Colossians 2:20-23
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Paul asks, "Why do you still follow these rules as if you were still living in the world?" This highlights that obeying strict regulations isn't just about outward actions; it reveals a heart that hasn't truly grasped its freedom and new identity in Christ. The "rudiments of the world" implies these rules are like basic, elementary lessons you've already graduated from by dying with Christ.
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul reminds the Colossians that their union with Christ in His death means they are no longer bound by the elementary rules and regulations of the world. He questions why they would then submit to new, man-made restrictions about what to eat, handle, or touch, as if they were still living under those worldly principles instead of being freed by Christ. This challenging question aims to expose the contradiction between their new identity in Christ and their continued submission to external religious observances.
Paul throws a powerful question at the Colossians: If you've died with Christ, why are you still living by worldly rules?
The core idea here is that our union with Christ in His death means we are fundamentally set free from the old ways of living.
Beyond Earthly 'Elements'
Paul refers to the 'rudiments of the world.' Think of these as the basic, elementary principles and practices that govern life apart from God. They're the rules the world lives by – often based on human tradition, fear, or a desire for self-righteousness.
Death as Separation
When we 'die with Christ,' it signifies a decisive break from these worldly elements. It’s not just a change of mind; it’s a spiritual reality where our old life, bound by these regulations, has ended. As Vincent notes, this 'died' (aorist tense) points to a specific event where death dissolves the connection to these worldly ways.
Freedom from Regulations
Therefore, submitting to rigid rules, especially those focused on outward observances like 'handle not, taste not, touch not,' makes no sense. It's like someone in a grave obeying the traffic laws of the living world! As Barnes puts it, 'They ought no more to do it, than the things of this world influence those who are in their graves.'
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What exactly are these 'rudiments of the world' that Paul says we've died to? It’s a concept that goes deeper than just religious rules.
The 'rudiments of the world' (Greek: stoicheia tou kosmou) isn't just about a list of prohibitions. It represents a whole system of elementary, often human-centered, principles that govern life.
A System of Control
These elements are the foundational, often unwritten, rules and practices that define how people live and interact within the world, apart from direct reliance on God. Calvin points out that they are 'ritual religious elements of non-Christian humanity.' This can include philosophies, traditions, and regulations that try to earn favor or maintain purity through human effort.
Empty Show vs. True Life
As the commentaries show, these regulations often have a 'show of wisdom' – they might seem humble or spiritual on the surface (like voluntary fasting or worship of angels, as mentioned by Henry and Expository). However, Paul argues they are ultimately empty and 'tend to corruption' (Colossians 2:22). They focus on outward appearances rather than the inner transformation that comes from Christ. They are 'commandments and doctrines of men' (Colossians 2:22), not divine mandates that lead to true life.
Paul's question is sharp: If you're spiritually dead to the world, why are you still submitting to its rules and regulations?
The crux of Paul's argument in this verse is the deep inconsistency of adhering to man-made regulations after experiencing the death and resurrection life with Christ.
A Contradiction in Terms
To be 'dead with Christ' is to be liberated from the power and dominion of the world's systems. Therefore, to then be 'subject to ordinances' – to decrees and regulations, particularly those of an ascetic or ritualistic nature – is a contradiction. Meyer explains that the word translated 'subject to ordinances' (dogmatize) means to be prescribed to, to have decrees made for you, highlighting a state of spiritual bondage.
The Danger of Human Systems
These ordinances, as scholars like Calvin and Expository note, often stem from human will-worship, self-imposed humility, and a focus on outward austerity ('severity to the body'). They may look impressive, but they offer no real power against the indulgence of the flesh and fail to honor Christ as the Head of the church. Benson wisely points out that submitting to these human institutions, especially when Christ has set us free, is problematic.
Understand the original words
stoicheia · Greek Noun
The fundamental principles or basic, rudimentary teachings of the world; often used to describe human religious systems or legalistic structures that are devoid of the power of the Gospel.
dogmatizesthe · Greek Verb
In the context of religion, these are human-made rules, commandments, or ritualistic requirements imposed upon believers as a means of gaining spiritual standing or control.
haptē · Greek Verb
To handle refers to physical contact, often in a ritualistic or ceremonial sense. In this context, it refers to the rigid, external regulations imposed by false teachers regarding physical interactions with certain objects or foods.
geusē · Greek Verb
To taste refers to the act of eating or consuming, specifically relating to dietary restrictions. Biblically, this relates to the idea that external regulations concerning food cannot affect a person's standing before God.
thigēs · Greek Verb
A general term for physical contact or manipulation. The prohibition here highlights the futility of using physical abstinence to achieve spiritual maturity.
