Colossians 2:16 Explanation number 6

The word sabbath in Colossians 2:16 is the ceremonial sabbaths and the fourth Commandment the Sabbath because the word used in both cases in the New Testament is “Sabbaton.”

This argument is used by those who keep the Sabbath of the Lord but also insist that the ceremonial sabbaths must also still be kept. The argument is that all uses of the Greek word “Sabbaton” in the New Testament that say “Sabbath Day” other than Colossians 2:16 are referring to the fourth Commandment so therefore, since Colossians 2:16 uses the same Greek word “Sabbaton” for sabbath days, it must be referring the Sabbath of the Lord also. This is really bad logic and theology. One cannot base their theology on how many other places a particular Greek word is translated in a certain way.

It saddens me to say that this person titled this following quote under the title “Rocket science update!!!”
“Thus it is reasonable and logical to conclude, regardless of your I.Q., that the Greek word Sabbaton in Colossians 2:16 also refers to the weekly Sabbath. This is the conclusion of every single bible commentary known to man. With one exception, the SDA bible commentary.”

The above statement in regards to “This is the conclusion of every single bible commentary known to man” is dishonest and casts serious doubt as to whether this person can be trusted at all and is only trying to convince others of what they want to believe. See Colossians 2:16 excuse number 7. This person is attacking a particular Church in an attempt to twist this passage into saying that the ordinances still have to be followed, that is, we still need to keep all the feast holydays such as Passover. The context of this passage was totally ignored by this person who just played on the Greek words in an attempt to justify their argument. The Greek word used for Sabbath is “Sabbaton” all through the New Testament as it simply means a day of rest. It just means “Sabbath.” The fourth Commandment is called “Sabbath” and the ceremonial sabbaths are also called “sabbath.” Why would one expect the Greek word to change? It just means “Sabbath,” which means a day of rest. There is only one way to establish if it is the Sabbath of the Lord or a ceremonial sabbath being referred to and that is by the context and wording of the passage.

Sometimes it is easy as God calls His Sabbath “MY Sabbath” where the ceremonial sabbaths were called “HER sabbaths” as in they were for Israel only. These first two you will note refer to the fourth Commandment the Sabbath of the Lord.

Exodus 31:13 “Speak you also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD that does sanctify you.”
Ezekiel 20:20 “And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.”

These next two verses refer to ceremonial sabbaths that were for Israel only. You will note the resemblance in the next verse once again to Colossians 2:16. Note how it refers to the holy feast days, the new moons and the sabbath days that God WILL bring to an end, that is, to cease.

Hosea 2:11 “I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.”
Lamentations 1:7 “Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.”

Colossians 2:16 Explanation number 7

In regards to those who insist that Paul is saying that the feast holydays must still be kept, it is said that ALL commentaries that say Colossians 2:16 is referring to the ceremonial sabbaths only and that they were nailed to the cross, are Seventh-day Adventist commentaries.

The person responsible for this statement gave me a link to their web site in order to try and convince me to come around to their way of thinking. See their “Rocket science update!!!” in “Excuse number 6”

I informed this person that this was incorrect and gave them commentaries for proof. I was thanked for the information that they should have already known and was told that this would promptly be corrected. I checked a few weeks on to see if they had done what they promised but sadly, I found this incorrect and dishonest information still on their web site. Why? To leave this information on their site that they do not deny is wrong is willful sin of which no sacrifice will cover as this is deliberate un-repented sin. (Hebrews 10:16) They acknowledged this error but failed to change it. Why not? Something is seriously wrong here. This person also stated on their web site that Jesus kept the feast Holydays that ended at the cross and He is our perfect example so we should keep them also. Again, there is something seriously wrong this statement and theology. Of course Jesus kept them. They ended when He died on the cross! Did Jesus keep them after the cross? No, He did not. Oddly enough, it is normally Christians avoiding obedience to God in regards to the fourth Commandment the Sabbath but in this case these dishonest and nonsensical statements are being used to justify obeying God in something that Paul called bondage and was nailed to the cross. They are free to keep these feasts but it is wrong to teach others false doctrine based on their own desires that add confusion and loss of truth. Jesus ABOLISHED these “ordinances” at the cross.

