What does it mean that Jesus disarmed principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15)?

We usually apply that verse in Ephesians to death itself, all that it meant as bondage to the souls of men. He took it captive in resurrection. Here it is adverse angelic powers, supernatural as we speak. Christ is in supremacy above them, having gained this public victory over them. The cross is the evidence that they have all been eliminated.

Only by the cross of Christ could this have been accomplished, and the cross has done away with every obligation to legal ordinances. "The handwriting of requirements that was against us" implies a legal document by which one is bound through his signature. Israel fully committed themselves to keep the law in Exodus 19:8, saying, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do." Every honest conscience recognizes an obligation to obey some standard of conduct, such as the ordinances of the law of Moses. But we find the law is against us because of our disobedience. Now, God Himself has taken this obligation out of the way, nailing it to the cross of Christ. Wonderful grace indeed! In addition He has disarmed all the influence of satanic dignity and authority, having exposed the deceitful and bitter enmity of Satan, and shown His Son to be, by means of the cross, altogether superior to such evil spiritual powers. God has triumphed by the cross of Christ, the very symbol of weakness and apparent defeat! His victory has broken all bondage too for the believer, whether bondage to Satan or to legal ordinances.

With this, therefore, we have the forgiveness of all offences. Nothing could be allowed to mar the perfection of that work for us or of its fruit in us. There could be no quickening without forgiveness, as its necessary accompaniment. As a consequence, therefore, the "handwriting in ordinances" which stood against us, which was contrary to us, He has taken out of the way. It is not the law itself of which he is speaking, but of our obligation to it. This is what the "handwriting" means, and. this is what is effaced for us, it being nailed to the cross. The law is not dead, as we have seen in Romans, but we have died to it. It is stated here in another way, but the same thing in effect. With this power of condemnation cancelled for us, authorities and powers, (all the power of Satan which could work in sinful men,) are also set aside. Christ has made a show of them openly, leading captivity captive, triumphing over them by His cross.

Whatever these spiritual powers may be, from Satan downwards, in the cross the divine triumph has been manifested. On the surface it looked like being the triumph of the powers of evil. Really it was their undoing. This being so we can see that when verse 10 spoke of the Lord Jesus as "the Head of all principality and power," it was stating something which is true not only upon the ground of creation, but also on the ground of what He accomplished at the cross.

The Apostle declares this was contrary to them and only brought in, as we know, condemnation, darkness, and death. What has Christ done in respect to all this? He has blotted it out, taken it out of the way. Do you want, like the Colossians, to bring it back again? Christ nailed it to His cross — an expression of entire triumph over it. "And having spoiled principalities and powers he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Alas! how many here below of the very race whom God so distinguishes in His mercy betray that they are of their father the devil, by love of falsehood and by hatred of God's grace and truth. Here we have the effect of the work of Christ upon these powers — leading them in triumph on the cross. It is not so high a tone of triumph as in Ephesians 4, where it is said, Christ led captivity captive. The powers that led believers into captivity were themselves vanquished. The reason is manifest. It was when He ascended up on high. Here we hear of what was done on the cross, the power of the cross; but there it is the public manifestation of the victory, in ascending up on high. The great battle was won. Christ had forever defeated the powers of evil for the joint heirs. This ascending up on high, and leading captivity captive, is the witness that they are powerless against the Christian. The language is always adapted to the point of view which the Holy Ghost is taking — whether it be of earth or heaven, whether of Israel or the Church. More than this, it depends on how and where He looks at the saints now. If they are viewed as in the wilderness, there is a different style and figure. Satan is spoken of as "a roaring lion," which suits the wilderness; and hence this is not the way he is spoken of in Ephesians, but in 1 Peter.

Verse 15. Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly. Jesus has, as it were, drawn the enemy into a public scene. Speaking historically it is the enemy who has conducted the things in this manner.

It has reference to the cross of Christ which was a public event. It was a manifestation to the world, and all the world was represented there in the superscription over His head — Hebrew and Greek and Latin. The victory was on the cross according to this verse. The cross was an open event; the resurrection was private, but this was an open victory. The Lord had said of this, "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out" (John 12:31). He added also "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me". That is what is here. Resurrection is the victory over death, but here it is the cross where Christ publicly overthrew every adverse power. Death was the result of sin coming into the world and Christ, having dealt with every opposing force when on the cross, went into death to overcome it also — when He was raised from among the dead. It is striking that in 1 Cor. 15 death is said to be the last enemy. It was the last enemy Christ dealt with, having accomplished the work upon the cross, and it is the last enemy He will deal with at the end of the kingdom.

Every power that could be ranged against Christ was seen at the cross; the leaders of the people, the Gentiles, the powers of darkness, the prince of this world, all were there and every one of them has been completely and absolutely defeated. It is well for us to get a clear view of this or we shall not enjoy the victory and liberty which have been secured for us. What we are trying to establish is that His death has cleared the ground of every opposing force and His resurrection has opened up a new sphere where these things can never come.

It must have been a great sight when, in the little ship on the lake of Galilee in the midst of the storm, the apparently weary Man "arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." It was a far greater sight when the apparently defeated Man arose from the dead, not only rebuking but scattering His spiritual foes, when, "having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:15). The thing was done openly or publicly. The triumph was over opposing evil spiritual powers, and it was public in the sight of all the holy spiritual powers.

"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 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; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it," Col. 2:12-15. The victory of Satan over the first Adam rendered him master of his possessions and of his inheritance: "The creature is subject to vanity." The victory of the Second Adam over Satan spoiled him of all that which he had taken from the first Adam.