0630 BEFORE ALL THINGS

JUNE 30 = COLOSSIANS 1

BEFORE ALL THINGS

The letter of Paul to the church at Colossae is another one of those New Testament books with so many well-known quotes. It is written to a city to which Paul had never been. He had been in Ephesus when he invited a man named Epaphras to go back home to his home town, about 100 miles to the east, and bring them the good news. Later, Epaphras himself was also arrested and sent to Rome, where he told Paul all that was happening in the area around Asia Minor.

We will find some mentions of the Judaisers and some other dangerous heresies in the book. But overall, we hear from Paul some powerful declarations of the high position of Jesus the Messiah. So let’s get to it!

The first chapter contains this famous and powerful doxology, which could be considered one of the Christ hymns of the infant church. DOXOLOGY means “words of glory.” Let’s break it down and see what Paul says about Jesus.

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, 

God is spirit, said Jesus. So how do you make mankind in your image? It’s a spiritual thing, you might say. We are made with an ability to commune with the Maker on a conscious level, which no other being on earth can do. Jesus takes that concept a step further. Not just made in the image of God, but he IS the image of God, who is invisible. So now, what does THAT mean? It means if you want to know the Father’s heart, look at what Jesus did. If you want to know the Father’s thoughts, listen to Jesus’ teaching. Jesus most commonly referred to God as his Father, which was a powerful concept for Jews who would not dare to refer to God that way. Jesus was special in many ways. Being the image of the invisible God is just one.

the firstborn over all creation. 

Jesus was called the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. John says in the beginning was the word and the word was God. That’s how Jesus could be called the firstborn over all creation, because he preexisted before the rest of creation. But firstborn doesn’t just mean the first to be born. It also means that he is the heir, and as the only begotten son of God he is in line to inherit all that his father owns, which is everything, if you weren’t tracking with me.

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; 

Not only is he the image of God and the heir of all creation, but all was created in him. Everything in the physical world and the spiritual realm, all authority given to him to rule it. You say, “But I thought in the Genesis account God SAID things into being.” Yes, and in John’s Gospel, Jesus is called the word, and all things were made through him. Jesus IS the word that was spoken and by it all was created.

all things have been created through him and for him. 

Further clarifying the position of Christ being God from the beginning, and thus being creator of all. All has been created IN him, also THROUGH him, and FOR him. As Paul wrote earlier in Romans 11:36, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 

Being before all things might mean that he pre-existed before any of it. And being God, that could be true, for time is not infinite, while God is. But Jesus is also “before” all things, meaning more important than any of the creation. What’s more, all things are held together in him. Not only do they have their original existence because of the work of Jesus, but somehow he right now is holding it all together. In case we hadn’t quite caught what Paul is saying, it is that Jesus IS GOD! He has all the power and authority that God has.

And he is the head of the body, the church; 

The context of Jesus’ position over all creation puts special weight behind him as head of the body, the church. It truly elevates the church—the very body of the invisible God! Has anyone ever seen the invisible God? Take a look and see His Body, all around the world!

he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 

Jesus is the beginning of the church, starting with his resurrection. And that’s because he is the firstborn from among the dead, just as he is the firstborn over all creation. As firstborn, he is the leader and heir of everyone who receives resurrection after death. You can’t find more superlative absolutes in a paragraph. Just in this phrase we see “beginning” “firstborn” “everything” “supremacy”

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 

We hear again about the Father taking pleasure in something. We can bring him pleasure. But we are not the one who absolutely does so: ALL his fullness dwells in him. That’s what bring him such pleasure.

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, 

Remember back in Genesis that in the Garden they ate of the forbidden fruit and introduced death into the world. The whole earth, the entire universe, is now subject to death and decay and entropy. But through Jesus everything is reconciled! EVERYTHING! Not just our souls, but all things, on earth, in heaven and everywhere.

by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

And that was the moment. He made peace through his blood. When the blood was poured out, we were made at peace with God, and the curse was nullified (sort of. We still die. But we are not hurt at all by the second death, according to Revelation.)