\\INTRODUCTION TO COLOSSIANS 2\\

In this chapter the apostle expresses his great concern for the
Colossians, and others he had never seen; exhorts them to constancy
in the faith of Christ; warns them of false teachers, and their
tenets; takes notice of various blessings and privileges they had by
Christ, and cautions against several superstitions and corruptions,
which were obtaining among the churches of Christ: in \\#Col 2:1\\ the
apostle declares the conflict he had for the persons he writes to,
and for others, though they had never seen him, which he was
desirous they might be acquainted with; partly for the comfort of
their hearts, their cement in love, and the improvement of their
knowledge of divine things, the treasures of which are in Christ,
\\#Col 2:2,3\\, and partly that they might not be deceived by the
enticing words of the false teachers, \\#Col 2:4\\, and should his
absence and distance from them be objected to his professed concern
and affection for them, he answers, that notwithstanding that, he
was present with them in spirit, and had a discerning of their faith
and order, and the steadfastness thereof, with pleasure, \\#Col 2:5\\,
wherefore he exhorts them to perseverance in the faith of Christ,
and to an abounding: in it, \\#Col 2:6,7\\, and to take heed of being
hurt by the vain philosophy and traditions of the Jews, but to keep
close to Christ, and the truths of his Gospel, seeing all fulness is
in him, and they were full in him, who is over all, and superior to
all, and therefore had no need to have recourse unto, and hearken to
any other, \\#Col 2:9,10\\, nor did they need any Jewish ordinances,
particularly circumcision, since they were partakers of another and
better circumcision in Christ; and besides, were buried in baptism
with him; and even though they had been dead in sin, and in their
fleshly uncircumcision, yet they were alive, quickened with Christ,
and had the forgiveness of all their sins for his sake; who had
freed them from the ceremonial law, and had rid them of all their
former lords and masters, and had brought them into the liberty of
the Gospel, \\#Col 2:11-15\\, wherefore he concludes, by way of
exhortation and advice, first with respect to Jewish ceremonies, not
to suffer them to be imposed upon them, or to regard the censures of
men for the non-observance of them, since these were but shadows, of
which Christ is the substance, \\#Col 2:16,17\\, and next with respect
to the worship of angels, under a notion of humility, some were for
introducing; who are described as bold intruders, vain, proud, and
conceited persons, and as not holding the head Christ, to whom the
body the church is joined, and by whom it is nourished and
increased, \\#Col 2:18,19\\, and seeing now they that are Christ's are
dead with him to the ceremonial law, and that dead to them, the
apostle argues that they should not be subject to the ordinances,
commands, and doctrines of men; some of which he instances in, as if
they were still under the rudiments of the world; and the rather,
since these things had no true wisdom in them, only a show of it,
and were no other than will worship and superstition, and lay in a
negligence of the body, and were dishonourable and unsatisfying,
\\#Col 2:20-23\\.