March 07

“….putting off (or spoiling) the rulers and the authorities, He made a show in openness triumphing over them in Himself (Colossians 2:15).

This passage refers to the work of Christ in redemption and talks of ruining the desires of the fallen angels, openly displaying their failure to turn Him from His chosen path. The “triumph” refers to the practice of giving victorious Roman generals a victory parade through the streets of Rome, called a “triumph”. In this case, Christ’s “triumph” was in the heavenlies and witnessed by the angels of God.

In the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, He exposed Himself to the demonic attacks upon His soul by Satan and his demonic host. Jesus Himself had acknowledged this was to happen when He said, on His arrest, “This is your hour and the authority of darkness” (Luke 22:53).

Here, the authority of darkness was tested and overcome; here He put off, or spoiled, the demonic rulers and authorities. Thus He exposed them and made a show of them (deigmatizo) triumphing over them (thriambeuo). This public exposure and triumph over Satan was for the benefit of the heavenly host, not man.