Ephesians 2:15 “Having ABOLISHED in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;”

Here are three very famous and well known Bible commentaries that I gave them that do not belong to any particular denomination. You will note that the first one totally disagrees with this person’s theology on the use of the word “sabbath.” Their statement “regardless of your I.Q.” is very sad as it implies that even if you are unintelligent, you should still see it their way even though it is wrong and unbiblical.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

“Or of the Sabbath days - Greek, “of the Sabbaths.” The word Sabbath in the Old Testament is applied not only to the seventh day, but to all the days of holy rest that were observed by the Hebrews, and particularly to the beginning and close of their great festivals. There is, doubtless, reference to those days in this place, since the word is used in the plural number, and the apostle does not refer particularly to the Sabbath properly so called. There is no evidence from this passage that he would teach that there was no obligation to observe any holy time, for there is not the slightest reason to believe that he meant to teach that one of the ten commandments had ceased to be binding on mankind. If he had used the word in the singular number - “the Sabbath,” it would then, of course, have been clear that he meant to teach that that commandment had ceased to be binding, and that a Sabbath was no longer to be observed. But the use of the term in the plural number, and the connection, show that he had his eye on the great number of days which were observed by the Hebrews as festivals, as a part of their ceremonial and typical law, and not to the moral law, or the Ten Commandments. No part of the moral law - no one of the ten commandments could be spoken of as “a shadow of good things to come.” These commandments are, from the nature of moral law, of perpetual and universal obligation.”

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

“Colossians 2:14 - Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances - By the hand-writing of ordinances the apostle most evidently means the ceremonial law: this was against them, for they were bound to fulfill it; and it was contrary to them, as condemning them for their neglect and transgression of it. This law God himself has blotted out.
Blotting out the hand-writing is probably an allusion to Num_5:23, where the curses written in the book, in the case of the woman suspected of adultery, are directed to be blotted out with the bitter waters. And there can be little doubt of a farther allusion, viz., to the custom of discharging the writing from parchment by the application of such a fluid as the muriatic acid, which immediately dissolves those ferruginous calces which constitute the blackening principle of most inks. But the East India inks, being formed only of simple black, such as burnt ivory, or cork, and gum water, may be wiped clean off from the surface of the paper or parchment by the application of a wet sponge, so as to leave not one legible vestige remaining: this I have often proved.
Nailing it to his cross - When Christ was nailed to the cross, our obligation to fulfill these ordinances was done away. There may be another reference here to some ancient mode of annulling legal obligations, by nailing them to a post; but I do not recollect at present an instance or example. Antiquated laws are said to have been thus abrogated.”
“Colossians 2:16 - Let no man - judge you in meat, or in drink - The apostle speaks here in reference to some particulars of the hand-writing of ordinances, which had been taken away, … and the necessity of observing certain holydays or festivals, such as the new moons and particular sabbaths, or those which should be observed with more than ordinary solemnity; all these had been taken out of the way and nailed to the cross, and were no longer of moral obligation. There is no intimation here that the Sabbath was done away, or that its moral use was superseded, by the introduction of Christianity. I have shown elsewhere that, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, is a command of perpetual obligation, and can never be superseded but by the final termination of time. As it is a type of that rest which remains for the people of God, of an eternity of bliss, it must continue in full force till that eternity arrives; for no type ever ceases till the antitype be come. Besides, it is not clear that the apostle refers at all to the Sabbath in this place, whether Jewish or Christian; his σαββατων, of sabbaths or weeks, most probably refers to their feasts of weeks, of which much has been said in the notes on the Pentateuch.”

