Bible Study What does it mean for the law to get nailed to the cross? (Col. 2:13-14/ Eph. 2:11-16)

[Jethro Bodine]

13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14 NASB)

"11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity." (Ephesians 2:11-16 NASB italics in original)

Some say the requirements of the law itself got nailed to the cross. Some say the debt of punishment of the law we owe--the condemnation of the law--got nailed to the cross. Together, the two passages help us understand what it means for the law to be nailed to the cross and, thus, taken out of the way.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I think it important that we know what exactly the "barrier of the dividing wall" (Ephesians 2:14 NASB) of the law is for us to understand why it must be taken out of the way, and how it is taken out of the way in Christ.

The law legislated certain things according to race, sex, and certain physical attributes. They effectively kept certain people out of the community and fellowship of God's people, the Israelites. Those laws were like a wall of division between the people of God and the rest of the world. They even divided the people of God themselves. Paul says these barriers are torn down in Christ.

Some see the tearing down of the dividing wall--the law--as the law being cast down and destroyed (and therefore no longer required to be obeyed), whole others see the tearing down of the wall of law as a legitimate fulfilling and satisfying of the law that allows people into the community of God's people.

 

[Eugene]

What does it mean for the law to get nailed to the cross?(Col. 2:13-14/ Eph. 2:11-16)

The law in tablets of stone, that ministration of death (2 Cor 3:7) never saved, but condemned. Ordinances attempting to make the law intelligible only kept the separation from God because they were not kept either. On the Cross Jesus said it is finished establishing once for all our reconciliation to God, and thereby slaying the enmity that could never be healed by us. God alone made the way and Eph 2:13 shows it. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
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[Jethro Bodine]

How was the law hostile to us that it was necessary for that hostility to be abolished? How does Christ's death abolish the hostility of the law?

As a gentile, how was the law hostile to you? As a woman, how was the law hostile to you? As a Jew, how was the law hostile to you? As someone with a physical impairment, how was the law hostile to you?

How does Christ's death make it so the law is not hostile to any of these people anymore when they believe in Christ?

 

[dianegcook]

How was the law hostile to us that it was necessary for that hostility to be abolished? How does Christ's death abolish the hostility of the law?

I believe , the law contained in ordinances were done away with.
Gentiles do not have to be circumcised, Jesus became that,
They do not have to give sacrifices anymore, Jesus became that,
Jesus became all the rituals that the Israelites held up.
One still has to love God with all their heart,
Love their neighbors and so forth.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

As a woman, dianegcook, how does the death of Christ take the laws out of the way for you that were against women? Would you say they are satisfied because of Christ, or destroyed altogether because of Christ?

 

[dianegcook]

As a woman, dianegcook, how does the death of Christ take the laws out of the way for you that were against women? Would you say they are satisfied because of Christ, or destroyed altogether because of Christ?

Well, spiritual there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek, but one in Christ.
Satisfied!

 

[jocor]

13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14 NASB)

"11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity." (Ephesians 2:11-16 NASB italics in original)

Some say the requirements of the law itself got nailed to the cross. Some say the debt of punishment of the law we owe--the condemnation of the law--got nailed to the cross. Together, the two passages help us understand what it means for the law to be nailed to the cross and, thus, taken out of the way.

Neither passage refers to YHWH's laws being nailed to the cross. The word "ordinances" in Col 2:15 is from the Greek word "dogma". A variation of the same word (dogmatizo) was used in verse 20 to refer to the commandments and doctrines of men.

Col 2:20 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,
Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
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The Greek construction of verse 14 shows it was the "certificate of debt" that was nailed to the tree. That "certificate" (Greek - cheirographon) is a compound word that is formed by combining the two words cheir ("hand") and grapho ("to write or engrave"). The word means a hand-written document. It is a legal term used in courtrooms for the written evidence of a person's guilt. Yeshua took all our guilt and sin upon himself as written in the certificate of debt and he and it were nailed to the cross.

YHWH's laws are not hostile to us. The record of the sins against us that condemns us to death is what was hostile. Sin, as well as the record of those sins, is nailed to the cross removing the hostile intent of that condemning document.

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[jocor]

As for Eph 2:11-16, that is not referring to YHWH's laws either. As in Col 2:15, the Greek word "dogma" is used in Eph 2:15 ("ordinances"). As in Col 2:20, "dogma" means man made commandments and laws. YHWH's laws were not abolished, but man's laws that separated Jews and Gentiles was.

