Volume 2 - Number 12
Loudonville Community Church
The week of January 22, 2017
SUBVERSIVE ORTHODOXY:
The Supremacy of Jesus
Colossians 1:15-22
THIS WEEK’S CORE STATEMENT
The Deity and Sinlessness of Christ: We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life.
These qualities help us to understand how Jesus Christ is supreme over everyone and everything!
Ajith Fernando is the National Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka. He also oversees YFC’s drug rehabilitation programs
in Sri Lanka. He has written numerous books, and the following is an excerpt from one of them, which is entitled The
Supremacy of Christ. This excerpt helps us understand how Jesus’ own words reveal his preeminence in all things.
Ten Qualities of Jesus’ Words
1.
His teaching is profound, yet simple. Bishop Stephen Neill says, “The quality of ordinariness runs through much of the
teaching of Jesus. It is this, perhaps, which has given His words the extraordinary power to move the hearts of men and
women through almost twenty centuries.” The temple guards, sent to arrest Jesus, returned without Him. When they
were asked, “Why didn’t you bring Him in?” they responded, “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (John 7:46).
2.
He speaks with great authority. Shortly before His ascension, Jesus tells His disciples: “All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me” (Matt 28:18). The way He speaks befits one who can make such a claim. About His teaching
He says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matt 24:35). After the Sermon on the
Mount, “the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers
of the law” (Matt 7:28-29). R. T. France says, “Any other Jewish teacher made sure that his teaching was documented
with extensive quotations from Scripture and with the names of his teachers added to give weight to his opinion; his
authority must always be second-hand. But this is not so with Jesus. He simply laid down the law.”
3.
He claims to have the authority to forgive sin. When He forgives the sins of a paralytic and the people question His right
to do this, He proves it by performing a miracle. He says He is doing it “that [they] may know that the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins” (Mark 2:10).
4.
He not only tells people to “Follow my teaching,” He says, “Follow me” and demands total
allegiance. He says, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of
me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone
who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matt 10:37-38).
5.
He takes on titles given to God in the Old Testament. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my
light and my salvation.” Jesus says, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Psalm 23:1
says, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
6.
He considers Himself worthy of receiving the honor that is due to God. Isaiah 42:8 says, “I
am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.” He
says, “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that
all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father” (John 5:22-23).
7.
He claims to have a unique Father-Son relationship with God. He calls Himself God’s Son,
and He calls God “my Father.” “My Father” is not the way Jews usually referred to God.
They did speak of “our Father,” and while they might use “my Father” in prayer, they
usually qualified it with something like “in heaven” in order “to remove the suggestion of
familiarity.” The various references to God as Father in the Gospels show that Jesus
intends to convey He has a relationship no other human being can have with God.
“Anyone who loves his
father or mother more
than me is not worthy of
me; anyone who loves his
son or daughter more
than me is not worthy of
me; and anyone who does
not take his cross and
follow me is not worthy of
me” (Matt 10:37-38).
8.
He claims to be the judge of humankind. He says of Himself in John 5:27, “And [the Father] has given Him authority to
judge because He is the Son of Man” (John 5:27). Leon Morris points out that “if Jesus was anything less than God [this]
is a claim entirely without foundation…. No creature can determine the eternal destiny of His fellow creatures.”
9.
He says that He will give us things that only God can give. In John 5:21, He says, “For just as the Father raises the dead
and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it.” He said He gives “water welling up to
eternal life” (John 4:14). He speaks of giving “my peace” (John 14:27) and “my joy” (John 15:11).
10. His opponents, the Jewish leaders, understood the implication of His claims. In a discussion about the Sabbath, Jesus
makes the statement, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” The next verse says,
“For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him; not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling
God his own Father, making Himself equal with God” (John 5:17-18).
Someone said of the words of Christ, “If it is not superhuman authority that speaks to us here, it is surely superhuman
arrogance.”
This Week’s Complementary Passage
Philippians 2:1-11 (ESV)
1
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and
sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do
nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look
not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ
Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself,
by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on
him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
STEP ONE . . .
READING what the passage says
(Read it at least three times)
Colossians 1:15-22 (ESV)
15
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for
him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was
pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood
of his cross.
21
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his
death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.
2
STEP TWO . . .
OBSERVING how the passage moves
Return to the passage and mark key words, phrases and movements:
•
Circle all of the words in these passages that speak of the Triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit, etc.).
