First Born Among the Dead
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All things are created visible and invisible
All things are created visible and invisible
False teachers were urging the people to move away from their Christian roots and to accept other religious ideas.
Paul’s arguments counter false teaching and teach orthodox (Christ Central) theology.
Judaism: The Law, the practices, the Festivals -
Jewish influence
Gnosticism
mystery cult
Pagan elements
angel worship
asceticism -
16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
All things created:
Practically, it means that Jesus conceived of creation and its complexities. Creation was his idea. Jesus is the cornerstone from which the whole building takes its bearings.
Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 217). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Theologically a clear distinction is to be made between the work of the Father and the Son. The Father, of course, has a significant relationship to creation. The Father is presented as the architect; he determined to bring creation into existence. The Son, Jesus, actually brought the plans into existence.
Idea: The Father is the architect, Jesus (the foreman) brought the plans into existence and the Spirit does the actual work of applying the plans.
Confronting False Teaching: Heaven and earth - visible/invisible - Thrones or powers or rulers or authorities -
through him
Creation came into being through his power and ability. He is the effective agent of creation. Everything owes its existence to Jesus.
for him
The literal expression is “unto him.”81 This means that Jesus is the goal of all creation. Everything exists to display his glory, and ultimately he will be glorified in his creation.
81 The Greek is εἰς αὐτόν.
Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 218). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Two dimensions: The S
First different concepts: Purity (kingdom) - the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God
The Kingdom is a Spiritual dimension rather than physical
Paul used the word for another dimension: The unseen but created reality. It seems as if Paul had in mind the home of spirit beings, a different dimension of existence.
All things created: The Point (Everything) - bolsters faith - Stop and think about God’s work beyond what is visible. A local church upholding the truth of God through Christ has to be controlled not only by what we see in the world around us, but also has to be controlled by the things we cannot see.
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Do you remember how Saul thought he was serving God, by killing christians? Acts 9:4 Paul confronted Peter about living out the truth of the Gospel. The same was true for the church in Corinth. 1 Cor 11:17 They were doing more harm than good. While ministering to the Blackfeet Indians the missionary counseled us to not try to save people and let God do the saving. There is more to our faith than what the human eye can see. THE ALL CREATION POINT:
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.
16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
God salvation for all! Created through Him and for Him:
Strongs: in relationship to Christ as denoting the channel of an act; You and I have been created through Christ for Christ. This message of firsts must not be lost in a church. We exist because of Him and for Him.
Firstborn among the dead
Firstborn among the dead
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
Head of the Body (the church)
congregation of the faithful n. — a local, religious gathering of those allied with and trusting in the God of Israel for religious services.
church ⇔ body n. — a congregation of believers understood as a human body; often of the universal church.
church (universal) n. — all believers across the world understood as if a singular assembly; sometimes of all believers throughout time.
Firstborn among the dead (supreme) Include the understanding that Christ existed before -
dead (group) n. — people who are no longer living; with focus on their immaterial substance.
In the new creation, every aspect of creation touched by sin will be touched by grace.
Firstborn illustrates the unity of the head and the body.
Although Christ can and did exist with the church, the image expresses the concept that the head without the the body is incomplete.
Also, the body without the head is incomplete.
The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Jesus: Lord of the New Creation (1:18–20)
From an earthly perspective, the church is necessary since it is the visible body of Christ. Most of what the world sees of the whole body, it sees not in the head, but in the body, the church. Thus the idea of corporate personality, so prevalent in the Old Testament, may emerge here as well.93
The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Jesus: Lord of the New Creation (1:18–20)
As Paul began to enumerate the areas of Jesus’ lordship over what is redeemed, he focused on the church. Indeed, redemption and reconciliation pertain primarily to the church since the fallen spirit beings and creation are not reconciled in the same way. Instinctively Paul’s thoughts turned to the church when he contemplated redemption
The term Firstborn has two applications:
Temporal primacy - meaning only first in time.
Primacy in authority or rule - refers to the unique one who rules with appropriate authority.
Authority seems to be the demanded here because of Col 1:15 (firstborn over all creation) and Col 1:18 (supreme over everything).
The beginning and firstborn in the Greek are two description of the same thing - “He is the beginning, that is, the firstborn out of the dead.”
Just as creation depends on him for its existence and order, redemption depends on him, and he is the primary figure in it.
Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 223). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Jesus: Lord of the New Creation (1:18–20)
The purpose of the resurrection is stated here as “so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”
God was pleased (all fullness dwells)
Which brings us to the next point.
All things reconciled through Christ
All things reconciled through Christ
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
To Reconcile all things On Earth In Heaven By making peace through His blood shed on the cross. The church resists false teaching by proclaiming Christ in everything. A local church must know and grow in its understanding of God’s Will by placing Christ first in all things.
to agree (accord) v. — to be in accord; be in agreement.
to reconcile (hostilities) v. — to restore someone to favorable or friendly relations with another after a presumed wrong.
to reconcile back v. — to reconcile, perhaps emphasizing the restoration of the previously harmonious relationship.
10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Reconciliation includes the Christ’s physical body. -