Colossians 1:15-20 – The Pre-Eminence of Christ
Verses 15 to 20 form a complete unity of thought and are the most beautiful expression of the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ in all things. Some have tried to suggest that this is an early Christian creed or even an early hymn. There is no reason, however, to suggest that this is anything other than the apostle Paul being overwhelmed when he considered the glory of the Lord and all that he had done for his people in salvation.
The passage falls very neatly into two sections which correspond to each other in their form – the same expressions are used and in the same order. The first part to show how Jesus Christ is pre-eminent over the created universe, and the second, his pre-eminence in the work of redemption.
There were those in the church in Colossae who were seeking to teach that the Lord Jesus Christ was not sufficient to meet all their needs & that they needed some special ‘magical’ wisdom to supplement what they had received through Christ. Paul shows them that the glory of Christ is far superior that anything else in the created universe
1. He is outside the created universe as the eternal image of the invisible God. He is God revealed in visible form to men (Col. 2:9) Because he is eternally the image of God he is said to be the ‘firstborn of every creature’.
2. He is the one through whom the universe came into being. Everything created was created with reference to Jesus Christ and must serve his purpose – not only man, but the physical creatures and the very angels of heaven.
3. He is the only one who gives meaning to the universe. There is a unity and purpose in the seeming chaos of nature and history because all things are held together ‘in him’.
Questions
- What sort of things are we tempted to use to supplement what we have in Christ?
- How do you think the chaos in the world serves the glory of Christ?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that we have all we need in Christ.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.