Colossians 2:4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And this I say,— Namely, "That all the treasures of wisdom are in Christ,—that you may not be imposed upon by the plausible argumentations of human philosophy." See Colossians 2:8. St. Paul comes here directly to treat of that matter which he chieflydesigned in writing this epistle. Thoughhe was well pleased with the Colossians continuing hitherto so steadfast in the doctrine that he had taught, and in maintaining the liberty which they had by Christ, and had therefore bestowed great commendations upon them; yet he was apprehensive of their being in danger from some of the Jewish and Gentile converts, who were endeavouring to seduce and corrupt them. The points in which he judged them most liable to be deceived, were the pretended obligation of the Gentiles to submit to the Mosaic law and the Jewish traditions, and to yield a worship to angels; against which he cautions them with much earnestness, shewing them that they had in Christ all that they could pretend to seek for elsewhere; and that by having recourse to the law, they forsook the substance, and embraced shadows only.—That Christ had abolished the obligation to observe the law; that they were obliged by their baptism to refuse the submission urged upon them; and that by paying the respect to angels, which was recommended to them, they in effect renounced Christ as their head, upon whom alone their hopes ought to depend, as all their supplies were derived only from him. His discourse, though short, is admirably adapted to his subject, and sets forth, with much magnificence, the glorious advantages which they had by Christ, above what could be expected from the law, or from the doctrines of the philosophers.