The Bible says that Jesus has the preeminence in all things (Col. 1:18). But what does that idea mean? Many English versions render the Greek word prōteuō as “first place” rather than as “preeminence” (see, for instance, the NRSV, NASB, CSB, CEB, etc.). The verb prōteuō occurs only in this passage in the New Testament, suggesting that it was carefully selected for a reason. It emphasizes Jesus’ unique and unsurpassed position. The original text implies that Jesus’ resurrection grants Him the authority to become Lord of all things: “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything” (Col. 1:18, NRSV; emphasis added). In other words, Jesus was Lord by right; now He becomes Lord in fact! Universal supremacy and sovereignty are the expected results of His victory over death. John the revelator also highlights this notion when affirming that Jesus is “the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5, NKJV; emphasis added). Jesus’ death and resurrection inevitably lead to His rulership over all things.
This week’s lesson emphasizes two major themes:
Jesus’ titles, as presented in Colossians 1:15–20, emphasize His redemptive work on behalf of the human race. He is the Image of the invisible God, the Firstborn over all creation, the Head of the body, and the Beginning.
Jesus came into this world to perform reconciliation between God and humanity, in a particular sense, but also between God and the whole creation, in a broader sense.
Part II: Commentary
Illustration
“A pastor of a church in Boston met a young boy in front of the sanctuary, carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. The pastor inquired, ‘Son, where did you get those birds?’
“ ‘I trapped them out in the field,’ the boy replied.
“ ‘What are you going to do with them?’
“ ‘I’m going to play with them, and then I guess I’ll just feed them to an old cat we have at home.’
“When the pastor offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, ‘Mister, you don’t want them, they’re just little old wild birds and can’t sing very well.’
“The pastor replied, ‘I’ll give you two dollars for the cage and the birds.’
“ ‘Okay, it’s a deal, but you’re making a bad bargain.’
“The exchange was made, and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. The pastor walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire cage, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.
“The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate Christ’s coming to seek and to save those who—like the birds—were destined for destruction. The difference was that Christ had to purchase our freedom with his own life.”—Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), pp. 297, 298.
As we will see further on, Paul’s portrayal of Christ in Colossians 1:15–20 is a poem that extols His role as Creator (Col. 1:15–17) and Redeemer (Col. 1:18–20). In these few verses, the story of redemption is told with an incredible economy of words.
Jesus’ Titles and His Redemptive Work
Colossians 1:15–20 is a hymn in praise to Christ for His work of redemption. In applying several titles to Jesus, Paul resorts to the Old Testament, so as to demonstrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament covenants.
Image of the Invisible God (Col. 1:15). The phrase “the image of the invisible God” points to the true humanity of Jesus, thereby referring to His incarnation. The Greek word translated as “image” is eikōn, which is frequently used in the biblical record in order to indicate that something is a representation of something else. Thus, for instance, the statue of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:31–3:18 is called eikōn various times in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament. Obviously, the concept of representation can be traced back to Genesis 1:26, 27, where Adam is referred to as created in the image of God. Jesus came into the world as the Second Adam to represent and reveal God. This idea means that if God the Father had come into the world instead of Jesus, He would have been like Jesus.
The Firstborn Over All Creation (Col. 1:15). All the titles ascribed to Jesus in Colossians 1:15–18 serve to highlight His preeminence, each calling attention to different aspects of His redemptive work. The title “firstborn over all creation” in Colossians 1:15 (NKJV) foreshadows the similar title in Colossians 1:18, “firstborn from the dead,” and is related to it. Paul’s usage of the term “firstborn” is rooted in the Old Testament. Usually, the title “firstborn over all creation” is interpreted in two ways: (1) it portrays Jesus as ruler over all creation and, hence, His uniqueness and superiority; (2) it portrays Jesus as eternally preexistent and the Creator of all things. After all, “by Him all things were created. . . . All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16, NKJV), and “He is before all things” (Col. 1:17, NKJV). It is unnecessary to take one view at the expense of the other, as they complement each other.
The Head of the Body (Col. 1:18). As other metaphors applied to Jesus in the New Testament, the phrase “the head of the body” suggests Jesus’ authority over the church but also His tender care for her. Thus, as the Head of the church, Jesus provides for her growth (Eph. 4:15) by nourishing her (Col. 2:19; Eph. 5:29, 30). Most important, He saves her (Eph. 5:23) because He loves her (Eph. 5:2, 25). In a sense, the metaphor of the Head is quite similar to the image of the Shepherd. As such, Jesus leads the church “to living fountains of waters” (Rev. 7:17, NKJV); knows her and is known by her (John 10:14); and loves her to the point of giving His life for her (John 10:11, 15), with the purpose of granting her eternal life (John 10:28).
