The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 138

hero), \vhich a.re 11l1 rudimentary compared with tho perfect form of Christi:tnity. We l_ia\·e died to the worlrl (God-forsaking) and its ordinances, why then, as though livin_q in the world (ns though we had not died, as thou"h our former relations to the worlcl to wrre still maintaiued), should we snbject ourselves its ordinances? 1. These ordinances a-re prohibitory, "Handle not, nor taste, nor touch." Some, by a stmn"e blunder have supposed this to be an inculcation of abstinence by the apostle. He is, ~n the contrarv disparagingly giving tho spirit of asceticism. It saitl, "Abstain, abstain, abstain." II~ gives !he very words of asceticism, "Handle not, nor taste, nor touch." The words arc given in the correct order in the Revised translation. With a descent of langua'"'e them is an ascent of superstition, The things referred to we are not to handle, nor;; we to taste them, nor have the slightest coutad with them. The error of asceticism is that it makes prohibition (negation) the essence of religion. The counteractive thou"'lit i~ that it is not by heaping up prohibitions that man's spiritual need can be met. 2. These ordinances relate to the outward. "All which things are to perish with tho using." The things are the foods and drinlcs which were prohibited. The apostlo seems to direct a double argument against asceticism. The meats and drinks ha<l 11 good property; they had also a defect. (1) They were for use. "With the uging" is his language. That is to say, they had no inherent evil (nccordin::( to the a:;cetic idea). They were made to be handled, to bo tasted, to be touched. They were ma,lo for consumption. '!'hey ,vere made (with a certain hrartiness in the expression used) to be used up. (2) 1.'hey u:ere in the use of them fo go to corruption. They could not be used over again. Decoruposition set in which became complete (destruction). As they could not thus be the be-all for man (not being eternal), so neither, on the other hand, was religion to be placed in mere abstinence from them. 3. These ordinances are humanly imposed. "After the precepts and doctrines of men.n There wero numero,,.~ ordinances of God before the perfect religion came. These had close connection with religion as Divine helps. They were laid down authoritatively by God, and by them God taught important lessons. But the ascetics were out of date with their ordinance~ (partly Jewish they were in Essenism). 'l'hey were only (even the Jewish parts of them) the precepts and doctrines of men. There was no authority for imposin~ th~m on the consciences of men. 4. These ordinances are not in their contents entitled to b, called wisdom. "Which things have indeed II show of wisdom in will-worship, an,l humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any mlue against the indulgence ot' the flesh." Ascetic observances were thought to be wisdom. They were intimately nssociated with worship. They were supposed to be based on the two great virtues of humility and self-denial. The ascetics had the reputation of carrying theso virtuc3 e,·cn to excess. \Ve have already referred to the practices of the Essenes. As au illustration of what the apostle means by humility and severity to the body, wo may take the modern instance of Lacordaire. "Immediately after Mass, anti while his face was yet lighted up with ineffable joy, he would seek the cell of one of his brethren, kneel humbly down, and beg for the full severities of discipline. Rising from it, al 1 blecdini, he would press his lips on the feet of him who had chastised him, and over- whelm him with expressions of gratitude. Sometimes be would place himself under lho monk's feet, and remain there a quarter of au hour in silence; sometimes he woulcl not be content without the bestowal of still ruder chastisement-he must be boxed 011 the cars, be spit upon, be ordered about .like a slave, • Go, wretch, brush my shoes, brine: mo this thing or that;' he must even bo spurned like a dog. Once in the convent at 01talais, a[ter having delivered an affecting sermon on humility, he felt irresistibly impelled to follow up precept by example. Ho came down from the pulpit, begged the assembled brethren to treat him with the severity ho deserved, and, uncovering big shouldera, received from each of them twenty-five strokes. 'l'he community was a hlrgo one, and the ordeal lasted a long time. Brethren, novices, and fathers stood by iu deep emotion unlil all was over, aOLl Lacordairo rose up pa.lo and exhausted. Ouo Good Friday he mado himself a cross, raised it in a subterranean chapel, and, bound to it by cords, remained on it three hours." The apostle teaches that ascetic observance., have only a show of wisdom. (1) 7'hey are voluntary. He points to this element in thu worship with which they were ossociatccl. We aro to ha.vo soul-humiliation before Gu.I We are to havtJ humiliation for sin. Dut there is no call for om dcmc::rning oursel,e~ ~r our demeaning the humanity which Goel has given us. Aud such demeaning is nut  132 THE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE COLOSSIANS. [CH, II, 1-23,