"In All Things Preeminent"
The Primacy of Christ in Col.1:15-20

© Copyright April 1, 1992, Bernie L. Gillespie. All Rights Reserved.
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Nothing is more characteristic of the faith of the Apostle Paul than the notion of the preeminence of Christ. It would be safe to say that the phrase "that in all things he might become preeminent" is axiomatic in Pauline thought. The primacy, supremacy, and sufficiency of Christ are the "touchstone proposition" by which he challenges all other beliefs that seek to become elements of the Christian faith. The christological hymn of Colossians 1:15-20 epitomizes this orientation.

Several preliminary considerations are necessary to help us understand the significance of this hymn in Paul's thought. First, it is important to realize that all people have a "noetic structure" into which everything they believe fits. It is a conceptual scheme through which people view the world and by which they understand, interpret, and judge reality. Secondly, a crucial part of this structure is the organizing proposition that controls it. here are some beliefs that dominate others, and therefore, determine an individual's "cast of mind."

Sometimes there is one defining principle that informs the faith of an individual or group. It is the value they esteem the highest. It is the deontic rule by which all rules are defined. It is the paradigm or criterion by which all their other beliefs are tested. The Person and work of Christ holds the center in Paul's world-view. We will see that he believes that Jesus Christ should be so esteemed by all Christians.

Knowing the gravity involved in establishing our central beliefs, we can readily understand Paul's concern for the believers at Colossae. He saw that there were influences in their lives that were attempting to supplant the primacy of Christ. There was a subtle paradigm shift taking place that would result in something other than Christ being the center. This is probably the chief motivating factor for Paul's writing to the Christians in Colossae. The difficulty in ascertaining the identity of the influences or "false teachers," and an exact description of their tenets, does not obscure the fact that serious error was luring the church at Colossae. Paul was disquieted over the possibility that the Colossian Christians would accommodate to faith-corrupting persuasions. A potential syncretism of Christian faith with pagan and religious (probably Jewish) ideas and practices seemed to threaten the faith of believers.

We do know from what Paul wrote to them that the false teaching was articulated as a "philosophy" (ψιλοσοψία) founded on a tradition (2:8). It consisted of: 1.) the mixing of rituals; such as, the observance of festivals, new moons, and sabbaths, (2:16) with the "worship of (or with) angels," and the dependance on "visions" (2:18); 2.) the keeping of practices of "self-abasement," "food and drink" laws (2:18), and the prohibitions and regulations of asceticism (2:20-22).

These were all in recognition of or according to the "elements of the universe" (στοιχεα) that may have been the elements of religious experience (as opposed to other options scholars support). These were attempting to usurp the center of Colossian faith from Christ (2:8).

Paul's strategy in responding to the Colossian problem is intriguing. He proactively affirmed the center of their faith by declaring the majesty and preeminence of Christ by means of a hymn. In this, he sought to recenter them by holding before them the touchstone paradigm for the christian life: The primacy and supremacy of Jesus Christ.

Paul affirms the primacy of Christ through the artistic genre of hymn using exalted devotional language. Communicating the preeminence of Christ in the context of worship would have more emphatically conveyed the veneration He sought to evoke from the Colossians. This was not Paul's personal credo, but a statement of the faith of the Church to be expressed in their worship.

This hymn of preeminence falls into three strophes: 1.) the praise of Christ who reveals God and is exalted over creation; (15, 16); 2.) Christ is the Sustainer of the created order (17-18a); 3.) Christ is the Redeemer of all things (18b-20). The first assertion of the first strophe uses imagery found in the creation story in Genesis. Jesus is called the "image of God." It may be over-simplifying to say the first human in creation, Adam, is "in the image of God," while Christ "is the image of God." It seems equally reductionistic to think this is a pure allusion to "Wisdom" in the Greek-Jewish conception of Pro. 8:22 and Wisdom 7:25 (Lohse, O'Brien, et. al.).

