Colossians 2:19

2:18-23 It looked like humility to apply to angels, as if men were conscious of their unworthiness to speak directly to God. But it is not warrantable; it is taking that honour which is due to Christ only, and giving it to a creature. There really was pride in this seeming humility. Those who worship angels, disclaim Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man. It is an insult to Christ, who is the Head of the church, to use any intercessors but him. When men let go their hold of Christ, they catch at what will stand them in no stead. The body of Christ is a growing body. And true believers cannot live in the fashions of the world. True wisdom is, to keep close to the appointments of the gospel; in entire subjection to Christ, who is the only Head of his church. Self-imposed sufferings and fastings, might have a show of uncommon spirituality and willingness for suffering, but this was not in any honour to God. The whole tended, in a wrong manner, to satisfy the carnal mind, by gratifying self-will, self-wisdom, self-righteousness, and contempt of others. The things being such as carry not with them so much as the show of wisdom; or so faint a show that they do the soul no good, and provide not for the satisfying of the flesh. What the Lord has left indifferent, let us regard as such, and leave others to the like freedom; and remembering the passing nature of earthly things, let us seek to glorify God in the use of them.

{19} And not holding the {c} Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of {d} God. (19) The fourth argument, which is of great weight: because they rob Christ of his dignity, who alone is sufficient both to nourish and also to increase his whole body. (c) Christ. (d) With the increasing which comes from God.

Colossians 2:19 . Οὐ κρατῶν , not holding ) He who does not hold Christ solely and above all others, does not hold Him at all.— τὴν κεφαλὴγ , the Head ) Here faith has a foundation whereon it may be fixed. The opposite is, ἃ μὴ ἑώρακεν , ἐμβατεύων , he who flies beyond things placed in the middle ( within reach ), and tries to catch those that escape his grasp .— ἐξ οὗ , from which ) [not from which Head , but from which hold ] from holding the head; or else, from whom , viz. Christ , the Head.— διὰ τῶν ἁφῶν ) by the joints (ties),[17] viz. of faith , Ephesians 4:16 . It is to this word that ἐπιχορηγούμενον refers.— καὶ συνδέσμων ) and bonds (bands) of ‘love’ and ‘peace,’ Ephesians 4:3 . It is to this that συμβιβαζόμενον refers; comp. Colossians 2:2 .— ἐπιχορηγούμενον ) receiving ἐπιχορηγίαν , ministration to it (being ministered to); so 3Ma 6:38, πανθʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως χορηγούμενοι , supplied with all things by the king . [17] Beng. here translates ἁφῶν , nexus; but see the somewhat different explanation in Gnom., Ephesians 4:16 .—ED.

Holding the head (κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλήν) Holding by or fast, as commonly in the New Testament. Compare Sophocles: "If thou art to rule (ἄρξεις) this land, even as thou holdest it (κρατεῖς "Oedipus Tyrannus," 54). The head, Christ as contrasted with the angelic mediators. From whom (ἐξ οὗ) Fixing the personal reference of the head to Christ. Compare Ephesians 4:16. By joints and bands (διὰ τῶν ἁφῶν καὶ συνδέσμων) Joints (ἁφῶν) only here and Ephesians 4:16. The word means primarily touching, and is used in classical Greek of the touch upon harpstrings, or the grip of a wrestler. Not quite the same as joints in the sense of the parts in contact, but the relations between the adjacent parts. The actual connection is expressed by bands or ligaments. Ministered (ἐπιχορηγουμένον) See on add, 2 Peter 1:5. Rev., supplied. Knit together See on Colossians 2:2. "The discoveries of modern physiology have invested the apostle's language with far greater distinctness and force than it can have worn to his own contemporaries. Any exposition of the nervous system more especially reads like a commentary on the image of the relations between the body and the head. At every turn we meet with some fresh illustration which kindles it with a flood of light.

The volition communicated from the brain to the limbs, the sensations of the extremities telegraphed back to the brain, the absolute mutual sympathy between the head and the members, the instantaneous paralysis ensuing, on the interruption of continuity, all these add to the completeness and life of the image" (Lightfoot).

(19) Not holding the Head. —In this lay the fatal error. All these speculations and superstitions interfered with the direct hold of the soul on the mediation of Christ, as the Head, from whom alone, as being “the image of the invisible God,” come all spiritual life and growth. Therefore they had a practical and spiritual importance. From which all the body . . .—Comp Ephesians 4:15-16, and see Note there. The agreement is nearly verbal, but the characteristic difference of idea, so often noted, is still traceable. There the body “maketh increase unto the building up of itself in love;” here the increase is simply “the increase of God”—the increase which God gives, and which grows into His likeness. In this passage there is also a greater scientific exactness: the “joints and bands” are the “articulations and ligaments;” the two functions thereof are the diffusion of nourishment and the knitting together of organic unity.