YHWH's Torah/Law fostered inclusion and care for Gentiles. Yeshua himself said, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Mt 5:18). Even Paul wrote that the Law is established (made to stand) through faith (Romans 3:31).

The middle wall that divided Jew and Gentile and that caused enmity/hatred between the two peoples refers to the man made Rabbinic laws that were decreed and that were contrary to YHWH's laws. The oral laws of the Jews created a separation between the two and set aside YHWH's laws that were meant to unite the two. The Jews made decrees/dogma that said merely touching a Gentile or a Gentile's residence would render a Jew unclean. This was never commanded by YHWH. They also made a dogma stating that any Gentile the crossed over the wall separating the court of the Jews from the court of the Gentiles would be put to death. You don't find that law in YHWH's Torah.

Yeshua broke down that wall of separation by uniting the two into one body and so making peace.

 

[jocor]

Guilt is not removed by removing laws. When any President of the United States pardons a criminal, he doesn't do so by abolishing whatever law that criminal broke. He pardons by removing the record of his guilt and forgiving it. Once that criminal is freed, he is not free to continue breaking the same law that imprisoned him in the first place.

 

[JLB]

A variation of the same word (dogmatizo) was used in verse 20 to refer to the commandments and doctrines of men.

So you are saying Jesus had to die on the cross, so that the laws and commandments of men, could be removed?

Please explain how man made Rabbinical laws that God never gave were removed?

These Rabbis that rejected Jesus as Messiah, were now going to remove their man made laws?



JLB

 

[Eugene]

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Brother Jethro Bodine, great questions.

Jethro - How was the law hostile to us that it was necessary for that hostility to be abolished?

Eugene - Since there is none righteous of man (Rom 3:10), the law only kills (2 Cor 3:7), mankind could not approach God; there was enmity or hostility, and separation.

Jethro - How does Christ's death abolish the hostility of the law?

Eugene - The law was not made to make anyone righteous, and God being righteous could not be approached by evil
There remained even in their sacrifices according to Heb 9:10 . . in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. If they retained sin, were not the things they performed hostile to them having eternal life?

Jethro - As a gentile, how was the law hostile to you? As a woman, how was the law hostile to you?

Eugene - As a Gentile I never was given a law, and these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves (Rom 2:14), yet even there I failed. Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Jethro - As a Jew, how was the law hostile to you?

Eugene - Because of sin Israel received the law. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed (Jesus) should come to whom the promise was made. We read of repenting, and what was that pertaining to? Wasn’t it repenting from their perceived works of righteousness to God to receiving and believing on the Lord Jesus as their Savior instead?
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted.

Jethro - As someone with a physical impairment, how was the law hostile to you?

Eugene - Uh, I have no physical impairments; I’m better looking, faster, and smarter than all others. In truth I imagine we all are impaired in some manner. God’s grace, broke down the hostility between us and saved even me. Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.

Jethro - How does Christ's death make it so the law is not hostile to any of these people anymore when they believe in Christ?

Eugene - Heb 9:22 . . without shedding of blood is no remission. Now again, God had no pleasure in the blood of goats (Heb 10:4), it was the very blood of our LORD that opened the heavens to us.
Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; . .
1 Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not (Is this us?); but He (Jesus) that is begotten of God keepeth himself (We are the body of Christ), and that wicked one (Satan) toucheth him not. When our Father looks on us He sees Jesus in us with our new nature, or He would have to judge us.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus!!!

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:


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[jocor]

So you are saying Jesus had to die on the cross, so that the laws and commandments of men, could be removed?

Please explain how man made Rabbinical laws that God never gave were removed?

These Rabbis that rejected Jesus as Messiah, were now going to remove their man made laws?

JLB

They were removed by abolishing the separation between Jew and Gentile that was caused by those man made laws. Once a man becomes a believer, there is no longer Jew or Gentile, but one new man in Messiah. That being the case, any law made by man that would separate the two again has no bearing in our lives. Even though Rabbinic law says you become unclean if you touch a Gentile, a Jewish believer would feel free to touch a Gentile because those man made dogmas no longer have any authority over him. When a Gentile becomes a believer, his hatred for Jews is removed because, not only does he now love his neighbor, but he knows his Jewish brother loves him as well and that no man made law can separate the two. The man made laws and commandments continue to exist for unbelievers, but for believers, they are powerless. They no longer exist for us. YHWH's laws continue to exist for both people and will continue until heaven and earth pass away.

