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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Colossians 1:16 - 1:16
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
All things (ta panta). The universe as in Rom 11:35, a well-known philosophical phrase. It is repeated at the end of the verse.
In him were created (en autōi ektisthē). Paul now gives the reason (hoti, for) for the primacy of Christ in the work of creation (Col 1:16f.). It is the constative aorist passive indicative ektisthē (from ktizō, old verb, to found, to create (Rom 1:25). This central activity of Christ in the work of creation is presented also in Joh 1:3; Heb 1:2 and is a complete denial of the Gnostic philosophy. The whole of creative activity is summed up in Christ including the angels in heaven and everything on earth. God wrought through “the Son of his love.” All earthly dignities are included.
Have been created (ektistai). Perfect passive indicative of ktizō, “stand created,” “remain created.” The permanence of the universe rests, then, on Christ far more than on gravity. It is a Christo-centric universe.
Through him (di' autou). As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used en autōi (in him) as the sphere of activity.
And unto him (kai eis auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1Co 15:28) See note on Eph 1:10 for similar use of en autōi of Christ and in Col 1:19, Col 1:20 again we have en autōi, di' autou, eis auton used of Christ. See note on Heb 2:10 for di' hon (because of whom) and di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (ta panta). In Rom 11:35 we find ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use ex in this connection of Christ, but only en, dia, and eis. See the same distinction preserved in 1Co 8:6 (ex of God, dia, of Christ).