Understanding Colossians 2:16: Shadows vs. the Moral Law

Colossians 2:16

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Colossians 2:16 is a divine instruction regarding the abolition of the ceremonial law, ensuring that no one is condemned for not observing the shadows of the Mosaic ritual that met their fulfillment at the crossRRCS 3.4+2.

The Context of the "Handwriting of Ordinances"

The apostle Paul clarifies that the things abolished were part of the "handwriting of ordinances" that was against us and contrary to us Colossians 2:14RRCS 3.4+1. This ceremonial system was written by the hand of Moses in a book and placed by the side of the ark, distinct from the moral law written by the finger of God on tables of stone Deuteronomy 31:24-26SC3 153.1+2. While the moral law is spiritual and eternal, these ordinances were "carnal" and temporary, serving as a "schoolmaster" to lead people to Christ Romans 7:14+1BDOC 67.49+2.

Understanding the Five Categories

Paul lists five specific areas where believers should not be judged:

• Meat and Drink: These refer to the sacrificial offerings and ceremonial drink offerings prescribed in the Levitical ritual Leviticus 23:37RRCS 3.4+2.

• Holy-days: This term (Greek: heorte) refers to the annual Jewish feast days, such as the Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles Leviticus 23:2WWNC 8.5+2.

• New Moons: These were monthly celebrations connected to the ceremonial system and are not found in the Ten CommandmentsARSH November 1850, page 5.1+2.

• Sabbath Days: Crucially, the plural "sabbath days" here refers to the seven annual ceremonial sabbaths of the Jewish law, such as the Day of Atonement, which were distinct from the weekly Sabbath of the Lord Leviticus 23:32+1RRCS 3.4+3.

Shadows vs. The Body

The defining characteristic of these requirements is that they were "a shadow of things to come," whereas the "body" or substance belongs to Christ Colossians 2:17RRCS 3.4+2.

• A Shadow: The ceremonial sabbaths were types that prefigured Christ's work, such as the Passover sabbath typifying the sacrifice of the Lamb of God 1 Corinthians 5:7ARSH August 12, 1858, page 100.5+1.

• A Memorial: In contrast, the weekly seventh-day Sabbath is a memorial of creation that points back to the beginning of the world before sin existed; therefore, it is not a shadow and was not nailed to the cross Genesis 2:2-3+1SBTON 15.4+2.

• The Cross: When Christ died, the veil of the temple was rent, signifying that the typical system had reached its end because the antitype had comeSC3 153.1+2.

The Perpetuity of the Moral Law

Colossians 2:16 does not abolish the Ten Commandments, often referred to as the "royal law" James 2:8RRCS 3.4. Because the seventh-day Sabbath was made for man's benefit and is part of God's eternal moral code, it remains in full force alongside the commands not to kill or steal Mark 2:27+1SC3 153.1+2. By observing the distinction between the "Sabbath of the Lord" and "her [Israel's] sabbaths," the harmony of the Bible is preserved, showing that while the shadows have passed, God's holy law stands forever Psalms 19:7+1ARSH October 7, 1851, page 37.12+2. 🌟