there is no emphasis on this fact. And the implied contrast that Jews were not, while Gentiles were, spiritually dead, is impossible in Paul. He cannot have said that they were dead by reason of uncircumcision, and, if the dative is taken otherwise, yet the coupling of . with . . shows that physical uncircumcision is not referred to, but an ethical state. And this would not, as Abbott thinks, be unintelligible to Gentile readers, for he had already explained the metaphor in Col 2:11 . . is accordingly to be taken as an epexegetical genitive, “the uncircumcision which consisted in your flesh”. : to be taken in the same sense as , not in any of the senses wrongly attributed to that word, which are reintroduced here. Chrysostom (followed by Ew., Ell.) makes Christ the subject. This is defended by Ellicott on the ground of the prominence of Christ through the passage, of the difficulty of supplying from , and of referring the acts in Col 2:14-15 to the Father. But this last difficulty, urged also by Lightfoot, rests on a probably wrong interpretation of Col 2:15 . Neither of the others is of any weight against the argument from Pauline usage, which always refers such actions to God. This view would also involve the awkwardness of making Christ raise Himself and us with Him, whereas in Col 2:12 His resurrection is referred to God. It is therefore best to regard as the subject, as in the parallel Eph 2:4-5 . : “forgiving”. Forgiveness is contemporary with quickening. : the change from the second person may be due to Paul’s wish gratefully to acknowledge his own participation in this blessing. It must not (with Hofm.) be referred to Jewish Christians.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

being. i.e. at that time.

sins, App-128.

quickened together = made alive together. See Eph 2:6.

Him. Texts add, “even you”.

forgiven = graciously forgiven. App-184.

trespasses. Some as “sins”, above.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