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary

“holyday — a feast yearly. Compare the three, 1Ch_23:31.
new moon — monthly.
the sabbath — Omit “THE,” which is not in the Greek (compare Note, see on Gal_4:10). “SABBATHS” (not “the sabbaths”) of the day of atonement and feast of tabernacles have come to an end with the Jewish services to which they belonged (Lev_23:32, Lev_23:37-39). The weekly sabbath rests on a more permanent foundation, having been instituted in Paradise to commemorate the completion of creation in six days. Lev_23:38 expressly distinguished “the sabbath of the Lord” from the other sabbaths. A positive precept is right because it is commanded, and ceases to be obligatory when abrogated; a moral precept is commanded eternally, because it is eternally right. If we could keep a perpetual sabbath, as we shall hereafter, the positive precept of the sabbath, one in each week, would not be needed. Heb_4:9, “rests,” Greek, “keeping of sabbath” (Isa_66:23). But we cannot, since even Adam, in innocence, needed one amidst his earthly employments; therefore the sabbath is still needed and is therefore still linked with the other nine commandments, as obligatory in the spirit, though the letter of the law has been superseded by that higher spirit of love which is the essence of law and Gospel alike (Rom_13:8-10).”

The truth is that all commentaries I looked at had no trouble in understanding that these ordinances were referring to the old Jewish sacrificial system that was nailed to the cross.

Satan has done such a good job of changing the Sabbath to Sunday in favour of Sun worship through the Roman Catholic Church, it is hard enough already for those who want truth to discover what the enemy has done here in regards the fourth Commandment, but I never thought I would see the day that Satan would throw further confusion in by trying to convince people that they still have to obey the feast holydays that were nailed to the cross. This first came about through a man called Herbert Armstrong who claimed to be something that he was not. When he died, the Church fell apart and went into several splinter groups and it is these groups that have continued with this mans false, heretical teaching even though he is now a recognized cult leader. When they are challenged on this, they ignore this truth and fall back on the Word claiming it is what the Bible says. The problem is that they never learned it from the Bible. They learnt it from this man or one of the groups that came from the Church break up or someone from it. He also taught a heretical Wednesday Crucifixion theory. Select the link for the real truth.

It is not just Colossians 2:16 these Christians have to explain away as Galatians 4:9-10 is also referring to the ordinances and Paul is exhorting to the Galatians that they were putting themselves under bondage by still keeping these various festivals. The context does not change. The ordinances are “against us,” “contrary to us” and in Galatians 4:9-10, Paul calls them “bondage.” Those who would insist that we must still keep the feasts that Christ nailed to the cross typically justify Galatians 4:9-10 by saying that Paul is referring to pagan days, but this does not fit the context of the whole book of Galatians yet alone this passage. It is also not possible because Paul continues on by giving an allegory of the two Covenants by comparing them with a bondwoman and a freewoman. Did God make a covenant with anyone on pagan days? I don’t think we need continue with this heresy. Galatians 4:23-26 “But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.”

This group further attempt to support this heretical teaching stating that nowhere in the Bible are there months and so have to be pagan. Perhaps they do not know what the New Moon festival was! See also “new moon” under the Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary above.

The entire context of Galatians chapters 1-5 is Paul explaining that some judaizing teachers who insisted that the Mosaic Law and associated feast days were still necessary for salvation were wrong. Read the Galatians and the law for more. Now back to those two controversial passages. Note carefully the colour coding.

Galatians 4:9-10 “But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe [Holydays] days, and months, [new moon] and times, and years [sabbatical years such as Passover].”
Colossians 2:14-16 “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; … 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink [offerings], or in respect of an holy day [Holy days], or of the new moon [months], or of the Sabbath days: [years eg; Passover sabbath]” Parenthesis are added.

What was written in the Book of the Law was “against us, which was contrary to us” and why Paul calls this law “bondage” in Galatians 4:9-10. The Ten Commandments on the other hand are the “perfect law of liberty” and LIBERTY is the exact opposite to BONDAGE, which of course means FREEDOM. Since the Bible does not contradict itself, this also identifies that the “ordinances” are being referred to and not the Ten Commandments. If Paul is calling it “bondage,” than he can only be speaking of what is written in the “Book of the Law” by the hand of Moses. This old sacrificial system was bondage that Christ freed us from.

James 1:25 “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
James 2:10-12 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you are become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak you, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.”

Do the Feasts still have to be kept?

