Colossians 1:15

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: They who have experienced "redemption" (Colossians 1:14) know Christ in the glorious character here, as above the highest angels for whom the false teachers (Colossians 2:18) claimed worship. Compare the two other passages as to Christ's person (Ephesians 1:20; Philippians 2:6). Paul describes Him- (1) in relation to God and creation (Colossians 1:15); (2) in relation to the Church ...

15._Who is the image of the invisible God. _He mounts up higher in discoursing as to the glory of Christ. He calls him the _image of the invisible God, _meaning by this, that it is in him alone that God, who is otherwise invisible, is manifested to us, in accordance with what is said in John 1:18, — No man hath ever seen God: the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, hath himself manifested him to us. I am well aware in what manner the ancients were accustomed to explain this; for having a contest to maintain with Arians, they insist upon the equality of the Son with the Father, and his ( ὁμοουσίαν) _identity of essence_, (303) while in the mean time they make no mention of what is the chief point — in what manner the Father makes himself known to us in Christ. As to Chrysostom’

15-23 Christ in his human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus. He was born or begotten before all the creation, before any creature was made; which is the Scripture way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is represented to us. All things being created by Him, were created for him; being made by his power, they were made according to his pleasure, and for his praise and glory. He not only created them all at first, but it is by the word of his power that they are upheld. Christ as Mediator is the Head of the body, the church; all grace and strength are from him; and the church is his body. All fulness dwells in him; a fulness of merit and righteousness, of strength and grace for us. God showed his justice...

Verse 15. _WHO IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD_] The counterpart of God Almighty, and if the _image_ of the _invisible_ God, consequently nothing that _appeared_ in him could be that _image_; for if it could be _visible_ in the _Son_, it could also be _visible_ in the _Father_; but if the Father be _invisible_, consequently his _image_ in the Son must be _invisible_ also. This is that _form of God_ of which he divested himself; the ineffable glory in which he not only did not appear, as to its _splendour_ and _accompaniments_, but concealed also its essential nature; that inaccessible light which no man, no created being, can possibly see. This was that Divine nature, the _fulness of the Godhead_ _bodily_, which dwelt in him. _THE FIRST-BORN OF EVERY CREATURE_] I suppose this phrase to mean the same as that,...

WHO IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD - εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου eikōn tou Theou tou aoratou. The objects. here, as it is in the parallel place in Ephesians 1:20, is to give a just view of the exaltation of the Redeemer. It is probable that, in both cases, the design is to meet some erroneous opinion on this subject that prevailed in those churches, or among those that claimed to be teachers there. See the Introduction to this Epistle, and compare the notes at Ephesians 1:20. For the meaning of the phrase occurring here, “the image of the invisible God,” see the Hebrews 1:3, note, and...

EXPOSITION COLOSSIANS 1:1 SECTION I. INTRODUCTION. The Epistle commences, in St. Paul's manner, with a _salutation _(Colossians 1:1, Colossians 1:2), followed by _thanksgiving _(Colossians 1:3) and _prayer _(Colossians 1:9). Only in 2 Thessalonians, however, outside of the Epistles of this group, do we find a formal opening prayer. The _salutation _agrees closely with that of Ephesians....

WHO IS THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD,.... Not of deity, though the fulness of it dwells in him; nor of himself, though he is the true God, and eternal life; nor of the Spirit, who also is God, and the Spirit of the Son; but the Father, called "God", not to the exclusion of the Son or Spirit, who are with him the one God: "and he is invisible"; not to the Son who lay in his bosom, and had perfect and infinite knowledge of him; nor, in some sense, to angels, who always behold his face, but to men: no man hath seen him corporeally with the eyes of his body, though intellectually with the eyes of the understanding, when enlightened; not in his essence and nature, which is infinite and incomprehensible, but in his works of creation, providence, and grace; nor immediately, but mediately, in and through Christ, in whom he gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of his person and perfecti...

Colossians 1:1. _Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ._ Kindness is the very breath of Christianity, so the apostle will not begin the subject matter of his letter until first of all he has breathed out a benediction upon those to whom he writes. Colossians 1:3. _We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,_ Paul very graciously blends his giving of thanks and his constant prayer for these Christians at Colosse, and therein sets us an example that we may well imitate....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE PERSON OF CHRIST, His GLORY AND His WORK CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction (Colossians 1:1)_ 2. The prayer (Colossians 1:9) 3. The person and glory of Christ, Head of creation and Head of the Church (Colossians 1:15) 4. The work of reconciliation and the double ministry (Colossians 1:19) Colossians 1:1 This Epistle unfolds the doctrine of Christ and therefore Paul speaks of himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God; Timothe

A PARAGRAPH OF CHRISTOLOGY (IN TACIT OPPOSITION TO THE FALSE TEACHING AT COLOSSÆ). Christ is the derivative and visible manifestation of God who is unseen. He is the heir-in-chief of the created universe, for in Him is the principle of the creation of all things things in the heavens as well as things on the earth, things seen and things unseen also, the angelic orders not excluded. He is in fact the source and goal of every created thing, Himself supreme over them all. It is in Him that all things have their basis of existence. So likewise in respect of the Church He stands in the relation of head to body, being, as He is, the Beginning, the firstborn from among the dead. His supremacy, therefore, is universal: it was the Divine pleasure in Him to cause the entire Fulness to dwell, and through Him having made peace by the blood shed on the cross to reconcile completely all things to Him...