Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:15 the image of the invisible God. Paul depicts Christ in terms similar to the presentation of "wisdom" in Proverbs 8 ("When he established the heavens, I [wisdom] was there . . . I was beside him, like a master workman" [Prov. 8:27, 30]). In later Jewish wisdom literature, personified divine wisdom is described as the image of God. firstborn of all creation. It would be wrong to think in physical terms here, as if Paul were asserting that the Son had a physical origin or was somehow created (the classic Arian heresy) rather than existing eternally as the Son, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in the Godhead. (See the article on The Trinity.) What Paul had in mind was the rights and privileges of a firstborn son, especially the son of a monarch who would inherit ruling sovereignty. This is how the expression is used of David: "I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Ps. 89:27).

1:16 by him all things were created. Jesus did not come into existence when he was born of the virgin Mary. He was the agent of creation through whom God made heaven and earth (John 1:3 and note; 1 Cor. 8:6). Jesus cannot be the first thing created (as the ancient Arian heresy claimed) since "all things" without exception were created by him. thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. Paul is using the current Jewish terms for various rankings of angels (although he doesn't explain their relative ranks). His emphasis here may be on the evil angels, since they play a significant part in this letter (Col. 2:8, 10, 15, 20). This would not mean, however, that Jesus created evil angels; all spiritual powers were created by Jesus, but some later chose to rebel against God and so to become evil. Jesus is not only the agent of creation but is also the goal of creation, for everything was created by him and for him, that is, for his honor and praise. Since Jesus is in this sense the goal of creation, he must be fully God (see notes on John 1:1; 8:58).

1:17 in him all things hold together. Christ continually sustains his creation, preventing it from falling into chaos or disintegrating (cf. Heb. 1:3).

1:18 he is the head of the body. Paul spoke elsewhere of the church as the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), but he takes the image a step further here and envisions Christ as the head of the body (see also Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25). This metaphor conveys Christ's leadership over the body and may also suggest his role in providing sustenance for it (see notes on 1 Cor. 11:3; Col. 2:10; 2:19).

1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. The "fullness" language here and throughout the letter is reminiscent of its use in the OT, where it was said that God "filled" the temple with his presence. For instance, the prophet Ezekiel exclaims, "I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple" (Ezek. 44:4). Jesus not only bears God's glory, but all that God is also dwells in him. He possesses the wisdom, power, Spirit, and glory of God. To say that all this divine fullness dwells in Jesus is to say that he is fully God (see also Col. 2:9).

1:20 to reconcile to himself all things. As the "Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6), Jesus will ultimately quell all rebellion against God and his purposes. For believers, this means present reconciliation to God as his friends. As for nonbelievers and the demonic powers, Christ's universal reign of peace will be enforced on them, for their rebellion will be decisively defeated by Christ as conquering king (cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 19:11-21; 20:7-10) so that they can no longer do any harm in the universe. The basis for Christ's reign of peace is the blood of his cross. The cross truly is the pivotal point in human and cosmic history. On crucifixion, see note on Matt. 27:35. See also note on Phil. 2:8.