The Great Mystery (Colossians 1:26-29)

26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present

Laboring for Christ (Colossians 1:24-25)

24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— This passage is

Reconciliation for the Colossians (Colossians 1:21-23)

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the

The Fullness of God (Colossians 1:19)

19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him This verse explains why Christ is supreme: because of the fullness that dwells in him. Of course, the Greek does not tell us what this fullness is. Most translations, however, have decided that the fullness refers to God – that God’s fullness lives within him.

His Body, The Church (Colossians 1:18)

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Note that in Greek, the “he” at the start is emphatic, meaning he and no one else. We saw earlier that all the universe centers around Christ and, of

Before All Things (Colossians 1:17)

17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Christ pre-existed everything in the universe – a statement that also reinforces the idea that he and God the Father are one and equal. This verse also suggests his superiority over everything and thus echoes “firstborn” that was used earlier. Not only did he

The Origin of All Things (Colossians 1:16)

16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Christ reigns over the universe because he is the agent of creation. Note that “all things” here parallels “all creation” in the previous

The Portrait of God (Colossians 1:15)

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. In the original Greek, the first word is “He” which clearly refers to the Son (and in some translations, such as here, the word “Son” is used). He has brought us redemption as Paul said in the previous verses. The Son is the image

Introduction to the Christ Hymn (Colossians 1:15-20)

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the

Rescue and Redemption (Colossians 1:11-14)

11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son