“So let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God." (Col 2:16–19)
One thing that drastically transformed my understanding of the Bible was realizing that Jesus Christ is the central focus of the entire Bible. This can be seen even in the statement made to the first woman in the garden about her seed crushing the serpent's head. This proposition sets the stage for the whole story of the Bible, where God created man and man broke with God, leading to the need for redemption and restoration.
This concept is so fundamental that even the apostle John claims in a passage found in Revelation the text that “Christ was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.” This underscores the fact that the redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ is at the very center of human history and its whole purpose.
So, how does this relate to the text we are discussing today? Paul believed that the Jewish law, or at least the things that were representatives of the law, such as festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths, were merely shadows or illustrations that pointed to the reality of the person of Jesus. This is not just the writer's opinion but can be seen in many passages in the New Testament.
The Bible is full of prophecies and symbols that point to Jesus Christ as the Savior of humanity. Paul, in Romans 3:21-22, affirms that the plan of God for redemption through Jesus Christ was spoken of in the prophets. Although the prophets did not fully understand God's plan for redemption, they all pointed to Jesus Christ. Similarly, Hebrews 10:1 expresses the same idea, stating that the law of Moses, with its festivals, rules, and regulations, was just a shadow of the good things to come in Christ.
The author of Hebrews explains that these symbols, signs, types, and shadows could not do what the reality they pointed to could do. In other words, they were insufficient for salvation and could not make perfect those who drew near. Therefore, the purpose of the Jewish law was to point to Jesus Christ, the reality that fulfilled the law and brought salvation to humanity.
It's not just Paul or New Testament writers that make this claim; the Gospels record Jesus making the same claim in several places. In Luke 24:27, we read that Jesus interpreted the Scriptures to two of his disciples, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, explaining how they pointed to himself. In John 1:45, Philip tells Nathanael that they have found the one Moses and the prophets wrote about, Jesus of Nazareth. In John 5:39, Jesus tells the Pharisees that the Scriptures bear witness about him and that they search the Scriptures thinking they have eternal life. In Acts 10:43, Peter affirms that all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through his name. And in Acts 13:27-29, Paul reminds the people that their rulers fulfilled the utterances of the prophets by condemning and executing Jesus, as had been written about him.
Throughout the years, my wife and I have had the privilege of attending many different types of churches, from home churches to home groups to small gatherings. We've heard all kinds of doctrines, including the serpent seed doctrine, the doctrine of manifested sonship, Hebrew roots or messianic movements, the oneness of God or Jesus-only camp, and common divisions of once saved, always saved and free will versus predestination.
In all of these things, we ask ourselves a simple question: is what's being taught usurping the place of Jesus in terms of its focus and passion? In essence, Paul tells the Colossian church in Colossians 2:16-23 is to be careful of anyone who tries to claim some system, some set of actions, some set of rules, some distinctive that draws attention away from the focus and work of Jesus' redemption on the cross. Such teachings are to be avoided and even feared, for they lead us away from the truth that salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ.