Robert Atkin - Christ, Creation and the Church in the Colossian Hymn

Robert Atkin RobertAtkin.net June 2012

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Christ, Creation and the Church in the Colossian Hymn (Colossians 1:15-20)

The Letter of Paul to the Colossians contains six verses which form a hymn or poem

in praise of Christ. This Christ Hymn is a densely packed statement of Pauls

Christological monotheism. Christ is exalted as sovereign over creation, the church

and new creation. The letter was written in response to the false philosophy that the

church in Colossae was in danger of following.

Colossae and the background to the letter

The city of Colossae was located in the region of Phrygia and the Roman province of

Asia. It lay in the fertile Lycus River valley near the larger city of Laodicea on a trade

route that connected the provincial capitals of Antioch and Ephesus.1 The city was

possibly destroyed by an earthquake in the early 60s and it has not been excavated.2

However, Josephus records that a large number of Jews lived in the region and

Michael Gorman suggests it is likely that in this area Judaism flourished alongside

local religions and the standard pagan cults of the empire.3

The church in Colossae was probably founded by Epaphras (1:7-8) and was

composed largely of Gentiles but almost certainly had Jewish believers among their

number. The letter addresses the problem in Colossae of false philosophy (2:8ff) that

had arisen, possibly as a result of religious syncretism. This blending of other beliefs

1 Michael J. Gorman, Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and His Letters

(Grand Rapids, MI and Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2004), p. 472. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid.


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and traditions into their faith is called the Colossian heresy by some scholars.4

Gorman suggests the letter was written to convince its recipients that Christ is

sufficient for their spiritual liberation and life.5

Traditionally Paul is regarded to have written the letter whilst in prison (4:18)

during the mid to late 50s.6 However the authorship of the letter is disputed by some

scholars due to differences in style, vocabulary and theology between this letter and

those where there is general agreement that Paul is the author. Others have

suggested the author could be co-sender Timothy (1:1), Epaphras or the letter bearer

Tychicus (4:7-9).7 Space does not allow a lengthy discussion on authorship; suffice to

say that the differences in style and theology do not necessarily eliminate Paul as

author. Gorman concludes that if Paul did not write the letter then the author must

have been very close to him.8

The Christ Hymn

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him

all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether

thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through

him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold

together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the

firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him

all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to

himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of

his cross.

Colossians 1:15-20, ESV.

4 Gorman, p. 473. 5 Ibid., pp. 471-472. 6 Ibid., p. 478. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid., p. 477.


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N. T. Wright states that these six verses are generally, and rightly, reckoned among

the most important Christological passages in the New Testament.9 The hymn is in

the introduction to the letter as part of a prayer and meditation by Paul (1:9-23).10

After the opening greeting (1:1-2), the introduction begins with thanksgiving (1:3-8),

before moving into intercession (1:9-14). The hymn then leads into exhortation (1:21-

23) followed by Pauls reason for writing the letter (1:24-2:5).11 Wright describes the

hymn as a poem of two stanzas and a chiastic structure in the form ABBA.12

Scholars disagree on the authorship of the hymn. Douglas Moo provides the two

options: (1) Paul quotes a hymn that provides the theology he needs to combat the

false teachers. (2) Paul composes a hymn that enunciates the theology he will use to

combat the false teachers.13 If Paul had quoted an earlier hymn then there is the

possibility that he either added or removed elements. However there is no evidence

to support this and Wright comments it would be impossible to reconstruct the

hypothetical original form.14 Moo notes that it would be highly improbable to have

found a hymn with the theology Paul wanted to employ against the false teaching.15

Wright argues for Pauline authorship because, The poem exhibits all the traces of

9 N. T. Wright, Colossians and Philemon (TNTC Vol. 12; Nottingham and Downers Grove, IL: Inter-

Varsity Press, 1986), p. 67. 10 Ibid., p. 47. 11 Gorman, p. 478. 12 For a full explanation of the structure and form of the hymn see N. T. Wright, Poetry and Theology

in Colossians 1.1520, NTS 36 (1990), pp. 444-468. 13 Douglas J. Moo, The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (PNTC; ed. D. A. Carson; Nottingham:

Apollos, 2008), p. 110. 14 Wright, N. T., The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology (London: T. & T.

