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UNION GROVE CHURCH OF CHRIST, CLEVELAND TN. |
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COLLOSSIANS 1:13-20 – A REVEALING PICTURE OF THE CHRIST
It has been said that with the exception of the four books that give us a record of Jesus’ earthly life (Matthew-John), the Book of Colossians is the most Christ-centered book in the New Testament. One thing is certain: time and again in the four chapters of this epistle the apostle Paul refers to Jesus, showing Whom He is and what He has done. In this article we want to consider what one section of this book, 1:13-20, shows us about the Christ. In this passage we learn that -- (1) He is King – "Who [the Father, rdc] hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (1:13). The saints to whom Paul addressed this letter had been translated by God into something. Into what? Answer: "the kingdom" of God’s Son. Since they were translated into such a kingdom, then it must be the case that the kingdom already existed at that time. And, whose kingdom was it? The Christ’s! If it is His kingdom, and every kingdom must have a king, then it follows that the Christ is now King over His kingdom, the church. Again, we read that He is now "high priest over the house of God" (Hebrews 10:21). Since He is now priest, and He must be priest and King at the same time (Zechariah 6:12,13), then it follows that He is King now. (2) He is the Son of God – As we noted above, the saints in Colosse were in the kingdom of God’s "dear Son" ["Son of his love," ASV] (1:13). Twice the Father confessed Jesus as His Son (Matthew 3:17; 17:5). Jesus’ Deity is further proven by His virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-25), miracles (John 20:30,31), sinless life (Hebrews 4:14,15), and resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). It is God’s will that "all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father" (John 5:23). We honor Jesus by submitting to His will (Luke 6:46). (3) He is Redeemer – "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (1:14). In this verse "redemption" is equated with "forgiveness of sins." Where is redemption? In the Christ. What is redemption? The word "redemption" is from the Greek word "απολύτρωσις” (apolutrosis), meaning “a releasing effected by payment of ransom; redemption, deliverance, liberation procured by the payment of a ransom” [Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 65]. To say that the Christ is our "Redeemer" is to declare that He is the One that paid the debt or ransom for our sins, buying us back from the slavery of sin. And, how did He pay such a price? With His blood (Colossians 1:14). (4) He is the image of God – "Who is the image of the invisible God" (1:15). In what sense is Jesus the "image" of God? "Image," from "εικών” (eikon), means “an image, figure, likeness . . . one in whom the likeness of any one is seen” [Thayer’s, p. 175]. Because Jesus was God in the flesh (John 1:1,14), to see Him was to see the Father, as Jesus Himself said, "He that hath seen me that seen the Father" (John 14:9). Jesus was not the Father, and the Father was not the Son. But because Jesus possesses the nature or characteristics of God, He is said to be His image. (5) He is "the firstborn of every creature" (1:15) – Regarding the meaning of "firstborn," Guy N. Woods wrote, "Because he is described as ‘the firstborn of all creation,’ it is alleged that Christ was the first creature in the creation . . . They assume that the word ‘firstborn’ is used literally to indicate that Christ came into existence as the first of God’s creatures. They err in the assumption that the word is to be assigned a literal significance in this passage. It is obvious that the term has a figurative usage here. A creative act is one thing; a birth is another. It is absurd to affirm that Christ was born of God in the usual sense of the word, if He were created. Moreover, the passage itself proves that Christ possessed the same nature as the Father since He is ‘the image of the invisible God’. Being of the same essence and nature as the Father, Christ is as eternal as He . . . He is before all creation, being author of creation himself . . . Col. 1:15 simply suggests that Christ is prior to all creation, and therefore no part of creation. The word ‘firstborn’ is from the Greek prototokos, and means born before. Thus Christ is separated from, and declared to be anterior to, creation. In being before all creation, he was not himself created. What is before all creation must be regarded as eternal. Christ was before all creation; therefore, He is eternal!" [Some Modern Cults, Sects, Movements, and World Religions, 1981 Spiritual Sword Lectureship, p. 34]. (6) He is the Creator – "For by him [the context makes it plain that this is speaking about the Son, not the Father, rdc] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible . . . all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist" (1:16,17). This is a shocking revelation to many readers of the Bible for they have never imagined that the Christ created all things. And yet, our text plainly states that "all things were created by him, and for him." Of "the Word" it is written, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3). Our Redeemer was also the Creator! (7) He is the Head of the church – "And he the head of the body, the church" (1:18). What is the body of which Jesus is the Head? The church which He purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). Jesus has all authority in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18). The church is not a democracy. It is a dictatorship, and Jesus is the Monarch that reigns over it. Note that the Christ is the church’s only Head. Woe unto any human that would attempt to replace Jesus as Head or try to be a "co-head" with Him. As the Head of His spiritual body, Jesus has the right to govern it according to His will. He rules through His law or teaching (2 John 9), and the church is obligated to submit itself to His will: "the church is subject unto Christ" (Ephesians 5:24). (8) He is the Firstborn from the dead – ". . . who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead" (1:18). Jesus was the first one to rise from the dead and never die again. "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him" (Romans 6:9). Praise God that we serve a risen Savior that will live forever! The fact that He rose from the dead gives us the hope that we, too, will one day be raised: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstbruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming" (1 Corinthians 15:22,23). (9) He is the Preeminent One – ". . . that in all things he might have the preeminence" (1:18). "Preeminence" is from "πρωτεύω” (proteuo), which means “to be first, hold the first place” [Thayer’s, p. 554]. To state that the Christ has preeminince in all things is to say that He has the first rank, or that He is above all things. This is one of the key thoughts of the Book of Colossians. He "is the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10) and we are commanded to "do all" in His name (3:17). (10) He is our Peacemaker – "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven" (1:20). Because of our sin, we were alientated from God (1:21), but as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), Jesus made peace or reconciliation with God possible. ". . . when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son" (Romans 5:9). Jesus’ blood not only makes possible peace with God, it also makes peace possible between any people that are separated from one another (Ephesians 2:14-17). Jesus is the Great Peacemaker that all people of every nation so badly need. But, His peace is available only to those that will humble themselves and willingly submit to His will. What a beautiful picture we see of the Christ in Colossians 1:13-20. In these verses we see Him as King, Son of God, Redeemer, Image of God, Firstborn of every creature, Creator, Head of the church, Firstborn from the dead, Preeminent One, and Peacemaker. May we always be truly grateful for all that Jesus is and all that He has done for our salvation. -- Roger D. Campbell |
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