READ: Col. 1:15–20: “… image of the invisible God … by Him all things were created … head of the body … the first in all things … in Him all the fullness … to reconcile all things to Himself …”
In this passage Paul describes who “the Son of His love” (v. 13) is. It is a song of praise to Jesus Christ, God’s Son in human form. Paul writes about this in connection with the Gentile false doctrine that had entered the congregation of Colosse.
The false teachers taught that besides Jesus there also exist all kinds of other spirits, intermediate forms between man and God. The good spirits had to be honored, the evil ones resisted. This also included worship of angels (2:18). The good spirits could still offer you things that Jesus could not give you.
In that false doctrine lay a great danger: if you do not expect everything from Jesus Christ, you perish. Paul makes known here that outside of Him God has granted nothing that is necessary for the salvation of believers.
Christ Himself is God; as Son He is the reflection, the image of the Father. Heb. 1:3 says: “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.” He is from eternity. Whereas God the Father cannot be seen by man, that became possible with the Son’s coming to earth in human form. But at the same time, He remains God.
By Him, as the Word (John 1:1–3; Rev. 3:14), everything was created on earth and in heaven, including men and angels. Thus, the Son as God is from eternity, before all created things, and these are also upheld by Him (see also Heb. 1:3). Therefore, all things were also created for Him. Jesus Christ possesses the right of the firstborn (v. 15) and cannot be compared with any creature or “spirit.”
He is also Head of the Church: the humanity that is created and saved to enter His kingdom. Her He redeemed by His atoning blood on the cross. He restored her to a right relationship in peace with God. His reconciliation even concerns the affected Creation and the angels; all created things in heaven and on earth are renewed. Naturally this does not include the people and angels who have fallen away from God; they undergo God’s eternal judgment.
How often do our thoughts go to Jesus Christ?
Singing: Ps. 110:1,4