Clark, 1991), p. 100. 15 Ibid.


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Pauls own thought.16 He suggests it deals with the combination of creation and

covenant that is seen elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Monotheism and Christ

Monotheism is one of the cardinal tenets of Judaism. Israels God, YHWH, is the one

true God who created the cosmos and is in covenant relationship with his chosen

people Israel (election). The Shema, Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD

is one (Deut. 6:4), would be recited daily by devout Jews. YHWH would one day

redeem Israel and through Israel the rest of the world. Wright explains, By

identifying YHWH as both the creator of the cosmos and the redeemer of Israel they

safeguarded all their three basic doctrines: monotheism, election and eschatology.17

Against this framework the devout monotheist Paul wrote a classic example of

Jewish monotheistic poetry18 that includes Jesus rather than YHWH as the central

character. The He of v. 15 refers to the beloved Son of vv. 13-14. Paul does not

replace YHWH with another god, but describes Jesus as the image of the invisible

God (1:15). Wright explains, The central character is YHWH now recognized in the

human face of Jesus.19 Wright states that Paul was not, a Hellenist who, in

divinizing Jesus, broke completely away from Jewish monotheism and invented, in

effect, a new form of paganism.20 Moo concludes that the Christ hymn and Pauls

16 N. T. Wright, Paul: Fresh Perspectives (London: SPCK, 2005), p. 27. 17 N. T. Wright, What St Paul Really Said (Oxford: Lion Hudson, 1997), p. 70. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid. 20 Ibid.


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other Christological passages (e.g. 1 Cor. 8:6) indicate that Christians began quite

early to redefine Jewish monotheism by including Jesus Christ in their

understanding of God.21

Christ and Creation

One way that Paul redefines monotheism is through the theme of creation. Paul

describes how all things were created in or by Jesus (1:16). Gorman explains that

the background for the hymn is the Jewish tradition of Wisdom that is found in

Proverbs, Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon.22 According to this tradition, Wisdom

is the means by which God created the heavens and the earth and is the reflection or

image () of God (Wisd. Sol. 7:25-28).23

Wright outlines C. F. Burneys theory which seeks to explain the origin of the

hymn.24 Burney believed that there is a link between Genesis 1:1 In the beginning

() and Proverbs 8:22 where Wisdom is at the beginning ( ) of YHWHs

work. is expounded as (by/in him), (through him) and

(for him) in vv. 16, 19-20 and as (before all things),

(all things hold together), (head) and (firstborn) in

vv. 17-18.25 Wright explains, Thus we have beginning, sum-total, head and first

fruits, leadings to Pauls conclusion ... Christ fulfils every meaning that can be

21 Moo, p. 114. 22 Gorman, p. 481. 23 Ibid., p. 482. 24 Wright, Climax, pp. 110-113. 25 Ibid., p. 111.


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extracted from .26 This is stated by Paul in v. 18, in everything [Christ]

might be preeminent.27 Gorman draws attention to the word firstborn which could

be interpreted to mean that Christ is also a created being.28 Such was the

interpretation that Arius suggested in the fourth-century and is also the position of

Jehovahs Witnesses today. However, Paul not only claims the attributes of Wisdom

for Christ but he goes further by saying all things were created in, through and for

Christ (1:16).29 Thus Christ was not created rather creation is for Christ. The word

also evokes Exodus 4:22 where Israel is described as YHWHs firstborn son.

Wright states it is necessary to view the wisdom-tradition in light of the whole

Jewish worldview which he calls creational and covenantal monotheism.30 This

differs from the opposing worldviews of pantheism, which identifies the creator

with creation, or dualism, which sees spirit as good and matter as evil. Wright also

notes the connection between image () in v. 15 and the creation of man and

woman in the image of God (Gen 1:26).31 He writes, Wisdom is what is required if

humans are to be truly human.32 Wisdom was given to the people of Israel in the

Torah, and therefore, Israel is the particular place where Wisdom dwells,

establishing her as the creators true humanity.33 In addition to this, Wright brings

26 Wright, Climax, p. 111. 27 Ibid. 28 Gorman, p. 482. 29 Ibid. 30 Wright, Climax, p. 108. 31 Ibid., p. 112. 32 Ibid., p. 113. 33 Ibid.


