Christ Exalted (pt. 2)
Introduction
Christ as God
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Jesus Christ as Creator
Jesus as Head
Conclusion.
It does not refer to Jesus’ birth as a human being [Alf, TH], but to his relation to God as the eternal Son of God and his heir [TH]. ‘Image of the invisible God’ refers to Christ’s relation to God, and ‘firstborn of all creation’ to his relation to the creation [Lg, Lt, My, WBC].
‘Image of the invisible God’ refers to Christ’s relation to God, and ‘firstborn of all creation’ to his relation to the creation
It means that Jesus ranks above all creation [Ea, EGT, Herm, Lns, SSA; REB] and is its Lord [Herm], in that he existed before creation and it was through him that all things were created [Herm]. God the Father has given the rulership of the universe to Jesus and all of our dealings are with him as the Father’s representative [Ea]. He is Lord and ruler [Ea, EGT].
The first is that of representation. The image represented and symbolized what the object pictured. This usage occurred often in the contexts of an image on a coin or a reflection in a mirror. If this emphasis were primary, Paul would have said Jesus was the symbol of deity. Paul would have meant that Jesus exactly symbolized God.
The second element of meaning in the word “image” (eikōn) was manifestation. When the term was employed, it meant that the symbol was more than a symbol. The symbol brought with it the actual presence of the object. Thus J. B. Phillips translated it, “visible expression,” and by it Paul meant that Jesus brought God into the human sphere of understanding. He manifested God
In the fourth century, Arius, a preacher from Alexandria, Egypt, taught that Christ was a created being. He was greater than the rest of the creation but lesser than God himself. Arius hoped this position would protect Christianity from the charge of polytheism. This position was condemned in the church in A.D. 325. Even so, Arius’s position has refused to die and lives on in several sectarian groups. He understood this text to teach that Jesus was the firstborn (part) of the creation (whole). Even though Jesus was unique among created beings, he was still created. According to Arius, Jesus occupied the strange position of being “created creator.”
It often expressed a special relationship with God the Father, one of privilege. This is certainly the meaning in such passages as Ps 89:27, where David is called the “firstborn” among the kings of the earth
Following this reasoning, Paul stated that Jesus “is His Father’s representative and heir and has the management of the divine household (all creation) committed to Him.”
The first of these is the Greek expression translated literally “in him.” It should be understood as in his mind or in his sphere of influence and responsibility. Practically, it means that Jesus conceived of creation and its complexities.
Creation was his idea. Hendriksen illustrated the term by saying Jesus is the cornerstone from which the whole building takes its bearings. The illustration is limited, however. The phrase points to Jesus as the “detailer” of creation.