13-15.] Application, first to the (Gentile) Colossians, then to all believers, of the whole blessedness of this participation in Christs resurrection, and assertion of the antiquation of the law, and subjection of all secondary powers to Christ. And you, who were (or perhaps more strictly, when you were) dead (allusion to [] immediately preceding) in your trespasses (see Eph 2:1, notes) and (in) the uncircumcision of (i.e. which consisted in: this is better than, with Ellic., to regard the gen. as simply possessive) your flesh (i.e. having on you still your fleshly sinful nature, the carnal prputium which now, as spiritual, you have put away. So that, as Mey. very properly urges, it is not in , but in , that the ethical significance lies- being their state still, but now indifferent), He (God-who, not Christ, is the subject of the whole sentence, Col 2:13-15. See the other side ingeniously, but to me not convincingly defended in Ellic.s note here. He has to resort to the somewhat lame expedient of altering into : and even then the sentence would labour under the theological indecorum of making our Lord not the Resumer of His own Life merely, but the very Worker of acts which are by Himself and His Apostles always predicated of the Father. It will be seen by the whole translation and exegesis which follows, that I cannot for a moment accept the view which makes Christ the subject of these clauses) quickened you (this repetition of the personal pronoun is by no means unexampled, cf. Aristoph. Acharn. 391,- | : see also Soph. d. Col. 1407: Demosth. p. 1225. 16-19. Bernhardy, p. 275 f.) together with Him (Christ: brought you up,-objectively at His Resurrection, and subjectively when you were received among His people,-out of this death. The question as to the reference, whether to spiritual or physical resurrection, is answered by remembering that the former includes the latter), having forgiven (the aorist participle (which aor. having forgiven is in English, we having but one past active participle) is here not contemporaneous with . but antecedent: this forgiveness was an act of God wrought once for all in Christ, cf. below, and 2Co 5:19; Eph 4:32) us (he here passes from the particular to the general-from the Colossian Gentiles to all believers) all our transgressions ( , Chrys.: but this, though true, makes the . apply to the ., which it does not), having wiped out (contemporary with -in fact the same act explained in its conditions and details. On the word, see reff., and Plato, Rep. vi. p. 501, , , , : Dem. 468. 1, ( ) , 😉 the handwriting in decrees (cf. the similar expression , Eph 2:15, and notes. Here, the force of – passes on to the dative, as if it were -cf. Plato, Ep. vii. p. 343 a, . , . This explanation of the construction is negatived by Ellicott, on the ground of being a synthetic compound, and apparently incapable of such a decomposition: referring to Donaldson, Gram. 369 (it is 377). But there it is laid down that in synthetic compounds of this kind, the accent makes the difference between transitive and intransitive, without any assertion that the verbal element may not pass on in the construction. If means written by hands, then surely the element in which the writing consists may follow. Meyer would make the dative instrumental: but it can be so only in a very modified sense, the contents taken as the instrument whereby the sense is conveyed. The . represents the whole law, the obligatory bond which was against us (see below), and is apparently used because the Decalogue, representing that law, was written on tables of stone with the finger of God. The most various interpretations of it have been given. Calv., Beza, al., understand it of the mere ritual law: Calov., of the moral, against . above: Luther, Zwingl., al., of the law of conscience. Thdrt.s view is very curious: he interprets . to mean our human body,- , , , . . He urges as an objection to the usual interpretation, that the law was for Jews, not Gentiles, whereas the Apostle says . But this is answered by remembering, that the law was just as much against the Gentiles as against the Jews: it stood in their way of approach to God, see Rom 3:19; through it they would be compelled to come to Him, and by it, whether written on stone or on fleshy tablets, they were condemned before Him. Chrys., c., Thl., al., would understand , -but this is against the whole anti-judaistic turn of the sentence) which was hostile to us (the repetition of the sentiment already contained in seems to be made by way of stronger emphasis, as against the false teachers, reasserting and invigorating the fact that the law was no help, but a hindrance to us. There does not appear to be any force of subcontrarius in ; Mey. refers, besides reff., to Herod. iii. 80, -to , Diog. Laert. x. 77: , Aristot. poet. xxvi. 22 , Demosth. 1405. 18), and (not only so, but) has taken it (the handwriting itself, thus obliterated) away (i.e. from out of the way, cf. reff.: Dem. de corona, p. 323, . : other places in Kypke, ii. 323: and the contrary expression, Dem. 682. 1,- ), by nailing (contemporary with the beginning of ) it to the cross (since by the death of Christ on the cross the condemnatory law lost its hold on us, inasmuch as Christ by this death bore the curse of the law for mankind (Gal 3:13),-in the fact of Christ being nailed to the Cross the Law was nailed thereon, in so far as, by Christs crucifixion, it lost its obligatory power and ceased to be . Meyer. Chrys. finely says, . . ; . , . . ).

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Col 2:13. , and you) The discourse, Col 2:10-12, was indefinite under the form of the second person, whereas now he speaks strictly in the second person; and, indeed, there is a remarkable Asyndeton [want of the copulative conjunction], by which Col 2:13-15, are connected.- , being dead) Eph 2:1-2.- , in the uncircumcision of the flesh) An exquisite term for original sin.- ) God hath quickened you together with Christ; comp Eph 2:4-5. The words, took away (, Col 2:14), and made a show (, Col 2:15), which have no copulative conjunction connecting them, either with one another or with ,[8] depend on this expression, along with the annexed participles, all of which (viz. both the verbs and the participles) are to be referred to God the Father.-) The aorist is determined by the tense of the verb, to which it is added. Now, I adopt this reading, ,[9] and connect this clause with the preceding words. In this view, Col 2:13, along with those that precede it, addresses the Gentiles; and Col 2:14 introduces the Jews speaking.-, offences) from which death had arisen. Deliverance from the reproach of sin, Col 2:14, and deliverance from the power of darkness, Col 2:15, are united with this deliverance from sin.

[8] For the before qualifies it, and is not a copulative of the verbs, as the Engl. Vers. makes it.-ED.

