SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:23
Las cuales cosas tienen a la verdad cierta reputacin de sabiduría en culto a la voluntad y humildad, y en duro trato del cuerpo; pero no tienen valor alguno contra los apetitos de la carne.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Colossians 2:23
Verse 23. Which things have indeed a show of wisdom] All these prescriptions and rites have indeed the appearance of wisdom, and are recommended by plausible reasons; but they form a worship which God has not commanded, and enjoin macerations of the body, accompanied with a humiliation of spirit, that are neither profitable to the soul, nor of any advantage to the body; so that the whole of their religion is nothing worth. WHAT is here termed will-worship, eqeloqrhskeia, signifies simply a mode of worship which a man chooses for himself, independently of the revelation which God has given. The whole system of Deism is an eqeloqrhskeia, a worship founded in the will or caprices of man, and not in the wisdom or will of God; and it is just as profitable to body and soul as that of which the apostle speaks. God will be served in his own way; it is right that he should prescribe to man the truths which he is to believe, and the ordinances which he is to use. To refuse to receive his teaching in order to prefer our own fancies, is to light a farthing candle as a substitute for the noonday sun. From the beginning of the world God has prescribed the worship which was best pleasing to himself, and never left a matter of such moment to man. The nations which have either not had a revelation, or refused to receive that which God has given, show, by their diversity of worship, superstition, absurdity, and in many cases cruelty, what the state of the whole would have been, had not God, in his infinite mercy, blessed it with a revelation of his will. God has given directions concerning his worship; and he has appointed the seventh day for the peculiar exercises of spiritual duties: other times he has left to man's convenience; and they abuse the text who say that the appointment of particular times and places for religious service is will-worship. God prescribes the thing, and leaves it to man, except in the case of the Sabbath, to appoint the time and the place; nor is it possible to be too frequent in God's worship, any more than to be too fervent.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom , etc.] The authors of them set up for men of wisdom, and were esteemed such, and are often styled ymkj , wise men; and their scholars that received their traditions, and explained and enforced them on others, ymkjh ydymlt , the disciples of the wise men: and they pretended, that these constitutions of theirs were a hedge for the law, and for the honour of it, and to preserve it, and keep men from transgressing it; and this carried in it some appearance of wisdom: and their pretensions to it lay in the following things, in will worship ; being what was over and above that which was commanded by God, and so, like the freewill offerings under the law, must be acceptable to him; this was one of their colours, which had some show of wisdom, religion, and zeal: and humility : in worshipping of angels, and not coming directly, and with boldness, to God or Christ; or rather in subjecting themselves to the yoke of the law, and submitting to the decrees of the fathers and doctors of the church, who were more wise, and learned, and knowing than they, and so had the appearance of prudence, gentleness, and goodness: and neglecting of the body ; by fastings and watchings, whereby they seemed to be very religious and devout, holy and mortified persons, who kept under their bodies, subdued their unruly appetites, and fulfilled not the lusts of the flesh: but then this was only a show of wisdom and godliness; there was no truth nor reality in these things; they were only a mere form, an outside show, a mere pretence; there was no true devotion nor religion in them: and so not in any honour ; or to be had in any esteem; for if the rites of the ceremonial law itself were weak and beggarly elements, much more must these additions to it, and corruptions of it, be such; and at most only regarded things external, that were to the satisfying, of the flesh ; either the body, or the carnal mind, in which they were vainly pulled up: though some consider this last clause as explanative of the former, neglecting of the body, or not sparing it, but afflicting it with austerities of life; depriving it of its proper right, what is necessary for it, not taking due care of it, so as to satisfy nature; whereby instead of honouring, they dishonoured it: for though the body is not to be pampered, and the lusts of it indulged, or luxury and intemperance to be encouraged; yet since the body is the work of God's hands, is the habitation of the soul, and by which it performs its offices, and is the purchase of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and will be raised a glorious body at the last day, it ought not to be neglected and dishonoured; but should have a sufficiency of food and clothing, whereby it may be comfortably and honourably nourished and supported.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 wh worship angels, disclaim Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man. It is an insult to Christ, who is the Head of the church, to use any intercessors but him. When men let go their hold of Christ they catch at what will stand them in no stead. The body of Christ is growing body. And true believers cannot live in the fashions of the world. True wisdom is, to keep close to the appointments of the gospel in entire subjection to Christ, who is the only Head of his church Self-imposed sufferings and fastings, might have a show of uncommo spirituality and willingness for suffering, but this was not "in an honour" to God. The whole tended, in a wrong manner, to satisfy the carnal mind, by gratifying self-will, self-wisdom, self-righteousness and contempt of others. The things being such as carry not with them s much as the show of wisdom; or so faint a show that they do the soul n good, and provide not for the satisfying of the flesh. What the Lor has left indifferent, let us regard as such, and leave others to the like freedom; and remembering the passing nature of earthly things, le us seek to glorify God in the use of them __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ει 1487 COND ουν 3767 CONJ συνηγερθητε 4891 5681 V-API-2P τω 3588 T-DSM χριστω 5547 N-DSM τα 3588 T-APN ανω 507 ADV ζητειτε 2212 5720 V-PAM-2P ου 3757 ADV ο 3588 T-NSM χριστος 5547 N-NSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S εν 1722 PREP δεξια 1188 A-DSF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM καθημενος 2521 5740 V-PNP-NSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:23 {Which things} (hatina). "Which very things," these ascetic regulations. {Have indeed a show of wisdom} (estin logon men econta sofias). Periphrastic present indicative with estin in the singular, but present indicative econta in the plural (hatina). logon sofias is probably "the repute of wisdom" (Abbott) like Plato and Herodotus. men (in deed) has no corresponding de. {In will-worship} (en eqeloqreskiai). this word occurs nowhere else and was probably coined by Paul after the pattern of eqelodouleia, to describe the voluntary worship of angels (see #2:18). {And humility} (kai tapeinofrosunei). Clearly here the bad sense, "in mock humility." {And severity to the body} (kai afeidiai swmatos). Old word (Plato) from afeides, unsparing (a privative, feidomai, to spare). Here alone in N.T. Ascetics often practice flagellations and other hardnesses to the body. {Not of any value} (ouk en timei tini). time usually means honor or price. {Against the indulgence of the flesh} (pros plesmonen tes sarkos). These words are sharply debated along with time just before. It is not unusual for pros to be found in the sense of "against" rather than "with" or "for." See pros in sense of {against} in #3:13; Eph 6:11f.; 2Co 5:12; 1Co 6:1. plesmone is an old word from pimplemi, to fill and means satiety. It occurs here only in the N.T. Peake is inclined to agree with Hort and Haupt that there is a primitive corruption here. But the translation in the Revised Version is possible and it is true that mere rules do not carry us very far in human conduct as every father or mother knows, though we must have some regulations in family and state and church. But they are not enough of themselves.
