Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead… I. OPEN THE TERMS. "Firstborn." If the grave was as a womb to Christ, and His resurrection as a birth, then Christ was in a manner born when He rose. Only He hath the precedency; surely others will follow Him (Acts 26:23; 1 Corinthians 15:20). As in the consecration of the firstfruits the whole harvest was consecrated, so Christ by rising raises all. II. VINDICATE THE NOTION. Two objections lie against it. 1. Many were raised before Him or by Him (1 Kings 17.; 2 Kings 4., 13:21; Luke 7:15; Luke 8:55; John 11:44; Matthew 27:52). (1) We must distinguish between a proper and improper resurrection. He arose by a proper, which is to rise to a life immortal; they only to a mortal estate, and so the great disease was rather removed than cured (Acts 13:34). (2) Others were raised by the power and virtue of His resurrection, but He by His own power (John 8:18). Thus Christ is said not only to be raised again, but to rise (Romans 4:25). (3) All those who rose before, rose only by special dispensation to lay down their bodies again when God should see fit, and rose only as private persons. But Christ rose as a public Person, and once for all. 2. Concerning the raising of the wicked. Christ cannot be the firstborn to them who belong not to His mystical body. The firstborn implies a relation to the rest of the family. The offering of the firstfruits did not sanctify the tares and weeds. (1) Certainly the wicked shall rise again (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29); but(2) they will be raised by Christ as a Judge, not as a Redeemer. The one sort are raised by the power[of His vindictive justice, the other by the Holy Ghost by virtue of His covenant (Romans 8:11); the one by Christ's power from without as Judge of dead and living, the other by an inward quickening influence flowing from Him as their proper Head. (3) The wicked are forced to appear to receive their sentence, the other go joyfully to meet the Bridegroom and enter into eternal life. III. How is THIS AN EVIDENCE AND ASSURANCE TO ALL CHRISTIANS OF THEIR HAPPY AND GLORIOUS RESURRECTION .9 1. There shall be a resurrection. It is necessary to prove that — (1) Because it is the foundation of all godliness (2 Corinthians 15:32). (2) Because it is not easy of belief. The great and public evidence thereof is Christ's which makes ours — (a) Possible. That is the least we can gather from it (1 Corinthians 15:13). (b) Easy. By rising Christ has conquered death (1 Corinthians 15:57; Hebrews 2:14). (c) Certain and necessary from — First, our relation to Christ as Head. He cannot live gloriously in heaven and leave His members under the power of death (Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 4:13), otherwise He would be a maimed Christ. Second, the charge and office of Christ (John 6:39). Third, the mercy of God through the merits of Christ to the faithful who have hazarded their lives for His sake (1 Thessalonians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 4:14). 2. The resurrection to the faithful will be happy and glorious. (1) Because Christ's is not only a cause, but pattern. The members were appointed to be conformed to their Head (Romans 8:19; 1 Peter 1:21). (2) By the grant of God. They have a right and title to it. Being admitted to His family they may expect to be admitted into His presence; and they have the Holy Spirit as an earnest till it be accomplished (Ephesians 1:14; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:28). IV. THE USE IS TO PERSUADE YOU TO THE RELIEF OF THESE TWO GRAND ARTICLES OF FAITH. 1. The resurrection of Christ. That is the great foundation of faith (1 Corinthians 15:14). All the apostles' preaching was built on this supposition. (1) Partly because this is the great evidence of the truth of Christianity (Acts 23. 31, 13:33). (2) Partly to show that He is in a capacity to convey spiritual and eternal life to others; which, if He had continued in the state of death, He could not be (John 14:19; 1 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 1:20-21). 2. Your own resurrection. (1) Consider it as a work of omnipotency. To an infinite power there can be no difficulty (Philippians 3:21; Zechariah 8:6). (2) We have relief from the justice of God. He is the rewarder of good and bad, but He does not dispense His rewards in this life (1 Corinthians 15:29). (3) God's unchangeable love, which inclines Him to seek the dust of His confederates; therefore Christ proves the resurrection from God's covenant title (Matthew 22:31). (T. Manton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. |
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