 

[JLB]

They were removed by abolishing the separation between Jew and Gentile that was caused by those man made laws.

Why would Jesus have to die on the cross to remove laws He never instituted.

Jesus died for our sins, as the final sacrifice, not so some man made laws could be removed that had no bearing on Gentiles.

Please show us the scripture that says man made laws were removed, because of Jesus dying on the cross.

The man made laws and commandments continue to exist for unbelievers, but for believers, they are powerless.

I see. So unbelieving Gentiles living in America are still affected by these man made laws, that were made up by some Rabbinical Priest's.

YHWH's laws continue to exist for both people and will continue until heaven and earth pass away.

14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Exodus 31:14

This was YHWH's law. Does your church practice this law?


The law of Moses was changed, because the priesthood has changed.

For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. Hebrews 7:12


Who changed the priesthood, man or the Lord?



JLB

 

[JLB]

They were removed by abolishing the separation between Jew and Gentile that was caused by those man made laws.

having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, Ephesians 2:14


Is physical circumcision still required to be in covenant with YHWH? Do you consider this a man made law?

Are all the different animal sacrifices still required? Do you consider this a man made law?

Is the Sabbath commandment, as mandated by the law of Moses still a required law? Do you consider this a man made law?

Specifically, putting to death your neighbor... Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Ex 31:15



JLB

 

[JLB]

How was the law hostile to us that it was necessary for that hostility to be abolished?

• having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, Ephesians 2:14

The law of commandments contained in ordinances were abolished in His flesh.

• ...so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

Abraham was a type of this "one new man", walking in the righteousness of faith, both before and after He was physically circumcised.

Abraham being a Gentile, became circumcised, and is the father of the Jews.

Abraham obeyed the Voice of the Lord, and walked before Him, in His presence.



JLB

 

[dianegcook]

Ordinances=
Law in ordinances, such as ceremonial, rituals.
Circumcision
Sacrifice
Passover
And such....

 

[jocor]

Why would Jesus have to die on the cross to remove laws He never instituted.

He didn't die to remove laws (neither man's or YHWH's). He died to remove sin and the enmity (hatred) between Jew and Gentile. The enmity was caused by man made laws.

I see. So unbelieving Gentiles living in America are still affected by these man made laws, that were made up by some Rabbinical Priest's.

I didn't say they were "priests".

Actually, Gentiles are still affected. Many Jews in America who live by the Talmud will still not touch a Gentile. The hatred of Gentiles for Jews still exists as well and will continue to exist until the enmity is destroyed through Yeshua.

14 You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Exodus 31:14

This was YHWH's law. Does your church practice this law?

That law still exists and will be carried out upon transgressors living under the First Covenant. Yeshua paid the death penalty for those under the New Covenant. The command still exists, but the penalty for breaking it has been paid for believers.

The law of Moses was changed, because the priesthood has changed.

For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. Hebrews 7:12


Who changed the priesthood, man or the Lord?

YHWH changed it by an oath before the New Covenant existed (Heb 7:21)

 

[jocor]

JLB,

Explain to us why the Apostle Paul is teaching the Ephesians that the Law is abolished when Yeshua said;

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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Is Paul starting his own religion contrary to Yeshua's teachings? Is he schizophrenic? After all, he told the Romans that the Law is "established" (stands firm) (Romans 3:31). Is he now telling the Ephesians that the law is no longer established, but has fallen?

 

[JLB]

He didn't die to remove laws (neither man's or YHWH's). He died to remove sin and the enmity (hatred) between Jew and Gentile. The enmity was caused by man made laws.

The law of commandments contained in ordinances were abolished.

having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, Ephesians 2:14

You say these were some "man made laws".

The New Testament writers would disagree with you.

Let's go down the list, so we all can examine is the commandments, within the law of Moses were abolished?

Please answer with Yes or No by each one.

• Is physical circumcision required in the New Covenant?
• Are animal sacrifices required in the New Covenant?
• Is putting to death for breaking the Sabbath, required in the New Covenant?
• Is traveling to Jerusalem 3 times a year, required in the New Covenant?
• Is it a sin to eat shrimp, under the New Covenant?
• Are ceremonial washing's required in the New Covenant?
• Is it a sin to eat pork in the New Covenant?
• Is it a sin to not keep the Passover according to the law of Moses, under the New Covenant?
• Is it a sin to have yeast [leaven] in your home or bread during Passover week, under the new Covenant?

Do you consider these commandments, "man-made commandments" or the commandments of the law of Moses?


JLB