We find that Ezekiel 45:17 informs us that the ordinances had “meat and drink offerings, feasts, new moons, and sabbath days” which were because of sin. Colossians 2:16 also says that the ordinances had “meat and drink offerings, feasts, new moons, and sabbath days” which Paul says very plainly in Colossians 2:14 that these ordinances were against us and nailed to the cross and hence were also because of sin. Those that try and convince others that we still need to keep these feasts often say that the sacrificial part of the law did not include the Holy Feast days such as Passover etc. Do these ordinances which Ezekiel 45 says were for a sin offering include the feasts? Absolutely. Observe verse 21 for instance. “Passover” and the “Feast of Unleavened bread” are clearly included.

Ezekiel 45:17-21 KJV “And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts [holy day], and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel. 18 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, you shall take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary: 19 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.  … 21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.”

One of the most important feast days is called “Yom Kippur” or the “Day of Atonement” The Day of Atonement was the day of condemning, avenging and coverings of sin. On this day, the sins of the entire Jewish nation were covered over. Once a year on this day, the High Priest would dress in a plain linen robe. He would bathe, and sacrifices would be offered, and the people would pray and confess their sins. And then with the blood of the sacrifice in his hands, he would make his way through the Holy Place to the veil. Pushing it to one side, he would enter into the presence of God, and sprinkle the blood upon the lid of the Ark, the Mercy Seat, and pray for the people. And then he would exit, not to enter for another year.

So are these Holy feast days associated with the sanctuary and the whole sacrificial system? It absolutely cannot be debated. This is exactly what they are all about. This is why they pointed forward to the work of Jesus on the cross and why they were spiritually fulfilled and ended at the cross. How could and why would these things that made reconciliation for our sin continue after the cross? Did Jesus cover our sin or not? When Jesus said proclaimed on the cross “it is finished” it was ALL accomplished. It is not possible to separate the sacrificial sanctuary system from the feasts as they were and integral and primary part of the sanctuary system. Just for a reminder and further clarity, what did Jesus end at the cross?

Ephesians 2:15 “Having ABOLISHED in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;”

So did these ordinances that were handwritten by Moses, which had feasts, new moons, and ceremonial sabbaths include the feast Holy days? Firstly these feasts are the Holy feast days and we just observed in Ezekiel 45 that they did, but here is yet another of many verses that could be quoted that still further demonstrate this plain truth. This one adds the feast of weeks (Pentecost) and the feast of tabernacles.

2 Chronicles 8:13 “Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.”

Looking at the above verse, whose Commandments were these? God’s or Moses? God of course gave the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20). The ordinances were handwritten as Colossians 2:14 informs us, and by whose hand were these ordinances written by? Are the ordinances separate from the whole law?

2 Chronicles 33:8 “Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law AND the statutes AND the ordinances by the hand of Moses.”

Luke 1:6 shows before the cross we had the Ten Commandments and the ordinances, which are clearly different things but what else shows that the ordinances were nailed to the cross with the New Covenant?

Luke 1:6 “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments AND ordinances of the Lord blameless.”

The Old Covenant definitely had the ordinances but does the New Covenant still have these ordinances that included the Holy feast days that were part of the sanctuary service? The first Covenant “HAD ALSO.” So what is the had also? See Luke 1:6 above for the answer. So we see below that the New Covenant no longer has the ordinances so what is left? Quite simply, JUST the Ten Commandments!

Hebrews 9:1-2 “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary.”

Moving on just a few verses, again, what were these ordinances for that we saw once again are GONE in the New Covenant and why did they end at the cross? And who became our high Priest and our final perfect sacrifice that ended these Holy feast days that pointed to the work Jesus did on the cross?

Hebrews 9:10-14 “Which stood only in meats and drinks, [offerings] and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Scriptures Used to Support Keeping the Feasts

Those that insist we should be keeping the Holy feast days use many scriptural references to support their argument which contradict Paul and these many other passages. But my question is why do more than 95% of the scriptures they quote occur before the cross? Since theses feasts ended at the cross, then it becomes pretty pointless to quote scriptures of anyone keeping the feasts before the cross as they would of course still be keeping them then! They are clearly very anxious for others see things their way, but to quote so many scriptures that are irrelevant is very strange as people are going to realize they are before the cross and see right through this. They lose credibility straight away when they do this but perhaps that is a good thing as it helps others to see the truth and not get led astray by this incorrect teaching. Keep in mind that if you feel a particular scripture is not perfectly clear, we can still be sure by the fact that Paul and the Bible never contradicts himself or itself. I am not going to waste your time covering the scriptures that were before their literal fulfilment as I think these are very clear and easy to see.

