Larry Reynolds, Denton, TX

Colossians 1:15-18 provides one of the Scripture's most in-depth descriptions of Jesus.  In addition to telling us that Jesus is "the image of the invisible God" (see 5/27/2008 post), these verses also tell us that He is "the first-born of all creation" (verse 15b).  The word translated first-born is protokos. In English first-born would seem to indicate that Christ was the first production of God’s creation.  However, in Greek the word translated first-born had only an indirect relation to time. The word was more a reference to rank than to chronology. Our word protocol,l which comes from protokos, gives us a hint as to how the word is used here. We use the word protocol to describe that which takes precedence, that which comes first in order of importance.  The word was used in New Testament times as a title of honor. It refers to the peculiar rights and privileges of the first-born in an ancient family. Paul is not saying that Jesus is the first created being (verse 16 contradicts that); instead, he is saying that Christ is Lord over creation. In the verses that follow, three prepositional phrases are used to describe how Christ is “Lord over” creation:

• “by Him” (16a) – Jesus is the Creator. He is the One who did it. Everything that exists has been made by Him.
• "for Him” (16b) -  He is the goal and end of creation. Everything was made to be His and to give glory to Him.
• “in Him”  (17) – The phrase “…in Him all things hold together…” is one of the great phrases of the Bible. He is the One who keeps the cosmos from degenerating into chaos.  "...the Son is the a agent of creation in the beginning and the goal of creation in the end and between the beginning and the end, during time as we know it, it is the Son who, as it were, holds the world together. That is to say, all the law by which the world is an order and not chaos are an expression of the mind of the Son. Every law of science and nature is, in fact, an expression of the thought of God … It is by these laws and therefore by the mind of God that the universe holds together, and does not disintegrate into chaos … So then, the Son is the beginning of creation and the end of creation and the power that holds creation together. He is the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Final Goal of the world. (Wm. Barclay)

(For more detailed notes on Colossians go to http://www.larryreynolds.org-a.googlepages.com/home)