John Calvin Commentary Colossians 2:22

"(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?" — Colossians 2:22 (ASV)

All which things tend to corruption. He sets aside, by a twofold argument, the enactments he has mentioned—because they make religion consist in things outward and frail, which have no connection with the spiritual kingdom of God; and secondly, because they are from men, not from God. He also combats the first argument in Romans 14:17, when he says,

The kingdom of God is not in meat and drink;

Likewise in 1 Corinthians 6:13,

Meat for the belly, and the belly for meats: God will destroy both.

Christ also himself says, Whatever entereth into the mouth defileth not the man, because it goes down into the belly, and is cast forth (Matthew 15:11).

The sum is this—that the worship of God, true piety, and the holiness of Christians do not consist in drink, and food, and clothing, which are things that are transient and liable to corruption, and perish by abuse. For abuse is properly applicable to those things that are corrupted by their use. Therefore, enactments are of no value regarding those things that tend to arouse scruples of conscience. But in Popery you would scarcely find any other holiness than what consists in little observances of corruptible things.

A second refutation is added—that they originated with men and do not have God as their Author; and by this thunderbolt he prostrates and swallows up all human traditions. Why? This is Paul’s reasoning: “Those who bring consciences into bondage do injury to Christ and make his death void. For whatever is of human invention does not bind conscience.”