What is the meaning of Colossians 1:17? He is before all things - Colossians 1:17 opens by declaring Christ’s existence prior to anything created: “He is before all things.” • John 1:1-3 echoes this: “In the beginning was the Word…Through Him all things were made.” • Revelation 22:13 calls Him “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End,” underscoring timeless pre-existence. • Micah 5:2 speaks of Messiah whose origins are “from the days of eternity,” showing the Old Testament anticipated His eternal nature. • Psalm 90:2 highlights that God existed “before the mountains were born,” reinforcing the idea that Jesus the Son, fully divine, stands outside created time. - Because He precedes all, He outranks all. Colossians 1:15 already called Him “the firstborn over all creation,” stressing both priority and supremacy. - Practical encouragement: the One who entered history in Bethlehem was already Lord of history. Our lives are not left to chance but anchored in the eternal Christ. and in Him all things hold together - The verse continues, “and in Him all things hold together,” shifting from Christ’s priority to His sustaining power. • Hebrews 1:3: “He upholds all things by His powerful word.” Every atom, galaxy, and heartbeat continues because He wills it. • Acts 17:28: “For in Him we live and move and have our being,” affirming that human existence itself is contingent on Christ’s constant care. • Nehemiah 9:6 praises the LORD who “gives life to all that is in the heavens and on the earth,” a role Paul here attributes specifically to Jesus. • Job 12:10 reminds us, “The life of every living thing is in His hand,” so nothing is ultimately random or self-sustaining. - Creation’s cohesion, the church’s unity (Ephesians 4:15-16), and the believer’s daily stability all depend on Him. - Since He is both Creator and Sustainer, trusting Him is never misplaced; the same Lord who holds galaxies together holds marriages, jobs, futures, and souls. summary Colossians 1:17 presents a two-fold portrait of Christ: eternally prior to creation and continually preserving creation. He is timelessly sovereign—“before all things”—and tirelessly active—“in Him all things hold together.” Every moment, molecule, and matter of life depends on the unchanging, all-powerful Son. |
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