SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:19
y no manteniendo el vínculo a la cabeza, de la cual todo el cuerpo, alimentado y unido por sus ligaduras y coyunturas, creciendo en aumento de Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Colossians 2:19
Verse 19. And not holding the Head] Not acknowledging Jesus Christ as the only saviour of mankind, and the only Head or chief of the Christian Church, on whom every member of it depends, and from whom each derives both light and life. For a farther explanation of these words see the notes on Eph. iv. 16, where the figures and phraseology are the same.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. And not holding the head , etc.] Christ, as some copies express it; for by making use of angels as mediators and intercessors, Christ the only Mediator, the Lord and head of angels, and of the church, was dropped and laid aside; which is another reason the apostle gives, why such men, and their principles and practices, should be shunned and avoided by all those that had a regard for Christ the head: from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God : by all the body, or the whole body, is meant the church, the mystical body of Christ; which, like an human body, consists of various members, all in union with one another, and with Christ the head: and by joints and bands are intended, either the grace of Christian charity, or love, the bond of perfectness; which is that in Christ's mystical body, as joints and bands are in an human body; for by this the members of Christ are joined, united, and knit together, and make increase: or else the ordinances of the Gospel, by which the saints are kept together in order, and through which is spiritual nourishment ministered, from Christ the head to them; who hates not his own flesh, the members of his body, but nourishes and cherishes them, with the wine of divine love, with the water of life, with himself the bread of life, with his flesh which is meat indeed, and with his blood which is drink indeed; with his own wholesome words, even the words of faith and sound doctrine: and it is from him, that the saints are knit together: both to one another in him the cornerstone, and also to him, being made one body and one spirit with him; and so from and through him, this body increaseth with the increase of God: that which God has appointed for his church, and which he gives; and which it will arrive unto, when all the elect are gathered in, and they are filled with all the gifts and graces of the Spirit, and these are brought to their proper pitch and full degree; all which is had from, and owing to Christ: for if Christ the head is not held, the body will have no nourishment, but soon become a skeleton; the members of it will soon loosen from one another and fall into pieces, and there will be no spiritual increase or edification: all which are so many reasons, why the saints should be upon their guard against these false teachers, and judaizing Christians, and which argument and exhortation the apostle further pursues in the following verses.
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
και 2532 ου 3756 κρατων 2902 5723 την 3588 κεφαλην 2776 εξ 1537 ου 3739 παν 3956 το 3588 σωμα 4983 δια 1223 των 3588 αφων 860 και 2532 συνδεσμων 4886 επιχορηγουμενον 2023 5746 και 2532 συμβιβαζομενον 4822 5746 αυξει 837 5719 την 3588 αυξησιν 838 του 3588 θεου 2316
Vincent's NT Word Studies
19. Holding the head (kratwn thn kefalhn). Holding by or fast, as commonly in the New Testament. Compare Sophocles: "If thou art to rule (arxeiv) this land, even as thou holdest it (krateiv "Oedipus Tyrannus," 54). The head, Christ as contrasted with the angelic mediators.
From whom (ex ou). Fixing the personal reference of the head to Christ. Compare Eph. iv. 16.
By joints and bands (dia twn afwn kai sundesmwn). Joints (afwn) only here and Eph. iv. 16. The word means primarily touching, and is used in classical Greek of the touch upon harpstrings, or the grip of a wrestler. Not quite the same as joints in the sense of the parts in contact, but the relations between the adjacent parts. The actual connection is expressed by bands 202 or ligaments.
Ministered (epicorhgoumenon). See on add, 2 Pet. i. 5. Rev., supplied. Knit together. See on ver. 2. "The discoveries of modern physiology have invested the apostle's language with far greater distinctness and force than it can have worn to his own contemporaries. Any exposition of the nervous system more especially reads like a commentary on the image of the relations between the body and the head. At every turn we meet with some fresh illustration which kindles it with a flood of light. The volition communicated from the brain to the limbs, the sensations of the extremities telegraphed back to the brain, the absolute mutual sympathy between the head and the members, the instantaneous paralysis ensuing, on the interruption of continuity, all these add to the completeness and life of the image" (Lightfoot).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:19 {Not holding fast the Head} (ou kratwn ten kefalen). Note negative ou, not me, actual case of deserting Christ as the Head. The Gnostics dethroned Christ from his primacy (#1:18) and placed him below a long line of aeons or angels. They did it with words of praise for Christ as those do now who teach Christ as only the noblest of men. The headship of Christ is the keynote of this epistle to the Colossians and the heart of Paul's Christology. {From whom} (ex hou). Masculine ablative rather than ex hes (kefales) because Christ is the Head. He develops the figure of the body of which Christ is Head (#1:18,24). {Being supplied} (epicoregoumenon). Present passive participle (continuous action) of epicoregew, for which interesting verb see already #2Co 9:10; Ga 3:5 and further #2Pe 1:5. {Knit together} (sunbibazomenon). Present passive participle also (continuous action) of sunbibazw, for which see #Col 2:2. {Through the joints} (dia twn hafwn). Late word hafe (from haptw, to fasten together), connections (_junctura_ and _nexus_ in the Vulgate). {And bonds} (kai sundesmwn). Old word from sundew, to bind together. Aristotle and Galen use it of the human body. Both words picture well the wonderful unity in the body by cells, muscles, arteries, veins, nerves, skin, glands, etc. It is a marvellous machine working together under the direction of the head. {Increaseth with the increase of God} (auxei ten auxesin tou qeou). Cognate accusative (auxesin) with the old verb auxei.