It seems a more profound statement of Christ's primacy if the "image" is understood as a coalescing of both strands of thought. Christ is the revelation of God, as personified "Wisdom" was. At the same time, it is through the "second man Adam" that the fulfillment of the creation intention for humanity (Gen. 1:27f) is accomplished: mortals were to reflect or "image" the glory of God.

The second significant term in verse fifteen is equally enigmatic.
Christ is called, "the firstborn of all creation." In ancient Near-Eastern thought the firstborn was the first or oldest son who represented the strength of his father. He was the favored son and heir of all his father's possessions. This also placed him in a unique relationship to his father and because of this it was acceptable for him to receive his father's special love.

Christ is said to be the "image" in relation to God, but the "firstborn" in relation to the creation. Yet, if taken together it could mean that because of his unique relationship to God, he is in a unique relationship to creation. It speaks of Jesus' supreme rank and primacy to the created order. As the "firstborn" he is the prototype (πρωτότοκος) or the "archetype of all creation" (R. Martin). As Israel was elect as the "firstborn" of the nations, now Christ is chosen as the "firstborn" of all the cosmos.

This is amplified in verse sixteen where "all things" in the cosmos are created "in him." It appears that Paul signifies three relationships between God and Christ by using three different prepositions. "In him," which may refer more to the "sphere of Christ" - creation is dependent upon Christ for its existence. "Through him," speaks of the universe being mediated through Christ. The use of the perfect here shows that a past action has significance continuing into the present. This expression is enlarged by the phrase "in him all things hold together." Christ sustains or maintains the coherence of the created order. "For him," or toward him implies that Christ is the telos or goal to which all things move. The spectrum of sphere, mediation, and goal expresses the magnitude of Christ as cosmic paradigm.

The totality of Christ's primacy is directed to the Colossian situation by the inclusion of "heaven" and "earth" as well as the host of super-mundane beings listed - i.e., "thrones," "dominions," "rulers," and "powers." This majestic hymn punctuates the fact that all classes of angelic powers are subject to Christ. This undercuts the teaching proffered to the Colossians about their need of the "fullness," or host of mediatorial "powers," to complete their Christian faith.

This is reconfirmed by the statement "he is before all things." Rather than a temporal designation it speaks of primacy as do parallel terms such as prototokos (firstborn), and proteuon (preeminent). This thought is greatly expanded by the chiastic arrangement of "image" and "firstborn" with "head" and "firstborn" in verse 18. The theme of primacy is more outstanding as Paul moves from Christ and Creation to Christ and New Creation. As He is first in the created order, Christ is first in the Church - both cosmic and historical.

How is this possible? Because he is the "firstborn from the dead" by his Resurrection. He is preeminent or holds "the chief place" (MM, p. 556) in all things by transcending the created order in his exaltation. As the "head" he is the source of and guiding power over the "body" - the "church." The church grows from the life-giving immortal "head" who is risen above "all things." The central place of preeminence ascribed to Jesus in the existence of the Church is possible for one reason: "Because (oti = causal) in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell."

The difficulty of determining the subject of katoikasai in verse nineteen is removed by comparing it with the amplified statement made in 2:9: "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." (NRSV) Because of where this statement is placed in the structure of the hymn, this pronouncement gives the primary reason Christ is preeminent. He is the Incarnation of God. It is because of the reality of the Incarnation, culminated in the Resurrection, that Jesus can hold the center of the Cosmos and the Church.

This statement strikes at the heart of the heresy provoking Colossae. Paul explains that the pleroma is the Godhead. This means that all the attributes of God dwell in Christ alone. This "dwelling" echoes the Old and New Testament sense of God's personal presence "dwelling" among His people to bring salvation. Christ is preeminent because He is God dwelling among us (cp. Jn. 1:14). The "fullness" of God in Christ is a literal Incarnation. It is only proper that the incarnate God would hold the preeminent position in both Creation and the Church.

As a result, Christ has reconciled us by a historical, as well as, a cosmic act. He has "made peace by the blood of His cross." Only because He is God incarnate can Christ reconcile Humanity and Creation to God. Because He is human He can be the sacrifice or Redeemer which the "blood of the cross" implies. Even more, because He is the "fullness of God" that sacrifice has infinite meaning and power. It has profound influence over the Creation because it has profound influence on its Creator.