Passover - Leviticus 23:4-5
1 Corinthians 11:23-29 - In this passage, Paul speaks of communion which was first instituted on Passover as this was the perfect opportunity before His death. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says “For AS OFTEN [as often as you choose] as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come.” The death of Christ replaced Passover as He became our Passover.

Unleavened Bread - Leviticus 23:6-8
Acts 20:6 - Reads, “after the days of unleavened bread” with no reference to it actually being kept.
1 Corinthians 5:8 “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

When you look at the context of this passage, you can see that Paul is not speaking literally of keeping the feast, but is symbolically saying that Christian’s should continually keep themselves free from the defilement of sin. That is, “old leaven” should be kept purged from his soul. Paul is using this symbolic example to show that in the same way a little leaven leavens a whole mass of dough, so just one sin or sinner can send a corrupting influence through the whole church. Here are two Commentaries for clarity.

The People's New Testament (1891) by B. W. Johnson

“Let us keep the feast. Let us keep feast, or festival. There is no article in the Greek. The reference is not to the Lord's Supper, or to Easter, as some have supposed, so much as to a constant duty. We always have a Paschal Lamb; hence it is always our duty to keep festival by casting out all leaven; either the old leaven of heathen vice, or of malice and wickedness, or any sin.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1798-1870)

“Let us keep the feast - Margin, “Holy day” ἑορτάζωμεν  heortazōmen. This is language drawn from the paschal feast, and is used by Paul frequently to carry out and apply his illustration. It does not mean literally the paschal supper here - for that had ceased to be observed by Christians - nor the Lord’s Supper particularly; but the sense is “As the Jews when they celebrated the paschal supper, on the slaying and sacrifice of the paschal lamb, put away all leaven - as emblematic of sin - so let us, in the slaying of our sacrifice, and in all the duties, institutions and events consequent thereon, put away all wickedness from our hearts as individuals, and from our societies and churches. Let us engage in the service of God putting away by all evil.”
Not with the old leaven - Not under the influence, or in the indulgence of the feelings of corrupt and unrenewed human nature - The word “leaven” is very expressive of that former or “old” condition, and denotes the corrupt and corrupting passions of our nature before it is renewed.
The leaven of malice - Of unkindness and evil - which would diffuse itself, and pervade the mass of Christians. The word “malice” (κακίας  kakias) denotes “evil” in general.
And wickedness - Sin; evil. There is a particular reference here to the case of the incestuous person. Paul means that all wickedness should be put away from those who had been saved by the sacrifice of their “Passover,” Christ; and, therefore, this sin in a special manner.
But with the unleavened bread ... - That is, with sincerity and truth. Let us be sincere, and true, and faithful; as the Jews partook of bread unleavened, which was emblematic of purity, so let us be sincere and true. It is implied here that this could not be done unless they would put away the incestuous person - No Christians can have, or give evidence of sincerity, who are not willing to put away all sin.”

Before discussing the next one, please allow me to ask some questions. How many Jews knew the Gospel message just after the cross? What was Paul’s task and that of the disciples? The Jews had being habitually keeping these Holy feast days for hundreds of years and how would every single one of them know that they had ended if someone does not give them the good news? This should be fairly obvious I believe to most. So if you were Paul, how would you get the Gospel message to the multitudes? How would you explain to them that they no longer needed to keep the feasts? Would you run all over the country side explaining person by person or even one group at a time? This would be a monumental task that you could not cover in your lifetime. There would have to be an easier way!

If I were Paul I know exactly what I would do. What about you? How would you accomplish this task quickly and easily? It sure would be a lot easier if you could tell everyone at the same time but how could you get everyone together in the same place at the same time? The best opportunity and the perfect time to preach the good news (Gospel) and tell them these feast days were over, as many would still of course be keeping them as most would not have known better, would be when? The feast days themselves! Everyone that had not heard the good news would be present and you could teach them all at the same time while preaching the good news to the crowds. This would sure make the job a lot easier wouldn’t it?