[9] For the reading , in the larger Ed., is considered not so certain: whereas by the margin of 2d Ed., with the concurrence of the Germ. Vers., it is reckoned among those that are more certain.-E. B.

is read by ABCDGfg Hilar. 204, 773. is supported by Vulg. Hilar. 990, 1067, and according to Lachm. by B (but Tisch. claims B for ).-ED.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Col 2:13

Col 2:13

And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,-They were Gentiles, as such uncircumcised; this external condition fitly indicates their depraved and carnal condition. Their uncircumcision was once the sign of their fleshly condition, but now they had received the circumcision of the heart.

you, I say, did he make alive together with him,-Now he had made them alive, brought them together with himself, when they had been buried and raised with Christ.

having forgiven us all our trespasses;-The Lords resurrection was the expression of the fact of his acceptance by the Father; our entrance on union with him as the Risen One was the expression of our acceptance in him. [This is the most beautiful allusion to circumcision imaginable. There were those who had accepted the gospel, who through the influence of false teachers were led to think they needed to be circumcised in order to secure the remission of sin. To them the apostle said: You are complete in Christ; you need not be circumcised with a circumcision made with hands. The fleshly circumcision only took off a small portion of flesh; but spiritual circumcision, which we have in being crucified with Christ, in being buried with him in baptism, cuts off without a knife, and without a hand, the whole body of the sins of the flesh. This is Christs way of circumcising. So we have a circumcision of all sins, the mighty mass is now cut off through our faith and baptism into Christ, with whom we have risen through the faith of the mighty operation of God, who raised him from the dead.]

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Avoiding Errors

Col 2:13-23

The reiteration of the prepositions in and with emphasizes our close identification with our Savior. Such we are in the purpose of God, and so we should be in daily experience. In union with Him we have once and forever put away the sins of the flesh, have lain in His grave, have passed to the heavenside of death, and are living under the blue sky of acceptance with God. Our Masters victory is potentially ours. He won it, but we may share its fruits. Yet faith must apprehend and affirm these blessings. The land of Canaan is ours by right, but every inch has to be claimed by faith. Faith is an affirmation and act that bids eternal truth be fact.

We must not allow our religious life to become a piece of outward ritual, Col 2:16-17; nor permit the supposed mediation of angels to obscure the supreme majesty of our Lord, Col 2:18-19. We who have died with Christ must not be always regulating ourselves by the donts of the Law. Let us enter Christs more intimate fellowship and live on the positive side. Ours should be the freedom of a full life, and the ampler vision of the mountains. Nothing else really avails against the indulgence of the flesh.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

dead: Eze 37:1-10, Luk 9:60, Luk 15:24, Luk 15:32, Rom 6:13, 2Co 5:14, 2Co 5:15, Eph 2:1, Eph 2:5, Eph 2:6, Eph 5:14, 1Ti 5:6, Heb 6:1, Heb 9:14, Jam 2:17, Jam 2:20, Jam 2:26

the uncircumcision: Eph 2:11

he: Psa 71:20, Psa 119:50, Joh 5:21, Joh 6:63, Rom 4:17, Rom 8:11, 1Co 15:36, 1Co 15:45, 2Co 3:6, *marg. 1Ti 6:13

having: Psa 32:1, Isa 1:18, Isa 55:7, Jer 31:34, Act 13:38, Act 13:39, 2Co 5:19, Heb 8:10-12, 1Jo 1:7-9, 1Jo 2:12

Reciprocal: Gen 2:17 – surely Num 12:12 – as one dead Psa 85:2 – forgiven Mat 8:22 – and Joh 5:25 – when Act 10:45 – the Gentiles Rom 5:6 – For Rom 6:4 – we are Rom 11:17 – being Rom 12:3 – not to Gal 2:20 – nevertheless Eph 1:7 – the forgiveness Phi 3:10 – and the power Col 1:14 – the Col 3:1 – risen Col 3:7 – General Rev 3:1 – and art