19. Translate, "Not holding fast the Head." He who does not hold Christ solely and supremely above all others, does not hold Him at all [Bengel]. The want of firm holding of Christ has set him loose to (pry into, and so) "tread haughtily on (pride himself on) things which he hath seen." Each must hold fast the Head for himself, not merely be attached to the other members, however high in the body [Alford]. from which—rather, "from whom." the body—that is, all the members of the body (Eph 4:16). joints—the points of union where the supply of nourishment passes to the different members, furnishing the body with the materials of growth. bands—the sinews and nerves which bind together limb and limb. Faith, love, and peace, are the spiritual bands. Compare "knit together in love" (Col 2:2; Col 3:14; Eph 4:3). having nourishment ministered—that is, supplied to it continually. "Receiving ministration." knit together—The Greek is translated, "compacted," Eph 4:16: implying firm consolidation. with the increase of God—(Eph 4:16); that is, wrought by God, the Author and Sustainer of the believer's spiritual life, in union with Christ, the Head (1Co 3:6); and tending to the honor of God, being worthy of Him, its Author.

And not holding the Head - Not holding the true doctrine respecting the Great Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ; Notes, Ephesians 1:22 . This is regarded here as essential to the maintenance of all the other doctrines of religion. He who has just views of the Redeemer will not be in much danger of erring respecting the other points of religious belief. From which all the body ... - This passage is almost word for word the same as in Ephesians 4:15-16. See it explained in the notes there.

Colossians 2:19 . Largely parallel to Ephesians 4:15-16 . Paul proceeds to point out that so far from securing spiritual growth of a higher order, the false teaching, by loosening the hold on Christ, prevented any growth at all, since it obstructed or severed the very channel of spiritual life.— καὶ οὐ κρατῶν τὴν κεφαλήν : “and not holding fast the head”. For this sense of κρ . with the accusative cf. Song of Solomon 3:4 , ἐκράτησα αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀφήκα αὐτόν . It is clear from this that the false teachers were Christians. They did not profess to have no hold upon Christ, but their hold was not firm. All the supplies of life and energy flow from the Head, so that loose connexion with it involves serious loss and not progress in the spiritual life. It is significant that here each member is recognised as having an immediate relation to the Head.— ἐξ οὗ : not neuter, referring to κεφ ., for ἐξ ἧς would have been more natural, but “from whom”. It should be connected with both participles.— πᾶν τὸ σῶμα : “the whole body”. Alford takes it “the body in its every part,” but Ellicott denies that any distinction between τὸ πᾶν σῶνα . and πᾶν τὸ σῶνα can be safely drawn. It is the body as a whole that increases, and thus Paul condemns the tendencies to intellectual or spiritual exclusiveness, which cripple alike the body and the members who exhibit such tendencies. As this increase continues each member shares in the body’s progress.— διὰ τῶν ἁφῶν καὶ συνδέσμων .

Lightfoot gives a very full discussion of these terms and their use in medical writers. He translates “through the junctures and ligaments”. No doubt Paul’s language is popular, not technical. He is speaking of the means by which the various parts of the body are supplied and knit together. Meyer takes ἁφ . to mean sensations or nerve impulses, but we have no evidence for this meaning; nor is it suitable here, for there is no reason for referring ἁφ . to ἐπιχορ . and συνδ . to συνβιβ . No explanation is given of ἁφ . κ . συνδ . Some think of the Holy Spirit, others of brotherly love, others of ministers. But probably in Paul’s mind they did not correspond to anything definitely.— ἐπιχορηγούμενον καὶ συνβιβαζόμενον . “being supplied and united”. Often the supply is thought to be of nourishment, but perhaps we should interpret more generally of life. ἁφ . κ . συν . are thus the media through which life is communicated and the unity of the organism secured.— αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ Θεοῦ : “increaseth with the increase of God”. Generally αὔξ . τ . Θ . is explained to mean the growth which God gives ( cf. 1 Corinthians 3:6 ). Against this is the fact that Christ is referred to as the source of growth. We may better take it “a growth such as God requires” (Ol., Haupt).

And not holding the Head: here the apostle suggests, that those things he had before taxed did proceed from hence, that they let go the Lord Christ himself, Colossians 2:8,9 , from whom all truths are to be derived, and consequently he is all truth itself, John 14:6 ; not to adhere to him is the spring of all apostacies, lie being the Head: see Ephesians 4:15,16 . From which all the body; whence is communicated and distributed such influence to the body, the church, as is necessary to all the sensations and motions thereof. By joints and bands having nourishment ministered; being in all its members fitly framed together by the Spirit, Ephesians 2:21,22 , and united by faith, Ephesians 3:17 , hath a continual subsidy of life and vigour. And knit together; and fastened together in a spiritual union, which joineth all believers to their Head, and each of them to the other in him, 1 Corinthians 10:17 12:12,20,25,27 .

Increaseth with the increase of God; whereupon, to mutual edification in love, it groweth with a Divine growth and spiritual increase, arising from the efficacy of God, and tending to his glory; being filled with the influences of his grace, 1 Corinthians 3:6 , it is established and strengthened by little and little, in light and purity, and all graces, till it attain to the measure of its perfect stature in Christ Jesus our Lord; whereas an increase in the traditions of men, and the inventions of flesh, do only blow it up with wens and imposthumes, to the disfiguring, deforming, and destroying of it.