The Preeminence of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15 – 23)

We are now moving from the introduction of Colossians (1:1 – 14) to the doctrinal section of the letter (1:15 – 2:23). Paul is done with the greetings, the thanksgiving and the opening prayer, and now he is ready to get down to business. If you remember from the introduction, Paul was writing to combat heresy in the Colossian church. The root cause of the Colossian heresy was a failure to keep Christ preeminent in everything and his word as authoritative. The passage we’re about to study today contains two main points. In vv. 15 – 20, Paul details nine characteristics of Christ that proclaim his preeminence in all things. In vv. 21 – 23, Paul discusses what the preeminence of Christ means to us in a practical sense. So without further ado…

1. Nine Reasons Why Christ is Preeminent (vv. 15 – 20).

Let me begin by stating that there is so much material in these verses, I couldn’t hope to exhaust them in this study. For reasons of space considerations, I am only going to touch briefly on each one.

First, Christ is “the image of the invisible God” (v. 15a). The word “image” is the Greek word from which we get the word “icon.” It basically means an “exact representation.” In fact, the author of Hebrews says as much in the first chapter of that book (cf. Hebrews 1:3). Some people get hung up in the word “image.” They think that if Christ is an image, then God is the original; in other words, how can Jesus Christ be God if he is the image of God? Image, in this context, means that whatever attributes God the Father has, Jesus Christ has as well—i.e., Jesus Christ and God the Father are ontologically equal (that is equal in essence or nature). Read the gospel of John, and you will see Jesus repeatedly equating himself with God. In John 10:30, Jesus says that he and the Father are one. In John 14:9, Jesus tells Phillip that by seeing him (Jesus) he has seen the Father. No one will ever see God the Father. Paul says that God “dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16). However, Jesus is the image of the invisible God, so in seeing Christ, we see God.

Second, Jesus Christ is “the firstborn of all creation” (v. 15b). Here is another word (“firstborn”) that stirs up a lot of controversy. How can Jesus Christ be God incarnate and ontologically equal with God if he is the firstborn of creation? The answer is “firstborn” doesn’t always mean “born first.” It’s not like, “in the beginning was God, and then Christ was born.” To understand this word, we need to understand ancient near East (ANE) culture. In the ANE, there was something called the right of succession, which brought with it a double portion of the inheritance, a special blessing from the father, and authority over the family. This right usually went to the firstborn son. However, can you think of any Biblical examples where the oldest son didn’t get the right of succession? How about Jacob over Esau, or Isaac over Ishmael, or Ephraim over Manasseh? Firstborn could literally mean born first, but in this context, it clearly means “first in order or rank.”

Third, Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things (v. 16). Here is one of the clearest indications that Jesus Christ is God. Who, other than God, has the power to create? We’re not talking about the power to shape existing matter into useful constructions, such as a building or a car. We’re talking about creation out of nothing. This verse reveals that Jesus Christ is the creative agent of all things. The phrase, “in heaven and on earth,” is meant to encompass the entire universe. Notice the phrase “visible and invisible.” This tells us that Christ created all physical things and all spiritual things—e.g., angels. When Paul says, “whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities,” he is referring to various ranks of angelic beings. How do I know this? Two reasons: One, this phrase, I believe, modifies the word “invisible” earlier in the verse; and two, one of the false teachings in Colosse was the worship of angels. Paul is basically saying, “don’t worship the angels worship Christ who made the angels.”

