Another awesome homework task: What does Colossians 1:15-20 say about creation and its destiny?
What struck me immediately was the "Jesus-ness" of creation described here. Admittedly, this passage is about Jesus, first and foremost, and just happens to say things about creation as well. But I think that sometimes I forget that the Son was involved in creation, not just the Father. The Son is over all creation (v15). He is superior to all of the created things (v17). Everything was created by Him (v16). Everything was created though Him (v16). Everything was created for Him (v16). He created more than we think. He created not just the stuff we can see, but also the stuff we can't. He didn't just create it and let it go wild with its own whims, but He holds everything together (v17).
Not only is Jesus the head of the original creation, he is also head of the new creation. The church is a new creation, a gathering of those reconciled to Himself (v18, 20 cf 2 Cor 5:17). It is a new body, and He is its head (v18). Verse 18 also hints at the end of things, of the destiny of creation: "He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything." Creation changed with the resurrection of Jesus. The world is no longer the same. A person has now been raised from the dead. And He won't be the last. He is the firstborn from the dead. It was just the beginning. More will follow. This guarantees that all of creation will be made new. [Well, this is the more the point of 1 Corinthians 15...also a good read :-)]. But here Paul says that because Jesus has been raised from the dead He will be the boss. He will have first place in everything. Also, everything will be reconciled to the Father through Jesus' death (v20). The end will be reconciliation and peace. It will be a complete reconciliation, including both things in heaven and on earth (v20). But there will still be a pecking order. The Son will be in first place over all creation.
But with all this Jesus-ness, what about the Father? Was He on holidays? Is He in disagreement with these plans? Absolutely not! The Son is like the Father. He is His image, His likeness (v15). Furthermore, God the Father was pleased to have all of his fullness dwell in the Son (v19). And He was pleased to reconcile everything to Himself through the Son (v20). This was His plan, His design.
What struck me immediately was the "Jesus-ness" of creation described here. Admittedly, this passage is about Jesus, first and foremost, and just happens to say things about creation as well. But I think that sometimes I forget that the Son was involved in creation, not just the Father. The Son is over all creation (v15). He is superior to all of the created things (v17). Everything was created by Him (v16). Everything was created though Him (v16). Everything was created for Him (v16). He created more than we think. He created not just the stuff we can see, but also the stuff we can't. He didn't just create it and let it go wild with its own whims, but He holds everything together (v17).
Not only is Jesus the head of the original creation, he is also head of the new creation. The church is a new creation, a gathering of those reconciled to Himself (v18, 20 cf 2 Cor 5:17). It is a new body, and He is its head (v18). Verse 18 also hints at the end of things, of the destiny of creation: "He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything." Creation changed with the resurrection of Jesus. The world is no longer the same. A person has now been raised from the dead. And He won't be the last. He is the firstborn from the dead. It was just the beginning. More will follow. This guarantees that all of creation will be made new. [Well, this is the more the point of 1 Corinthians 15...also a good read :-)]. But here Paul says that because Jesus has been raised from the dead He will be the boss. He will have first place in everything. Also, everything will be reconciled to the Father through Jesus' death (v20). The end will be reconciliation and peace. It will be a complete reconciliation, including both things in heaven and on earth (v20). But there will still be a pecking order. The Son will be in first place over all creation.
But with all this Jesus-ness, what about the Father? Was He on holidays? Is He in disagreement with these plans? Absolutely not! The Son is like the Father. He is His image, His likeness (v15). Furthermore, God the Father was pleased to have all of his fullness dwell in the Son (v19). And He was pleased to reconcile everything to Himself through the Son (v20). This was His plan, His design.
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