Depends on what the meaning of "is" is

The tiny little word is can change the whole meaning of a sentence. We've heard it before. Remember Bill Clinton? But let's forget Bill and turn to the text:

"But the body is of Christ."

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. Colossians 2:16, 17

I have read two explanations of "the body is of Christ." The first explanation, in short, is that the shadowy things are not substance, the substance is Christ. I believe that Christ is the substance of everything in regards to our salvation, but is that what this text is saying?

Italicized words in the KJV and some other versions indicate that the word is supplied and not in the original text. Without is, verse 17 says, 

"Which are a shadow of things to come, but the body of Christ."

This sentence fragment requires context, includes verse 16, and leads to the second explanation. The entire sentence, without intervening phrases and clauses, says,

"Let no man judge you...but the body of Christ." 

Paul often exhorts the believers, the church, to work together as a body, that each member of the body has its own purpose, etc. It makes sense that when the believers were being judged by the Greek ascetics of the time, who were so rigorous in their matters of diet and practice, that Paul would say to them, "Don't let these people who are not part of the body judge you. Let the body of Christ, the church, be the ones you pay attention to."

I can accept both explanations, as they are not contradictory, but I believe the second explanation is more likely the meaning Paul had in mind, given his focus in his letters to the churches.

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As a matter of interest, the following verses show where Paul refers to the church as the body of Christ:

Romans 12:5

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Ephesians 3:6

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Ephesians 4:12

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Chr

Ephesians 5:23

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Colossians 1:24

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Asceticism in Colossae

"Let no man judge you" in Colossians 2:16 has been wrongly interpreted by many churches. If someone said to you, "Don't let anyone criticize you for loving your spouse," does that mean you should stop loving your spouse? "Let no man judge" is not an admonition to stop doing what you are being criticized for doing. Instead, it is encouraging you to keep on doing what you are doing! How could we have been so confused for so long?

Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians while imprisoned in Rome. While there, he learned that heresy had crept into the church at Colossae. The type of heresy is evident in chapter 2:

²⁰ Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
²¹ (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
²² Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
²³ Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.

Paul was warning the believers against the religious practices of asceticism -- severe self-discipline and avoiding indulgence in the flesh in any way.

In this context we can more clearly understand verse 16:

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:

Verse 16 indicates that the Colossians had, indeed, been taught, most likely by Paul, to observe the holy days, and they were observing them, the new moons, and the Sabbath -- and were being criticized for how they did it.

Greek philosophies, including asceticism, was the cause of the criticism and conflict in the new church. It could be that the criticism came from those outside the church, or perhaps some of the new converts retained some of those philosophies and wanted to combine them with their new belief in Christ. The conflict was not so much that the believers were observing these days, but that they were being criticized for how they observed them, for what they were eating and drinking on those days.

This is the only reason Paul would have said, "Let no man judge you..." If the problem had been the observance of the those days, he wouldn't have said, "Let no man judge you," he would have said something like, "Let none of you concern yourself with observing holy days, new moons, and sabbath days."

The "shadow of things to come" is to come in my next post.