Studies in Colossians September 20, 2023
Session 3


JESUS, THE PREEMINENT GOD OF CREATION

· Jesus, the image of the invisible God
o The word used for “image” conveyed two ideas, “exact representation -likeness” and “manifestation of the hidden” (1:15) – Wuest.
o Jesus is the manifestation and exact representation of the invisible God.

· Jesus, preeminent in status over his creation
o Jesus is the firstborn over creation (1:15)
§ This speaks of his status, importance, and rank, not physical birth.
§ The nation of Israel was termed God’s firstborn to Pharaoh (Exodus 4:22).
§ King David prophetically referenced as the firstborn (Psalm 89:27).

· Jesus Christ, the Originator of All Creation
o All created things, material and spiritual, were created by Jesus.
o He was not created when he was placed in the womb of the virgin Mary.
o Thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers – Jewish terminology used for various spiritual beings and their rankings.
§This reference likely highlights evil forces that rebelled against God.
§Angel worship of the Colossians – a means of communication filling the chasm between God and men.

· Everything exists in Him, for Him, and through Him
o Greek philosophers taught that everything needed a primary cause, an instrumental cause, and a final cause (plan, power, and purpose).
§“When it comes to creation, Jesus is the primary cause, (He planned it.), the instrumental cause (He produced it.), and the final cause (He did it for His own pleasure).” – Weirsbe

· Jesus existed before anything that came into being.

· Jesus upholds creation and the laws that govern the material universe.
o Jesus sustains creation and keeps it from degenerating into chaos.
o Sunéstekō – All things “cohere” in Him.
o “He the All- powerful, All-holy Word of the Father, spreads his power over all things everywhere, enlightening things seen and unseen, holding all and binding all together in Himself. He, the wisdom of God, holds the universe in tune together.” Athanasius


THE ORIGINAL APOSTLES PROCLAIMED JESUS AS GOD.

· Paul’s words about Christ’s preeminence were not exclusive to the Colossian believers.
o Christ Jesus, who, ... was in the form of God (Philippians 2:6).
§ Morphé – consider the butterfly, metamorphosis.
§ The true and exact essence of something, while possessing all its qualities, characteristics, and nature.
o Did not consider equality with God an earthly advantage (Philippians 2:6).
· John, one of the twelve, clearly understood Jesus’ divinity.
o Jesus, in the beginning, the Word was with God, Word was God. (1:1)
o The Word became flesh and we beheld his glory. (1:14)
o By calling Himself the “Son of God” the Jews understood this as a claim of deity. (5:18)
o Jesus’ “I AM” statements and the Jews taking up stones to stone Him. (6:35, 8:12, 8:18, 10:9, 10:11, 11:25, 15:1, 14:6)
o Jesus referencing His own glory before creation. (17:5)
o Purpose of John’s Gospel “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God…” (20:31)

· Simon Peter, proclaimed Jesus’ deity.
o “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16)
o “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our ” (2 Peter 1:2)


THE EARLY CHURCH CONTENDED OVER THIS TRUTH.

· Arius of Alexandria – early 4th century presbyter
o He essentially denied that Jesus is of one essence, nature, and substance with God. Further, he held that Jesus is not consubstantial with the Father, and therefore not like Him, or equal in dignity, or co-eternal, or within the sphere of real deity.
o This heresy was formally denounced at the Council of Nicea, 325.

· Satanic doctrine is content to acknowledge Jesus. Consider the following:
o Jews believe Jesus was Mary’s son, was a teacher (Rabbi), had many disciples, was respected, performed miracles, claimed to be the Messiah, and was crucified on the cross. They also acknowledge His followers reported Jesus was raised from the dead.
o Muslims believe Jesus was born of a virgin, is to be revered and respected, was a prophet, a wise teacher who worked miracles, ascended to heaven, and will come again.
o Hindus believe Jesus was a holy man, a wise teacher, and is a “god.”
o Buddhists believe Jesus was an enlightened man and a wise teacher.
o New Age believers maintain Jesus was a wise moral teacher.
o Mormons believe Jesus was the spirit child of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. The Son of God was the product of divine procreation—the firstborn of many spirit children made by heavenly parents.
o Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus was created by Jehovah as the archangel Michael before the physical world existed, and is a lesser, though mighty, god.They believe when Jesus was born on earth, he was a mere human and not God in human flesh.Jehovah’s Witnesses also believe that Jesus was resurrected spiritually from the dead, but not physically.