•
Underline the significant verbs/action words in these passages.
•
In Colossians 1:15, underline the phrases: “the image of the invisible God” and “the firstborn of all
creation.”
•
In Colossians 1:16, underline the phrases: “by him” and “through him and for him.”
•
In Colossians 1:16, highlight both occurrences of the phrase: “all things were created.”
•
In Colossians 1:17, underline the phrases: “he is before all things” and “in him all things hold
together.”
•
In Colossians 1:18, underline the phrases: “he is the head of the body, the church,” and “that in
everything he might be preeminent.”
•
Highlight Colossians 1:19-22.
STEP THREE . . .
Ask the five “W” questions and the one “H” question:
1. WHO is speaking? Who is this about? Who are the main characters? And, to whom is it speaking?
2. WHAT is the subject of the passage? What does the passage say about the subject?
3. WHEN do or will the events occur? When did something happen to a particular person, people, or nation?
4. WHERE did or will this happen?
5. WHY is something said or mentioned? Why would or will this happen? Why at this time? Why this person?
6. HOW will it happen? How is it to be done? How is it illustrated?
3
STEP FOUR . . .
UNDERSTANDING what the passage means
This commentary is intended to enhance your own study of the text.
Colossians 1:15-22 (ESV)
This wonderful poetic passage may reflect an early church
hymn or creed. It deals with the cosmic lordship of Jesus.
Notice how often the term “all” is used in this passage (seven
times). Jesus’ ministry is inclusive, all that is, is from Him.
Notice how often the pronoun “Him” is presented with
different prepositions.
1:15 - “He is the image of the invisible God.” To see Jesus is
to see God! The invisible God has become visible! God has
become a man. Jesus’ ministry was to restore the image of
God in man. In one sense Eden had been restored through
Jesus, the second Adam.
“The firstborn of all creation.” This was an Old Testament
metaphor for Jesus’ unique and exalted position: (1) The
rabbis said it meant preeminence and (2) in the Old
Testament it was used for the eldest son as heir and manager
of the family. Jesus was God’s unique son, yet Jesus was
always God. He became a human in time, at Bethlehem, so
that fallen mankind could comprehend and understand God.
1:16 - “For by him all things were created.” Jesus was God’s
agent of creation, both of the visible and invisible, earthly
and heavenly spheres. It was Jesus who spoke the cosmos
into existence. It was Jesus who formed man and breathed
into him the breath of life. The verb “created” is used twice in
verse 16. The idea is that Jesus is the agent in creation but
the Father is the primary cause. Creation was in Jesus,
through Jesus and for Jesus!
“Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.”
These terms could refer to earthly governmental leaders, but
in the context of Colossians they could also refer to the false
teachings about angels. The ancients saw the world not only
in physical cause and effect relationships, but as a spiritual
realm as well. It is impossible to have a biblical worldview
and deny the spiritual realm.
“All things were created through him and for him.” Jesus was
not only God the Father’s agent in creation, but the goal of
creation as well.
1:17 - “And he is before all things.” There has never been a
time when Jesus was not! Jesus is preexistent God!
“In him all things hold together.” This Greek term literally
means “to stand with,” which implies “to continue, to endure,
or to exist.” This is the doctrine of providence and it is
personal! “All things” refers to creation - both material and
spiritual. Jesus is the sustainer as well as creator of all
things. In the Old Testament these functions describe the
work of God.
1:18 - “And he is the head of the body, the church.” As Jesus
was preeminent in creation; so He is in the Church. This
refers to the universal church. Believers are both individually
and corporately the body of Christ. Paul often spoke of the
church as the body of Christ, but it is only in Ephesians and
Colossians that Jesus is said to be “the Head” of that body. In
reality He is Head of all things, even the principalities and
powers!
“He is the beginning.” At first glance this looks like another
allusion to creation, but the context has changed to the
church. In this setting the term “beginning” probably relates
to the Greek sense of origin or source. Jesus is the Head or
source of life of the new people of God, Jew and Greek, slave
and free, male and female. He is the new Adam. He is the
head of a new people, the Christian people.
“The firstborn from the dead.” The definitive New Testament
passage on the resurrection is 1 Corinthians 15. Jesus is
preeminent, “the first born” in resurrection as He was in
creation. His resurrection is a promise and a sign that all
believers will be resurrected. In 1 Corinthians 15:20 and 23,
Jesus is called the “first fruits.” This is a synonymous Old
Testament metaphor. Jesus is the forerunner in all areas. He
is both “first born” and “first fruits.”
