Vera. 16, 17.-0ondemnation of rilu,alislic observances and ascetic severities. The npostlo draws a practical inference from the view he had just given of the work of Obrist. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of a new moon, or of a sabbath <lay: which things are a shatlow of tho things to come; but the body is Christ's." I. THE rROHIDITION. It is twofold, re~pecting first the distinction of meats and drinks, and then the observance of times. 1. 'l.'he distinction of meats and drinks. (1) This distinction was made in the Mosaic Law as to things clean and unclean. '!'here was no prohibition as to drinl,s, except in regard to .Nazarites and priests during their ministration (Lev. x. 9; Numb. vi. 3). It is probable that the Colossian crrorists, like the Essenes, forbade wine and animal food altogether; for they imposed a rigorous asceticism upon their disciples. (2) The distinction is abolished by the gospel. (a) Our Lord hinted at the approaching abolition (Mark vii. 14, 19). (b) 'l'here was a formal annulment of the distinction in Peter's vision (Acts x.11, etc.), where the distinction between those within and those without the covenant was being done away. (c) The abolition is implied in Heb. ix. 10, where the rule as "to meats and drinks" is said to Lave been" imposed until the time of reformation." (d) It is also implied in the action of the Council of Jerusalem, and in the language of Peter respect- ing "the yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear" (Acts xv. 10). (3) The attitude of Ohristia11s towards this distinction. "Let no man ... judge you in respect of" them, (a) Christians are not justified now in making such a distinction or in imposing it upon others. 'l'hus the Roman Catholics are condemned for their dis- tinction of meats: "Commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving" (1 Tim. iv. 3). It is not "that which goeth into the mouth that defileth the man" (Matt. xv. 2, 11). (b) Christians in apostolic times had a liberty in these matters which they were to exercise for edification. (u) It was allow- able for a believer neither "to eat flesh" nor to drink wine" so long as the world standeth" (1 Cor. viii. 13). (13) It was allowable in the transition state of the Church, while it consisted of two diverse elements-Jews and ~ntiles-for liberty to be exercised in these matters, with a due regard to the rights of conscience (Rom. xiv. 2). (c) But we in our different circumstances must resist any attempt to impose upon us a distinction of meats. " Let no man ... judge you in meat, or in drink." It is not in mari's power to make that a sin which God has not forbidden. "It is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's judgment" (1 Cor. iv. 3). "Why dost thou judge thy brother?" (Rom. xiv. 3, 10), Besides, we must remember the spiritual nature of Christianity: "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteous- ness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom, xiv. 17). We must "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ bath made his people free" (Gal. v. 1). 2. The observance of times and seasons. "Or in respect of a feast day, or of a new moon, or of a sabbath day." The apostle said to the Galatians, "Yo observe days, and months, and times, and years" (Gal. iv. 10). (1) 'l'hcre was a provisionnl and temporary discretion allowed likewise in the matter of days. " One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in bis own mind" (Rom. xiv. 5, 6). The apostle leaves the matter of days an open question. (2) Yet no man was to be taken to task for refusing to observe them, 'l'he times were entirely Jewish. (a) The "feast day" referred to the annual festivals, like Pentecost and Passover. (b) The" new moon" referred to the monthly festival, (c) The" sabbath day" referred to the Jewish sabbath, which was always observed on the Saturday. "But does the apostle not seem to strike at the obligation of maintaining the observance of one day in seven for the worship of God, and sunder the connection that exists between the Jewish sabbath and the Christian Sunday?" We answer that: (u) The observance of the Lord's day never came into question in apostolic times. It was universally observed from the beginning both by Jews and Gentiles, It cannot, therefore, be affected by anything said as to" days" in Rom. xiv.1-6 or in this passage. (9) The devotion of a seventh part of our time to God rests on consideraLions as old as creation, for the sabbath was made for man even before sin entered the world. (-y) The sabbath of the 116 '.L'HE EPISTLE '1'0 'l'HE COLOSSIANS. [ CH, II, 1-23,
Jews ,rns typical, and therefore was abolished in Christ, and therefore, as well as for other rea~ons, the Lord's day, which took its place from the beginning of the gospel dispensatwn, was changed from ~he last_ to the first day of the week. The sabbath day "·as so long and so deeply associated with the stated feasts, the sabbatical year, and the jubilee year of Juda_ism? th~t it partool~ of their tyJ?ical character, and thus passed away with the other mstitut10ns of Judaism. Ilut tlus was not the original aspect of (he sabbath, which bad nothing in it typical of redemption, for it began while there was no sin and no need of salvation. Thus, just as baptism is the Lord's circumcision according to ver. 11, the Lord's day is the sabbath of Christian times. II. THE REASON FOR THE PROHIBITION, ",vhich things are a shadow of the tbin"s to come; but the body is Christ's.'' They were useful as shadows before the Subst~nce came, but after it they were useless. l. The shadow. The word implies: (1) The dimness, the unsubstantiality of these Jewish ordinances or institutions. 'l'he light they proj~cted forward into Christian times was obscure. (2) Their temporary nature, The shadow disappears when the substance is come. 2. The substance. "The body L, Christ's;" that is, belongs to Christ. 'l'he reality is verified in Christ and the benefits or the new dispensation. 'l'be blefsings they prefigured are to be realized by union with Christ.-T. C.