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

(Col 2:13.) , -And you, being dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you He quickened with Him. Any differences of reading are too trivial to be noted save that which repeats on the authority of A, C, J, K. The apostle still continues the general thought without any formal and specific connection. The connection proposed by Steiger, namely, to join the first clause to the participle , is utterly untenable. It would create tautology, and the repetition of does not render it necessary. Bernhardy, p. 275. We far prefer connecting with the verb . Though we admire the acuteness and general soundness of Meyer, yet we wonder how here, and in Eph 2:1, he comes to the conclusion that refers to physical death. For the dead condition was one of reality, though it be past. It was not a liability to death; they were not, as he phrases it-so gut wie todt-certo morituri, they were mortui. Besides, the liability to physical death is not removed by faith in Christ. And the quickening and upraising are already experienced, they are not blessings to be enjoyed uncounted years afterwards. The apostle does not surely say-that believers were soon and certainly to die, and that when the Saviour came again, they should all be summoned out of their graves to the possession of eternal life. But he appeals to present enjoyments already conferred-to a death which had bound them, and a life which the Divine energy had infused into them. Meyer argues for the ideal possession of life now, and its full realization at the second coming. But if such ideal possession leave the dreadful reality untouched, it brings with it no good. If, instead of ideal poss ession, he had said partial possession, he would have come nearer the truth. For the life now enjoyed is, alas, too often faint and languid in its pulsations, and the fulness of its strength is a future bestowment. We therefore take the tenses in their simple significance, and not in any proleptic sense, as even Chrysostom takes them, and we regard the preposition before , as denoting that condition in which spiritual death exists. When Meyer insists that the life to which believers are raised is eternal life, and that nothing less can be meant by the apostle, he forgets that present spiritual life precedes-that glory is only the consummation of grace, and that eternal life is but the crown and perfect development of emotions already felt, occupations already begun, and pleasures already experienced. The life implanted now is brought to maturity in a sphere where all is congenial to its tastes and instincts, its susceptibilities and powers. The Colossians had been really and spiritually dead, they were now as really and spiritually alive. They had been not only exposed to death on account of sin, but had been dead in sin. Now they are not simply gifted with the charter of a life yet to be reached, but they are actually living in faith and holiness. The nature of this death, and its connection with sin, along with the meaning of , will be found explained in the parallel place, Eph 2:1, etc. There is no ground for Olshausen’s notion, that the prior clause has a general meaning, and that this verse begins a practical application; for the same appeal runs throughout, only it may be more pointed and intense in the verse before us.

-And in the uncircumcision of your flesh. The apostle here alludes to their Gentile extraction. They wanted in their flesh the seal of the Abrahamic covenant. We incline to take the words in their literal sense. Uncircumcision had, indeed, sometimes a spiritual meaning. Deu 10:16; Jer 4:4. Theodoret adopts such a sense here-. . ; so also Beza, Grotius, Bhr, Steiger. But such an interpretation rather takes up the result than gives the meaning. Thus, the Gentiles were uncircumcised, and in consequence were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God. Their degraded, miserable, idolatrous, and dead state was the effect of their uncircumcision. Calvin says-sed tamen Paulus hic loqueretur de contumacia cordis humani adversus Deum, et natura pravis affectionibus inquinata. But there is no occasion to take in other than its physical meaning. Beza takes the genitive as one of apposition-flesh, which is uncircumcision, a thing abominable to God; while others render it-praeputium nempe vitiositas. That uncircumcision and flesh are to be taken in their ordinary physical sense, is also apparent from the change of person in the last clause. Did the term simply signify natural corruption, then the apostle himself was once in such a state. But he does not feel or say so. On the contrary, he makes the distinction you Gentiles were dead in the uncircumcision of your flesh-but we, Jew and Gentile alike, are forgiven our trespasses. See under next clause. Uncircumcision of the flesh was the physical mark of a heathen state, and that heathen state was in consequence of this want, and in itself, one of degradation, impurity and death. The flesh which had not the seal was truly corrupted and sinful. It is pressing the clause too much to bring out of it a proof of original sin, as is done by Zanchius and Bengel; the latter calls it-exquisita appellatio peccati originalis. The false teachers insisted strenuously on the necessity of circumcision-a theory very common in those times, for believing Jews were zealous of the law. But the apostle naturally says-True, ye were uncircumcised; your flesh had not been wounded so as to bear the sign of the Divine covenant, but ye have been circumcised, not with a manual operation, but with the circumcision of Christ. The apostle admits that they were uncircumcised, for they did not belong to Israel, but he has already contended that such a circumcision as that which of old disabled the Shechemites from self-defence, and kept the Israelites after they crossed the Jordan from commencing the conquest, did not become them, and was in their case wholly superfluous, for they had been spiritually initiated, and had put off the body of flesh. They had been dead in sins-this was their real moral state; dead too in the uncircumcision of their flesh, and this was their external and heathen condition. Looking at them as men, they were dead in sins-looking at them as heathen men, they were dead also in the uncircumcision of their flesh.

