Sunday
He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
(Colossians 1:15-20, NIV)
While in prison in Rome, Paul wrote four letters, including a letter to the church at Colosse that was struggling with a distorted version of the Gospel message. One aspect of the inaccurate teaching that was prevalent in this young congregation was a depreciated view of Jesus Christ. As a result, the letter Paul writes to the Colossians is a marvelous statement of the supremacy of Christ.
Paul contrasts human philosophy with its “fine-sounding arguments” to the “mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom” (2:2-4). He warns the Colossians not to be taken captive through “hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition… rather than on Christ.” And then summarizes his argument by stating that “in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority” (2:8-10).
Today’s verses clearly establish Paul’s central goal of convincing the Colossians that Jesus Christ is supreme. Biblical scholars believe that these six verses could have been an early Christian hymn, used to teach important doctrines. The text begins by establishing Christ’s supremacy over all of creation, both the spiritual world and the physical world. There is reality not seen by the human eye, as well as the reality we see – God made and rules it all. Paul emphasizes this point by deliberately referring to things in heaven and on earth; to make sure the point is not missed, he then refers to the visible and the invisible.
Paul then describes Jesus’ ministry as one of reconciliation. God the Father chose to rebuild his relationship with all things in creation, a relationship broken by sin, by “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” For Paul, the gospel message is summarized in the concept of reconciliation or peacemaking. It was not just making things right on a spiritual level, but – as these powerful verses make clear – making things right in all the dimensions of shalom described in the Old Testament and restated in Jesus’ “manifesto.”
Prayer
Creator God, we praise you that your fullness is made known to us through your Son. We praise you for the exciting truth that in Jesus all things hold together and have their meaning. We rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ’s ministry was one of peacemaking and reconciliation, and that through the cross we have the gift of eternal life, rather than the judgment we deserve. Amen.