Colossians is much like Ephesians
with Paul in that he writes those long flowing paragraphs. One part after another just keeps
flowing out of him until we have long flowing paragraphs. And
such is true also here in the book of Colossians, which by
the way, bears a striking image to that book of Ephesians. But
there's a little bit different thing here. When Paul said in
Ephesians, in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sin, he went on to describe the great wonder of salvation
and spiritual blessing. But when he says that in Colossians,
he takes a different route altogether. So look at verse 14. through
verse 22, for our first text and our first scripture reading
and study, Christ in Colossians 1.14, in whom we have redemption
through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of
the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by Him
were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him
and for Him. And He is before all things,
and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body,
the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased
the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, and having
made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile
all things to himself, by him, I say, whether they be things
in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and
unblameable and unprovable in his sight." Now, we're not going
to be able to cover but about half of this this morning. But
I have determined not to rush, for there is much here that is
for our good and our benefit. All right, coming to consider
now some subjects and some texts out of the book of Colossians. Before we consider the content
of this epistle, before we look at our text proper, it will put
us, I believe, in a very much better frame of mind to understand
what Paul is writing here, especially with concern unto the Lord Christ
what he does, why he writes, if we first consider and understand
somewhat the station and the condition of the church at Colossae. And it will help us to get some
idea of the heresies that were prevalent there that Paul is
overthrowing and refuting in this epistle. Therefore, in effect,
the false teachers that were among them, actually gave Paul
occasion to exalt Christ in the way that he is exalted in this
epistle. The lowly, heretical views that
they had posited of Jesus Christ caused Paul, or gave him, an
occasion to exalt our Savior in the words that we have read
this morning. It is generally agreed that Paul
did not found or start the church at Colossae. This perhaps has
proved chapter 2 and verse 1, that they had not personally
seen him in the flesh. That they had not had a sight
of him. But he knew their situation and
he knew it from hearing about it. In chapter 1 and verse 4,
Since we heard of your faith in Jesus Christ. Again in chapter
1 and verse 9. For this cause we also, since
the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you. The word of
the gospel. had been brought to Colossae.
It had been brought there and it brought forth fruit in some
of them. Chapter 1, verse 5 and verse
6. It was likely that a minister
of theirs named Epaphras had taught them the things of Christ. Chapter 1 and verse 7 had ministered
among them. Now, the question is, before
we enter, what exactly were the eras and the heresies in Colossae
that gave Paul the concern that he wrote this epistle. And also,
what group was it that was responsible for propagating the eras that
are there that Paul stands against. We ask ourselves the question,
were these strictly and only Jewish eras? as we meet with
in so many other places? Or were there other teachings
that also were mingled in with the eras of the Judaea? We read in chapter 2 and verse
8, philosophy, vain deceit, the tradition of men, the rudiments
of this world, the elementary rudiments of the world. In chapter
2 and verse 18, we read of humility and a voluntary worshipping of
angels, intruding into those things that are invisible, trying
to intrude over into the invisible world. And he adds that they
were vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds. That gives us
sort of a mindset of the heretics there. In chapter 2 and verse
23, he speaks of and speaks against a will worship and neglect of
the body. Now, we must recognize that all
of these things mentioned were religiously done. That is, they
had been brought in, tried to inculcate them into the church
and into its teaching and make them co-companions of the gospel. Then there were the standard
Jewish favorites that were there. That would be the Mosaic Law
and circumcision. Everywhere Judaists went, we
always found them insisting upon these things. The Mosaic Law
be kept and circumcision be enforced upon even the Gentile converts. Now as for the false teachers
and their doctrine, who they were and such like, J. B. Lightfoot makes the case that
they are a mixture, or were a mixture, of Essene Jews and Gentile Gnostics. In his commentary, he goes to
great length to prove that this was the mixture that was there. And they had sought to combine
their strange belief with that of the gospel. Try to amalgamate
them in, make them one with the gospel. John Gill, another spoke,
quote, the philosophy of the Gentile, the ceremonies of the
law of Moses, and some pernicious tenants of Gnosticism are here,
according to John Gill. John Eady put it this way, the
eras promulgated at Colossae were wrapped up with important
truths, and were therefore possessed of dangerous attractions." But
it was not an outright denial of Christ, it was not an outright
denial of the Gospel, but it was a lowering of the person
and dignity of Christ, and the mixing of outward elements with
the Gospel of the Lord. And so, like wheats and pears,
that are entwined together, not denying Christ outright or wholly
rejecting the gospel, but their methods were very devious and
deceitful to the believer, that they were not a blatant denial
of the gospel, for they greatly undervalued the person of Christ
