Colossians 1 - The "Spitting Image" of the Father!

Colossians 1 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

Background on the Letter to the Colossians (summarized from Google AI)

  1. Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison in Rome, around 60-62 A.D. 
  2. Colossae is located in modern Turkey, 100 miles east of Ephesus.
  3. The church was started by a local man named Epapras, who likely heard Paul preach in Ephesus.
  4. The occasion was Paul's deep concern from false teaching, which had infiltrated the church. This false teaching was a mixture of Jewish legalism. I.e. Sabbath and dietary rules, and observation of festivals. Worship of angels and mystical experience. Also known as "secret knowledge" or "gnosticism". And, "ascetism", which was a self-imposed denial of bodily needs in search of a higher spiritual purity. 
  5. Purpose of the letter.  "Paul wrote to prove that Jesus Christ is completely supreme, sufficient, and preeminent over all creation and spiritual powers. He argued that believers do not need to add hidden rituals, legal rules, or mystical intermediaries to their faith because "in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" - The Gospel Coalition
Colossians 1:15-20 The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 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 and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

I remember hearing the phrase, "You are a spitten image of you father." If you are not familiar with this phrase it means, 

The phrase "spitting image" means looking extremely similar to another person, often a family member like a parent or grandparent. - Oxford Dictionary

But Jesus is more than being "extremely similar" to God. He is the exact representation of God in every way. There is nothing Jesus said or did, which wouldn't have been exactly what His Father would have done or said. The Greek word for "image" is "eikon", where we get our term  "icon".

The original word used in the text (eikon) means an exact copy, blueprint, or mirror reflection.

People often say you can't really know what God is like, because you can't see him. Or, how can you believe in something you can't see? But God sent Jesus to reveal what He looked like, and more importantly how much God loves the whole world. This is what led to the apostles to say, 

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 1 John 1:1

The other word we use is "incarnation", which means to means to show clearly or reveal. This is also the essence of John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us!"

When you think of it, this is an incredibly amazing claim. To think that a human being lived among us 2,000 years, who is the exact replica of God is hard to fully comprehend. But this is the heart of the Christian message. It is the gospel, the Good News that God became one of us so that He could save us to be with Him forever. 

No other religion makes this claim. Muhammed didn't claim to be God. Joseph Smith didn't claim to be God. The Dalai Lama didn't claim to be. Abraham or Moses didn't claim to be God. But Jesus claimed to be God and it got him killed. How do I know this? 

“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” John 10:33

In a way it is hard to fault the Pharisees because that is what the Law said, and what Jesus claimed to be. But the issue is that Jesus really was God and truly was the Messiah. They failed to recognize him though he fulfilled every Old Testament prophesy about what the Messiah would look like and be. 

So we normally focus on the human aspect of who Jesus is, as we should, but Paul, in Colossians, points to the power, majesty, and supremacy of Jesus. Jesus was with God in the beginning, creating all things. Thus, he is far above any power whether it is visibile or invisible. Jesus is over any earthly power or spiritual power. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Though Jesus was a humble servant, when he comes in power we will see just how powerful he is. 

The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse of what he is going to look like when he returns. Here is how the apostle John described the Jesus who will come back in great and promised glory. 

"I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance."

Do you see how Jesus being both fully God and fully man is so crucial to the Christian belief system?

Either Jesus is who He says he is, the Son of God, or not.  There is no "in-between". If Jesus is truly is who Paul describes to the church in chapter 1 of Colossians, then we should treat him accordingly. Those who deny Jesus will want to rethink what they are basing their lives on. If Jesus is who He says He is, then everything he taught is true and it changes literally everything. 

And it is true. That is why your reading of the bible every day is so important. It reminds you and reinforces in you the truth about God and the truth about Jesus. 

How does knowing who Jesus is inspire you to live more completely for him? If you have the Spirit of Christ in you, how might this change how you live daily? Do you access the power of the One who was, who is, and who is to come?

Though we may be the "spitting image" of our father, once Jesus gets a hold of us He works His Spirit in us to become the "spitting image" of our heavenly Father. 

Come Lord Jesus Come! Amen. 

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