Does The Present Tense Used In Col 2:17 Mean The Sabbath Is Still Binding?

Some are confused by the present tense in Colossians 2:17, saying such proves the Sabbath is still a “shadow of things to come,” so the Sabbath is still binding today. That can’t be the meaning because Paul has just got through saying in verse 14 the shadows/ordinances of verse 16 were “blotted out,” “taken out of the way,” and “nailed to his cross.” All four ordinances in verse 16 ceased being binding at the cross; that is clear. And nobody thinks the other three categories of ordinances mentioned in verse 16 – “meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon” are still binding, so they must really know deep down their argument is unsound.

But what is the significance of the present tense in Col 2:17? The answer is the fact that something can still be said to be a shadow (type) does not mean such is still to be practiced. Examples: Heb 8:5 says the Levitical priesthood and the Old Testament tabernacle “serve” as shadows (present tense), but that doesn’t mean we still use the Levitical priesthood and OT tabernacle in our service to God today. Heb 10:1 says “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves” (NIV). That’s present tense, but nobody thinks present tense there means the animal sacrifices and etc. (check the context) of the law are still to be practiced.

If we were to teach from John 1:29 that the lamb is (present tense) a type and Jesus is the antitype, we wouldn’t mean we still sacrifice lambs today simply because we used the present tense. What we would mean is that the lamb (physical animal) still teaches us about Christ and his sacrifice. When BADG says about I Pet 3:20 “the salvation of Noah and family … is the type” (present tense), nobody thinks he means Noah is still being saving physically through the flood. It just means Noah’s physical salvation teaches us (even now) about our spiritual salvation via water baptism in verse 21.

Just because the present tense is used in Heb 9:13 to say “the blood of bulls and of goats … sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh,” you wouldn’t think that animal blood is still sanctifying, would you? No, it is just a way to contrast with the blood of Christ really accomplishing spiritual sanctification today according to verse 14.

Consider the NIV translation of Col 2:17 – “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” The ordinances of verse 16 are said to be a shadow (present tense) of “things that were to come.” And the were to come has come now – “the reality … is found in Christ.” Christ and Christianity have already come, and the shadows/types then were pointing to that reality today.

hear Bible Crossfire Sunday nights at 8:00 central on SiriusXM radio Family Talk 131 and 62 local stations across America or at www.BibleCrossfire.com