Colossians 2:16

Colossians 2:16

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.

a. NLT: So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.

b. NIV: Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

c. YLT: Let no one, then, judge you in eating or in drinking, or in respect of a feast, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths,

d. Amplified Bible: Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matters of food and drink, or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon or a Sabbath.

e. Worrell Translation: Let no one, therefore, judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect of a feast, or a new moon, or Sabbaths;

1. “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink…”

a. Let…judge [2919 * krino] [Strong: properly, to distinguish, i.e. decide (mentally or judicially); by implication, to try, condemn, punish:--avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.]

1). Albert Barnes Commentary: The word judge here is used in the sense of pronouncing a sentence. The meaning is, "since you have thus been delivered by Christ from the evils which surrounded you: since you have been freed from the observances of the law, let no one sit in judgment on you, or claim the right to decide for you in those matters. You are not responsible to man for your conduct, but to Christ; and no man has a right to impose that on you as a burden from which he has made you free."

b. no [3361 * me] [Strong: a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

c. man [5100 * tis] [Strong: an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).]

d. therefore [3767 * oun] [Strong: apparently a primary word; (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly:--and (so, truly), but, now (then), so (likewise then), then, therefore, verily, wherefore.]

1). When you see the word “therefore” find out what it’s there for. He is saying this in light of what he said in the 14^th verse. All the ordinances concerning all the ceremonial laws written in the Law were done away with.

a). Colossians 2:14 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;

e. you [5209 * humas] [Strong: accusative case of 5210; you (as the objective of a verb or preposition):--ye, you (+ -ward), your (+ own).]

f. in [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

g. meat [1035 * brosis] [Strong: from the base of 977; (abstractly) eating (literally or figuratively); by extension (concretely) food (literally or figuratively):--eating, food, meat.]

h. or [2228 * e] [Strong: a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:--and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles.]

i. in [1722 * en] See “in” above.

j. drink [4213 * posis] [Strong: from the alternate of 4095; a drinking (the act), i.e. (concretely) a draught:--drink.]

1). Albert Barnes Commentary: The meaning is, "in respect to the various articles of food and drink." There is reference here, undoubtedly, to the distinctions which the Jews made on this subject, implying that an effort had been made by Jewish teachers to show them that the Mosaic laws were binding on all.

2. “…or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.”

 a. or [2228 * e] [Strong: a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:--and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles.]

b. in [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. respect [3313 * meros] [Strong: from an obsolete but more primary form of meiromai (to get as a section or allotment); a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application):--behalf, course, coast, craft, particular (+ -ly), part (+ -ly), piece, portion, respect, side, some sort(-what).]

d. of an holyday [1859 * heorte] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; a festival:--feast, holyday.]

1). Institute Of Creation Research Daily Devotional: 3/6/15 This is the only verse in the New Testament that has any reference to holidays (at one time considered “holy days”). However, the Greek word so translated does occur there quite often, being rendered elsewhere always by its correct meaning of “feasts.” Such “holy days” in the Old Testament economy normally required “no servile work” to be done on those days and were usually associated with a special “feast” of some deep spiritual significance. They certainly were not holidays in the modern sense, devoted mostly to pleasure. In fact, it is perhaps significant that neither holidays nor vacations are mentioned in the Bible at all. The weekly Sabbath “rest” day is, of course, frequently emphasized. One day in seven has always been observed as a day to rest from labor and to remember our Creator. However, the other six days were to be spent working. Many can still remember when the norm was a six-day work week. Not so now. Many complain about even a five-day week, and “T.G.I.F.” is a common feeling as the “weekend” approaches. “Labor” Day is now a day mainly for fun, but it might be a good day for Christians to thank God for the privilege of work and doing that work “heartily, as to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). Our work, whatever it may be, can become a real testimony for (or, sadly, against) the Lord whom we profess to serve. In the ages to come, there will still be work to do for the Lord. In that day, it is promised that “his servants shall serve him” (Revelation 22:3). Therefore, we should be “abounding in the work of the Lord” right now. It will not be “in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). HMM

2). Albert Barnes Commentary: The word rendered "holy-day" - ἑορτὴ heortē - means properly a "feast" or "festival;" and the allusion here is to the festivals of the Jews. The sense is, that no one had a right to impose their observance on Christians, or to condemn them if they did not keep them. They had been delivered from that obligation by the death of Christ;

e. or [2228 * e] See “or” above.

f. of the new moon [3561 * noumenia] [Strong: feminine of a compound of 3501 and 3376 (as noun by implication, of 2250); the festival of new moon:--new moon.]

1). The Jewish calendar was a lunar calendar, dot a solar calendar like ours. Under the Mosaic law Jews were required to observe the monthly observances of the new moon.

a). Numbers 10:10

b). Numbers 28:11-15

g. or [2228 * e] See “or” above.

h. of the sabbath days [4521 * sabbaton] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (7676); the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications:--sabbath (day), week.]

1). John McArthur: There is never a command in the New Testament to keep the sabbath. All Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament some numerous times except the fourth command. It is never repeated in the New Testament, not one single time. It was in the midst of the moral law a sign and a symbol to lead the people to rest and repentance. But when you come to the New Testament, there’s never a repeat of that command. The rest that the New Testament is concerned about is the rest that comes to the soul from hearing and believing the good news preached. That’s the rest the New Testament offers. [Hebrews 4] Verse 9 says, “There is a sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself rested also from his works, as God did from His.” That’s so remarkable.