Colossians 2:15 – Three Minute Bible

… he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Summary: The world and our Lord will always have different priorities. God’s way is the way to Light and Life. The world’s way leads to death.

When it comes to finding contenders for “The Most Counter-Intuitive Statement Ever,” this passage might take the cake.

The whole idea of the cross, as far as the Romans were concerned, was to humiliate and torture a person so badly that no one would ever “cross” the Roman authorities again. Think of the cross as a giant billboard reading, “THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!”

Getting nailed to a cross was not considered a sign of triumph.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities …

Summary: Understanding Paul’s reference to “powers and authorities” requires that we understand the difference between the spirit and the flesh.

I find this particular passage very intriguing. In the context of the larger passage, Paul has just stated that Jesus took our “legal indebtedness” and nailed it to the cross. Then he turns around and says that, by doing that, he has “disarmed the powers and authorities…”

Who is he talking about?

He didn’t disarm the Romans. The Pharisees and Sadducees were still in power when Jesus died. Who did Jesus “disarm”?

Tag: Colossians 2:15

Colossians 2:15b – Forced to Choose

Colossians 2:15a – Standing With Jesus