For most Jews in the first century, circumcision had become the fundamental identity badge for membership in God’s people. In times of persecution, Jews regarded it as a confession of faith as well as an act of obedience to God’s holy law.

he argues that circumcision, the ground of Jewish confidence, is a meaningless sign unless it signifies a cleansed heart;

and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

First, the reference might be to Christian conversion, pictured as a “circumcision” performed on us by Christ, who removes not a piece of physical “flesh,” but the enveloping, enervating power of our “fleshly” nature or propensity. Second, in light of v. 12, where baptism is explicitly brought into the picture, Paul could be referring to baptism as the Christian equivalent to Old Testament/Jewish circumcision, the rite through which, or in conjunction with which, our bodies dominated by the flesh are “put off.” Third, the reference could be to Christ’s own death, “circumcision” being used as a metaphor for violent death, and “body of flesh” (as in 1:22) referring to Christ’s own physical body, “stripped off” when he died on the cross. It is in and with Christ’s own death, then, that believers were themselves brought from death to life.

This interpretation that the “circumcision of Christ” is a vivid image for Christ’s death also best explains the unusual progression from circumcision to burial to resurrection in 2:11–12. If the circumcision of Christ refers to Christ’s death, then the sequence summarizes the essential affirmations of Christianity: Christ died, was buried, and was raised (see 1 Cor. 15:1–4). In this passage Paul interprets Christ’s death as a vicarious circumcision for us

Paul asserts that Christians have already experienced “the stripping off of the body of flesh” (my own literal translation) in their union with Christ. No other practice or obedience to a rule is needed.

Paul asserts that Christians have already experienced “the stripping off of the body of flesh” (my own literal translation) in their union with Christ. No other practice or obedience to a rule is needed.

② water-rite for purpose of renewing or establishing a relationship w. God, plunging experience, baptism burial with Christ in baptism Col 2:12. βαπτισμῶν διδαχή Hb 6:2

The primary stress lies on the spiritual experience of believers in their union with Christ. The three points of identification with Christ are death, burial, and resurrection. The many references to “in him” and “with him” demonstrate that this is done vicariously, as believers accept the work of Christ on their behalf.

The term “burial” is appropriate because of what it pictures. The Christian’s baptism is a burial. It pictures placing the believer in an environment incapable of sustaining life. For Christ, that meant the grave. For the believer, water symbolizes the grave. It also pictures the resurrection to a new environment of life.

② water-rite for purpose of renewing or establishing a relationship w. God, plunging experience, baptism burial with Christ in baptism Col 2:12. βαπτισμῶν διδαχή Hb 6:2

to cause to emerge with from an inactive state, awaken with lit. (cp. Ps.-Plut. above) pass. w. act. force συνεγείρεσθε awaken or rise up together (from sleep) IPol 6:1. But this passage more prob. (pace Lghtf.) belongs in 2 below (s. συγκοιμάομαι).

② to raise up with from death, physical or spiritual, raise with fig. ext. of 1

In Paul’s day, a Gentile male became a Jewish proselyte by becoming circumcised, being washed in a ritual bath, and, if possible, offering a sacrifice at the temple. Paul picks up on these three elements of Jewish initiation and redefines them to assure the Colossians of their new status as full members of God’s people. His redefinition centers on Christ’s death.

His sacrificial death supersedes all temple sacrifices by canceling forever the charges that placed us on death row. Davis writes:

The cross is the point chosen in time where all the evil in time and space, all the defiance against God can be concentrated into one visible decisive action against him. The cross is the wisdom of God to choose this point to make this attempt manifest and to defeat it. The cross is the power of God to absorb the ignorant blind rage of humanity into himself and avert its deadly consequences.

Baptism marks a break with the past. We die to the old—the old ways of living, the old alliances, the old powers that formerly held sway over our lives.

Baptism is not only the grave for “the old self”; it is the birthplace of the “new” (cf. 3:9–10). It proclaims death to the old order and the old lifestyle, but we do not “remain in the baptismal water.” Baptism also proclaims that the new order is inaugurated. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation

Baptism marks the defeat of the powers that formerly held sway over us. Those who have died with Christ and have been raised with him no longer live under the old regime, where the authorities and powers hold sway. Baptism is the sign to the world that we are owned, secured, and empowered by Christ.

The transformation, however, is not magical. In the movie “Tender Mercies,” a former country music star whose career has been ruined by alcohol winds up working at a run-down motel for a widow with a young son. Eventually they marry, and both the son and his new stepfather are baptized on the same day. As they drive home in their pickup truck, the son reflects on the experience and says to his stepfather, “Everyone said I would feel like a changed person. I guess I do feel a little different but not a whole lot different. Do you?” “Not yet,” came the reply. The son continues, “You don’t look any different. You think I look any different?” “Not yet,” came the reply again.

The “not yet” answer reveals that we should not always expect the transformation at conversion to be instantaneous or even dramatic.

Baptism represents more than our death; it proclaims our triumph with Christ. We are raised with Christ, who is head over every power and authority (2:10), who has disarmed every power and authority (2:15), and who sits triumphantly at the right hand of God (3:1).

The ref. is to people who were dead in their sins, but through union w. Christ have been made alive by God together w. him.