Colossians 1:18

c. His relation to the Church, Colossians 1:18 .

18. He is the head Better, he himself. Not any angel or mere created being, but the Son, who has this high dignity, is the head of the Church. The incarnate and glorified Christ is now spoken of. The Church, including those who have passed away and those yet on earth, is a new spiritual creation, of which he is the beginning, the founder, as he is creator of the universe, and so rightful Lord and Governor of both. He is also the firstborn from the dead, εκ των νεκρων , out from the dead, leaving others behind. The phrase occurs in but three other places. See note on Luke 20:35. He is the firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:23) of the coming harvest, the first who rose out of all the myriads of the dead with the immortal, glorious body. Here, too, he has precedence.

Preeminence In order that in all things he might become preeminent. The εν πασιν must be held as co-extensive with the τα παντα . The pre-incarnate Son, the Λογος ασαρκος , was Lord of the entire creation, and the purpose of maintaining this supremacy in the Λογος ενσαρκος , the Son incarnate, requires his priority in the resurrection, which in its turn is essential to his supremacy in the Church. Our Lord’s Headship in the Church is fully brought out in the parallel passage in Ephesians 1:22, where see notes. Here it enters as an element in the broader view of him as Head of the universe, which distinguishes the present epistle. It was the divine purpose that everywhere and in all things the incarnate Christ should have the highest place, although it will not be fully realized until the final triumph at the end of time.