Colossians 2:1-15

Full vs Hollow

There are two ways of looking at things: through Christ and not through Christ. I know that there are a lot of competing voices in the world and that most people thing that they are either all OK or that at the very least they are all different. That is not how the Bible sees it. 

In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. We are not just talking about Jesus’ statement, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” when we examine the New Testament’s claims to uniqueness for Christ. According to the passage before us today all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Him. It is important for us to know this; otherwise, we might fall prey to fine sounding arguments.

There are a lot of fine sounding arguments out there but Paul calls these “hollow and deceptive philosophy”. They are hollow and deceptive because they are based on human wisdom (traditions) and mere basic worldly principles. This sometimes goes by the name “common knowledge”. But all of the fulness of the Deity dwells in Christ. So, all wisdom and knowledge are in Him as well as the fulness of the Deity. Anything that ignores, or distorts, Him is pretty much left out in the cold.

Take the cross for example. Human wisdom says that death as a criminal is a shame. Worldly wisdom would look at such an event and call it a defeat. But in Christ it became a smashing victory. By the cross He won forgiveness for our sins. He canceled the law code against us. He disarmed the powers and authorities of this world. That’s what the cross looks like through Christ. 

The world doesn’t see it that way. The world is hollow. Christ is full.