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to mind the messianic expectation within Israel; a future great king from the line of

David who would be as wise as Solomon. He concludes, Israels vocation to be the

true humanity, indwelt by the divine Wisdom, is focussed on one man, her

representative king, who in Psalm 89:27 is described as YHWHs firstborn.34 In the

Christ hymn, Paul has combined the wisdom-tradition with Israels creational and

covenantal monotheism and ascribed these elements to Jesus. In so doing, Paul

redefines creational and covenantal monotheism to be in Jesus, through Jesus and for

Jesus.

Christ and the Church

Paul then goes on to call Christ, the head of the body, the church (1:18). Andrew

Lincoln makes the observation that Pauls praise of Christs supremacy over the

church as his body matches the earlier praise of his supremacy over the realm of

creation.35 Lincoln notes that the word body () could have been understood to

mean the cosmos, which is the common meaning in Philo and Hellenistic Judaism.36

For example, Zeus is referred to as the head of the cosmos, pervading it with his

rule as it lies in his mighty body.37 However, Paul makes it clear that he is referring

to Christs headship over the church (). Lincoln explains that the term

head () denotes Christs rule or authority over the church as his body.38 This

34 Wright, Climax, p. 113. 35 Andrew J. Lincoln, Colossians in The New Interpreters Bible (Vol. XI; ed. L. Keck; Nashville, TN:

Abingdon, 2000) p. 598. 36 Ibid., p. 603. 37 Ibid., p. 598. 38 Ibid., p. 599.


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is also the word used in the LXX to translate the Hebrew word meaning ruler or

leader, as in Deut. 28:13, Judg. 11:11 and 2 Sam. 22:44.39 It is used to convey the

authority associated with origin or beginning.40 Christ is the head of the church as he

is the Lord of his people.41 Not only does this mean head as in the source of the

authority which governs the body, but also in the sense of the source of all life which

sustains the body. Moo writes, Paul holds up Christ as the one who is the true and

only source of life for the body.42

Paul has transferred the imagery of body () from the cosmos to the church and

indicates that the church is Christs true body.43 Lincoln comments, Paul had

already used body imagery for the local congregation in 1 Corinthians and in

Romans, and so in this context it is deemed appropriate to extend its scope to the

universal church.44 Moo speculates that if there was an original hymn that Paul

adapted then he has added of the church in order to change the meaning to fit in

with his argument.45 Paul used the language and imagery of his day to reveal a new

truth about Jesus: Christ is the head of the church, not only the local gatherings of

believers, but the universal church. Moo notes that Pauls use of this metaphor is

distinctive to Colossians and Ephesians.46 This could be used as a further argument

39 Lincoln, p. 599. 40 Ibid. 41 Moo, p. 128. 42 Ibid. 43 Lincoln, p. 599. 44 Ibid., p. 603. 45 Moo, p. 126. 46 Ibid., p. 127.


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against Pauls authorship of these letters. However Moo notices that it is not

dissimilar to Old Testament usage where Israel is described as one assembly.47

Paul first described Christ as being the image of God and the firstborn of creation,

through whom and for whom all things were created. He now explains that Christ is

also the head of the church, the source of authority to govern the church and the

source of life to sustain all believers. Paul emphasizes that there is no need to look

for any other head. Paul will return to this theme of head as authority and

nourishment for the body in Colossians 2:10, 19. Moo concludes, Just as Christ is

preeminent in the universe, so he is preeminent within the new creation, the

assembly of new covenant believers.48

Christ and New Creation

The third claim made by Paul in the hymn is that Christ is the Lord of new creation.