rather than deny him altogether. And alongside of the gospel,
they introduced into the teaching what one called an incipient
Gnosticism, bringing all of that to bear. And I think that's why
you see Paul speaking of Christ in the way that he did. Because
the people there pushed certain mystic views. They had a mystical
pietism about them, as one has called it. They put forth a sort
of a system that is thoroughly mean, that is not the pure gospel
of the Lord. They had a view of God that was
based in mystic insights rather than the divine revelation. And as Calvin wrote in that short
intro to this epistle in his book, they invented any access
to God through the angels and things drawn from books and from
schools and from Plato." That were some of the disciples of
Platoism that were found here in these churches. Now, all these
things, no doubt, Paul heard. Someone reported them to him. Probably Ephraos. And he wrote
this epistle. while he were in prison in Rome. Colossians 4.18, I believe, substantiates
the fact that this is one of the prison epistles of the apostle. Therefore, the main subject,
the main subject or object of this epistle and the leading
or primary purpose of the things that he writes to them is that
he might confirm them in the gospel of Christ and in the person
and being of the Lord. That all they have need of to
save them, all they need to be saved was to be found and provided
in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. They had not a single
need for which they must go outside of Christ in order that it be
met. Not only that, but the answer
to their question about the origin of the world, the remedy for
sin, for they scratched their head much about that, these answers
also were to be found in Jesus Christ. They needed nothing but
what they had in Him. In Christ they had no lack that
needed any to make it up. There was no lack needing making
up. They need not go outside of Him
for the acquiring or meeting of any spiritual need that they
had to save them and to bring them in fellowship with God.
For look at what He said in verse 14, they had full and perfect
redemption in Him. in whom we have redemption, even
the forgiveness of sin. Not only that, but look, if you
would, at chapter 2, verse 9. In Him, that is, in Christ, dwelled
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The very fullness of
God dwelt in the person of Christ in the God-man. Again, in chapter
2, in verse 10, they were complete in Him. You are complete in Christ. You have no lack. There is nothing
else needful or to be made of. In chapter 2 and verse 20, they
were in Christ dead to the elements of the world. They had a better
circumcision than that of the flesh. Chapter 2 and verse 11. Thus, if we might sum up, they
need not go outside of Christ in any wise or for anything to
meet a single need to bring them into fellowship with God. And
Calvin put it, Paul bids them rest in Christ alone, and he
condemns as vanity everything that is outside of Christ. How true that is in this epistle. And as we have noted, Paul singles
out by name Such things as circumcision, worship of angels, depriving
the body of food, and punishing the body, that form of asceticism
that some thought would rid them of evil, bring them near unto
God. They thought that this would
be the way of being free of sin. To punish the body and to starve
it and to deprive it. For they saw sin as dwelling
only in the flesh. So therefore, Paul comes against
these things. Thus we read of these things. We understand why Paul writes
what he has written and writes on the subjects that he has.
and exalt Christ in the way that He does. We understand from their
background, from their condition and state at the time, that Paul's
teachers and the heretics that were there, why Paul writes on
the subjects that he does. Now with that in mind, let's
jump into our present text this morning. Paul reminds us in chapter
1, 4 through 7, of their initial experience in the gospel, what
was declared in it, and the effect that it had upon them. In verse
4, of their faith in Christ. In verse 5, of the hope begotten
in them by the word or the message of the gospel. In verse 6, it
brought forth fruit in them. It was an evidence. that the
grace of God was in them and had come unto them. In verse
7, it was the very same thing as taught to them by their in-house
minister Epaphras. Then in verses 8 through 12,
he expands upon the context of his prayers in their behavior. With this compare, Ephesians
1, And there, v. 15-19, Paul also prays for the
Ephesian. Then, in v. 12-14, he sums up the blessings
that flow to us from the Father through Jesus Christ, such as
in v. 12, He has made us meet, that
is, He has made us fit He has made us qualified. He has made
us suitable. He has made us competent to be
partakers with the saints in life. That He has done to those
that He has saved. In verse 13, working closer,
He has delivered us from the power of darkness. And He has
translated us over into the kingdom of the dear Son of Him. He has made that translation. Out of the kingdom of darkness
is power and such, into the kingdom of life and of his dear Son. And verse 14, in which dear Son
we have redemption, even the full forgiveness of our sin. Having mentioned the Son, God's
dear Son, in Him we have redemption. Now, by and through the blood
of Christ, he says, we are redeemed. He has redeemed us from our sin. And again, as J.B. Lightfoot
wrote, he transported us from darkness and settled us as free
colonists in the kingdom of the Son of God. Then in verse 15,
let us sharpen our focus focus our wits here in this place,
as we, much like Moses, are about to tread upon holy ground. For there is a glory here that
glows and is not consumed in the passage that is before us. The apostles having enumerated
the spiritual blessing with which they were blessed in Christ,
now in verse 15, begins to exalt Christ to his highest glory,
declaring the great dignity and the high rank of the one that
