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The Preeminence of Christ (Col. 1:15-20)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross [through him], whether those on earth or those in heaven. 

This is a hymn praising Christ and is believed to have been composed out of liturgical material sung by the early Church as they celebrated the Lord’s supper.  It has important Christological value.  The composer of the hymn is unknown.

Paul used the hymn to remind the Colossians that Christ was preexistent with God (Jn. 1:1), is the image of God (2 Cor. 4:4) and reveals the invisible God to humanity (Jn. 1:4).  All things were created through him and for him (1 Cor. 8:6) and all things exist in him (Heb. 1:3).  Christ is superior to all created angelic beings, “Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers (Rom.8:38).”  

He is the head of the Church, the Body of Christ.  He is the Creator of life and is also the first of the resurrection from the dead.  Christ is preeminent in all things, even death.  He is the one through whom the Colossians’ salvation is possible.  In Christ is the fullness of God (Col. 2:9) and God reconciled all things to himself through Christ’s willing sacrifice on the cross so that mankind and everything in heaven and on earth could be redeemed and reconciled to God. 

Christians can share in this heavenly inheritance earned for us by Christ.  It is through his suffering, death, and resurrection that we are delivered, through forgiveness, from the power of sin to be heirs of the Kingdom of God.  Christ, who was fully human and fully Divine, shares in the natures of both man and God. 

Almighty God, we give thanks to you always for the gift of your beloved Son who leads us out of darkness into your eternal light.  Open our hearts so we can see the true meaning of the sacrifice he made for us on the cross.  Grant us the grace to lead lives worthy of the debt he has paid for us.  This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

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