Col. 2:18. voluntary humility and worship of Angels, intruding into things which he has not seen,
After he fulfilled their indignation, having shown that others want to deal wickedly with them, to deprive them of their reward, the apostle sets forth the very heretical dogma itself, saying: they want to deprive you of your reward, having deceived you with a seeming humility. For it is unworthy, they said, of the greatness of the Only-Begotten to teach that the Only-Begotten brought you to the Father, since this is more than is fitting for human smallness. Therefore it is more reasonable to suppose that angels served in your bringing to the Father. Proceeding from this thought, they introduced a special worship of angels as well, and persuaded the simple-hearted to turn to them, as if to our saviors. And they, who have never seen angels, assert this and that about them, as though they had seen them.
Col. 2:18. puffed up without reason by his fleshly mind
In vain, he says, they are puffed up by their teaching, which is a matter of fleshly reasoning, not spiritual. Does not the dullness of their mind stand exposed by the fact that they deny what Christ said: "God so loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son" (Jn. 3:16) for mankind; and again: "and for their sakes I sanctify Myself" (Jn. 17:19); furthermore: "I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and those too I must bring" (Jn. 10:15–16). There are many other similar passages as well. So then, how did he say above "in humility"? Their humility was apparent, not real. Alternatively: they were puffed up as obstinate dogmatists who would not even allow the true teaching to be set before them. Although they insist on their teaching out of humility, they did not actually possess it, but merely spoke humbly: that the Only-begotten should be slain for us—this is more than what is needed for mankind (not proportionate to them, not befitting them).
Col. 2:19. And not holding the Head, from which all the body, by joints and bands being joined together and knit together, grows with the increase of God.
He who teaches this, he says, does not hold fast to the Head, that is, the Son of God. For He is the Head of the angels, as Creator and Ruler of the world, and equally the Head of the entire Church, both for this reason and because we are members of His body, for He Himself is a partaker with us in this very thing. From Him, therefore, the entire body of the Church has both simple existence and well-being. Whoever falls away from Him is lost. Just as from the brain the sensitive spirit is transmitted through the nerves to the entire body — and from the head comes every sensation and every movement — so too the entire body of the Church is supplied, that is, receives that by which it lives and grows spiritually. And when does it have this? When it is joined together (when it is well composed) with Him and within itself. For only in such a case does the Holy Spirit supply the body with that by which it grows, so that if the body has no communion with the Head and with itself, then there is neither the supply of the Spirit nor the growth of God, that is, the best life according to God.
Col. 2:20. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you submit to regulations:
Through baptism, he says, having died with Christ, you died to your entire former life, so that you would no longer serve the elements to which you were previously subject. Therefore, why do you submit to them again, as if living your former life? You consider one day fortunate and another unfortunate, but these are Hellenic observances. See how imperceptibly he mocks them, saying: "you submit to ordinances" – δογματίζεσθε. You, he says, like children who have just begun to learn, sit receiving teachings and instructions about what must be done.
Col. 2:21. "Do not touch," "do not taste," "do not handle."
Col. 2:22. (which are all destined to perish with use),
He also brings up another observation of theirs regarding food, one that is predominantly Jewish, just as the one regarding days was brought up as Hellenic. Shaming the arrogance of the local dogmatists (false teachers), the apostle says that all of this is unimportant, but ends in decay in those who consume it; having decayed in the stomach, it is then expelled through the bowels, so that for the soul there is in this, as it is in itself, neither benefit nor harm.
Col. 2:22. by the commandments and teaching of men?
These are not divine instructions, but human ordinances. So then, what? Is the law not the teaching of God? – It existed when there was a time for it, but now it no longer exists, because its time has been fulfilled. Or he says this because the Jewish elders distorted it, establishing traditions apart from the law, as Christ also speaks of this in the Gospel. Or he is alluding to the teachings of the Greeks.
Col. 2:23. These things have only an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and harsh treatment of the body, in a certain neglect of the satisfaction of the flesh.
They have an appearance of wisdom, but not the power and truth. For the one who teaches this seems pious, modest, and contemptuous of the body for the sake of abstaining from food. However, God honored the body and gave foods so that, being nourished by them, the flesh could exist and voluntarily master the passions. But they do not hold the body in honor, but deprive it of what is due, taking away its authority and not allowing it to act without compulsion.