Did Paul Nail The Law to the Cross? David Field April 24, 2011
Colossians 2 (KJV) 1For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
The setting of this is Paul is setting up assemblies of followers of the Yahshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ in loose English). He is corresponding in written letters back and forth between these early churches, or groups of followers. Paul is apparently answering questions and addressing issues of the newly formed gentile believers of the Messiah.
Colossians 2 14Blotting 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; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
To understand this, a little Jewish History is in order. Previous to the time of Yahshua, Israel had split into two nations. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with their portion of the Levite priests made up the southern kingdom of Judea. And the northern kingdom of Israel were the other ten tribes, and a portion of Levi. Subsequently, Yahwah allowed Israel to be conquered by the Assyrians. So the northern tribes were scattered among the gentile nations in the area to the north.
To fully understand the New Testament, we must have a firm foundation in the Hebrew Tanakh, known as the Old Testament. Yahwah God has indicated in Jeremiah 3 that because of idolatry, which He calls whoredom, going to bed with other gods, He will not keep Israel. Israel is out of covenant and he must let them go, divorcing them. Now the law of the Torah in divorce is the wife cannot return to the husband following this divorce. So this estranged woman, the house of Israel is driven from the Promised Land with no hope of returning.
This is the setting during the time of Yahshua. Paul is called of the Lord Yahwah to spread the news to the gentile nations that include these Israelites, that the Messiah has died on the cross to pay for their infraction of the law. Yahshua paid the price for the sin of whoredom, and all sin of the world. He did not rescind the law of the father, but He did cancel the debt with full payment. He paid the price, and now He is the bridegroom. Yahwah’s law still stands true, as always. Yahwah’s word cannot be destroyed or changed in anyway, cannot be taken from or added to.
Colossians 2 16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbathdays: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
Modern Christianity takes the stand that verse 16 above, gives permission to throw out all the law of the Torah. But it does not give permission to change the law of Yah He wrote in stone for permanence with his own finger. Everybody knows the inference when you write in stone. Christianity is twisting these scripture one-hundred-eighty degrees. Paul is talking to newly converted gentile and/or Jewish believers of the Hebrew Messiah. Paul is talking about those that would judge them for keeping the commandments of the Torah, the feasts and so on. Those that ridicule are their gentile neighbors, not the body of Yahshua. He goes on to say, “except the body of Christ”. To the body of believers, listen to only. Do not listen to the pagans. The italicized word in verse 17, “is” was added by King James’ men, and should be removed to read correctly. “Let no [pagan] judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of a new moon, or of the Sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [of Messiah].
Colossians 2 20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Reading on verse 20, Paul says to be dead to the rudiments of the world. This would be the pagan tradition of men, brought in from Rome, Sunday worship, Christmas, Easter, and so on. This states that Paul is teaching the early church to observe the commandments of Yahwah recorded in the Torah, Jews call the Law of Moses, the first five books of your Old Testament.
Matthew 7 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Galatians 1 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul here states that the gospel he is preaching is straight from Yahshua, the son of the father Yahwah. Yahshua stated that he came to do not his own will, but the will of the father that sent him. This means Paul’s gospel would be the same gospel Yahwah gave to Moses, as recorded in the Torah.
John 5 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Matthew 5 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Exodus 12 14And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
This is speaking of the Passover. Notice the words “for ever”, and “throughout your generations”. It is kept in the family home. This begins the feast of unleavened bread for seven days. While it is true the blood of the Messiah is the saving grace, he expects us to obey his commandments, and observe the feasts, instead of paganism. This is one verse of many using these words “for ever”, and throughout your generations” in the instruction of the Torah.
Galations 3 29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Gentiles are grafted into the Vine through the shed Blood. Also, Jews are redeemed through the shed Blood. So now if you wish to be in the house of the Lord, the Hebrew Jewish house, you must leave your paganism behind, and follow house rules. This is the way it always worked if you read the Old Testament, and still does. Yahwah never changes.
Your god is who are devoted to and whom you take orders from. You are clearly not taking orders from Him or the bible when you observe the traditions of men, rather than the instruction of the bible.
And Peter predicted that the words of Paul would be distorted.
2 Peter 3 15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Like wise Paul is predicting that there would be those that would seek false teachings to satisfy their desire for self-satisfaction. Take your pick, there are many of these prosperity gospel evangelists on TV, and around in the churches, which are the wolves in sheep’s clothing, the hirelings that will take your last dime, Yahshua warned us about, teaching the fable that when you empty your wallet into their collection plate, god will in turn bless your wallet. Those looking for this are only giving to get, but may only get something from the enemy, but for a time.
2 Timothy 4 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.