Varying opinion of Sabbatarians claim that Paul spoke about former pagan acquaintances by pointing out that he encouraged Gentile believers in other scriptures to keep the feasts. They argue that it was pagans, and not Jews, who were condemning them for keeping Old Covenant celebrations by referring to these words.
Colossians 2:18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,”
However, context says otherwise. The passage be-fore Paul’s reference to judging, in reference to new moons and sabbaths in
Colossians 2, makes it clear that Paul did not write about pagans who were judging believ-ers for keeping holy days and sabbaths.
Colossians 2:13-14 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (14) 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
Paul said that the handwriting of ordinances was against them. That is a reference to Law. Ordinances were throughout the Old Covenant. Hebrews Chapter 9 corresponds to this passage and makes it clearer, as we discussed in earlier chapters.
An ordinance is a rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action. An ordinance may be a Law or statute of sovereign power. In this sense, it is often used in the Scriptures.
Exodus 15;
Numbers 10;
Ezra 3.
Feasts and sabbaths were ordinances. The handwrit-ing of ordinances was against us because they were a re-membrance of sins.
So, Paul said, based on the fact that handwriting of ordinances was nailed to the cross, that is the reason that they should not let anyone judge them.
Judging people was done in the early church by le-galists. Those who were liberal could be accused of des-pising legalists, whereas legalists judged the liberals. The language is distinguished in
Romans 14.
So, context tells us that sabbaths and new moons, drinks and holy days, were part of the handwriting of or-dinances.