Fourth, Jesus Christ is before all things (v. 17a). This speaks of Christ’s eternality; another attribute that is only ascribed to God in Scripture. Before there was anything at all, there was Jesus Christ as the eternal Second Person of the Trinity. Fifth, Jesus Christ sustains all things (v. 17b). Not only is Christ the Creator of all things, he holds them all together as well—he is the glue of the universe. If like charged particles repel each other, how come all of the positively charged protons in the nucleus of an atom don’t instantly fly apart? Scientists call this the strong nuclear force. I call it Jesus Christ—the one who upholds the universe by the word of his power (cf. Hebrews 1:3)! Sixth, Jesus Christ is the head of the church (v. 18a). In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul says Jesus is the chief cornerstone in the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20). Jesus Christ founded the church, made it possible with his death, gave it its marching orders, empowers its growth, and brings it to fruition at his second coming. Seventh, Jesus Christ is “the firstborn from the dead” (v. 18b). Firstborn carries here the same meaning it did earlier in the passage. Christ is preeminent, or first in rank, among those raised from the dead. Notice in v. 18c the key verse in the whole book, “that in everything [Christ] might be preeminent.” God raised Christ from the dead to establish his preeminence over all things. Eighth, Jesus Christ contains “all the fullness of God” (v. 19). So much can be said about this one verse. Suffice it to say that all of the infinite being of God dwells in Jesus Christ. Finally, Jesus Christ is the reconciler of all things (v. 20). Through his death on the cross, he made all things right with God; he made it possible for sinful mankind to be right with God. Jesus Christ is preeminent!

2. What Does This Mean to Me? (vv. 21 – 23).

OK, hopefully by now you understand that Jesus Christ is not just some wise, moral teacher who told a bunch of cool stories. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer of all creation. What does all this mean to me? That’s a fair question. Theology should never be disconnected from practical application. At the end of v. 20, we learn that Christ has reconciled himself to all things. In v. 21, we learn that this reconciliation applies to us. Paul refers to us as “you who once were alienated and hostile in mind.” Being alienated is an illustration of our condition before Christ as being outside the family of God. All unbelievers are, in a sense, outsiders. “Hostile in mind” speaks about our previous frame of mind toward God. Immediately, you may be thinking, “I was never hostile toward God.” Yes you were! There was a time in every believer’s life where he was either overtly or covertly hostile toward God. Obedience is a sign of love for God, and prior to Christ no one is obedient; all we could do on our own was “evil deeds.” Now v. 22 is true good news! While at one time we were alienated and hostile toward God, Jesus Christ reconciled us “in his body of flesh by his death.” What was once alienation and hostility is now participation and love! It was Christ’s bodily death that accomplished this; he had to die for us to be reconciled.

Reconciliation was the result of Christ’s death, but the reason is found in v. 22b. Christ died in order that he could present us “holy and blameless and above reproach before [God].” This is what theologians call Justification. It’s the one-time act in a believer’s life where God declares him just. “Well, I don’t feel holy, blameless and above reproach.” No, neither do I. From God’s point of view, we are already holy, blameless and above reproach. From our point of view, we need to be sanctified (the temporal process of becoming more holy); that’s described in more detail in chapter 3.

Now notice is v. 23 there is a caveat. Christ will present us holy and blameless before God if we “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel.” If some of you come from a background in which you were taught you could lose your salvation, this would seem to lend credence to that teaching. However, the Bible clearly teaches the eternal security of the believer (Romans 8:31 – 39 being the principle passage). So how are we to understand this verse? Since Scripture never contradicts itself, we must use Scripture to interpret Scripture. First John 2:19 teaches that those who profess faith in Christ, yet fall away, were never saved to begin with. Jude 24 teaches that it is God who keeps the believer from falling. Therefore, the one who continues in the faith (a catch-all word that means the body of orthodox Christian doctrine) is the one who is preserved by God. How do I know if God is preserving me? Are you continuing in the faith? Do you trust God despite your circumstances? When trials and temptation continue to buffet you, do you pick yourself up and continue to seek after God? If so, those are good indications that God’s hand is upon you.

3. Application Time.

This is a theologically demanding portion of Scripture, and should not be passed over lightly. We need to grow in our perception of Jesus Christ! As John the Baptist said, “He must increase, and I must decrease.” Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords; he is the Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer of all things; all things have been created through him and are ultimately for him. And as we will learn in chapter 2, we are complete in him.

4. Bottom Line.

“And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent” (Colossians 1:18).

Have a blessed day!

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