died for them upon the cross. The dignity and the high rank
of this one. Before we wade out into this
deep ocean of sacred and wonderful theology, for here is one of
the greatest exaltations of Christ found anywhere in the New Testament
from the pen of Paul. Before we do that, let us settle
this point in our mind, and that is that the things that are before
us were written specifically with the intention of overthrowing
the error that was put forth by the false teacher among them. especially their view of creation
and their claim to great wisdom of the unseen or the invisible
world. This was two of their favorites. But Paul dazzles us, does he
not, with a great exaltation of the Christ of God, of that
One who came from God, wore our nature and flesh, and died upon
the cross, saying that our Redeemer, our Redeemer, the One that loved
us, died for us, shed His blood, the One that saved us. Our Redeemer
is the exact image of God. Think of that. The One who has
saved us is the exact image of God. Not only that, He is the
Creator of all things that are not eternal. And He is the sovereign
administrator and the sustainer of creation. Not only has He
created it, but He guides it and He keeps it in its existence. He upholds it by the word of
His power. So looking at verse 15 and the
meaning of the word, who. Now this of course looks back
to the word, son. back in verse 13, who is none
other than Christ, His dear Son. And now he will speak further
of His dear Son in verse 15 and following. Who? Let's catch that
as we will speak something concerning God's Son. But notice again also
the tenth. Who is? the Son who is, that
is, even now. For you notice the tense is not,
it was, or even he shall be, but it is in the present, who
is. Thus the words here, who is,
are prominent. Prominent in order to expand
upon the One called the Son of God. The Son of God who is. And Paul speaks of the Lord's
Christ from two aspects in verses 15-17, his relation to God and
creation. First of all, he is the image
of God. And secondly, verse 18-20, of
his relationship to the church, he is the head of the body. Now first, in verse 15, the first
part, Paul dazzles us when he calls Christ the image of the
invisible God. God's dear Son, who is the image
of the invisible God? This is no oxymoron. That is, it is not a contradiction. How can one be an image of one
who is invisible? Some fool might ask. How can
there be a visible representation of one who himself is and always
has been invisible? And yet, both of these things
are declared in the Scripture. Number one, it is declared that
God is indeed unseen. He is called here the invisible
God. Also in 1 Timothy 1 and 17, invisible
God again. For John 1.18, no man has seen
the Father or seen God at any time. John 6.46, and not seen
God. 1 John 4.12 and 4.20, for even
at Mount Sinai, back in Exodus, Deuteronomy 4.12 declares, they
heard a voice. But they saw of no similitude. They did not see a form or an
outline, a bodily form of God. No shape or form of God did they
see at Mount Sinai. This has tempted the pagans both
in and out of Christendom. that God is invisible and unseen,
has become a temptation to pagans in and outside of Christendom
to build them some sort of material gods that they can see. This
they did in Romans 1 and verse 23. They made them gods out of
created things. But secondly, we notice also
that Christ is the very image of God, so our text, Image of
God. 2 Corinthians 4 and 4. Christ, who is the image of God. Paul there, in mentioning Christ,
throws in that great appellation, who is the image of God. Hebrews 1 and verse 3, being
the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His
person. My, what a text is that! He wrote
on Colossians 115, quote, when Christ is called the image of
God, it refers not to form or shadow or shape, but someone
of nature and perfection. That's what it refers to. His
nature and His perfection. and an equality with God. And a point here to concede,
it is Jesus. Jesus in His mediatorial office
and person that Paul calls the image of God. Not the Son before
incarnation, but Jesus in His mediatorial office and work. Not just in His pre-incarnate
existence. Even as He dwelt in the flesh,
among men on the earth. He then is the very image and
the likeness of God. He not only came from the Father,
but He also said, He that has seen Me has seen the Father. John 14.9. John 10.30. He made that wonderful claim. I and My Father are one for which
the Jews hated Him and sought to kill Him. Yea, he was God
manifest in the flesh. 2 Timothy 3 and 16, God manifest
in the flesh. Even when he was born, at his
birth in Bethlehem, he was said to be Immanuel, God with us,
in Matthew 1 and verse 23. So let us notice something about
the passage that we referred to in Hebrews 1 and verse 3 that
would put us somewhat in the same mind of the text that we
are upon here in Colossians chapter 1. In that, in Hebrews chapter
1, verses 1 and 2, having spoken unto us in his Son, by whom God
has spoken, in Hebrews 1, 3, Who, that is, the Son, who is,
not was or will be, but who is the brightness or the effluence
or the outshining. He is the outshining. He is the
brightest beam, the splendor of God's glory, the express image
of His Father, that is, of God's person, some render it an exact
representation of the Father's nature." That's what the writer
is saying of our Lord. Now consider these various ways
that these words have been translated that we understand all the better. For they are very weighty. Hebrews
1 and 3. You'll find them translated variously. by various expositors and by
various versions of the scripture in such ways as these. Quote, the radiance of his glory
and the exact image of his substance. Again, quote, an emanation of
his glory and express image of his substance, unquote. Another,
quote, the radiance of his glory and the impress of his substance. The effluence, that is, the radiance
of His glory and the stamp of His substance is the Lord Jesus
Christ. Owen used these descriptions.