“That in everything he might be preeminent.” This is a
summary statement of all that Paul had previously written
in this section. The Father has made the Son supreme and
unsurpassed in all things!
1:19 - “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to
dwell.” This verse states that God’s will for the Messiah is for
the fullness of deity to be revealed in Him. This was a
startling statement to describe a carpenter from Nazareth
who was executed for treason! Again - to see Jesus is to see
God!
1:20 - “And through him to reconcile to himself.” The Greek
term meant “to change from hostility to peace” especially
between persons. Sin has caused a separation between the
Creator and the created. God acted in Christ to restore the
fellowship.
“All things.” This refers to all creation, visible and invisible!
“Making peace by the blood of his cross.” This referred to
Jesus’ sacrificial death. The reconciliation was not without
great cost! The emphasis was possibly on His humanity
(blood) as well as His vicarious atonement and sacrifice. The
false teachers would have affirmed His deity but denied His
humanity and death. Deuteronomy 21:23 asserted that
anyone who hung on a tree was under a divine curse.
Originally this referred to public impaling without of a proper
burial. However, by Jesus’ day the rabbis interpreted it as
crucifixion. Jesus took sinful mankind’s curse, the curse of
the Old Covenant, upon Himself.
1:21 - “And you, who once were alienated.” This Greek word
was used to describe a stranger or foreigner, which describes
the Gentiles’ previous relationship to God.
4
“Hostile in mind.” Fallen mankind has a mindset of
independence, which asserts mankind, not God, is the
measure of all things (also called atheistic humanism).
“In order to present you . . . before Him.” This could refer to the
Second Coming of Jesus Christ or the time of the believers’
death.
“Doing evil deeds.” As a person thinks, so he/she becomes. An
evil heart and mind eventually reflects itself in acts of evil
toward God and other humans.
“Holy and blameless and above reproach.” These three
adjectives are used as synonyms. This describes the purity of
believers in Christ. They are not only forgiven, they are totally
changed! The goal of justification is not only heaven when we
die, but holiness now! Sanctification is a current reality for
believers as a gift from Christ. It is also a progressive, Christlike living and our ultimate goal as followers of Jesus Christ.
1:22 - “He has now reconciled.” “Reconciled” is the main verb
of verses 21 - 23. What a change has occurred because of
God’s actions in Christ toward these fallen, alienated
Gentiles! God’s promise to redeem mankind in Genesis 3:15
has been fulfilled. This promise was accomplished completely
as an act of God. Fallen mankind was unable to return to the
Creator. What love is this that has pursued sinful, rebellious
humanity through time and in time gave His only Son to die
on our behalf!
Resource for Commentary:
Robert James Utley’s Study Guide Commentary Series from Logos software.
“In his body of flesh by his death.” This may have related to
the false teachers’ rejection of Jesus’ humanity. Jesus was
fully God and fully human. He had a physical body. He was
really one of us.
STEP FIVE . . .
SUMMARIZING the message
Colossians 1:15-22 seeks to describe the indescribable Christ. He was writing to a group of new Christians who were being
sidetracked by some who were saying that Jesus was just one of many of emanations of God. These false teachers extolled Jesus
as the greatest figure within creation representing an invisible God. Paul never names this heresy but he everywhere assumes
it in these verses as he sets forth Jesus as incomparable and supreme. Jesus is supreme over creation and He is supreme over
His church.
JESUS IS SUPREME OVER ALL CREATION
Verse 15 states that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” Both testaments affirm that God is invisible (cf. Deuteronomy
4:12; John 1:18). Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. He makes God known to us. If you want to know what God is
like, look at Jesus. An image is not distinct from the object it represents. Jesus is the exact representation of God.
He is “the firstborn of all creation.” The title “firstborn” comes from the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, this term could
mean the first child born, but because the firstborn child had a special position as heir, the term often meant “first in rank and
honor.” In Psalm 89:27 this was a title God gave to His coming King, the Messiah. God says, “And I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.” Jesus outranks all creation because is over all and before all.
Jesus is separate from creation because He is creation’s Maker (v. 16).
Jesus was the agent through whom everything came into existence. He created the stars and black holes, the super novas and
electrons. He created elephants, giraffes and male and female. He created a whole other world we cannot see, including thrones,
dominions, rulers, or authorities. These refer to classes of angelic beings.