All of this challenged the teachings that intruded upon the Colossian church. They were being lead to believe the Gospel Paul or Epaphras preached to them was only a good start. They needed to expand their faith and practice to a "superior" spirituality and more complete "theology." Nevertheless, Paul warned them that there was nothing superior to the Incarnation - God in Christ.

They were dangerously close to severing the "head" from the "body." This would happen if they removed Christ from the center. As the "head" He is the ultimate Word of God and there is nothing above or beyond Him. Cut off from Him they would die, not grow. The Resurrection and the Cross - two historical events - are placed strategically in this hymn to affirm the Gospel already given to them. The man, Christ Jesus - who died on the cross and rose again - is the "fullness of God" incarnate, and thus, is in all things preeminent!

Paul held before them the exalted Christ as "first in all things" because it was his pattern in all his epistles. He desired the churches to live as people who have Jesus as their center. All the dimensions of their lives were to be defined, shaped, and guided by Christ. Paul proclaims Christ as the paradigm by which church problems can be resolved, ministry defined, and moral deliberation can be guided.

Taking a terse panoramic view of Paul's letters we see Christ declared as preeminent. In Romans, the Gospel centers on Christ. In Corinth, the remedy prescribed for their problems was expected to be found in the preaching of "Jesus Christ, and him crucified (I Cor. 1:2). In II Corinthians he founds the essence of his own ministry on preaching, "Christ Jesus the Lord," and not himself (II Cor. 4:5). In Galatians 3:28 Paul reminds them, "for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Paul is, "crucified with Christ . . . Christ lives in me." He leaves the final words, "But God forbid that I should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal. 6:14). To the Ephesians he announced the Cosmic purpose of God as gathering "together in one all things in Christ." (Eph. 1:10) For the Philippians another hymn depicts the model of humility and selflessness as the mind "in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5-11).

This pattern provides the Church today with a paradigm or guiding center in issues and human concerns that have either reemerged from ancient times or have taken on totally new and different forms than people have encountered before. There is a vast array of spheres in which we could apply the preeminence of Christ as a paradigm for being and acting. Several seem to stand out as needful areas of application.

First, our social fabric is being shredded because of a fundamental lack of a defining principle in moral formation. Because morality is essentially social the disruption of human relationships in our world is a direct result of a vacuum of a paradigm for relationships. Because Christ has brought reconciliation by the cross and made peace, harmonious relationships are possible. As Christians we can and should accept the challenge to explore thoroughly how we can help our society build healthy and fulfilling relationships. Not only must we encourage a relationship with Christ for personal redemption, but hold Christ as preeminent for the "substantial healing" of human relationships in society.

Secondly, I believe that the nature of life, with its vicissitudes and unknowns, challenges our souls to make sense out of the senselessness or absurdities of life. Because our culture has lost a "center" to build life around anxiety and uncertainty has robbed people of the confidence that life makes sense. The Colossian hymn fills this vacuum with a Christ who makes all things coherent. Maybe it is not always understandable, but always meaningful. Christ is the paradigm Paul would offer to our world. A world with Christ at its center means a world that is centered on the rational and personal and not irrational and impersonal. It means the world is designed around love and moves toward an ultimate good. It means the world has meaning.

Lastly, skepticism in a telos or end to which history and life is moving, has contributed to the wounds of the human family. There is not enough hope in most people's lives. They do not see themselves as having direction. They are not able to make long-range or deep value decisions. Existentialism is all that one has and it is not much. Here Paul's message to Colossae is most relevant. All things were made "for Him," or with Him as the goal and end. History is going somewhere. Our lives have a destiny and future. That future has a hope. We have a basis for virtue and decision making. Because Christ is preeminent by His Resurrection, He is the paradigm for our future. Christ fills our past, our present, and our future because "in Him all the fullness of God is pleased to dwell."