He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross [through him], whether those on earth or those in heaven. 21 And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds 22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him, 23 provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister.
This passage appears to be an early poetic hymn praising Christ and is believed to have been composed out of liturgical material sung by the early Church as they assembled on the first day of the week to celebrate the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11:17-26). It has important Christological value.
Paul reminded the Colossians that Christ was preexistent with God (Jn. 1:1) and is the image of God (2 Cor. 4:4). He bore the likeness of God (Heb. 1:3), was derived from God (Mt. 16:16), and was of the same substance as God (Col. 2:9). Jesus is the firstborn of all natural creation and manifests the Father to humanity. All things were created through him and for him (1 Cor. 1:6) and all things exist in him (Heb. 1:3). Christ is superior to all created physical (earthly) and spiritual beings (heavenly), “Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers (Rom. 8:38).”
Christ is the head of the Church, the Body of Christ. He is the Creator of life and is also the first of the resurrection from the dead. Christ is preeminent in all things, even death. He is the one through whom the Colossians’ salvation is made possible. In Christ is the fullness of God (Col. 2:9) and God reconciled all things to himself through Christ’s willing sacrifice on the cross so that mankind and everything in heaven and on earth could be redeemed and reconciled to God.
The Colossians can share in this heavenly inheritance earned for us by Christ who, because he was fully human and fully Divine, shared in the natures of both man and God. It is through his suffering, death, and resurrection that believers are delivered, through forgiveness, from the power of sin to be heirs of the Kingdom of God. The faithful are presented as holy, without blemish, and blameless before God as long as they remain steadfast in faith and do not reject the Gospel that has been preached to all creation. Paul tells them that he is speaking as a minister of the Gospel, an ambassador of Christ.
Almighty God, help us to understand the depth of Christ’s divine nature and the peace and reconciliation he brings through his sacrifice on the cross. May we remain rooted in faith and unwavering in our hope in the Gospel. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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