Colossians 1: 15-16

Nathan Davies
Jul 31, 2023
8 min read

Updated: Oct 4, 2023

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.

Colossians 1: 15-16

Paul is writing about Jesus, declaring Jesus’s supremacy over all things. We can get some help in thinking about this with a human analogy. When a company hires a new employee, generally that employee's boss is present. The boss remains the greater authority, and retains the greater influence.

Here Paul is saying that Jesus was there from the beginning, not only that, but that all things were created by and for Jesus. This means that Jesus is the greater one. For us the practical application here is that in all our situations, good and bad, Jesus is greater. Because Jesus is always the greater one, always the stronger one, always the creator, and always the reason for creation we can always trust Him, always rely on Him, always know that He has a greater plan, that He is the better answer. As Karl Barth said “Jesus is the answer, what’s the question?”.

In these two verses Paul is showing us how and why that is true, how and why Jesus is always the answer.

He is the image of the invisible God, 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.

Colossians 1: 15-16

The start of these verses are a vital cornerstone of Christianity. God reveals Himself to humanity. God chooses the path of self-disclosure, and He does so in the person of Jesus Christ. The incarnation is God stepping into human history, choosing to reveal Himself, also choosing to be limited as a human, yet still retaining all His divinity, hence Jesus reveals God to us.

This is written by Paul, who, as far as we know, did not meet Jesus of Nazareth, Paul did not encounter God incarnate. He did, however, have a very real experience of Jesus, an experience in which God revealed Himself to Paul and transformed his life. For Paul to write that Jesus is the image of the invisible God is quite remarkable. It speaks strongly of who Jesus is, it tells us that Jesus is not simply a man, for that would make this idolatry, but is in fact God. It says this because we know that Paul, a fiercely monotheistic Jew, declared and worshipped Jesus as God. He could only do that if Jesus is God.

Colossians 1: 15-16

Paul is declaring Jesus is the creator. In Judaism creation is the role of YHWH alone, it is something only God can do. In making this declaration Paul is saying that Jesus is God. In the opening sentence Paul is declaring that Jesus, the visible representation of the invisible God, is the creator.

When we look at creation we see the handiwork of Jesus, for Jesus created all things - a point Paul states at the start and end of verse 16. The following description then includes pairs that demonstrate the all encompassing nature of Christ's creation - heaven and earth, visible and invisible, and then Paul goes on to cover all power. In these opposite pairs, and the following piling up of authorities Paul leaves nothing out. All that has been created has been created by Jesus and for Jesus. Paul is saying that in the Creator-creation distinction Jesus is on the Creator’s side. (see Thompson, Alan J Tyndale New Testament Commentaries Colossians and Philemon 2022, p62-63).

Further, Paul is clearly stating the pre-existent nature of the Son. The phrase “firstborn over all creation” is not a statement that Jesus was created first, but it is a statement of His pre-existence and His supremacy alluding as it does to Psalm 89: 27.

Colossians 1: 15-16

In verse 16 Paul says that Christ created all thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities. It is clear from the language used in these verses that this is not limited to spiritual power and authority. I think that this also includes those operating on earth, after all Paul has stated Christ rules over the visible and invisible. As I think about Christ as creator, I think about Hebrews 1: 1-3 - all things are sustained by Christ. Both Colossians and Hebrews use the Greek word 'pas' as they speak about “all things”, so it seems they are covering the same “things”.

When I then consider the world today I find myself coming to the conclusion that Putin, for example, is in power because Jesus has allowed him that power, and Putin remains in power because Jesus sustains that position for him.

If that is a fair reading of things, and perhaps it is not, then we can apply it to all rulers, all authorities, all thrones, and all powers throughout all time. We can apply it to the rulers of the nations oppressing Israel and taking them into exile through the Old Testament. Moreover we can apply this to all rulers throughout history, even those responsible for great atrocities. In some ways this is a truth that brings peace to my mind and heart because it reminds me of the truth that there is a higher power, that Jesus is that higher authority and that He is in control. Processing this is really hard, perhaps because I wonder why have such a person in power, why even let that begin? I am thinking about the created order with the view of a created being not the view of the Creator.

