“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation…”
Having laid out the truth that we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins through the beloved son, Paul now exults and exalts on the subject:
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation…”
Many scholars believe that the wider passage here (1.15-20) came from a hymn or prayer present in the early church. Whether this is true or not, the beauties of this passage swell up inside us and produce the feelings of worship nonetheless.
Jesus is described as the image of the invisible God. In Philippians 2 we read of how Jesus exchanged His role of physically and visually representing God to those present for doing just that here on earth (vv.6-7). Here we read that He is the eikon: the physical manifestation of God. Jesus, simply, allows us to see God. As He said:
“The person who has seen me has seen the Father!”
(from John 14.9)
As well as being the eikon of God, Jesus is also the firstborn over all creation. He is the prototokos, the most supreme in both priority and rank. In being detailed as both we see that Jesus is “the Divine response” to the problems of the world (Lightfoot).
Jesus is the answer to any and all problems we face. He allows us to see God, to know God, to draw near to God in a way that we can understand and relate to. He allows us to approach God knowing that the most supreme and sufficient is on our side and has paved the way (cf. Colossians 1.13-14).
Today, take a moment to dwell on these rich truths and then, as Paul did here, allow the Spirit within you to swell and burst with worship.
“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation…”
(Colossians 1.13-15)
James Travis 