Preeminence = Prominence (Part 1)

A Letter to the Colossians

Why did Paul write this letter?

He has never met these people

But his Gospel teaching in Ephesus was so impactful that Epaphras may have started the church in Colossae

Colossians 1:7–8 “just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.”

Epaphras keeps Paul and his disciples informed of the current situation in Colossae

Epaphras tells Paul of all the good that has come from the Colossians

Paul states something very profound here that I believe we can all learn from

New International Version (2011) Chapter 1

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you,

Paul prayed for the Colossians to:

Bear fruit in every good work

Grow in the knowledge of God

Be strengthened for endurance and patience

Live joyfully and thankfully

These, Paul says, are ways we can live a life pleasing to God.

And why pray these things for one another?

Because He has rescued us from darkness and redeemed us through His Son.

But Epaphras also Brings Concerning News

Epaphras also reported a danger: false teaching was creeping into the church—teachings that diminished who Christ is.

These false teachers were known as Gnostics.

The word gnosis means “to know.”

They considered themselves a spiritual elite, claiming secret knowledge.

They taught that matter (anything physical) was evil, and only the spirit was good.

Therefore, they denied that Jesus could have truly taken on a human body.

Their teaching essentially said:

The incarnation was not real.

Jesus was not the Creator.

Christ alone was not enough.

This sounds like something we still deal with today. The Jehovahs Witnesses, Islam, Hinduism. etc. They all acknowledge Jesus but diminish his superiority

But Paul Intends to Set the Record Straight!

“There is no book in the New Testament, including John’s Gospel, which presents such a comprehensive picture of the fullness of Christ. Accordingly, there is no writing better-equipped to draw us upward than the book of Colossians.”

This means we should take the words spoken next by Paul very seriously and listen intently.

This section is titled the “Preeminence of Christ or in some versions “The Supremacy of the Son of God”

Preeminence literally means surpassing all others

Colossians 1:15–18 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. And 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, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”

Three Truth’s About Christ’s Supremacy

1. Image of the Invisible God

What is Paul referring to when he says that Christ is the “image”

The Greek word here is eikon, which is where we get our english word Icon

Often times in Greek this would have been used to describe a portrait

So we can first take this as Christ is the portrait of God

But let’s go a step further

The also carries the idea of image or eikon revealing the personal character of God!

You want to know what God is like, the character traits of God. We have the perfect representation in Jesus!

If we believe scripture to be the truth than we know it to be tru that Jesus is the perfect example and description of God whom which non of us have ever seen

2. Firstborn of All Creation

He then goes on to say that Jesus is the “firstborn” of all creation.

Many religions like to take this as proof that Jesus was the first person created.

These could not be more horribly incorrect.

They take it out of context.

What Paul is saying here is that Jesus is: “first rank in honor”

“Firstborn” in Jewish culture referred to rank, inheritance rights, and preeminence

Psalm 89:27 “And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” - This was code word for the Messiah!

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

We have to look at the entire context of Scripture to fully comprehend what Paul is saying here.

Christ is completely Supreme in creation.

3. Firstborn from the Dead

This part holds so much meaning for us.

Less importantly we can use this to further debunk the Jehovahs witness claim. If there defense was true then he would also have been the first person to have died!

It also doesn't mean that he was the first to be raised from the dead:

We know this not to be true because of stories like the man thrown on Elijahs bones.

Or Lazarus

This statement means that he is the most of important of those raised from the dead.

Because without his resurrection there would be no resurrection for others. His is the basis for our resurrection.

Go back to verse 13 where Paul states Christ “rescued us from the dominion of darkness”

So What Does All This Mean For Us?

Simply Put: In Everything He must Have Supremacy or Preeminence!

Regardless of How we live our live:

Jesus is preeminent

He is first of everything.

He is first of all creation

The difference is whether he is Prominent in our Lives.

But His preeminence should lead to His prominence in our lives:

In our families, marriages, friendships, intellect, worship, and every area of life.