Read Colossians 1:15–18
Questions from the Scripture text: Of what is Christ the image (Colossians 1:15a)? What else is He, and over what (verse 15b)? How many things were created by Him (Colossians 1:16a)? Where? What kinds of things (verse 16b)? In addition to being created by Him, how were they created (verse 16c)? For Whom were they created? How else does Jesus relate to all things (Colossians 1:17a)? And how else (verse 17b)? What relation does He have to the church (Colossians 1:18a)? What, therefore, is the church called? In what two ways is He the head (verse 18b)? Between His relationship to the church and all created things, what is the result for Him (verse 18c)?
The glory of being redeemed in the Son is the truth about Who the Son is. He is not merely the “son of God” in the way that Adam is described to be in Luke 3:38, because He is not “created in the image of God” the way Adam is in Genesis 1:27.
No, the Son is Himself the image of the invisible God, God’s display of Himself (v15a). In fact, He is the One Who created all things (Colossians 1:16a)—not only on earth but in heaven, not only visible but invisible, at every level of authority and power (verse 16b–c)! Indeed the apostle uses the language from Genesis 1 to declare the Son as the One through Whom Adam had to be created in order to be created in the image of God.
The Holy Spirit is saying the same thing in Colossians 1:15–17 as in John 1:1–4. The Son, the Word, is the uncreated Creator, God’s own display of Himself, by Whom and for Whom all creatures exist.
“He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15)
“And the Word was God” (John 1:1)
“the Firstborn over all creation, for by Him all things were created” (Colossians 1:15–16)
“without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3)
“that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities of powers” (Colossians 1:16)
“without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3)
“All things were created through Him” (Colossians 1:16)
“All things were made through Him” (John 1:3)
“And He is before all things” (Colossians 1:17)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God” (John 1:1)
“and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17)
“In Him was life” (John 1:4)
This is the One who has fully paid for the church by dying for her (Colossians 1:14). So, He is her head, as her Husband, and considers her to be His own body (Colossians 1:18a), for whom He paid the redemption price of Himself. In fact, this redemption cost Him both incarnation and death, but by going through death for His church, He became the firstborn from among the dead (verse 18b). Where the Head has gone, His body will follow.
How glorious to have the Creator-Lord as our Kinsman-Redeemer! He is God the Word (John 1:1–18) and God the Son (Colossians 1:15–17), but He became a Man as well to offer Himself to die as the bride price for us sinners who needed forgiveness!!
The upshot of all this is that the Son’s glory in the church is the pinnacle of His glory in all creation and all authority. All those other things, even the highest and greatest of them, glorify Him because He created them (Colossians 1:16). But the church brings Him glory as His purchased bride, whom He leads out of death and into resurrection life. “That in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18c).
What effect does it have upon your heart, as a believer, to know that God the Son Himself gave Himself to purchase you as part of His bride? When you read that this was all done so that He would have the first place, how does this shape your aim in your day to day living? In what does it teach you to delight? What can take away this joy?
Sample prayer: O Jesus, our Creator, all things are from You, and through You, and to You. To You be the glory forever and ever, AMEN! Though You are God, You became a man to die for us. Forgive us for how forgetful we are of your love. And forgive us for how we keep losing sight of Your glory as the aim of our life and salvation. Grant that we would live our whole lives as a knowing of Your love for us and a loving of You and Your glory, which we ask in Your Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP110B “The LORD Has Spoken to My Lord” or TPH288 “We Come, O Christ, to You”
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