He is the brightest beam or splendor of the glory and the express
image of the character of God. John Owen. He is the express
image of His Father's person. the exact likeness of him. Let us again remind ourselves
that the apostle is not saying these things only as to the divine
nature of our Lord, nor only to the human nature by itself. But he speaks of the person of
Christ as to his hypostatic union, that he is both God and man. hypostatically unionized in the
one person. Now, he's not two persons sharing
one body, but he has two natures, but is one person, the Lord Jesus
Christ. So in Hebrews chapter 1, the
apostle declares what the Son is in respect to the Father,
which is this. the brightness of His glory,
and the exact image of His person." Look at what that said. The brightness of His glory,
the exact image or hypostasia of His person. The thing being
the Son incarnate in the hypostatic union as the God-man, God and
man. There is both a real manifestation
and a real representation of the Father in Him. Thus we can
say an amazing thing, that in the eternal Son becoming incarnate,
He did so manifest the Father God, He did bring Him so near
that men saw and heard and handled of the Word of Life. 1 John 1
and 2. He came in the flag. We have
seen, we have heard, we have handled. Some had the blessed
privilege of touching the Lord Jesus Christ and seeing Him in
His incarnation. But the apostle has more wonderful
things to say of Christ. Look at 1 Colossians 15 again,
or the last part, where he denominates or refers to Christ as the firstborn
of every creature. Here it is best for us to go
slow and to go sure, lest we stumble here in our haste. Because at first sight, and by
first impression, those words, some have taken these words to
mean that Jesus himself had A beginning. Many of the Arians and others
have used this text to prove that Jesus himself was but a
created being. That Jesus had a beginning. That
he was among the very first created beings of the hand of God. Maybe the first of all God's
creation, they say. Which, if I'm not mistaken, was
the view of that old heretic Eris in days gone by. For Arius taught, the Logos was
the firstborn and created of God, who became incarnate in
Christ. But then Arius said, quote, when
He was not." In other words, there was a time when Christ
was not, when Christ did not exist, taking away His eternality,
making Him a created being. Paul will have none of that in
the Colossian epistle because such a view destroys both the
eternality as well as the deity of our Lord. Beside, can He be
created who is Himself called Creator, can he create himself? And again, Paul had in the previous
phrase called Jesus the very image of God. And this comes
not with, or by, or through creation, but by originality. God cannot
replicate himself. He cannot create another like
unto himself. He will not make a copy or a
duplicate of Himself. He will not do such a thing. How then, and in what sense,
is Jesus the firstborn of all creatures? How is it? What does
that mean? Jesus is the firstborn of every
creature. For the simple word also means
the firstborn. Luke 2 and verse 7. Mary brought
forth her firstborn son and lay him in a manger." Also Matthew
1 and 25. Also in Exodus 4 and verse 22,
Israel is called God's firstborn. He redeemed them out of the land.
