Objection Response

Colossians 2:16-17 — "The Sabbath is Just a Shadow"

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The Objection

Colossians 2:16-17 says the Sabbath and feasts are just shadows. Christ is the substance, so we don't need to keep them anymore.

Quick Answer (30 seconds)

Paul is saying 'don't let outsiders judge you for keeping these things — let the body of Christ judge you.' He's defending their observance, not dismissing it. The phrase 'let no one judge you' is a command to resist outside pressure, not an instruction to stop observing.

Key Points

01'Let no one judge you' is a defense of practice — Paul is telling them to resist outside criticism, not to abandon these observances.

02The Greek μελλόντων ('things to come') is present tense — these shadows are still pointing forward to unfulfilled realities.

03Paul's consistent teaching across his letters: community disputes are judged by the community, not by outsiders (1 Cor 6:5). Same principle here.

04If Paul meant 'stop keeping the Sabbath,' why does he assume they ARE keeping it? He's addressing people who observe these things and are being criticized for it.

The Full Picture

The standard reading of Colossians 2:16-17 assumes Paul is telling believers to stop observing the Sabbath and feasts because they are "mere shadows." But this reading requires ignoring the grammar of the passage and Paul's consistent pattern elsewhere.

What Paul Actually Says

The passage begins with "let no one judge you." This is a protective command — Paul is shielding the Colossian believers from outside criticism about their practices. He names specific practices: food, drink, feast days, new moons, and Sabbaths.

The key question: who is doing the judging? If Paul meant "these things don't matter," he would say "don't bother with these things." Instead, he says "don't let anyone judge you" — implying they ARE doing these things and someone is giving them trouble for it. For a deeper look at why the Sabbath belongs to all believers, see our article on the Sabbath from creation to eternity.

Things to Come

The phrase "which are a shadow of things to come" uses the present participle μελλόντων — things that are coming, not things that were to come. If these shadows had already been fulfilled, Paul would have used the past tense. The shadows still point forward to realities not yet fully realized. (For the related argument about "days, months, seasons, and years," see our response on Galatians 4:9-11.)

Paul's Pattern

In 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, Paul asks: "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?" And in 1 Corinthians 6:5, he says disputes among believers should be settled by the community. This is the same principle: don't let outsiders judge you — that's for the body of Christ to do.