Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Colossians 2:23

"Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; [but are] not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh." — Colossians 2:23 (ASV)

Ascetic rules masquerade as wisdom. On the surface, they seem to be reasonable and wise. But this is only an appearance of wisdom. In reality these rules are expressions of “self-imposed worship” and spurious “humility.” The first expression denotes worship which people choose for themselves without authorization from God. The context suggests that the errorists engaged in such “worship” (cf. v.18) in the hope that they would thereby acquire superior merit before God.

“Humility” (GK 5425) must in this context refer to a mock humility (cf. v.18). The idea is that asceticism, while parading under the guise of humility, actually panders to human pride. “Harsh treatment of the body” is a reference to ascetic torturings of the body. “Lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence” translates a very difficult Greek construction. It suggests that the ascetics end up putting far more emphasis on the indulgence of the flesh than they ought to, and they are proud of it (cf. Galatians 5:19–21).

To sum up, v.23 teaches that ascetic rules have the appearance of wisdom for many people in that they seem to be expressions of devotion to God, of humility, and of a commendable discipline of the body. Paul, however, declares that these regulations have nothing to do with real wisdom, and the worship and humility they seem to express are both spurious. His final appraisal is that asceticism is a dismal failure and not the way to spiritual victory. Christianity is not a religion of prescriptions but of a living relationship with Jesus Christ. This, of course, does not mean that once we are in Christ everything is permissible. That would amount to moral and spiritual anarchy, which is contrary to the very nature of the new life in Christ. It does mean that the controls of the Christian life spring from within and that genuine piety grows out of inward conviction generated by a consciousness of union with Christ. Indwelt by the Spirit, we walk by the Spirit and thus avoid carrying out the desires of the lower nature (Galatians 5:16).