Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Did Paul reject the ongoing relevance of the Sabbath and festivals commanded in the Torah? Many people point to Colossians 2:16–17 as proof that he did. However, a growing number of scholars call that interpretation into question. Scholars argue that the Colossian believers actually observed the biblical calendar and that they were being criticized by ascetic opponents who did not. In this video, I draw on that scholarship to show why I believe that Colossians 2:16–17 does not invalidate the Sabbath and festivals but instead affirms their value.
Read my article on Colossians 2:16–17 here: davidwilber.com/articles/does-colossians-2v16-17-abolish-the-sabbath-and-festivals
00:00 Introduction
01:09 The Supersessionist Interpretation
02:32 A Post-Supersessionist Interpretation
04:04 Which Interpretation is correct?
05:20 Did Paul and the Colossians observe the Biblical Calendar?
10:41 Did the Colossian opponents observe the Biblical Calendar?
16:31 A Fresh Look at Colossians 2:16–17
26:06 Conclusion
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Personal website: davidwilber.com
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Did Paul reject the ongoing relevance of the Sabbath and festivals commanded in the Torah? Many people point to Colossians 2:16–17 as proof that he did. However, a growing number of scholars call that interpretation into question. Scholars argue that the Colossian believers actually observed the biblical calendar and that they were being criticized by ascetic opponents who did not. In this video, I draw on that scholarship to show why I believe that Colossians 2:16–17 does not invalidate the Sabbath and festivals but instead affirms their value.
Read my article on Colossians 2:16–17 here: davidwilber.com/articles/does-colossians-2v16-17-abolish-the-sabbath-and-festivals
00:00 Introduction
01:09 The Supersessionist Interpretation
02:32 A Post-Supersessionist Interpretation
04:04 Which Interpretation is correct?
05:20 Did Paul and the Colossians observe the Biblical Calendar?
10:41 Did the Colossian opponents observe the Biblical Calendar?
16:31 A Fresh Look at Colossians 2:16–17
26:06 Conclusion
Subscribe to my newsletter: davidwilber.substack.com/subscribe
Check out more of my content on:
Personal website: davidwilber.com
Facebook: facebook.com/DavidWilberBlog
Amazon author page: amazon.com/author/davidwilber
Twitter: twitter.com/DavidWilberBlog
Instagram: instagram.com/davidwilberblog
