Bible Study from June 15, 2020 - Colossians 2:15

We begin our study of Colossians 2:15 by reviewing what was said in Colossians 2:13-14 and the many ways that Paul describes the blessings and forgiveness that come to us by what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. We died to our old life and have a new life in Christ. We are forgiven. Though we are guilty of sin, we are pardoned of all our sins by what Jesus did. The record of the debt of sin that we owe is canceled, blotted out. It is set aside, carried away from our midst, and nailed to the cross along with Jesus who carried all of our sins in Himself. The legal demands of the Law are fulfilled by Jesus, and He pays the penalty for all our sins by His death in our place. All this was accomplished by Christ for us in His death and resurrection.

But there is more. Colossians 2:15 speaks of the fact that Jesus also won the decisive victory over Satan and his evil spirits, his evil angels, in His death and resurrection and ascension into heaven. The imagery used is that of a Roman “triumph," when a victorious general would be given a victory parade in Rome. His victory was clear and his defeated enemies would also be led in chains through the city, along with possessions that had been captured from them. It is a dramatic way of saying that the power of Satan has now been broken in Christ and what he has done.

Sometimes it seems as if the devil is still the winner in this world. There are warnings of the continuing danger we face in him. See Ephesians 6:10-13 and 1 Peter 5:8-11; but also note that we can stand firm in Christ and His armor and the certainty of victory in Him. In fact, Colossians 2:15 says that God “disarmed“ the forces of Satan, stripping away their weaponry. They are called “rulers and authorities," but Jesus has “triumphed“ over them. There is no question about the outcome of this battle against evil. Jesus is victorious, and in Him we win eternally, too.

This victory is prophesied in the Old Testament. See Genesis 3:15 for the prediction that an Offspring of Eve would crush the head of Satan, and that Offspring would be wounded in the process. See Psalm 68:18 and its quotation in Ephesians 4:8 regarding the ascension of Jesus. See the prophecy of Christ’s death in Isaiah 53, and yet His victory and “dividing the spoils with many” (v.12) and making many as “accounted righteous” (v.11). See also my sermon from this past weekend, June 14.

See in the life of Jesus how often He predicted that He was the “stronger man” who would overcome and bind up Satan, and that Satan would fall (Matthew 12:28-29, Luke 11:20-22, Luke 10:17-18, John 12:31-33, John 16:11, etc.) See also how often the New Testament speaks of the defeat of Satan through Christ and Satan ultimately being put away forever (Romans 16:20, Hebrews 2:14-15, Hebrews 4:4 and Revelation 1:5, 17:14, 19:16, 20:1-3, 7-10, etc.) Even the “binding of Satan” in Revelation 20 is understood by Lutherans and many other Christians, not as in some future millennial kingdom on earth, but in what is going on now during the spread of Christianity, with limits on what Satan can accomplish because of Jesus. In a positive way, Christians continually participate in the “triumphal procession” of Christ and in sharing His Good News of “Life” with more and more people, still today. (See 2 Corinthians 2:14-16.) Jesus is already “the Head of all rule and authority” as we already heard in Colossians 2:10.

See also 1 Peter 3:18-20, where Jesus, between His death and resurrection, descends in His “spirit” into hell to visit the “spirits in prison,” including unbelievers from the time of Noah. He does not go to hell to suffer. That was done at the cross. He does not go to give these people another chance. (See the gulf between heaven and hell in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Once one is in heaven or hell, that is where one stays. There are no second chances: Luke 16:26 and Hebrews 9:27-28.) Jesus goes to hell to proclaim His victory, as part of His “triumphing over” Satan and all who follow him in unbelief.

Next week, we will talk more about what this triumphal victory of Christ means for us in our daily life and how it can help us in practical ways, as we wait for the fullness of eternal life in heaven. (See also Romans 8:37-39 and 1 Corinthians 15:57-58.)