WHO ARE YOU, LORD? (COLOSSIANS 1:15-20)
Delighted at seeing a Hispanic man wearing a bold and beautiful cross while in the swimming pool, I asked him, “Are you a Christian?” He surprised me by saying, “No. I am Catholic.”
The disciples of the early church were not known by outsiders as Catholic, Protestants or Orthodox, but Christians or the disciples of Christ (Acts 11:26). Christianity is not about religion, morality and spirituality; it is about Christ. It is centered around Jesus of Nazareth (Matt 10:47).
So who is Jesus? Does he have a halo, a beard or long hair? Is He Byzantine Jesus, Broadway Jesus or Hollywood Jesus? The portrait of Jesus has undergone tremendous change through the centuries. As painted by modern artists, he is a hippie (Jesus Christ Superstar), a revolutionary (Che Guevara) or even black. http://www.religionfacts.com/jesus/image_gallery.htm
“Who are You, Lord?” Paul asked famously as a light from heaven blinded him (Acts 9:5). Who is Christ, or Why did He come? What did he say and do? Why was he so controversial and divisive? Paul answers his own question in Colossians, emphatically and expertly presenting and teaching Christology – the study of Christ – like no other author, introducing Him as the Creator, the Lord and the Savior of our lives.
Christ is the Maker of the Heavens and the Earth
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Col 1:15-17)
Renowned theologian Karl Barth was lecturing to a group of students at Princeton when a student asked him, “Sir, don’t you think that God has revealed himself in other religions and not only in Christianity?” With a modest thunder he stunned the crowd, replying, “No, God has not revealed himself in any religion, including Christianity. He has revealed himself in his Son.”
The first council of the Christian church held in 325 B.C after persecution ended was called the Council of Nicaea. The top agenda was to resolve disagreements over the nature of Jesus in relationship to the Father. The most provocative and popular of these new teachings was Arianism, as promoted and represented by Arius (c. AD 250-336), who taught that Jesus was not one with the Father, and that he was not fully, although almost, divine in nature. Merely two of over 300 attendees sided with Arius. Subsequently, a noted historian says, “The books of Arius were burned and his followers branded as enemies of Christianity.” (Schaff’s History of the Christian Church, Volume III, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity, § 120. The Council of Nicaea, 325)
One of the classical and critical passages on the identity and nature of Christ is found in Colossians 1. “Image” (v 15) is basically “icon” (eikon) in Greek, or “likeness” in English. Simply put, the icon is the image, not the individual. Christ is the image of the Father, but not identical with the Father. He is like the Father, but not alike the Father. They are similar but not the same. This is important, not to confuse or exchange the Son with the Father. Christ is the splitting image of the Father in perfection, power and purpose, but not in person. The Son is coequal, coexisting and coeternal with the Father, but not exactly or essentially the Father. Christ’s role is to make visible God the Father, who is invisible. The word “invisible” occurs five times in the Bible - twice in the passage – all describing God and none other (Rom 1:20, Col 1:15, 16, 1 Tim 1:17, Heb 11:27). Christ resembles, represents and reveals the Father, but not replaces Him. He is the reflection but not the replica of the Father.
“Firstborn,” or “prototokos” (vv 15, 18), is derived from the word “first” (protos).
Norman L. Geisler says first-born (prototokos) is not the same as first-created (protoktisis). In the Old Testament (cf. Ex 13:2-15; Deut 21:17) a firstborn child had not only priority of birth but also the dignity and superiority that went with it. (Bible Knowledge Commentary) It also does not mean sequence in time, but superiority over all - not chronology in time but chief over all.
The words “creation” (ktisis) in verse 15 and “created” – twice in verse 16 - share the same root word. Verse 16 introduces three prepositions before the personal pronoun “Him” to help readers understand His supremacy and His sovereignty over all creatures, all that has life and breath, all living beings. The first preposition “by him” (v 16) is actually not “by,” but “in” (en), as attested by the Revised Standard Version and the American Standard Version. It is not the same preposition as the “by” at the end of next verse – “by him and for him.” In Greek syntax and parallelism, “in Him were created” (not “in him all things were created) is contrasted and coupled with “by him and for him were created” (not “all things were created by him and for him”) at the end of verse 16. I prefer “through (dia, as in diagram, diagnostic) him and for (eis) him,” the position taken by RSV, Updated NASB and New KJV – the last two differing from “by him” in previous versions. “By him” refers to His initiative and inspiration, “through him” is His involvement and intercession, and “for Him” as His instrument and for His influence.
The three contrasts are heaven and earth, seen and unseen, and the last - thrones (thronos), lords (kuriotes), rulers or “arche” in Greek (as in hier-archy, an-archy), and authorities (exousia). “Lords” - “powers” in NIV (v 16) - occurs merely four times in the Bible; its other translations are “dominion” (Eph 1:21) and “authority” (2 Peter 2:10, Jude 1). Throne is the seat, lord is the title, rule is the realm and authority is the might.
The second verb, besides “created,” is “hold together” (sun-istao), or literally “together stand” in Greek. The world is not merely created, but commissioned to act; not merely formed but functioning, not running on empty but running like clockwork.
Christ is the Master of the Living and the Dead
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. (Col 1:18)
Shortly after his 50th birthday, Einstein also gave a remarkable interview in which he was more revealing than he had ever been about his religious sensibility. A noted interviewer asked Einstein, “To what extent are you influenced by Christianity? Einstein answered, “As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.” The interviewer questioned, “You accept the historical existence of Jesus? The illustrious scientist replied, “Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.” (“Einstein & Faith,” Time Magazine Apr. 16, 2007 By Walter Isaacson)
To the skeptics, cynics and doubters who asked God “What have you done for me lately?” Paul argues that Christ not only cares for the creation, but He cares for His church, whose doors encompass and embrace saints and sinners. God’s activity is not confined to the past but connected to the present. Creating the world was merely the story, caring for them is the subject. Previously, Paul talked about Christ’s part in creation, and now about His purpose in creating.
