We continue our series about what is stated concerning Jesus in the various books of the New Testament. Today, we will examine the book of Colossians.

Col  1:1 – “Apostle of Christ by the will of God.” – Christ subordinate

Col 1:2 – “Brothers in Christ… peace from God our Father.” – Notice the relationship these Christians have – they are brothers of Christ, but children of God.

Col 1:3 – “God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Col 1:12-13 – “giving thanks to the Father… transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” – Notice the Father is in control and effects this transference.

Col 1:15 – “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” – The image is not the same as the Father. Jesus is also referred to as a creature, not creator.

Col 1:16 – “All things were created through him and for him.” – Jesus is not the originator, but was used by God mightily in creation.

Col 1:18 – “The firstborn from the dead.” – The first one resurrected by God to heaven “that in all things he himself might be preeminent.” – NAB ftn – When Christ was raised by God as firstborn from the dead he was placed (by God) over the Church.

Col 1:19-20 (NIV) – “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.” – God in control of Christ.

Col 1:20 (NIV) –  “Through him [Christ] to reconcile to himself all things.” God uses Christ to reconcile “by making peace through his blood.” – God used Christ to make peace.

Col 1:21-22 (NLT) – “This includes you who were once far away from God… now he reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ… as a result he has brought you into his own presence.” – God uses Christ to bring people to him. God and Christ are obviously not the same.

Col 1:27 (NLT) – “God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too.”

Col 1:28 – “So we tell others about Christ… We want to present them to God.” – God and Jesus are separate.

Col 2:2 – “and grasp God’s secret, which is Christ himself.” – REB

Col 2:8-9 – “Christ. For it is in him that all the fullness if God’s nature lives bodily.”

Col 2:10 – “You have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” – God used/uses Jesus, and God also uses Christians, but this does not make anyone else God Almighty, including Jesus.

Col 2:12 – “God, who raised him from the dead.” – Jesus did not resurrect God.

Col  3:1 – “Where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God.” – Jesus is favored by God, but is not God.

 Col 3:17 – “In the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Going through Jesus, praying to the Father, shows Jesus’ important role in our relationship with the Supreme One, God.

Col 4:3 (CSB) – “That God may open a door… to speak the mystery of the Messiah.” – God is in control. God is not the Messiah. Jesus is.