Last week we started a walk through the Book of Colossians and we looked at ‘Show Me Your Ways, Lord’ (1:1-14). Today we are looking at ‘The Supremacy of Christ’ in chapter 1: 15-23.
Before we read it, I would like to share some thoughts from others to give you the setting for this passage. I do remind you that my written notes have all the references indicated.
M. Blaiklock stated, ‘There was false teaching in the church at Colossae. God was pictured as remote and aloof, ministering to men through many intermediaries; Christ was but one of these, great and effective, but not all-sufficient. Hence the superb description (in this passage). Note the wonder of it. Thirty years before, Jesus of Nazareth, rejected and betrayed, had died on a Roman cross. And now a man, who had harried His early followers to death, writes of Him in terms proper to God alone. A change so glorious speaks solemnly of the reality of God’s intervention in history, of Paul’s own deep experience, and of the magnificence of the divine glory manifested in Jesus.’ (pg.582)
In the New Testament Survey we read:
‘The name usually given to the false teaching in this city is “The Colossian heresy.” It apparently consisted of a mixture of Jewish and Gnostic ideas, combined to create a threat to the gospel of Christ. This unsound teaching sought to reduce Christianity to a legal system and to obscure the person and work of Christ. Paul attacks the errors at Colossae by clear presentation of counter truths. The key verse is 1:18b “that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.”’ (pg. 57)
Again, in the New Testament survey, we find:
‘As one reads this epistle, he may be impressed with its likeness to Ephesians. Indeed, they may be called the twin epistles of the New Testament. They are most nearly alike in their presentation of Christ and His body, the church. In Colossians, He is “the head of the body” (1:18); in Ephesians, it is “the church, which is His body” (1:22, 23). The development in Colossians, then, concentrates on the exalted position of Christ; in Ephesians, upon the nature of the church.’(pg.57)
Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart give us this view of this passage:
‘This marvelous passage, which has a profoundly hymnic quality to it, actually continues the sentence that began in verse 12 (and continues through verse 16). Notice how what began with the Father’s redemption through His Son, now proceeds to exalt the Son, who bears His image. In turn Paul proclaims first the Son’s supremacy in relationship to the whole created order, including “the powers,” as the creator of all things (vv.15-17), and then in relationship to the church as its redeemer (vv.18-22), concluding with a concern that the Colossians stay with Christ (v.23).’ (pg.362)
The NIV Study Bible divides this passage into two parts:
Christ’s supremacy in creation (vv.15-17) and Christ’s supremacy in redemption (vv.18-20) (pg. 1815)
Supremacy – what does it mean? Webster’s New World Dictionary gives this meaning:
Supreme condition or power:
Supreme is defined as highest in rank, power; highest in quality, achievement; highest in degree; final, ultimate. 1
You need a true direction drilled into you by the Scriptures, which is Christ (Colossians 1:15-19). Trust in Him for direction, not yourself. We know of Jesus only through Scripture, so we must trust the authority of Scripture. You need to let the Holy Spirit expand in you by getting yourself out.
Colossians 1: 15-23 NIV
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Hebrews 1:3 NIV
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Just as the firstborn son had certain privileges and rights in the Biblical world, so also Christ has certain rights in relation to all creation – priority, preeminence and sovereignty. 2
Back on May 31, 2015, I presented a message in a series that looked at the credibility of the Bible by looking at its founder. I quoted a part of Article 7 in our church’s constitution, “There is one and only one living and true God. He reveals Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.”
(You can see this on our website or ask me for a copy)
16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
John 1:3 NIV
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Seven times in six verses Paul mentions ‘all creation,’ ‘all things,’ and ‘everything,’ thus stressing that Christ is supreme over all. 3
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
The preexistent sustainer of all things! 4
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
The first to be resurrected! 5
Jesus is first among us and the head of Christianity. We need to realize what that means in our everyday lives. We believe in the One who is supreme, and yet came and died to have a real relationship with us.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
The fullness of deity in bodily form! 6
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Jesus died for all who believe in Him. Those who do not still have eternal damnation with pain and sorrow. That is why it is imperative that those who believe share that belief with others.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
We all came to life as sinners and should have died as sinners.
22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
Jesus’s death and resurrection give us the opportunity to be forgiven for our sins and to be whole again with Christ. We become ‘white as snow’, with no marks of sin in the sight of God. This is possible only if we believe and accept that Christ died for our sins and was resurrected to show His dominion over death. It also states that we will be free from accusations, meaning that our mistakes are removed. I think it implies that we strive to not sin anymore too.
23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
If we stay true to Jesus, keep from sinning and doubting, then we stay in the protective arms of God. Another way to say that is if we stay in the protective arms of God, we will stay true to Jesus and not sin or doubt.
New Testament Survey gives us this final view:
‘This passage gives us one of the key passages telling of Christ. Christ is described as pre-eminent in at least four distinct relationships: To God (1:15); to created things (1:16, 17); to the Church (1:18) and, to the work of the redemption (1:19-23). This discussion is preliminary and necessary to the exposing of the heresy described in chapter two. The presentation of the superiority of Christ is the answer to all such errors.’ (pg.57)
We have a choice: Believe Jesus or not! If we do believe, then God promises to always be there for us. If we chose not to believe, then God cannot be with us, since God is light and not darkness. Our disbelief puts us into darkness and away from the supremacy of Jesus Christ.
Paul claims the supremacy of Jesus Christ and so do all who believe – do you? If you do not know, then talk to me or any who do believe to hear how we found our way to Jesus.
May the love of Jesus fill your hearts to overflowing and guide you this week.
Next week we look at Colossians 1:24-2:5 ‘Paul’s Labor for the Church’.
Have a fantastic week!
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