Paul writes, He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (1:18). James Dunn

believes there are clear parallels between the first and second stanzas of the hymn,

which show a balance between old creation and new.49 Christ was the image of

God (1:15) in the first creation and now he is the beginning (1:18) of the new. Christ

was the firstborn of all creation (1:15) and now he is the firstborn from the dead

(1:18). All things were created in him (1:16) and now the fullness of God is pleased

to dwell in him (1:19). Finally, all things were created through him and for him

47 Moo, p. 127. 48 Ibid., p. 128. 49 James D. G. Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle (Grand Rapids, MI and Cambridge: Eerdmans,

1998), p. 275.


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(1:16) and now God has reconciled to himself all things through him (1:20).50 Dunn

also sees a further parallel with 1 Corinthians 15:45 where there is a sequence from

first Adam to last Adam.51 He explains that Adam Christology is the means by

which God brought into existence the eschatological form of humankind equivalent

to the original humankind, and Wisdom Christology is the means by which God

continued to exercise his sovereignty to bring about the reconciliation of the old in

the creation of the new through cross and resurrection.52

Christ is the firstborn from the dead because of his death on the cross and his

resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20). Paul writes, For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ

shall all be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22). The act of reconciliation of the cross means

new creation for those who follow Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Dunn comments, Creation

and reconciliation are the work of the one God through the same Christ, but each

required its own birth and becoming.53 Paul states that Christ is now preeminent in

everything (1:18), the fullness of God is pleased to dwell in him (1:19) and all things

have been reconciled through him (1:20). Lincoln explains that Christ is preeminent

because of his, unique relation to God and ... unique role in Gods work of

reconciliation.54 He concludes, There is nothing in heaven or earth that is outside

the divine presence and power, so also there is nothing outside the scope of Christs

50 Dunn, p. 275. 51 Ibid. 52 Ibid. 53 Ibid., p. 276. 54 Lincoln, p. 599.


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presence and power, because Christ now sums up all that God is in interaction with

the cosmos.55

Wright identifies the mention of deliverance and redemption in vv. 12-14 with the

imagery of Exodus.56 He adds, The Exodus was an act of new creation, bringing the

chosen race to new birth out of the chaos of slavery.57 Many first-century Jews

considered that Israel was still in exile and in need of the redemption which would

see the greater return from exile.58 Wright explains that in using this imagery,

Paul is signalling that this final redemption ... had already taken place in Jesus

Christ.59 Israels God, the creator of the cosmos, has revealed that he has redeemed

Israel through the death and resurrection of his Son, a new creation, demonstrating

his faithfulness by saving his covenant people just as he delivered them from Egypt.

The Colossian church and the church today

The believers in Colossae were in danger of following false philosophy and empty

deceit (2:8). Indeed Gorman writes, Most scholars believe the heresy or philosophy

is already present at Colossae.60 Paul lists the practices that had marked the

philosophy in 2:16-23. They include the observation of Jewish diet and holidays

(2:16), asceticism, the worship of angels and visionary experiences (2:18) and interest

in the elemental spirits of the world (2:20), which Gorman explains are the forces

55 Lincoln, p. 599. 56 Wright, Poetry and Theology, p. 453. 57 Ibid., p. 454. 58 Ibid. 59 Ibid. 60 Gorman, p. 473.


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that rule the cosmos and human life.61 These syncretistic practices were a mix of

Jewish teaching and pagan traditions of the region. Gorman notes that there were

elements of religious dualism. He explains, The purpose of worship, they would

have thought, was to escape the flesh and enter the heavenly realms.62 Scholars

have called this an early form of Gnosticism, from the Greek word for knowledge

(), which was a heresy among early Christians in the second-century.63 Wright

explains, Gnosticism saw the created order as inherently wicked, and understood

redemption as rescue from, not renewal of, creation.64 Gorman notes that Pauline

teaching did speak against the flesh and in favour of charismatic experiences, and

so the misinterpretation of Pauls teaching, together with Jewish mystical practice,

may have resulted in the Colossian church integrating pagan practices into their

worship.65

It is to address this situation that Paul sends the Colossians a letter containing the

Christ hymn. Paul urges the Colossian believers to accept that they already have all

that they need in Christ. He uses the hymn to exalt Christ and demonstrate that he is

preeminent in all things. With regards to Judaism, Wright argues, Paul, then, does

not in this poem abandon the Jewish doctrines of monotheism and election. He

redefines them.66 His redefinition now includes Jesus as present in the act of

61 Gorman, p. 474. 62 Ibid. 63 Ibid., p. 475 64 Wright, Poetry and Theology, p. 452. 65 Gorman, p. 475. 66 Wright, Colossians and Philemon, p. 72.


