(4) Paul Declares The Supremacy of Christ - PT. 1

(Note: This post is part of a series on proof of the deity of Jesus in the New Testament.)

When Paul wrote to the Colossian church, he had much to say about the glories of Jesus. Read his words carefully, noting especially his statements demonstrating the deity of Jesus in bold.

Colossians 1:15-20 (NET)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him– all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers– all things were created through him and for him. He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him. He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son 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.

There is so much theology packed in there! But we must limit our focus to the statements related to the deity of Jesus. They are profound and incredibly powerful. We’ll take them one at a time.

First, Paul states that Jesus “is the image of the invisible God.” “Image” is from the Greek word eicon and implies representation and manifestation. Applied to Jesus, this means that he is the visible manifestation of the invisible God. God is invisible but Jesus makes God visible. In other words, we can see exactly what God is like in all His nature by looking at Jesus. Look at Jesus and you’re looking at God. It’s that simple.

Now to the second statement, Jesus is said to be “the firstborn over all creation.” And here those who deny the deity of Jesus cry out, “See, he is born, not eternal!” How do we respond? Actually very simply. This description is a very common Jewish figure of speech. It is far more than a designation for a child born first in a family. It is not a statement of birth order, it is a title of honor and superiority.

This title may be connected to Jesus being born into humanity. In this sense He would be the firstborn God into humanity. God had never taken on human flesh before. But, far more significantly, it refers to Jesus as bing in the place honor and superiority above all creation.

He is not the firstborn in creation for He is the one who created all things. Think carefully about this carefully. The eternal Son of God could not have been born into existence if he created all things. Paul is emphasizing the superiority of Jesus over all creation. It is clear that this is what Paul had in mind as he also calls Jesus the “firstborn from among the dead.” Jesus was not the first to be resurrected. But, he is in an exalted and superior position among those who have resurrected.

Next:  (5)  Paul Declares The Supremacy of Christ - Pt. 2