Colossians 1:15-20

Colossians 1:15-20    He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  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.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross (NIV).

   A key rule for interpreting the Bible is to take a verse in the context of the passage, a passage in the context of the chapter, and chapter in the context of the book, and a book in the context of the entire Bible.  Or as many put it, including my pastor: “Interpret Scripture with Scripture.”  We need to do that here.
   The word “firstborn” and other aspects of this passage have resulted in a Bible interpretation conflict in past Christian history and in modern history.  A huge fight took place among Christians in the early fourth century.  An overseer in Alexandria, Egypt, named Alexander, stated there is complete unity in the Trinity. (1)  As explained in “A Historical View of the Council of Nicea” by Dr. Isaac Boyle, one of Alexander’s presbyters, Arius, refuted this claim: “… and replied with great asperity that if the Father begat the Son, the latter must have had a beginning; from which, he continued, it clearly followed that there was a time when he was not and that his substance was made from nothing.” (2)  This caused an epic dispute.
   Even before that early Christian fight, Eusebius Pamphilus, an overseer in Caesarea, had a view which agreed with Arius.  Though Eusebius of Caesarea was staunch in explaining Christ created all things with the Father, he early on advocated Christ was begotten as “the first and only Offspring of God,” and seemingly suggested Jesus was in a unique manner incorporated by the Father to be made divine, since he said: “…who has received power and dominion with divinity itself, and power and honor from the Father.” (3)  Yet Eusebius of Caesarea shifted his position at the Council of Nicea, and even agreed to the word “consubstantial,” meaning of the substance of God, to apply to the nature of Christ. (4)  And all but two present at the Council of Nicea renounced the doctrine of Arius.  Theonas and Secundus were the two who stuck with the Arius doctrine, and do note a few others apparently only relented from upholding the Arius doctrine to keep from losing their positions.  The unprecedented meeting of Christian leaders there in 325 A.D. fortunately resulted in strong support for unity in the Trinity, because advocates of Arius’ doctrine did not concede, rather they continued to fight for years.  And that meeting produced a creed which would later be elaborated and accepted as an important Christian creed which is even said in worship services in some Christian denominations today.
   In modern times, taking the Arius doctrine a step further, there are people who point to this single word in Colossians, “firstborn,” to claim Christ is the first son of God, but that He is not divine.  I know because I have talked with some of them on my doorstep in past years.
   I think the word “firstborn” should be taken as a designation as “heir,” indicating Christ who became God incarnate is the heir of all things because His Messianic work on the cross brought a new inheritance for God.  Yet the bottom line is the rest of this passage affirms the eternal divinity of Jesus.  If all things were created by Him, then He is God!  Jesus has been with the Father and the Holy Spirit for all eternity.
   Accurately understanding the nature of Jesus is imperative, since only our eternal and unlimited God who is sinless could be the sacrifice for the sins of multiple people.  It was only the victorious shed blood of God incarnate which could atone for the sins of anyone.
Hunter Irvine

(1) Eusebius, Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History,
trans. C.F. Cruse (Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 388.
(2) Eusebius, Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History,
trans. C.F. Cruse (Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 388.
(3) Eusebius, Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History,
trans. C.F. Cruse (Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 5.
(4) Eusebius, Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History,
trans. C.F. Cruse (Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 399.