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creation, identified as the Wisdom of God. The hope which Judaism had placed in

the one God, and in the Wisdom given in the Torah, is now to be found in Christ

because it was for him rather than Israel that all things were created.67 Within this

redefinition of monotheism, Paul has also redefined election to now mean that, the

people of God are now to be understood as the people of Jesus Christ.68 The church

is the renewed people of God, not just the local gathering, but the universal church

which is the body of Christ. Wright concludes, Having Christ, God's true wisdom,

the Colossian church possesses all that it needs.69

Paul asserts that followers of Christ are monotheists and not pagan polytheists.

There is one creator God, who is also the redeemer God. Creation has been

redeemed in the work of Christ on the cross and his resurrection. Creation is not to

be replaced; rather it has been restored as the new creation. Paul thus counters the

false philosophies of polytheism and dualism by demonstrating that they are

metaphysically incorrect and morally bankrupt.70 Wright argues that the Christ

hymn has an implicit ecclesiological and perhaps even sociological function, in

that a community that believed these things would be distinct from neighbours

both Jewish and pagan.71 The message that Paul proclaimed is in contrast to the

competing false philosophies faced by the Colossian church and that are also faced

by the church in the present day. The church in the west today faces a multitude of

67 Wright, Poetry and Theology, p. 464. 68 Ibid., p. 460. 69 Ibid., p. 464. 70 Ibid. 71 Ibid.


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competing voices from without and within that seek to integrate practices and

traditions of the kind faced by the Colossian church. The conclusion remains the

same; there is no need to look for answers from any other source. The Jesus to whom

the Colossian church belongs, and to whom the universal church today belongs, is

the one in whom and through whom all meaning and purpose may be found. Paul

expresses it in this way, Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in

him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught,

abounding in thanksgiving (2:6-7).

Conclusion

In the Colossian hymn, Paul demonstrates that Jesus Christ is Lord of creation, the

church and new creation. Paul speaks against the polytheist concept of many gods,

and against dualism, with the news that Jesus was present in the creation of the

cosmos. He is the co-creator with God of all things, and is the image of God. Christ

redeemed creation through the reconciliation of the cross. Christ is the firstborn from

the dead by his resurrection and is now the head of the universal church; the source

of authority and the source of life for the body. Jesus is now risen, exalted and

preeminent over all of creation. Paul has redefined covenantal and creational

monotheism and in so doing has also redefined election to signify the church is now

the people of God. His message is that the church in Colossae already has this Christ

active in their midst and there is therefore no need to look elsewhere.


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Bibliography

Dunn, James D. G., The Theology of Paul the Apostle (Grand Rapids, MI and

Cambridge: Eerdmans, 1998).

Gorman, Michael J., Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and

His Letters (Grand Rapids, MI and Cambridge: Eerdmans, 2004).

Lincoln, Andrew J., Colossians in The New Interpreters Bible (Vol. XI; ed. L. Keck;

Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 2000) pp. 551-669.

Moo, Douglas J., The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (PNTC; ed. D. A. Carson;

Nottingham: Apollos, 2008).

Wright, N. T., The Climax of the Covenant: Christ and the Law in Pauline Theology

(London: T. & T. Clark, 1991).

Wright, N. T., Colossians and Philemon (TNTC Vol. 12; Nottingham and Downers

Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1986).

Wright, N. T., Paul: Fresh Perspectives (London: SPCK, 2005).

Wright, N. T., Poetry and Theology in Colossians 1.1520, NTS 36 (1990), pp. 444-

468.

Wright, N. T., What St Paul Really Said (Oxford: Lion Hudson, 1997).

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Robert Atkin - Christ, Creation and the Church in the Colossian Hymn

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