-You He brought to life together with Him. The nominative is still God-not Christ, as Heinrichs would have it. The work of quickening is God’s prerogative. This process of life-giving is not simply redemption, as De Wette gives it, but rather one special aspect or blessing of it. It is used with perfect propriety, for life is the blessing appropriate to the dead. Some wonder why should have occurred before it, since the idea of resurrection so naturally follows that of life-giving. But in both places the verbs are in harmony with the figure; the apostle, in Col 2:12, speaks of burial, and therefore he employs the term resurrection, while here he speaks simply of death, and so he places life in correspondence and contrast with it. But not only so, there is also a difference of allusion and meaning. The burial there is a voluntary renunciation of sin, and off-casting of its body-the completing point of the process of death to sin; but here it is a death in sin which the apostle describes, and out of which the Colossians had been raised by the power of God, and through their union with Christ. The former is a series of acts in which the believer in the enjoyment of vivifying energy dies unto sin-and puts off the flesh. Nay, the more he lives, the more he dies; and in proportion to the growth and development of life are the extent and progress of death. It is a special view of the work of sanctification, in which, according to the measure of life to God, there is death to sin. But the death described in this verse is very different. It is a death which pre-exists life, and does not co-exist with it-death in sin-in consequence of its fatal reign and power. The one is dying-a conscious state; the other is death-a condition of insensibility and danger. In the one, the decay of love to sin may be registered; in the other, the mastery of sin is spirit ual paralysis and death. The nature of this life, and its connection with Christ, are illustrated under Eph 2:5.

-Having forgiven us all our trespasses. The reading is on largely preponderant authority preferred to the of the Received Text. It is easy to see how should have been inserted, as precedes. Nor is it difficult to apprehend why the apostle should say us instead of you. He speaks in one clause of a distinctive feature of their past spiritual state-dead in the uncircumcision of your flesh. That was peculiar to them, but death in sin was common both to him and to them, and they were now both partakers of the common salvation. They both had enjoyed forgiveness, and so he says-having forgiven us our trespasses. The aorist participle points to forgiveness as something past, and yet preceding the act of life-giving. Having forgiven your trespasses, He has quickened you. The pardoning and life-giving are scarcely synonymous, as some would argue. But this dead state is a guilty state, for it is a sinful state, and all sin brings down upon itself the Divine displeasure and penalty. Having forgiven them these trepasses, which were the source and means of death, He brings them out of it. To have given them spiritual life, and yet kept them under the penalty of sin, which is legal death, would have been a process in which one gift neutralized its fellow. The restoration to life is thus the token and result of a prior forgiveness. The welcome to the prodigal son was a proof that he had been pardoned. The death was one in trespasses; and those very trepasses, yea all of them, are blotted out. The reader is requested to turn to what is said under chap. Col 1:14, and under Eph 1:7. The life is not, as Bhmer imagines, subsequent to this forgiveness, because the pardon is God’s special act, whereas the life originates in man’s co-operation and response. This doctrine is neither stated nor implied. Nor is it true. For all life is God’s immediate gift, from its lowest to its highest forms. No human chemistry can produce it beneath us-no suasion nor art can create it within us. It is a drop out of the Fountain of Life. [Eph 1:20.] The apostle proceeds to describe the process through which sin was forgiven-or that work which God had done, the result of which had been to them life and forgiveness.

Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians

Col 2:13. All statements in this verse except the last one are figurative. Death means a separation, and as long as these people were living in their sins they were separated from God and hence were dead to Him. They likewise were uncircumcised during that time since their sins had not been cut off. To be quickened means to be made alive, or have the condition of death just described, reversed by obedience to the Gospel. With him means with Christ, which was done when they were “buried with Him” in baptism. When all this was done, God forgave them all trespasses.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Col 2:13. And you, being dead; when you were dead, while in this state; comp. throughout Eph 2:1.

By (or, on account of) your trespasses. The preposition in is rejected by recent critical editors on sufficient authority; the phrase is then precisely as in Eph 2:1, where, however, sins is added. Here the previous context naturally suggests the addition: the uncircumcision of year flesh. This is the spiritual application of a literal fact. They were Gentiles, as such uncircumcised; this external condition fitly indicated their depraved, carnal condition. Flesh has its ethical sense, though not without an allusion to the physical flesh, their uncircumcision was once the sign of their fleshly condition, but now they had received circumcision of the heart (Col 2:11).

You (repeated in the Greek according to the best authorities) did he quicken together with him. It is God who quickens; comp. Eph 2:5. The reference here is the same as in raised with Him (Col 2:12), probably the future resurrection is slightly more prominent

Having to-given us all our trespasses. The manuscript authority for us is decisive; our is the proper rendering of the Greek article here, while having forgiven points the act which necessarily preceded the quickening, Gods act of reconciliation and justification, passed upon those who believe. The objective ground of this gracious forgiveness is set forth in Col 2:14. As most commentators accept a change of subject in the close of this paragraph, some have placed the transition at this point; but it seems better to make the change coincide with the change in construction in Col 2:14. Notice, however, that while God is still the subject, the language is strictly applicable only to God in Christ, so that the transition to Christ as the subject is easy.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Still our apostle proceeds in proving, that we are complete in Christ, and that the Colossians had no need of circumcision in the flesh, having all in Christ that was necessary for justification as well as sanctification.

To satisfy them herein, observe, 1. He acquaints them with their deplorable condition by nature, you being dead in your sins, without any hope of spiritual life, and by reason of uncircumcision of your flesh, aliens from the church of God (and strangers to all the promises made unto it) hath he quickened and pardoned, having freely forgiven you all your trespasses.

O blessed privilege of justification, to have sin forgiven, trespasses universally forgiven, all trespasses freely forgiven!

Observe, 2. What it cost Christ to purchase pardon for us, to discharge us from our obligation to wrath, and our obnoxiousness to the curse and condemnation of the law; no less then his precious life laid down upon the cross, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances against us, and contrary to us, &c. An allusion to a practice amongst men, who cancel bills and bonds, and all obligations, wherein they stood bound, when once the debt is satisfied.

Now, says the apostle, your debt of sin is paid to the justice of God, by the death of Christ; and seeing the obligation is cancelled, it would be madness and impiety to renew it again, as those do who plead for circumcision and practise the legal ceremonies.

Note here, There was an obligation upon every man to undergo the curse of the law; for violating the commands of the law, there was an handwriting against us. The obligation must be cancelled, before the condemning power of the law can be abolished, and sin pardoned: None but Christ could cancel this obligation? and not he neither, without paying the full sum payable from us; Christ when hanging on the cross, did nail this handwriting to his cross, which shall never be produced in judgment against the penitent believer; but this obligation remains upon the file uncancelled, with respect to all sinners who live and die in their sins, and they shall always lie in prison, ever satisfying, but never able fully to satisfy this obligation.

Observe, 3. That Christ hath not only by his death cancelled this handwriting, and nailed it to his cross, but has vanquished and triumphed over all our spiritual enemies; Satan, and all the powers of hell are led as so many pinioned captives before the triumphant chariot of his cross, making them a spectacle of scorn and shame in the eyes of God, angels and men; having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them, openly, &c.

Note here, 1. Christ’s bloody cross was a chariot of triumph unto him. Lord! whilst thou were bleeding and racking upon the gibbet for us, thou wert then rejoicing and triumphing for the benefits redounding to us.