An alternative way to understand this is to think about the general and the specific separately. In general we can say that all power and authority belong to God, and anyone here on earth exercising such power is because God allows it. In the general sense that means you and I have agency, we have the right and the ability to make choices. It may be those choices that lead to specific examples of people being in power, both good and bad. As power is delegated by God it means that those who do rule, thinking in the specific sense, should do so in a Godly fashion; they should rule as servants, seeking the best of those they govern. In cases where that is clearly not the case we can rest in God, knowing that His judgement will come, even if it is not in the timeframe we would like. This can be difficult to reason with and hard to understand. We must accept that, as Keller puts it, “God is necessarily, immeasurably, unspeakably beyond our largest notions of what He is up to”. (Keller, T. The Kings Cross, 2011, p55)

What do I do with all that? In all honesty I don't understand it, I maybe don't even like it, but it seems this may be what scripture is saying. The obvious answer to what I do with that comes from 1 Timothy 1: 1-2; I am to pray for those in power, those ruling, and seated on thrones. I can then take on board 1 Timothy 4: 9-10 - trusting that God is the saviour of all men, putting those together I can pray for peace, and I can pray for the salvation of those in power.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: 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.

Colossians 1: 15-16

Psalm 148 is a beautiful declaration of praise for creation and the creator. When I consider Christ as the creator over all things, that Psalm comes to mind.

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights above.

Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, you highest heavens

and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for at his command they were created,

and he established them for ever and ever—

he issued a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,

you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

lightning and hail, snow and clouds,

stormy winds that do his bidding,

you mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars,

wild animals and all cattle,

small creatures and flying birds,

kings of the earth and all nations,

you princes and all rulers on earth,

young men and women,

old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

And he has raised up for his people a horn,

the praise of all his faithful servants,

of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord.

When Paul speaks of the Creator this Psalm may well have been in mind, such a declaration of praise to our God.

Colossians 1: 15-16

What does it mean that all things were created for Him? It can be easy to understand that all things were created by him - Jesus made it all. But it was all made for Him, what does that mean?

One way to consider this is to read it as saying that all that has been created finds its purpose in Jesus. A common struggle, or question that people wrestle with today is “what is my purpose, or calling?”. Well, Paul says, to answer that we must understand and accept that we are created by Jesus, and we find our purpose in Him and Him alone. He is the ruler over all, and it is in relation to Him that we have our existence.

It seems that this is what it means that all things were created by and for Jesus.

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 of powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Colossians 1: 15-16

I’ve just been away for a week in South Wales, and admittedly not spent much time with this verse. As I come back to it now I think about the wonders of creation I saw. I imagine again the rolling hills, the beautiful valleys, and dramatic waterways. It is easy to see God as the creator when we are surrounded by such wonder. I think that the danger we can fall into is separating out the roles of the Trinity, we can think of God, the Father, as the creator, and perhaps the Spirit is involved, Genesis tells us that after all. Yet we can, I think, gloss over, or even forget the role of Jesus in creation. This verse makes it clear, Jesus is the creator.

So, as I reflect on the beauty I saw, the beauty I interacted with and enjoyed, I remember that in doing so I interacted with Jesus. I enjoyed His handiwork, I delighted in the drama of His creation. I delighted in Him.

Having been in South Wales I also visited some castles, historic seats of power, or demonstrations of rule and authority and wealth. While standing in Castell Coch and looking down the Taff towards Cardiff I reflected on this verse. The rulers and authorities were there, and are there, by Jesus’ power. As I considered the way that rule was exercised over the years I realised there was some good, some bad, and some indifferent actions. More importantly than that I think about my own rule. It’s true, I’m not a wealthy Lord building castles and ruling over people. In fact I’m not even a leader in the workplace, in the sense of leading a team. Yet I do have authority, I have a sphere in which I seek to lead and rule in a Christlike way. Considering this verse reminds me that I have that because Jesus has created it that way, that motivates me to lead the way He led, to put others first, to see their needs above my own.

When we see Jesus as creator and sustainer it should really change everything.

Colossians 1: 15-16

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