So if you were Paul, would you attend these feasts so you would find all those who had not heard the Gospel in one place at the one time and be able to tell everyone in one easy speech the good news? Of course one would attend the feasts and do this! To do it any other way would be just plain foolishness!

Was Paul really saying, these ordinances (Mosaic Law) are against you.., SO KEEP DOING THEM, they are contrary to you.., SO KEEPING DOING THEM, and they were nailed to the cross.., SO KEEPING DOING THEM. So do not let anyone judge your for STILL KEEPING these sacrificial Meat and Drink offerings, New Moon festivals and the Yearly Sabbaths that I have just said was AGAINST YOU, and CONTRARY TO YOU, and WERE NAILED TO THE CROSS! Believe it or not there are some that will tell you that this is what Paul was saying! After debating this with one person to the point where he had no where left to go, he left me speechless with this most ridiculous statement, “The passage does say what it appears to say!”

Some will also try and tell you that only the sacrificing of animals was done away with but the Holy Feast Days still have to be kept. Nowhere does scripture say this or separate them! In Colossians 2:14-16, Paul says that it is the Meat and Drink offerings, Holy Feast Days, New Moon festivals and the Yearly Sabbaths that were part of the ordinances and ALL these were nailed to the cross as described by Paul in verse 16.

So if Paul says these ordinances were contrary to us and against us and bondage and were nailed to the cross, is he going to keep them? Of course not! Paul was not a hypocrite. So why did Paul attend these days? For the same reason we would if we were Paul. There would be no better opportunity to teach the truth and preach the Gospel. This would be the perfect time which all commentaries agree.

Pentecost - Leviticus 23:15-21
Acts 20:16 “For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.”

Another abused scripture. Does Paul say that he is personally going to keep this feast or that he wants to be there on that day? Paul in noway implies he is keeping this feast but if possible wants to be in Jerusalem on that day. Why? Below are two trusted Commentaries for clarity and the obvious answer.

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

“for he hasted, if it were possible, for him to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost: which was near at hand; for it was but fifty days from the second day of the Passover, which feast was over when he sailed from Philippi; and at Troas he stayed seven days, and he had been several days sailing already; see Act_20:6. And his great desire to be at the feast of Pentecost was not in order to keep that feast, according to the usage of the Jews; but that he might have an opportunity of preaching the Gospel to a great number of Jews, out of all countries, whom he knew would come to that feast.”

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

“To be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost - That he might have the opportunity of preaching the kingdom of God to multitudes of Jews from different places, who would come up to Jerusalem at that feast; and then he no doubt expected to see there a renewal of that day of Pentecost in which the Spirit was poured out on the disciples, and in consequence of which so many were converted to God.”

1 Corinthians 16:8 “But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.” Once again Paul does not say he is going to keep this feast but he obviously wants to be around till then to take advantage of the situation.

Acts 18:21 “But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.”

This is as good as they have. Every commentary I studied agreed that this is probably referring to Pentecost or Passover that has met its literal fulfilment. Below are three trusted Commentaries for clarity.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1798-1870)

“Keep this feast - Probably the Passover is here referred to. Why he was so anxious to celebrate that feast at Jerusalem, the historian has not informed us. It is probable, however, that he wished to meet as many of his countrymen as possible, and to remove, if practicable, the prejudices which had everywhere been raised against him, Act_21:20-21. Perhaps, also, he supposed that there would be many Christian converts present, whom he might meet also.”

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown

“I must ... keep this feast - probably Pentecost, presenting a noble opportunity of preaching the Gospel.”

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

“I must - keep this feast - Most likely the Passover, at which he wished to attend for the purpose of seeing many of his friends, and having the most favorable opportunity to preach the Gospel to thousands who would attend at Jerusalem on that occasion.”

Trumpets - Leviticus 23:23-25
Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 11:15 - These verses refer to the sound of the trumpet blown with the second coming of Christ and are INCORRECTLY and perhaps dishonestly linked to the blowing of trumpets which was done just before the Day of Atonement.