phthoran · Greek Noun
Refers to the temporal, transient nature of material things. Scripture contrasts these decaying physical elements with the eternal realities of the kingdom of God.
entalmata · Greek Noun
Refers to rules or traditions established by people rather than those ordained by God. In the New Testament, these are often contrasted with the authoritative commands of Christ and the revelation of the Holy Spirit.
logon · Greek Noun
The inherent character or external manifestation of something. Paul argues here that such appearance does not necessarily align with the true spiritual reality found in Christ.
ethelothrēskia · Greek Noun
Refers to a system of worship or devotion that is devised by human effort rather than directed by divine revelation. It emphasizes works-based righteousness over the grace received through faith.
apheidia · Greek Noun
The practice of rigorous self-denial and severe discipline, often intended to achieve a higher state of holiness. While self-control is biblical, asceticism as a means of earning merit is rejected in favor of union with Christ.
sarkos · Greek Noun
In the context of the fallen human condition, the 'flesh' represents the seat of sinful desires and tendencies that are opposed to the spirit. True holiness is achieved through the Holy Spirit, not through the suppression of the body.
The letter to the Colossians was written in a context where early Christians were grappling with a blend of Jewish legalism and Gnostic-like philosophies, which emphasized rituals, asceticism, and an over-reliance on human traditions rather than the sufficiency of Christ.
c. 50-62 AD
Paul's Ministry and Letters
During this period, the Apostle Paul conducted missionary journeys and wrote letters to various churches, including Philippi, Colossae, and Laodicea. These letters addressed theological challenges and practical issues faced by early Christians.
c. 60-62 AD— this verse
Writing of Colossians
The Apostle Paul likely wrote the Epistle to the Colossians from prison, possibly in Rome or Ephesus. He addressed specific theological errors and ascetic practices emerging within the church in Colossae.
Late 1st Century AD
Destruction of the Second Temple (Hypothetical)
While the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem occurred in AD 70, the theological tensions addressed in Colossians regarding adherence to the Law and 'elemental spirits' predate this event and reflect ongoing debates within Judaism and early Christianity.
This passage describes a death to the law, paralleling the death to the 'rudiments of the world' mentioned in Colossians, highlighting a release from old systems of regulation.
Romans 6:11Paul explains that believers are to 'reckon themselves dead to sin' through Christ, which resonates with the idea of being dead to worldly principles and therefore not subject to their regulations.
Romans 14:17This verse states that the 'kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,' underscoring that true spirituality isn't found in external regulations about food and rituals, a key point in Paul's argument in Colossians.
Ephesians 2:15Paul mentions that Christ abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, directly supporting the idea that believers who have 'died with Christ' are no longer bound by such regulations.
henryColossians 2:18-23: "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,"
2:18-23 It looked like humility to apply to angels, as if men were conscious of their unworthiness to speak directly to God. But it is not warrantable; it is taking that honour which is due to Christ only, and giving it to a creature. There really was pride in this seeming humility. Those who wors…
calvinColossians 2:20-23: "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,"
- If ye are dead. He had previously said, that the ordinances were fastened to the cross of Christ. (Colossians 2:14.) He now employs another figure of speech -- that we are dead to them, as he teaches us elsewhere, that we are dead to the law, and the law, on the other hand, to us. (Galatians 2:19.) The term death means abrogation, [416]…
Paul asks, "Why do you still follow these rules as if you were still living in the world?" This highlights that obeying strict regulations isn't just about outward actions; it reveals a heart that hasn't truly grasped its freedom and new identity in Christ. The "rudiments of the world" implies these rules are like basic, elementary lessons you've already graduated from by dying with Christ.
Paul reminds the Colossians that their union with Christ in His death means they are no longer bound by the elementary rules and regulations of the world. He questions why they would then submit to new, man-made restrictions about what to eat, handle, or touch, as if they were still living under those worldly principles instead of being freed by Christ. This challenging question aims to expose the contradiction between their new identity in Christ and their continued submission to external religious observances.
Paul reminds the Colossians that their union with Christ in His death means they are no longer bound by the elementary rules and regulations of the world. He questions why they would then submit to new, man-made restrictions about what to eat, handle, or touch, as if they were still living under those worldly principles instead of being freed by Christ. This challenging question aims to expose the contradiction between their new identity in Christ and their continued submission to external religious observances.
"If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—a…" — Paul asks, "Why do you still follow these rules as if you were still living in the world?" This highlights that obeying strict regulations isn't just about outward actions; it reveals a heart that ha…
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Last reviewed October 2026