Jesus is the end and purpose of all creation. “All things were created through him and for him” (1:16c). Jesus is the goal of all
things.
Jesus is the sustainer of all things. “And he is before all things and in him all things hold together” (1:17). Jesus is the divine
glue that holds all creation together. Physicists tell us that no one knows what actually holds the universe together but the
Bible says it’s Jesus! He didn’t create the world to only leave it alone. He continues to sustain all of creation. He is the One who
keeps the cosmos from being chaos. If Jesus were to remove His hand from the universe for even one nanosecond, it would all
unravel.
5
JESUS IS SUPREME OVER HIS NEW CREATION – THE CHURCH
Jesus is the Head of the church. “And He is head of the body, the church (1:18a). To be the head of the body means that He is in
charge of the church. He sustains, governs, and directs His church.
Jesus is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead” (1:18b). Jesus is the source of life for the church. He is also the firstborn
from the dead. He is the first to be raised from the dead never to die again and His resurrection-life is the source of eternal life
for all who trust in Him.
Jesus embodies all of God’s fullness. “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (1:19). All that God is, dwelt in the
body of Jesus. He is God’s fullness.
He is the agent of reconciliation. “And through Him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making
peace by the blood of the cross” (1:20). If Jesus didn’t possess the fullness of God, He never could have been the one who
achieved reconciliation between us and God. He would have been like a bridge that didn’t reach all the way to the other side.
Only the God-Man could bring man and God together. It was the Father’s pleasure to do this. Your reconciliation with God was
not accomplished by any personal achievement but through Jesus’ death on the cross.
The result of Jesus’ work of reconciliation. “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now
reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (1:21-22).
Application
We become what we behold.
We worship what we savor.
We crave what we need.
We follow who’s in charge.
STEP SIX . . .
EXPLORING the passage through discussion
Please try and read the entire letter before gathering with your Growth Group.
In general, it will take 20-25 minutes to read it at a regular pace.
1.
Overall, how does this passage change the way that you look at Jesus? What stands out to you the most from Paul’s
description of Jesus, and why?
2.
What quality of Jesus is most difficult for you to grasp? Which one is the most comforting? The most challenging...to
you personally?
3.
Why was it so important for Paul to explain so many of the qualities of Christ? How does understanding the supremacy
of Jesus affect us today?
4.
How would you use this passage to explain to a skeptical unbeliever who Jesus is?
5.
What is the purpose of creation? How does this rattle your own life and the choices you make every day?
6
6.
What does it mean for Jesus to be the Head of the church? How should that affect how we function and what we do as a
church? How do we truly acknowledge that Jesus is the Senior Pastor of Loudonville Community Church?
7.
How will this passage impact you to submit to the supremacy and preeminence of Jesus in your life this week, this
month, this year?
STEP SEVEN . . .
APPLYING the passage to my life
Our desire is to not be merely hearers of the Word but doers ~ James 1:22
When you apply God’s Word, you are thinking about what God might be saying to you through the Scriptures. Application
involves action. Application makes your reading become a reality in your own life. Make your applications specific (state who,
what & when). You are encouraged to use the S.P.E.C.K. method to apply God’s Word to your life. Remember that each passage
of Scripture may not lend itself to answering all five of these questions.
S - SINS to confess and avoid (Are there sinful actions, attitudes, or thoughts that you need to confess to God
based upon your study of these Scriptures?)
P - PROMISES to claim (List God’s promises for you from these Scriptures.)
E - EXAMPLES to follow (What examples, for right thinking or right actions, can you take for you own life from
these Scriptures?)
C - COMMANDS to obey (List God’s commands for you from these Scriptures and seek to be obedient to them.)
K - KNOWLEDGE of God to apply (God’s character is visible throughout the Scriptures as an example to us.
What attributes and/or attitudes does God display that you can apply to your own life?)
7
This Week’s Memory Verse
For the sermon series on Colossians, each week we will be memorizing
one verse from Colossians 1:15-20 & 2:6-7.
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.
Colossians 1:15-17
#asithappened
(one(one-year chronological walk through the Bible)
Sunday, January 22 thru Saturday, January 28
Genesis 30-31, 32-34, 35-37, 38-40, 41-42, 43-45, 46-47
Sermon Notes:
© The Abide in Me Bible study series is written by the pastoral staff of Loudonville Community Church, 374 Loudon Road, Loudonville, NY 12211 (www.lcchurch.org)