Exodus 13 and 2, all firstborn were sanctified unto God. Both men and beasts firstborn
sanctified unto God. Numbers 3 and 13. All the firstborn
are mine. Now, of old, the firstborn had
a special right and privilege and rank in the family. You look
at the Old Testament, you'll find that to be true. Deuteronomy
21, 16. The firstborn son took predominance
and precedence in the family. Genesis 25-29, if the father
be absent or dead, it was the firstborn son moved into the
place of the priest of the family. And the word for first here in
our text, protos, has the meaning of foremost, whether in regard
to time or to place. or to order of importance. That's one of the meanings of
the word. So let's notice Colossians 1.18.
Christ is again referred to as the firstborn from the dead,
though He was not the first in order to be raised up from the
dead. Others were dead and raised before
He was. But in a certain sense, He is
the firstborn from the dead, Revelation 1.5, because by His
own power He came out of the grave. None other ever did that. In Romans 8 and 29, He is the
firstborn among many brethren. Now, me thinks that Help is close
at hand to give us a very strong hint as to how we are to understand
the expression firstborn here in Colossians 1 and verse 18. Who is the beginning? The firstborn from the dead,
in order that in all things He might have the preeminence. Firstborn. First in that sin. This word preeminence is sung
five times in the New Testament and it means to be first. First
in rank. First in order. The same word
is translated preeminence in Colossians 1 and 18. But it is rendered chief seats. Chief seats in Matthew 23, 6
and Mark 12 and 39. It is rendered uppermost seats in Luke 11, verse
43, and the highest seat in Luke 20, verse 46. That is, seats
of honor, seats of preeminence, seats of rank and high order. Uppermost seat. Thus, by calling
Jesus the firstborn of all creation, or of every creature, Paul is
declaring not that God created Christ first, But he is stating
the preeminence and the supremacy and the priority that Christ
has in the mind of God. Just as stated in Psalm 89 and
verse 27, I will make Him my firstborn, higher than the kings
of the earth, in rank and honor and in preeminence, having precedence
and priority over all other things. A man named David Pitcairn wrote
in his treatise called The Anointed Savior in the year about 1846
these words, quote, he conveys an idea of the unspeakable superiority
which belongs to Jesus Christ as a result of his relationship
to God, unquote. He is of first priority. He is made the sovereign of all
creation. He is the depository of all power. He is the possessor of all privileges. He is the heir of all things. God has made Him so. He is King
of kings. He is Lord of lords. All judgment
is committed into His hand. My, what a preeminence does our
Lord have. As the firstborn, Christ has
a superiority. similar to that enjoyed by a
firstborn in a family of Israel of old in such things as, one,
the firstborn had a double portion went to him. The firstborn received
a double portion. Second, the subjection of all
to the firstborn, our eldest son, was practiced of old. Thirdly, the eldest acted as
priest of the family. at the behest of the Father or
the absence of the Father. Thus, the Lord has preeminence
in all things. John Eady understood Paul here
to be saying, the firstborn in reference to the whole creation
and acts in the Father's name and in the Father's interest,
may I add, in the Father's authority. that the Lord acts under the
authority or in the authority of His Father. And as God's firstborn,
as the preeminent one, all and any and every transaction, especially
salvation, are through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Yes,
all those transactions pass through the Son of God. One put it, such
transactions with Christ, quote, are equivalent to direct transition
or transaction with a sovereign father, unquote. He that has
seen me, he that comes to Christ, comes to God, and such like,
so that all, none can come to God except by and through Jesus
Christ. God's firstborn, he manages all
the affairs of God in regard to all creation. He is the sovereign
over all things. He is made Lord and Christ. He is given sovereignty over
all. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue shall confess that
He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. This is our preeminent
Lord. Paul gives this exalted view
of Christ for some reasons. In closing, Number one, to refute
the errors and the heresies concerning Christ, and there must have been
many. Too many for us to set forth
in our study, but he sets forth the Son of God as the remedy
for all of those errors. Secondly, he writes to establish
the saints in the faith of the Son of God and in the gospel. that redemption is and only by
Him that all spiritual needs are met in and through God's
Son. And I'll close by saying it again.
We need not go outside of Christ for any need spiritually. There's not one need that necessitates
us going outside of Christ that it might be met. For it pleased
God that in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead. He is fully God and we are complete
in Him. He is the very image of God.
He is the only way to God. He has redeemed us by His blood
and brought us out from under our depravity and our condemnation. Now, close by saying, the One
who has saved you, He is no ordinary man. He is the very image of
God. He has all preeminence. He is
the very image and visible likeness of the Father. In Him dwells
the fullness of the Godhead. So our Savior is that mighty
and wonderful One. Our Savior is God and has saved
us by His death upon the cross. Thank God for the wonderful exalted
view of Christ in this epistle.