The Beginning (Col. 1:18). The image of Jesus as the Beginning of all things is not uncommon in the New Testament. To a greater or lesser degree, all instances of this image build upon Genesis 1:1. Thus, while the initial statement in Matthew 1:1 does not apply the term “beginning,” the phrase “book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ” is an allusion to the book of Genesis (see Gen. 5:1; also Gen. 2:4). The Gospel of Mark opens with the statement, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Mark 1:1, NKJV), which, for many scholars, is reminiscent of Genesis 1:1. The Gospel of John opens with the statement, “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1, NKJV), and continues, “He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2, NKJV). Similarly, John begins his first letter by alluding to both his Gospel and the book of Genesis (1 John 1:1). Further on, he states, “You have known him who is from the beginning” (1 John 2:13, 14, NKJV). Finally, in the Apocalypse, John ascribes to Jesus the title, “the Beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 3:14, NKJV). Thus, the title “the beginning” (Col. 1:18) points to Jesus’ role as our Creator and Redeemer.
Firstborn From the Dead (Col. 1:18). Paul’s use of the title “firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:18) is very similar to John’s use of the same title in Revelation 1:5, NKJV. Both authors likely have Psalm 89:27 in mind: “I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (NKJV). In a sense, Psalm 89 is a sort of commentary on 2 Samuel 7:8–16, which details God’s covenant with David. A close reading of Psalm 89, however, will show that, ultimately, the text is talking about One greater than a human figure (see, for instance, Psalm 89:29, 36). The New Testament indicates that Jesus is the eschatological Son of David (see, for instance, Matt. 1:1). When applying the title “firstborn” to Jesus (Col. 1:18), Paul is referring to Him as the fulfillment of God’s covenantal promise to David.
Jesus’ Work of Reconciliation. All that Jesus did (Col. 1:15–18) results in His having the first place in everything (Col. 1:18). According to Paul, Christ is all those things because “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col. 1:19, ESV). In other words, Jesus was fully God at the same time that He was fully man. As such, He fulfilled the prerequisites necessary for reconciling man to God (Col. 1:20–22). In Ephesians 2:14–17, Paul uses reconciliation language in connection with the idea that Jesus came into the world to be our peace (Eph. 2:14), thus both making peace (Eph. 2:15) and preaching peace (Eph. 2:17). Not only man but “all of God’s creation will be pacified and reconciled, and full harmony will be restored.”—Grant R. Osborne, Colossians & Philemon: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), p. 46.
Part III: Life Application
Meditate upon the following themes. Then ask your students to answer the questions at the end of this section.
In Colossians 1:15–20, Jesus is presented as the exalted Lord of all creation. He is our Lord! Jesus’ lordship is based on the fact that He rose from the dead victorious to be our King and Intercessor in the heavenly sanctuary. We can trust Him and surrender ourselves to Him completely, trusting that He will restore us to His image. Paul says that God “predestined” us “to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29, NKJV).
In Christ, we have the promise of all-inclusive restoration. “Through the blood of His cross,” we now have peace with God (Col. 1:20, NKJV). As Isaiah had prophesied centuries ago, Jesus came to be the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6; compare with Eph. 2:14). Further on, Isaiah says, “the chastisement for our peace was upon Him” (Isa. 53:5, NKJV). In Romans 5:10, Paul affirms that “when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (NKJV).
The Bible teaches us that Jesus is our Creator and Redeemer. He came into this world and died on the cross to purchase us back to Himself. The One who created us (John 1:1–3) is the same One who came in the flesh (John 1:14) “ ‘to give His life as a ransom for many’ ” (Matt. 20:28, NKJV). Through His death and resurrection, He conquered sin and death and attained the preeminence over all things in heaven and on earth. Thus, because “of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36, NKJV).
Questions:
What does it mean to be conformed to the image of Jesus? In what practical ways do you see that work of transformation, by God’s grace, happening in your life?
How is Jesus the Lord of your life? What does His preeminence over all things mean for you? How does His preeminence give you hope?
Notes
Adjust My Preferences
Welcome! Please set your reading preferences below.
You can access this panel later by clicking the
preference icon
in the top right of the page.
