“Therefore, do not let anyone pass judgment on you in matters of food or drink, or in respect to a festival or new moon or Shabbat.”
Colossians 2:16 (TLV)
This verse is often used as proof that God’s commands were canceled and that biblical rhythms no longer matter. It usually shows up as a conversation-stopper rather than an invitation to careful reading.
The problem is that interpretation collapses the moment you remember one crucial fact. The Colossians were never observing Torah as covenant obligation to begin with.
Enter, the Jerusalem Council.
The Jerusalem Council Settled This Question Already
The Colossians were primarily Gentiles. Acts 15 is all about the Jerusalem Council. The council, made up of “the apostles and the elders” (Acts 15:2, 6, 22), makes it clear that Gentile believers were not required to take on the yoke of Torah. That debate was addressed openly, carefully, and decisively. Gentiles were welcomed into the people of God through faith in Messiah without becoming Jews.
So when Paul writes to the Colossians, he is not correcting Torah observance. He is not telling Gentiles to stop doing something they were never commanded to do.
He is addressing a different problem.
What Was Actually Happening in Colossae
Colossae was a Gentile-heavy community influenced by Greek philosophy, ascetic practices, and mystical ideas. Some believers were being pressured and judged by outside voices who claimed they were incomplete or spiritually deficient.
The pressure did not come from Torah itself.
It came from people acting as spiritual gatekeepers.
These Gentile believers were being told by some that faith in Messiah was not enough without adopting additional practices tied to Jewish identity markers, mystical rituals, or strict ascetic rules.
Paul is not dismantling God’s commands.
He is defending Gentile believers from being disqualified.
