Colossians / Question
Colossians quotes rules like "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" and says they refer to things that perish as they are used Colossians 2:21–22. It says such regulations have an appearance of wisdom but are of no value in stopping indulgence of the flesh Colossians 2:23.
In Colossians 2:20–23 Paul asks why people who “died with Christ” would still let themselves be ruled by worldly rule-systems. He quotes the kind of strict commands being pushed: “Don’t handle… don’t taste… don’t touch.” He argues these rules target things that are temporary and used up, and they come from human teaching. This paragraph continues a warning that the Colossians should not be judged or captured by systems that promise spiritual progress through regulations, calendar practices, or intermediaries.
Paul’s basic point is clear: people who “died with Christ” should not be treated as still under the same controlling “world” system of rule-making (Colossians 2:20–23). He highlights strict commands (“don’t handle… don’t taste… don’t touch”) and says they focus on things that are temporary and get “used up” (verse 22).
A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.
Start with Colossians 2:21-22, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
21"Don`t handle, nor taste, nor touch"
22(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?