Key Text: Colossians 1:15–17
Study Focus: Col. 1:15–20
The Bible says that Jesus has the preeminence in all things (Col. 1:18). But what does that idea mean? Many English versions render the Greek word prōteuō as “first place” rather than as “preeminence” (see, for instance, the NRSV, NASB, CSB, CEB, etc.). The verb prōteuō occurs only in this passage in the New Testament, suggesting that it was carefully selected for a reason. It emphasizes Jesus’ unique and unsurpassed position. The original text implies that Jesus’ resurrection grants Him the authority to become Lord of all things: “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything” (Col. 1:18, NRSV; emphasis added). In other words, Jesus was Lord by right; now He becomes Lord in fact! Universal supremacy and sovereignty are the expected results of His victory over death. John the revelator also highlights this notion when affirming that Jesus is “the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5, NKJV; emphasis added). Jesus’ death and resurrection inevitably lead to His rulership over all things.
This week’s lesson emphasizes two major themes:
Jesus’ titles, as presented in Colossians 1:15–20, emphasize His redemptive work on behalf of the human race. He is the Image of the invisible God, the Firstborn over all creation, the Head of the body, and the Beginning.
Jesus came into this world to perform reconciliation between God and humanity, in a particular sense, but also between God and the whole creation, in a broader sense.
Part II: Commentary
Illustration
“A pastor of a church in Boston met a young boy in front of the sanctuary, carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. The pastor inquired, ‘Son, where did you get those birds?’
“ ‘I trapped them out in the field,’ the boy replied.
“ ‘What are you going to do with them?’
“ ‘I’m going to play with them, and then I guess I’ll just feed them to an old cat we have at home.’
“When the pastor offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, ‘Mister, you don’t want them, they’re just little old wild birds and can’t sing very well.’
“The pastor replied, ‘I’ll give you two dollars for the cage and the birds.’
“ ‘Okay, it’s a deal, but you’re making a bad bargain.’
“The exchange was made, and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. The pastor walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire cage, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.
“The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate Christ’s coming to seek and to save those who—like the birds—were destined for destruction. The difference was that Christ had to purchase our freedom with his own life.”—Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), pp. 297, 298.
As we will see further on, Paul’s portrayal of Christ in Colossians 1:15–20 is a poem that extols His role as Creator (Col. 1:15–17) and Redeemer (Col. 1:18–20). In these few verses, the story of redemption is told with an incredible economy of words.
Jesus’ Titles and His Redemptive Work
Colossians 1:15–20 is a hymn in praise to Christ for His work of redemption. In applying several titles to Jesus, Paul resorts to the Old Testament, so as to demonstrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament covenants.
Image of the Invisible God (Col. 1:15). The phrase “the image of the invisible God” points to the true humanity of Jesus, thereby referring to His incarnation. The Greek word translated as “image” is eikōn, which is frequently used in the biblical record in order to indicate that something is a representation of something else. Thus, for instance, the statue of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:31–3:18 is called eikōn various times in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament. Obviously, the concept of representation can be traced back to Genesis 1:26, 27, where Adam is referred to as created in the image of God. Jesus came into the world as the Second Adam to represent and reveal God. This idea means that if God the Father had come into the world instead of Jesus, He would have been like Jesus.
The Firstborn Over All Creation (Col. 1:15). All the titles ascribed to Jesus in Colossians 1:15–18 serve to highlight His preeminence, each calling attention to different aspects of His redemptive work. The title “firstborn over all creation” in Colossians 1:15 (NKJV) foreshadows the similar title in Colossians 1:18, “firstborn from the dead,” and is related to it. Paul’s usage of the term “firstborn” is rooted in the Old Testament. Usually, the title “firstborn over all creation” is interpreted in two ways: (1) it portrays Jesus as ruler over all creation and, hence, His uniqueness and superiority; (2) it portrays Jesus as eternally preexistent and the Creator of all things. After all, “by Him all things were created. . . . All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col. 1:16, NKJV), and “He is before all things” (Col. 1:17, NKJV). It is unnecessary to take one view at the expense of the other, as they complement each other.