· Beware any teachings that rejects, demeans, diminishes, downplays, and ignores the full deity and Lordship of Christ.


SAINTS, REMAIN WATCHFUL AND VIGILANT.

· Jesus Christ IS the revealed mystery of the true riches of wisdom and knowledge.
o He is the sum total of everything we need spiritually.
o He is the wellspring of ALL hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (2:3)
· Don’t be seduced by enticing words.
o “Plausible arguments” - persuasive arguments do not equal God’s truth. (2:4)
§The very nature of deception requires an element of truth.
§“For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5
§Christians today are siloed by algorithms and fed streams of false information.

· Paul calls the Colossian believers back to the beginning.
o What is nourished will flourish! (2:6)
o Remember where you have been planted all along!
o Literal “having been rooted” – remember the initial experience!
o “Permeated with Thanksgiving”

1Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have.13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder,14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. (2 Peter 1:12-15

· Stand guard against deceptive philosophy.
o “Takes you captive” – plundering cargo from a ship. (2:8)
o THE philosophy – definite article here in the original.
o “The elemental spirits of the world”
§Stoichea
· A row or series – rudimentary principles – “ABC’S of a principle”
· Spirits that influence the stars and heavenly bodies
oThe ancients had a more limited knowledge of the cosmos, but could track its movement.
· Demonic spirits and their influence

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. I Timothy 4:1-3

· The sum total Who God is dwells in Jesus bodily. (2:9)
o The entire fullness of God’s being and attributes dwells in Him physically.
o The entire fullness of deity
§He is not an emanation.
§He is not a diminished, lower ranking, expression of God.

· You share in His fullness! (2:10)
o “You are in Him having been filled.” – literal translation
o ALL rule and ALL authority belong to Christ. He shares it with us!
o You don’t have to be a prisoner of fear regarding principalities and powers.

18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, Ephesians 1:18-23


UNITED WITH CHRIST AND FREE FROM MAN’S JUDGEMENT

· Spiritual circumcision – We are no longer slaves to Adam’s sinful nature inherited at birth (v.11)
o We are no longer captivated by our fleshly desires. (2:11)

· Baptism illustrates our union with Christ. (2:12-13)
o “Co-buried” with Him in baptism
§We have died to the bondage of sin and its master, Satan.
o “Co-raised” to newness of life
§The Spirit empowers us to live a life that imitates Christ.
§
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.6 We know that our old self[ was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.7 For one who has died has been set freefrom sin. Romans 6:1-6

· He has cleared our record of wrongdoings. (2:14)
o “the record of debt” – a written record of indebtedness
o The Roman practice of written charges hung above the condemned.
§He has literally nailed our sins to the cross.
§
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

· He completely vanquished principalities, powers, and the kingdom of darkness. (2:15)
o Colossians would have understood that they no longer had to fear, acknowledge, and make any appeals to them.
o “having stripped” principalities and powers
o Roman parades – the conquered king and surviving warriors were made naked spectacles in a military procession.


PAUL CONDEMS JEWISH LEGALISM, MYSTICISM, AND ACETICISM.

· “Stop allowing anyone to judge you” regarding kosher laws, feast days, Sabbath observances and holy days. (2:16)
o Don’t allow their opinions and teachings to carry weight.
o We should remember the very first church council in Acts 15.
o We still have modern day Judaizers who trouble and confuse believers.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexualimmorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Acts 15:28

· Metaphor – These observances are mere SHADOWS. Christ in you is the SUBSTANCE. (2:17)

· Let no one “keep cheating you of your prize.” (2:18)
o Delighting in false humility via ascetic practices.
o Angel worship – “pushing into things he has not seen”

· “not holding fast to the head” – spiritual growth and increase comes through Christ’s supply alone. (v.19)

· Ascetic observances have neither temporal nor eternal value. (2:20-23)

· Asceticism has effectual power against the sensual desires of the flesh. (v.23)
o The Holy Spirit alone empowers us to live righteously.