Colossians 1:17
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He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
(Joh 8:58.) Translate as Greek, "And He Himself (the great HE) is (implying divine essential being) before all things," in time, as well as in dignity. Since He is before all things, He is before even time, that is, from eternity. Compare "the first-born of every creature" (Col 1:15). by him--Greek, "IN Him" (as the conditional element of existence, Col 1:16) [ALFORD]. consist--"subsist." Not only are called into being from nothing, but are maintained in their present state. The Son of God is the Conserver, as well as the Creator of all things [PEARSON]. BENGEL less probably explains, "All things in Him come together into one system: the universe found its completion in Him" (Isa 41:4; Rev 22:13). Compare as to GOD, Rom 11:36 : similar language; therefore Christ must be God.
Open source ↗We have here, I. The inscription, as usual (Col 1:1, Col 1:2). II. His thanksgiving to God for what he had heard concerning them - their faith, love, and hope (Col 1:3-8). III. His prayer for their knowledge, fruitfulness, and strength (Col 1:9-11). IV. An admirable summary of the Christian doctrine concerning the operation of the Spirit, the person of the Redeemer, the work of redemption, and the preaching of it in the gospel (v. 12-29).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’
And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
When the earth and all its dwellers quake, it is I who bear up its pillars. Selah
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Thus says the LORD, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the LORD of Hosts: “I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God but Me.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,