Colossians 2:16-23
Paul is concerned about false teaching that has emerged in the church at Colossae. It seems to be a mixture of Gnostic asceticism and Jewish legalism and it threatens to undermine the gospel teaching Paul has given to them. He warns them against regressing into old Jewish legalism and false doctrines about hierarchies of heavenly bodies (angels, v.18). The gospel unites the body (community of faith) and the head of that is Christ Jesus. Separation from that head means the body (community) is no longer the church.
Paul is concerned about false teaching that has emerged in the church at Colossae. It seems to be a mixture of Gnostic asceticism and Jewish legalism and it threatens to undermine the gospel teaching Paul has given to them. He warns them against regressing into old Jewish legalism and false doctrines about hierarchies of heavenly bodies (angels, v.18). The gospel unites the body (community of faith) and the head of that is Christ Jesus. Separation from that head means the body (community) is no longer the church.