Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
have—Greek, "are having"; implying the permanent characteristic which these ordinances are supposed to have.
show of wisdom—rather, "a reputation of wisdom" [ALFORD].
will-worship—arbitrarily invented worship: would-be worship, devised by man's own will, not God's. So jealous is God of human will-worship, that He struck Nadab and Abihu dead for burning strange incense (Leviticus 10:1-3). So Uzziah was stricken with leprosy for usurping the office of priest (II Chronicles 26:16-21). Compare the will-worship of Saul (I Samuel 13:8-14) for which he was doomed to lose his throne. This "voluntary worship" is the counterpart to their "voluntary humility" (Colossians 2:18): both specious in appearance, the former seeming in religion to do even more than God requires (as in the dogmas of the Roman and Greek churches); but really setting aside God's will for man's own; the latter seemingly self-abasing, but really proud of man's self-willed "humility" (Greek, "lowliness of mind"), while virtually rejecting the dignity of direct communion with Christ, the Head; by worshipping of angels.
neglecting of the body—Greek, "not sparing of the body." This asceticism seems to have rested on the Oriental theory that matter is the source of evil. This also looked plausible (compare I Corinthians 9:27).
not in any honour—of the body. As "neglecting of the body" describes asceticism positively; so this clause, negatively. Not paying any of that "honor" which is due to the body as redeemed by such a price as the blood of Christ. We should not degrade, but have a just estimation of ourselves, not in ourselves, but in Christ (Acts 13:46; I Corinthians 3:21; I Corinthians 6:15; I Corinthians 7:23; I Corinthians 12:23-24; I Thessalonians 4:4). True self-denial regards the spirit, and not the forms of ascetical self-mortification in "meats which profit not those occupied therein" (Hebrews 13:9), and is consistent with Christian self-respect, the "honor" which belongs to the believer as dedicated to the Lord. Compare "vainly," Colossians 2:18.
to the satisfying of the flesh—This expresses the real tendency of their human ordinances of bodily asceticism, voluntary humility, and will-worship of angels. While seeming to deny self and the body, they really are pampering the flesh. Thus "satisfying of the flesh" answers to "puffed up by his fleshly mind" (Colossians 2:18), so that "flesh" is used in its ethical sense, "the carnal nature" as opposed to the "spiritual"; not in the sense, "body." The Greek for "satisfying" implies satiating to repletion, or to excess. "A surfeit of the carnal sense is human tradition" [HILARY THE DEACON, in BENGEL]. Tradition puffs up; it clogs the heavenly perceptions. They put away true "honor" that they may "satiate to the full THE FLESH." Self-imposed ordinances gratify the flesh (namely, self-righteousness), though seeming to mortify it.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Colossians 2:23:
Proverbs 11:17
Jeremiah 32:35
Hosea 13:2
1 Corinthians 9:27
Galatians 4:9
Colossians 1:9
Colossians 2:4
Colossians 2:18
Colossians 3:1
Colossians 3:12
2 Thessalonians 2:7
1 Timothy 1:4
1 Timothy 4:3
1 Timothy 4:3
1 Timothy 6:20-21
Titus 1:14
Hebrews 11:4
2 Peter 2:1
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