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Headship of the Lord, and emancipation from all ceremonies and observances--the
passing, in fact, from the shadow to the substance in Christ.
Third item of warning with its corrective.
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to
us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. And having spoiled principalities
and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man
therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon,
or of the sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ"
(Col. 2: 14-17).
The words "blotting out" and "nailing" speak plainly of something cancelled.
Exaleipho, in its primary meaning, is "to rub off ointment, after anointing". The word
then came to mean "to rub off" in any sense. So in Rev. 7: 17 and 21: 4 it is used of
"wiping away" tears; and in Rev. 3: 5 of "blotting out" from a book. When we
remember that in the apostle's day it was usual to write brief messages upon a tablet of
wax (Luke 1: 63), it will be seen how easy it would be to efface completely anything so
written. Some readers, moreover, may have seen the originals or photographic copies of
what are called "palimpsest" manuscripts, where the original lettering has been sponged
down, and a new set of characters has been superimposed. The word is also used for the
"blotting out of sins" in Acts 3: 19.
Not only do we read of the blotting out of the handwriting of ordinances, but also that
they were completely cancelled by being "nailed" to the cross of Christ. This word has
entered into the figurative expressions of our own tongue. To "nail to the counter" or to
"nail to the barndoor" are figures of speech which are almost self-explanatory, especially
if one has actually seen a transfixed coin or rat. The two expressions, "blotting out" and
"nailing" combine to convey the idea of canceling beyond the possibility of revival.
We must next consider what it was that was thus cancelled--"the handwriting of
ordinances." It is impossible to ignore in this connection the earlier reference to the
hands in verse 11: "the circumcision made without hands." In the N.T. there are six
references that contain the words "made with hands", and three that contain the words
"not made with hands". As the best explanation of these terms arises out of a
consideration of their usage, we will set out the passages in the order in which they occur
in the A.V.:--
"I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build
another made without hands" (Mark 14: 58).
"The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (Acts 7: 48).
"The Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (Acts 17: 24).
"We have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens"
(II Cor. 5: 1).
"Gentiles . . . . . called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the
flesh made by hands" (Eph. 2: 11).
"The circumcision made without hands" (Col. 2: 11).
"A greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say, not of this
creation" (Heb. 9: 11).