The Head of the Body (Col. 1:18). As other metaphors applied to Jesus in the New Testament, the phrase “the head of the body” suggests Jesus’ authority over the church but also His tender care for her. Thus, as the Head of the church, Jesus provides for her growth (Eph. 4:15) by nourishing her (Col. 2:19; Eph. 5:29, 30). Most important, He saves her (Eph. 5:23) because He loves her (Eph. 5:2, 25). In a sense, the metaphor of the Head is quite similar to the image of the Shepherd. As such, Jesus leads the church “to living fountains of waters” (Rev. 7:17, NKJV); knows her and is known by her (John 10:14); and loves her to the point of giving His life for her (John 10:11, 15), with the purpose of granting her eternal life (John 10:28).
The Beginning (Col. 1:18). The image of Jesus as the Beginning of all things is not uncommon in the New Testament. To a greater or lesser degree, all instances of this image build upon Genesis 1:1. Thus, while the initial statement in Matthew 1:1 does not apply the term “beginning,” the phrase “book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ” is an allusion to the book of Genesis (see Gen. 5:1; also Gen. 2:4). The Gospel of Mark opens with the statement, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Mark 1:1, NKJV), which, for many scholars, is reminiscent of Genesis 1:1. The Gospel of John opens with the statement, “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1, NKJV), and continues, “He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:2, NKJV). Similarly, John begins his first letter by alluding to both his Gospel and the book of Genesis (1 John 1:1). Further on, he states, “You have known him who is from the beginning” (1 John 2:13, 14, NKJV). Finally, in the Apocalypse, John ascribes to Jesus the title, “the Beginning of the creation of God” (Rev. 3:14, NKJV). Thus, the title “the beginning” (Col. 1:18) points to Jesus’ role as our Creator and Redeemer.
Firstborn From the Dead (Col. 1:18). Paul’s use of the title “firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:18) is very similar to John’s use of the same title in Revelation 1:5, NKJV. Both authors likely have Psalm 89:27 in mind: “I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth” (NKJV). In a sense, Psalm 89 is a sort of commentary on 2 Samuel 7:8–16, which details God’s covenant with David. A close reading of Psalm 89, however, will show that, ultimately, the text is talking about One greater than a human figure (see, for instance, Psalm 89:29, 36). The New Testament indicates that Jesus is the eschatological Son of David (see, for instance, Matt. 1:1). When applying the title “firstborn” to Jesus (Col. 1:18), Paul is referring to Him as the fulfillment of God’s covenantal promise to David.
Jesus’ Work of Reconciliation. All that Jesus did (Col. 1:15–18) results in His having the first place in everything (Col. 1:18). According to Paul, Christ is all those things because “in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col. 1:19, ESV). In other words, Jesus was fully God at the same time that He was fully man. As such, He fulfilled the prerequisites necessary for reconciling man to God (Col. 1:20–22). In Ephesians 2:14–17, Paul uses reconciliation language in connection with the idea that Jesus came into the world to be our peace (Eph. 2:14), thus both making peace (Eph. 2:15) and preaching peace (Eph. 2:17). Not only man but “all of God’s creation will be pacified and reconciled, and full harmony will be restored.”—Grant R. Osborne, Colossians & Philemon: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), p. 46.
Part III: Life Application
Meditate upon the following themes. Then ask your students to answer the questions at the end of this section.
In Colossians 1:15–20, Jesus is presented as the exalted Lord of all creation. He is our Lord! Jesus’ lordship is based on the fact that He rose from the dead victorious to be our King and Intercessor in the heavenly sanctuary. We can trust Him and surrender ourselves to Him completely, trusting that He will restore us to His image. Paul says that God “predestined” us “to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29, NKJV).
In Christ, we have the promise of all-inclusive restoration. “Through the blood of His cross,” we now have peace with God (Col. 1:20, NKJV). As Isaiah had prophesied centuries ago, Jesus came to be the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6; compare with Eph. 2:14). Further on, Isaiah says, “the chastisement for our peace was upon Him” (Isa. 53:5, NKJV). In Romans 5:10, Paul affirms that “when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (NKJV).
The Bible teaches us that Jesus is our Creator and Redeemer. He came into this world and died on the cross to purchase us back to Himself. The One who created us (John 1:1–3) is the same One who came in the flesh (John 1:14) “ ‘to give His life as a ransom for many’ ” (Matt. 20:28, NKJV). Through His death and resurrection, He conquered sin and death and attained the preeminence over all things in heaven and on earth. Thus, because “of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36, NKJV).
Questions:
What does it mean to be conformed to the image of Jesus? In what practical ways do you see that work of transformation, by God’s grace, happening in your life?
How is Jesus the Lord of your life? What does His preeminence over all things mean for you? How does His preeminence give you hope?
Notes