Note, 2. That Satan, that great conqueror, was conquered by Christ, and led in triumph before the chariot of the cross. O Satan, thou wert never thus baffled, befooled, and disappointed before! When thou and thy agents were spoiling Christ, even then was he spoiling principalities and powers, and triumphing over them, when they were insulting over him: The serpent now bruised our Lord’s heel, but had his own head and power forever broken; triumphing over them in it, that is, in and by his cross.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Col 2:13-15. And you Believing Gentiles; being formerly dead in your sins Under the guilt and power of your sins, (see on Eph 2:1; Eph 2:5,) and the uncircumcision of your flesh Your corrupt and unrenewed nature, your uncircumcised heart and affections; hath he God the Father; quickened Brought you out of that state by infusing into you spiritual life: together with him Through the merit of Christs death, and in conformity to his resurrection; having forgiven you all trespasses In consequence of his having atoned for them. Blotting out the handwriting Where a debt is contracted, it is usually testified by some handwriting. And when the debt is forgiven, the handwriting is destroyed, either by blotting it out, taking it away, or tearing it. The apostle expresses in all these three ways Gods destroying the handwriting which was contrary to us. And perhaps, as Macknight thinks, in the expression, nailing it to the cross, he alludes to an ancient custom of abrogating laws, by driving a nail through the tables on which they were written, and hung up to public view. The word , here rendered ordinances, is used by the LXX., Eze 20:26, for the rites of the ceremonial law, as it is also Eph 2:15, and that law is evidently here meant. St. Paul says, it was against us; meaning, 1st, The Jews, who had been under an obligation to fulfil it, and whose guilt and liableness to punishment it testified. It was also, 2d, Against and contrary to the Gentiles, as being a middle wall of partition, hindering them from coming to God, and putting an enmity between them and the Jews. This Christ took away by abolishing the obligation of it, and admitting the believing Gentiles to be fellow-heirs with the believing Jews, of the promises and blessings of the gospel, without their becoming subject to it. See notes on Eph 2:14-18. And having spoiled principalities and powers The evil angels, of their usurped dominion, in consequence of his having conquered them. For in the original expression, , which signifies having stripped off, there is an allusion to the ancient custom of victors, who were wont to strip the vanquished of their arms and clothes. Hence the word is taken to signify spoiling in general. That the evil angels are here said to be spoiled by Christs dying on the cross, seems evident from what we read elsewhere. Christ, speaking of his death, said to his disciples, (Joh 12:31,) Now shall, , the prince, or ruler, of this world be cast out; and, Joh 16:11, , the prince of this world is judged. See also Eph 4:8. And by spoiling them we may understand, with Hammond, Whitby, and others, the destruction of idolatry, the silencing the heathen oracles, and the banishing of those grievous superstitions, with which mankind had been so long oppressed. Some others, however, by these principalities and powers understand the Jewish rulers and great men, who in the first age grievously persecuted the disciples of Christ. But this interpretation seems unnatural, and certainly was not verified by fact at the time when the apostle wrote this epistle, the Jewish sanhedrim and rulers being still in power. He God the Father; made a show of them openly Before all the hosts of hell and heaven; triumphing over them in or by it Even that cross whereby they hoped to have triumphed over him, God turning their counsels against themselves, and ruining their empire by that death of his Son which they had been so eager to accomplish. Or the clause may be rendered, triumphing over them in him; in Christ. By turning the heathen from the power of Satan to God, it was shown that the evil spirits, who formerly ruled them, were vanquished and stripped of their power. It is supposed, that in this and the preceding clause there is an allusion to the Roman triumphs, of which see on 2Co 2:14; and that St. Paul represents Christ himself, or his apostles, as riding in triumph through the world, with the evil spirits following the triumphant car in chains, and exposed to public view as vanquished enemies.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

ARGUMENT 11

THE CROSS IS UNIVERSAL VICTORY

13. Quickened along with him. Quickened is zoopoiese, from zoe, life, and poieo, to create. Hence, to create life in the dead soul. Regeneration is a stupendous worka de novo creationas literal as the creation of a world. The great trouble with the Churches is at this point. All regenerated people long for holiness. Others do not want more, because they have never had a taste. A dead man does not want his dinner.

