Yes, Christ nailed the ordinances (the Law) to the Cross, ending their power and freeing believers from bondage.
According to the evidence, the 'handwriting of ordinances' refers to the entire system of the Law, including its rituals and requirements, which was against us. Les teaches that Christ took these out of the way by nailing them to His cross, thereby satisfying the Law and abolishing its hold. This act fulfilled the Law and established a new way of salvation by grace through faith.
Colossians 2:14 — This verse directly states that Christ blotted out the handwriting of ordinances and nailed it to His cross, which is the core of the question.
The Bible, in Colossians 2:14 (KJV), says, '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.' This indicates that the ordinances, which were against us, were removed and nailed to the cross. The context (Colossians 2:16) tells us that because of this, no one should judge us in meat, drink, holy days, new moons, or Sabbath days, which are all aspects of the Law. Furthermore, Romans 5 (referenced in Clip 2) implies that the ordinances, being 'against us,' were done away with, and Christ is the fulfillment of the law.
Les Feldick teaches that 'the handwriting of ordinances' refers to the entire legal system of Judaism, which had degenerated into 613 rules and regulations, a 'yoke of bondage.' He emphasizes that all the ceremonial rituals—animal sacrifices, priestly robes, washings—were nailed to the cross. This act took the law out of the way, ending its condemning power. Because the law is satisfied, believers are no longer under it and should not be judged by its requirements. He also connects this to the idea that Christ was 'smitten once' for our offenses, fulfilling the law and establishing a new covenant of grace.
According to Les, the ordinances refer to the entire system of the Law, including the ceremonial rituals and the moral law. He describes it as the 'pure Mosaic and Levitical Law' that degenerated into '613 rules and regulations' by the time of Christ. These ordinances were 'against us' because they condemned us, and they were 'contrary to us' because they were impossible to keep perfectly.
Les teaches that since Christ nailed the law to the cross, believers are no longer under its bondage. He quotes Galatians 5:1 (implied) about being free and not entangled with the 'yoke of bondage.' The law was a 'legal yoke of bondage,' but through Christ's work, believers are set free from its requirements and are no longer judged by them (Colossians 2:16).
Les indicates that the Law was given to the nation of Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah, but the nation failed in unbelief. Nevertheless, God carried out His plan of redemption. Christ died, rose again, and revealed to Paul a new concept of salvation by faith and grace. The Law was abolished because something better came.
The Law as a Yoke of Bondage
Les describes the Law as a 'legal yoke of bondage' and explains how Judaism had degenerated from the pure Law to 613 rules, showing why it needed to be nailed to the cross.
Ordinances and Rituals Nailed to the Cross
Les directly explains that all the ceremonial rituals of Israel, including sacrifices, priestly robes, and washings, were 'nailed to His cross' as part of the ordinances being blotted out.
The Death Penalty of the Law
Les illustrates the severity of the Law, which demanded death for sins like adultery, and then shows how Christ took these 'handwriting of ordinances' and nailed them to the cross, ending their condemning power.
The Law Satisfied and Behind Us
Les teaches that because the law is satisfied in Christ's work, believers are no longer under it and should not be judged by its dietary or Sabbath regulations, as these are all 'behind us' and nailed to the cross.
What Does It Mean to Be Crucified With Christ?
To think that God has done all of this without even checking me out to see if I'm worthy of it, or anything like that. And so as we come through these, just remember that these are all acts of God. No man can touch them. It was all done by Him, and Him alone.
Christ the Rock: Spiritual Warfare & The Battle with Amalek
But in order for us to appropriate these things by faith, what had to happen to Christ first? He had to suffer. He had to die. He was, according to the Old Testament term then, he was what? He was smitten, see? He was smitten for our offenses.
What Is Propitiation? Romans 3:25-31 Finally Explained
Everything in that tabernacle spoke of Christ, and when you take the whole picture and put it together, that's propitiation. At least that's the way I like to look at it. Now, the Greek scholars probably wouldn't agree with me totally, but nevertheless, that's basically what propitiation is all about.
The Law Done Away With
Les explains that when Christ finished redemption, the whole system of Law was abolished, replaced by something far better, and that the Law was given to Israel to prepare for Messiah, but they failed, yet God still carried out redemption.
Colossians 2:14: 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;
This is the key verse that directly answers the question, stating the ordinances were nailed to the cross.
Colossians 2:16: Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
This verse follows from the previous, showing the practical implication that believers are not to be judged by the Law's requirements.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
This verse is referenced by Les to emphasize the freedom from the Law that believers have, not being entangled in its bondage.
According to Les Feldick, the 'ordinances' refer to the entire system of the Law, including all the ceremonial rituals and requirements. These were 'against us' because they condemned us, and Christ took them out of the way by nailing them to His cross.
Les teaches that with Christ's work, the whole system of Law was done away with, as it was a yoke of bondage. He emphasizes that believers are free from the Law's requirements and should not be judged by them, as the Law was fulfilled in Christ.
Les explains that Christ fulfilled the Law by His death on the cross, where the ordinances were nailed. He was 'smitten once' for our offenses, satisfying the Law's demands, and thus believers are no longer under it.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Grace vs. Law — Galatians Chapter 2