01-03-2021 The Year of our LORD - In the Beginning

Genesis 1:1–2 ESV

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

John 1:1–3 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The FOUNDATION of Scripture begins WITH GOD

The FRAMEWORK of all Creation starts with the ONE TRUE GOD

The FOCUS of Scripture is Jesus Christ, the second member of the ETERNAL GODHEAD

Luke 24:25–27 ESV

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Faith Fails - Lack of TRUST always clouds understanding and judgment

Prophetic Plans - the PASSION of the Christ was PLANNED, PROPHESIED and is PARAMOUNT from the Fall of Man in Genesis 3 to the last pages of Revelation

Eternal Enlightenment - the FOCUS of SCRIPTURE is JESUS

Jesus Christ, Eternally God who Took on Human Flesh at the Incarnation, Is the Creator of Genesis and the agent of the New Creation Through Redemption by His Shed Blood.

Colossians 1:13–21 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 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,

“firstborn OVER creation (v. 15)” and “firstborn from the dead (v. 18)”

The Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament 1

πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως

firstborn / over [all] (genitive denotes subordination) / creation

Firstborn as in usage in Psalm 89:27 where David is God’s firstborn… or Exodus 4:22 where Israel is God’s firstborn; Jeremiah 31:9 where Ephraim is called the “firstborn” It is a method of using the term to mean STATUS, SUPREMACY and PREEMINENCE

This Passage from vv. 15-20 is considered on of four ancient hymns penned by the Apostle Paul.

It has both Chiastic Structure:

Colossians & Philemon: Verse by Verse Christ’s Supremacy in Creation and Redemption (1:15–20)

A—1:15–16

B—1:17a

C—1:17b

B’—1:18a

A’—1:18b–20

and Thematic Structure revolving around “firstborn”

Colossians & Philemon: Verse by Verse Christ’s Supremacy in Creation and Redemption (1:15–20)

(3) If “firstborn” is the deciding factor, then

A = 1:15–17

B = 1:18–20

Hebrews 1:1–3 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Jesus Christ, Eternally God who Took on Human Flesh at the Incarnation, Is the Creator of Genesis and the agent of the New Creation Through Redemption by His Shed Blood.