14. Having blotted out the handwriting which was against us in creeds, which was detrimental to us, and took it from the midst, nailing it to the cross. Ordinances in E. V., here does not mean Divine ordinances like baptism and the Eucharist, but human ordinances; i.e., human creeds, decrees, opinions, and authorities, which in all ages have enslaved the mind, conscience, soul, and spirit of generations. All thesei.e., all human authoritiesChrist nailed to the cross when he died to redeem us from chains of sin, bound on us by men or devils in all ages. Why dont you claim your perfect enfranchisement, and go to shouting, since Christ has snapped every chain and smashed every fetter, and made you free as an angel; i.e., free to do everything good and nothing bad? When human authority corroborates the Divine, you incidentally obey; when there is a conflict, your perfect freedom puts you on Gods side.

15. Having spoiled governments and authorities, he publicly exposed them, triumphing over them on it; i.e., on the cross. Unutterable and transcendent victory! When Christ died on the cross he publicly exhibited to a gazing world the utter ruin of all human governments and authorities, political and ecclesiastical. This victory is to be verified in the fulfillment of the Fathers promise, I will make thine enemies thy footstool. O the chains of slavery with which Babylon has bound the consciences and blinded the minds of earths millions the last fifteen hundred years! How many people this day enjoy the wondrous freedom which Jesus purchased with his blood? He said, My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Yet to this day the world is in bondage to the devil and the priest. Even the Protestant Churches en masse are in legal bondage, new institutions unheard of in the Bible being constantly invented to tighten the yoke and add to the burden, prejudicing the world against the very name of religion.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

2:13 {12} And you, being dead in your sins {13} and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

(12) Another thing baptism symbolises is, that we who were dead in sin, might obtain free remission of sins and eternal life, through faith in Christ who died for us.

(13) A new argument which lies in these few words, and it is this: uncircumcision was no hindrance to you in obtaining life, because you were justified in Christ; therefore you do not need circumcision for the attainment of salvation.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Unbelievers are sinners by nature ("uncircumcision of your flesh," i.e., sinful nature), and practice ("transgressions," i.e., violations of God’s standards). Nevertheless, God has forgiven believers. He has cancelled our bill of debt. This is true if as Jews we violated the Law of Moses (special revelation). [Note: See Hal Harless, "The Cessation of the Mosaic Covenant," Bibliotheca Sacra 160:639 (July-September 2003):349-66.] And it is also true if as Gentiles we violated the law of God written on our hearts (general revelation, Rom 2:14-15).

The Greek term translated "cancelled out" (Col 2:14, exaleipsas) suggests the smearing of letters written on wax. [Note: C. F. D. Moule, The Epistles . . ., p. 98. Cf. Barclay, pp. 170-71.] Our certificate of debt was hostile to us in that it hounded us through a guilty conscience and scriptural warnings. Christ erased the debt and removed the certificate. God crucified this certificate with Christ on the cross. The final phrase in Col 2:14 may be an allusion to the superscription above Jesus’ cross.

"What the metaphor says is that Jesus took the damning indictment and nailed it to His cross-presumably as an act of triumphant defiance in the face of those blackmailing powers that were holding it over men and women as a means of commanding their allegiance. If there is an analogy here, it may lie in the fact that Jesus’ own accusation was fixed to His cross. Just as His own indictment was fastened there, says Paul, so he takes the indictment drawn up against his people and nails it to His cross. His victorious passion sets them free from their bankruptcy and bondage." [Note: Bruce, 564:296. Cf. O’Brien, Colossians . . ., p. 124.]

Christ really died as our substitute under the charge of the broken Mosaic Law, not under the supposed charge that He falsely claimed to be the King of the Jews. [Note: F. F. Bruce, Commentary on the Epistle to the Colossians in Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians by E. K. Simpson and F. F. Bruce, pp. 238-39.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)