The church is His body, His bride and His beloved. In His wisdom, He chose none as weak, worthless and as wayward to demonstrate His greatness and glory. It’s been said, “The church is not a club of saints; it is a hospital for sinners.” Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise (sophos) by human standards; not many were influential (dunatos); not many were of noble birth (eu-genes, “good genes”). But God chose the foolish things (moros) of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things (a-sthenes, “no strength”) of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things (a-genes, “no genes”) of this world and the despised things (ex-outheneo, “out of nothing”) — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
The firstborn (prototokos) among the dead means headship and authority over the dead, as is meant and governed by the previous word “beginning,” which is the same word for “ruler” in verse 16. Death is an important subject in the Bible because death is an uninvited guest, the great equalizer and the last enemy to be destroyed (1 Cor 15:26). The Greeks say, “Death is the only God that loves not bribes.” Not everybody fears death or dying, but everybody fears the pain of death and dying.
There is no hiding from death. Peter Kreeft says, “As long as there is death, there will be religion.” No brave soul can brave death. No endurance can endure the doom, the darkness, the distress, the dread and the despair of death. Every disability, every disease, every danger attests to the Bible’s testimony to the shadow of death, the gates of death (Ps 9:13), the dust of death (Ps 22:15), the terrors of death (Ps 55:4), the snares of death (Prov 13:14), the day of death (Eccl 8:8), the pains of death (Acts 2:24), the sentence of death (2 Cor 1:9), the power of death (Heb 2:14), the fear of death (Heb 2:15). There will be no saved person who will not rejoice in his or her repentance from sin, his or her salvation in Christ and deliverance from death. Conversely, there will no unsaved individual who will not regret his or her rejection of Christ, his or her succumbing to sin and delay of salvation.
Death is not painless, powerless or pointless. Death’s closeness reminds us of a Savior who loves us, who offers salvation and overpowered death. His supremacy is not only over life which He gave at creation, but over death as a result of man’s sin. Because the author of life (Acts 3:15) has conquered death, He is now the Lord of both the dead and the living (Rom 14:9) and the judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). Death has mastery over everyone but Him (Rom 6:9), who has removed the sting of death (1 Cor 15:56) and destroyed him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil (Heb 2:14).
“Supremacy” (proteuo), or “preeminence” in KJV, is the only case and instance that the number “one” (protos) in the Bible is used as a participle. NASB translates it as “come to have first place.” Christ is the Maker of the heavens and the earth, and the Master over the living and the dead. Words in verse 18 such as “head,” “beginning,” “firstborn” (prototokos) – also in verse 15 – and supremacy indicate and underline Paul’s assertion.
Christ is the Mediator between God and Men
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 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. (Col 1: 19-20)
Many years ago, I received a hilarious e-mail on the benefits of attending church:
For Safety’s Sake
- Do NOT ride in automobiles: they cause 20% of all fatal accidents.
- Do NOT stay home: 17% of all accidents do occur in the home.
- Do NOT walk on the streets or sidewalks: 14% of all accidents happen to pedestrians.
- Do NOT travel by air, rail, or water: 16% of all accidents happen on these.
- Only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are related to previous physical disorders.
Hence, the safest place for you to be at any time is church. [Bible study is safe, too. The percentage there is even less.]
Go to church! IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!
After explaining what Christ did at creation and for creation, Paul switched to what He desires from creation, especially those saved, sanctified and strengthened in Christ.
“Pleased” (eu-dokeo) loses its punch in translation and interpretation. NASB translates it as “good pleasure,” not just “dokeo” (pleasure) but “eu-dokeo” in Greek – emphasizing “good.” This is critical because this word is inseparable and identical theologically and linguistically from the heavenly voice that boomed at Jesus’ baptism, stating: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am ‘well pleased,’” (Matt 3:17, Luke 3:22); and later with a voice from the cloud at His transfiguration stating: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am ‘well pleased.’ Listen to him!” (Matt 17:5). Our message is Christ, who is our mediator and the Messiah.
“Fullness” means “filled up, complete, perfect.” “Dwell”” is “to house permanently, i.e. reside.” “All” means nothing is missing, because the stakes with the Gnostics, the father of modern day cults that deny the deity of Christ and the Trinity of God are high. The word “all” occurs 20 times in the chapter, eight times alone in verses 15-20. (Col 1:15, 16, 16, 17, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Reconcile is a theological and judicial term. There is no reconciliation until the debt is satisfied. God’s reconciliation is not made in a vacuum or in vain. “Making peace” (eireno-poieo) occurs only one time in the Bible, an incomplete and impossible act without his death and His deliverance, His birth and His blood, His conquest on the cross, His glory over the grave and His triumph over tomb.
The “heaven and earth” phrase from verse 16 reappears, but this time as “earth and heaven” – the reverse. While He is the Creator of heaven and earth, his present focus is on earthly beings rather and heavenly things.
Conclusion: Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior? God is love and God is light. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Without Him, there is no door to salvation, no deliverance from sin, and no destruction of Satan. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) With him as the light of the world and the light of life, there is light instead of darkness, light for your path and light at the end of the tunnel.
Victor Yap
Other sermons in the series and other sermon series:
www.epreaching.blogspot.com
