How Jesus Disarmed the devil

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it may not reveal up on Christian motivational posters, however Colossians 2:15 is without doubt one of the exceptional verses of victory within the New testomony. "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open disgrace, by using prevailing over them in him." Our amazing captain has gained the competition. The seed of the girl has bruised the top of the seed of the serpent (Gen. three:15).

while no longer as widespread to us, Colossians 2:15 was liked in past durations of Christian background. it's also constantly invoked in educational theology to guide a certain realizing of Christ's atonement typical as the "Christus Victor" mannequin, which argues that Christ's saving work consists in defeating the evil powers that afflict and enslave humanity. lamentably, some go on to argue that this way of looking at Christ's atonement excludes other essential facets of his work, certainly his delight of divine justice on our behalf.

As we'll see, correctly figuring out Colossians 2:15 can support us evade this error by using rightly maintaining Christ's victory over evil in and thru his sacrificial loss of life on the cross.

who're the Rulers and Authorities?

Colossians 2:15 states that Christ "disarmed the rulers and authorities." To whom does this phrase refer? The combination of "rulers and authorities" seems in other places in Paul's writings in reference to human authorities (Titus 3:1), however greater often it applies to religious powers (Eph. 3:10; 6:12). after we examine Colossians with Ephesians (its parallel epistle), we see that "thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities" are most likely spiritual entities, whether angels or demons (Eph. 1:21; 2:2; 3:10; 6:12).

Colossians 2:15 is among the extremely good verses of victory within the New testament.

we are able to safely conclude that the enemies Christ triumphed over in Colossians 2:15 are the spiritual beings who had been at war against him.

but if Christ disarmed satan and his demons and took away their vigour, how precisely did he do it? At this aspect, the history of interpretation gets reasonably unique.

Did Jesus Harrow Hell?

Many commentators have related this verse to the so-called "harrowing of hell." There are various types of this conception, however the prevalent story goes like this: after the crucifixion, Jesus descended into the underworld the place he defeated satan and his demons and freed the souls who'd been held captive under the ancient covenant. Proponents of this view combine Colossians 2:15 with Ephesians four:eight–10 and 1 Peter three:19 as a way to fill out the story.

this is actually an inspiring narrative. It appears like ultimate cloth for a C. S. Lewis novel. however despite its literary fine, it in fact confuses essential biblical and theological content.

First, these three passages aren't always talking about the identical factor, however despite the fact that they are, none of them says that Christ rescued believers from an underworld. First Peter three:20 specifies the spirits were disobedient spirits, so this isn't a reference to the faithful being rescued however fairly dangerous guys (no matter if human or demonic) being judged. Ephesians four:eight–10 says that he leads a host of "captives" in his educate. The captives are these whom Christ has defeated, now not these he's rescuing.

moreover, there is not any biblical reason to consider that devil turned into in hell right through the historical covenant. To the opposite, devil is presented as prince of the "air" (Eph. 2:2), stepping into heaven itself (Job 1:6; Zech. three:1; Rev. 12:7) and roaming the earth (Job 1:7; Gen. three:1; Matt. 4:1). most effective on the ultimate day is devil solid into hell (Rev. 20:10).

We ought to also deny that old covenant believers went to "hell." What most of us these days think of as hell is "Gehenna" and "eternal fire" (Matt. 5:30; 10:28; 25:41; Mark 9:43; James 3:6; Rev. 20:10). It's a place of punishment, the place God pours out his wrath in opposition t sin. Believers do not go here. they're saved from it.

ancient testament saints didn't go to be imprisoned with the aid of the devil however quite to have a good time with the Lord.

There are two other biblical terms for an "underworld" in a greater common feel, and these are the Hebrew sheol and the Greek hades. These phrases are used frequently in the Scriptures, and they can discuss with the literal grave or the non secular realm of the useless. They don't necessarily suggest a place of torment. When Jesus tells about Lazarus being taken to "Abraham's bosom" after his demise, this is talked about to be a spot of "consolation" (Luke sixteen:23).

At their deaths, historic testament saints didn't go to be imprisoned through the satan but reasonably to celebrate with the Lord (Ps. 23:6; Eccles. 12:7).

Nailing devil's Chief Weapon to the pass

Colossians 2:15 isn't talking about some warfare within the underworld, then, however of Christ's triumphant work on the go. in the prior verses, Paul speaks about the "prison debt" sinners have been under. Christ has now "set this apart" via "nailing it to the pass" (Col. 2:14). on account of this, no person can condemn us (Col. 2:sixteen).

here is how Jesus has disarmed the powers. He has taken away devil's vigor to cling sinners to the debt of their sins and trespasses.

indeed, accusation is the executive undertaking for devil. He attempted to undermine God's righteous verdict over Job (Job 1:9–10), stood able to accuse Joshua the high priest (Zech. 3:1), and accused all believers before God day and evening (Rev. 12:10). The vigor of sin is the law (1 Cor. 15:56), and devil tried to use the demands of the legislations to ruin God's individuals. but Christ, in taking the law's curse on himself (Gal. 3:13), has wrested this weapon from satan.

Accusation is the chief undertaking for devil. but Christ has wrested this weapon from devil.

He has disarmed him and triumphed over all of the forces of evil precisely in his sacrificial death on the go. As John Calvin put it, "There is not any tribunal so brilliant, no throne so stately, no display of triumph so individual, no chariot so multiplied, as is the gibbet on which Christ has subdued demise and the satan, the prince of loss of life."

Making a Spectacle of satan

This realizing also explains the nature of satan's defeat. He hasn't yet been so utterly destroyed or defanged that he can't do fight against the believer. however he can't damage us spiritually or deliver a a hit can charge towards us (Rom. eight:33). We're now free to struggle in opposition t the religious forces of evil understanding we are able to get the victory. in the phrases of John Davenant, "people who are vanquished are all the time greater indignant than effective." while devil and his minions rage, they can only express frustration that their destiny is sealed.

indeed, devil was made a spectacle in the cross. Believing that Jesus had been defeated, devil made his grandest boasts. And yet, the demise of Christ become the top-rated victory. The move beaten devil's head for respectable. His boasting grew to be foolishness and his glory disgrace, as the justification of all God's people now makes plain.

The pass overwhelmed satan's head for decent.

real Victor

perhaps there's a little something of Lewis during this version of the spoiling of devil. in any case, in The Lion, the Witch, and the cloth wardrobe, it turned into the laws of Narnia that Edmund had violated and that the White Witch tried to make use of towards Aslan. "The law" (or "the deep magic") in Narnia was from the Emperor, which Aslan would no longer contradict. but the deeper magic from the morning time of time—or we could say, from the earlier than the foundation of the realm (Eph. 1:four)—reconciled the calls for of the law with the redemption of lawbreakers, bringing concerning the witch's defeat.

We might summarize Colossians 2:13–15 alongside equivalent lines: the delight of divine justice shames the powers and indicates Christ to be our victor.

Steven Wedgeworth (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is associate pastor of religion Reformed Presbyterian Church in Vancouver, Canada. he is the founder and customary editor of The Calvinist international, a web journal of Christian humanism and political theology, and a director for the Davenant have faith. he's married to Anna, and they have two toddlers.