Colossians 1:20

and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross-through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Author

Kayode Crown
December 16, 2024

In this verse, Paul ends this eulogy about Jesus. There are six verses in total (Colossians 1:15-20). We are told that He is the image of the invisible God and that He created all things. The list of things He created includes all creation, everything in heaven and on earth, everything visible and invisible, thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers. He is the firstborn over all creation. The conclusion is that everything is created in Him and not just that, but also for Him.

There are three "He is" statements in the passage.

1. He is the image of the invincible God

There is the invisible God, and there is the image of the invisible God. We cannot see God, but we see Him who is also God.

Sidebar on Christ the creator #1

He did not just create all things (John 1:3); all things were created through him. There is a difference. Someone might say, yes, he created all things, but he used some substances that had always existed to do the creation. We see this in many creation tales where the gods use other pre-existing substances to create things.

Philosophers of old argue about the primal components of the world, but the truth, as spoken by Paul, is that He is both the creator and the substance of creation. He made all things, and all things were made through him. He is the means of creation. No angel is the means of creation; He himself is the means of creation.

In Paul's words, "He created all things" is code for "He is God," because if He created all things, it goes without saying that He is not a created being. He cannot create all things and also be a creation.

2. He is before all things

This second statement reinforces the first. He cannot begin all things and also have a beginning since he cannot begin himself, thus lending credence to the doctrine of the Trinity.

Sidebar on Christ the creator #2

All things are held together in Him. Paul followed the second "He is" by saying that all things are held together in Him. This statement emphasizes that He is not an absentee God. He did not create a world that can exist apart from Him.

Even for the one who curses God, He is holding together the cells of their body, which is why they do not disintegrate in an instant. He made everything, and He makes the world go round. He is the rhythm of the world. He is the reason that we can reason.

‘He is before all things’ tells us about his prestige. ‘He created all things’ tells us about his power. He is first in prestige and power. So, he created all things, all things were made through him, and all things continue to be sustained because he wills it to be so.

3. He is the head of the body

And there is the third "He is": He is the head of the body, the church. How is He the head of the church? It is because He is the beginning of the church, as He is the firstborn from the dead.

Firstborn

The word "firstborn" appears twice in the passage.

Christ is first mentioned as the firstborn over all creation, and then as the firstborn from the dead.

Being firstborn from the dead is a statement of dominion. He is the originator of resurrection; he is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).

Being the firstborn over all creation means he is the originator of all creation.

Being the firstborn from the dead means he is the originator of "coming from the dead."

Firstborn signifies the first place, and not just the first place, but having the right to everything and being responsible for everything.

There is no coming from the grave apart from him, and to illustrate that, he came back from the dead. Therefore, there is no argument about who is the supreme one, no matter where, or in what time and place you are considering. Paul expressed it this way: so that he himself may become first in all things.

His coming from the dead makes him the first in all things.

Why it matters

"...through him (Jesus) to reconcile all things to himself (the Father) by making peace through the blood of his (Jesus) cross—through him (Jesus), whether things on earth or things in heaven."

The Incarnation happened because God had an end in mind: the reconciliation of all things with Himself, making peace. Central to that is the cross where God created peace.

All things were made through Jesus, and something else was made through the cross of His death: peace with God (Romans 5:1). His blood was shed on the cross, where God satisfied His wrath (1John 2:2). Now, in place of wrath and judgment of death, there is grace, peace, mercy, and eternal life.

God and creation were warring parties, but things changed through the cross, where Christ said, "It is finished" (John 19:30).

The reconciliation is starting with the Church, seeing that the Bible says that creation will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God's children (Romans 8:22).

God's plan is still unfolding. We are not at the end of the story.

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