Who is Jesus to us? Meditate on what Paul says about Jesus in this text. Jesus is the image (1:15), the “icon,” of God. Whatever God might act like, do, or say if He were on earth is exactly what Jesus did when He was on earth. He is the “firstborn of all creation.” He is the heir of God’s blessings because He is the “only begotten” or “only unique” Son of the Living God.
Jesus created all things (1:16) and they were created for Him. He is before all things (which means He preexisted everything created!) and He holds all things together (1:17). He is the one who makes sure everything does what it is supposed to do in our world.
Jesus is the head of the body which is His church (1:18). He is the beginning of the church and He will see the church through to the end. He is the “firstborn from the dead” which implies there will be further resurrection to life of His followers. He is to have “first place” in everything.
It was the pleasure of the Godhead for the fullness of God to dwell in Christ (1:19; 2:9). There seems to have some early stages of Gnosticism troubling the church in Colossae. Among other things (and Gnosticism was not a coherent set of doctrines), Gnosticism taught that salvation was obtained through knowledge or wisdom and that flesh was evil. So keep those points in mind when you read from this point through especially chapter 2.
Christ reconciled all things to Himself, making peace through the blood shed on the cross (ver. 20). We were, at one time, alienated, hostile, and evil (ver. 21), but God reconciled us to Himself through the flesh body in Christ’s death, in order to present us holy, blameless, and beyond reproach (ver. 22). But, we must continue in “the faith” – the Gospel (1:23).
Paul rejoiced in his sufferings because he was able to share further the message of the Gospel with them and so complete what was lacking in Christ’s afflictions (1:24). He was, in fact, made a servant of the church through the stewardship of God’s grace (1:25).
The word he peached had been a mystery (ver. 26), but now it is revealed with is “Christ in you – the hope of glory (ver. 27). Jesus is the one whom Paul preached, admonishing and teaching every man so that he could present every man “complete in Christ” (ver. 28). Underline the phrase “every man” in that verse – it appears three times! This was the goal for which Paul labored, being strengthened by the power working in him (ver. 29).
Paul Holland