There is nothing here but erroneous assumptions to say that Paul kept the feasts that he said had ended. I have heard so many ways of ignoring the context of Colossians 2:16 that it has become quite sad. One was that Colossians 2:16 says “let no man” and by looking at other scriptures using this phrase, it was concluded that these were people outside of the Church so therefore Paul was saying do not let people judge you for still keeping them. The fact that Paul AND the context says that these were against us and were nailed to the cross as one would expect in understanding there purpose did not even enter into the equation. “Let no man” means just that. In the Church or outside of the Church, it makes no difference to what the Bible says or what Paul is saying.

There is no doubt about the fourth and the other nine Commandments being eternal but the feasts had a purpose. The Bible tells us that they were our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ but then were no longer necessary. What was it that these feasts also had? They had sacrificial offerings to make reconciliation for our sin. When Jesus said “it is finished,” had he finished the job or not? There was certainly something nailed to the cross. So what was nailed to the cross? It was whatever it was that was practised to make reconciliation for sin before Christ died on the cross. These feasts had burnt offerings etc. If one insists they must keep these feasts then they have to do it properly according to how the Bible instructs that they are to be kept. You cannot just decide what part of them you want to do. You do it all or you don't do it at all. Here is just one example for Passover. If one insists on keeping these feasts, then this is what you have to do for Passover just to begin with!

Ezekiel 45:21-25 “In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering. 23 And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering. 24 And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah. 25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.”

Now here is the problem. If you start doing burnt offerings to make reconciliation for sin then you say to Jesus, "Hey Jesus! When you said it was finished, it was not finished at all…You did not finish the job on the cross at all so I still have to follow these feasts and the burnt offerings etc to cover my sins…"

Does one really want to deny the work of Jesus on the cross? I hope no one would ever do that! This is why they were nailed to the cross, because Jesus fulfilled this sacrificial system that these feast days belonged to. I know what the COG teaches and all the other offshoots of the WWCG, which Herbert Armstrong taught who yes, were proven to be wrong on many things including the feasts etc, and he was found to be a cult leader and why the Church collapsed. The problem is that the enemy is recruiting more and more people into this system he started.

Those teaching observance of the feasts typically use underhanded techniques like painting a real ugly picture for Easter and Christmas to try and turn people from them and then to their Church for the answer to escape this. Yes, there is paganism involved in the origin of these things that one can easily avoid, and do not forget that Satan wants this to happen and for these two events to be lost as much as possible because they DO result in MANY people coming to Christ. If the world followed Armstrong's teaching then the world would never here about Christ and that is exactly what Satan wants. Jesus out of the picture! He also wants to add confusion here to keep as many as possible from the fourth Commandment that really is important. It is sin not to keep the Commandments but this feast system was to make reconciliation for sin (breaking the Ten Commandments) and pointed forward to Christ. Big difference! We need to understand this. And yes, we have just seen there are some verses that can be cleverly used and misunderstood to make a convincing argument but there are clear answers to these scriptures if one wants them that also prevents all the contradiction with other scripture that you would otherwise have.

We must not deny the work of Jesus on the cross and in turn add to the confusion that will keep more people from finding the blessings of the Sabbath truth and entering the kingdom.

Colossians 2:16 Conclusion:

Colossians 2:14-17 “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; … 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink [offerings], or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

I find it extraordinary that this verse requires such long winded explanations for what should be so blatantly obvious to any studious Christian looking for truth, but I also understand that the enemy has no trouble in finding people he can deceive and encourage others to follow them in order that confusion reigns. So let’s just put the simple facts forward just one more time. See also Wednesday Crucifixion truth.

The ordinances were handwritten by Moses, they were bondage and against us and because they were the sacrificial part of the Law of Moses, they were no longer required after the cross and so were nailed to the cross. Paul informs us that these ordinances had meat and drink offerings, feast holydays, new moon festivals and various ceremonial Sabbaths, which were a shadow of what was to come. This is a perfect parallel to all other related Bible passages and the context is perfect. So is Paul saying don’t let anyone judge you for keeping or not keeping these ordinances that were AGAINST US and nailed to the cross?

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This concludes the document on the truth of Colossians 2:16.