Heaven (10): Christ the Creator, Conqueror, and Reconciler of His Cosmos

This current post builds upon previous ones but especially Heaven #5: God’s Love for His Creation and Heaven #9 on Matthew 19 and Acts 3. In reality though Colossians 1 is part of the grand biblical narrative of the Creator God, through Christ, reconciling everything to himself through the blood of Jesus.

The followers of the Way in the Lycus Valley are being troubled by some form of false teaching. This teaching has been called a “philosophy,” a “heresy,” “proto-gnosticism” and many other names. I lean toward the proto-gnostic hypothesis, or semi-paganism floating in the background, but at the very least the Colossian Philosophy is a view full of powers and angelic beings that demand some kind of homage on the part of the human beings. These beings are not friendly either thus the imperative of placating them. These beings each seem to have a “share” or a “cut” of what it means to be truly divine. Like a Troll that controls the passage of communication, supplies and movement these beings were believed to control the space between the believer and God. Each is paid his due or nothing gets through.

Paul addresses the theological issues underlying the Colossian problems through quoting one of the earliest extant Christian hymns. This hymn dips into the rich mines of Jewish tradition about Wisdom being the image of God and applies it to Jesus Christ himself. Verses 15-16 form the first strophe, with a link or “interlude” in v.17 and the verses 18-20 forming the second strophe.

Christ the Creator of His Cosmos

Paul does not seem to be one to beat around the bush as he wastes no space in Colossians. He cuts to the core of the “heresy” unwittingly adhered to by some believers by arguing that Christ is “the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation.” The genitive can easily be rendered “firstborn before all creation.” Paul is not simply talking chronology, though that is certainly there, but rather primacy. Paul emphasizes this point in a number of ways in the hymn: Christ is firstborn, he is the head, he is the beginning

The first verse of the “Christ Hymn” is sweeping in its claims about Christ. Indeed the claims are breathtaking. The Colossian Christians do not need to worry about the powers, thrones or angelic beings precisely because, Paul sings, Christ is the Supreme Creator of the Cosmos. Paul does not waste his time on arguing whether or not these being “exist” rather he says if they “exist” then they were created by Christ the Creator. Hear the melody of the apostle:

“For in him were created all things

in the heavens and on the earth,

the visible and the invisible,

whether thrones or dominions {not the Roman senate!!}

or principalities or authorities;

all things were created through him and for him.”

Paul had memorized Genesis 1 since he was a child. He had chanted Psalm 104 on many occasions … and Paul believed every syllable. But he makes the astonishing claim (or who ever was the original composer of the hymn and Paul agrees with it) that Christ was far more than a Man from Galilee … he was Yahweh’s instrument of Creation itself. Knowing that Christ created those angelic thugs makes them a little less intimidating, they after all are mere creations too. Christ’s initial work is cosmic in scope.

The goodness we see, and we do see it, in creation is there because Christ Jesus made it so. It is beautiful, powerful, and wonderful because he made it like that. When the lavish and generous beauty of the world catches your breath, remember (Paul claims) that it is like that because of Jesus.

Christ the Conqueror of His Cosmos

As beautiful as creation is it does not take long to learn that there is ugliness there too. Fear and death are the ultimate symbols of that ugliness. Something went awry in the created work of Christ. That is testified to by the Colossians themselves who lived, as did most Romans, in a perpetual state of fear of the world around them.

Basically what has happened is creation has rebelled. When God, through Christ, created the entire cosmos (seen and unseen) those angelic beings were not in rebellion. Paul does not stop to explain how or when (i.e. he does not give us the origin of evil) they became such but it is clear they are the enemy of God’s People. Thus just prior to quoting the Christ Hymn Paul uses Exodus language to talk about God’s great “rescue operation” of the Israelite people but he re-appropriates that imagery to the work of God in Jesus: “ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness …” (1.13). When God rescued Israel he destroyed the armies of his enemy. Christ will likewise destroy the power of the enemy of his people.

Leaving the Christ Hymn just for a moment we see what amounts to combat imagery ascribed to Christ and his work. Note that this work of Christ takes place in the cosmic realm. The enemies of God’s people used the cheirograph against them but Christ nailed it to the Cross (2.14). Then he “disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (2.15). The Colossians likely had pointed to the cross as evidence of what happens to the man who dares to oppose the “forces.” Paul, however, pulls back the curtain of time and says that far from being a defeat the Crucifixion was a stunning victory over the “powers.” As Yahweh had utterly defeated the “gods of Egypt” and the army of Pharaoh in the Battle by the Sea (Ex. 15); so Christ is seen as the one who conquerors the rebellious forces in his creation. This is the Christus Victor motif mentioned in our previous blog.

This imagery that surrounds the Christ Hymn is present within it. The last line of the second strophe says “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (1.20). Thus the song moves from Christ the cosmic Creator to Christ who puts down cosmic rebellion. F.F. Bruce notes “the universe has been involved in conflict with its Creator, and needs to be reconciled to Him; the conflict must be replaced with peace. This peace has been affected by Christ, through the shedding of His blood on the cross” (“The Christ Hymn of Colossians” Bib Sac 141 {Apri-June 1984}, 109).

Christ the Reconciler of His Cosmos

Jesus holds both the “old” creation and the “new” creation together in himself. The second strophe begins with poetic symmetry that mirrors the opening line of v.15. Jesus is not only the first born of/over creation; he is also the first born from the dead. Elsewhere Paul says that Christ is the “Firstborn among many brothers” (Rom 8.29) and the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15.20). Jesus’ resurrection is the harbinger of the great forthcoming resurrection harvest.

The resurrection mentioned in v.18 presupposes the death of Christ. Thus Paul continues to sing

“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through him to reconcile all things to himself,

whether things on earth or things in heaven,

by making peace through his blood shed on the cross.”

The claims of this second strophe are no less awesome than in the first. Just as Christ was the cosmic Creator now Paul testifies that he is the cosmic Reconciler of that same cosmos.

There are some who deny that Christ’s blood goes as far as the curse is found. But it seems evident to me that Paul makes that bold claim right here. Just as Adam’s sin had cosmic significance so Christ’s death and resurrection also has cosmic significance. If the first half of the song means that Christ actually created everything then how can the second half be claimed to be less cosmic in reconciliation?

Paul and the Colossians believers, however, lift their voices and sing that God was pleased to reconcile all things (ta panta) to himself. What things? Things that are on earth. Things that are in heaven. All things. All things that were created by Christ but went astray through rebellion. Creation is set free by the one who created it. In order to reconcile it to himself he had to conquer through his blood. As F. F. Bruce writes “in reconciliation as in creation the work of Christ has a cosmic significance.” Bruce further notes that the liberation of God’s people (in this case the Colossians) is linked to his liberation of the cosmos itself. “The liberty of the children of God is procured by the redemptive work of Christ, the release of creation from its bondage to decay is assured by that same redemptive work.”

In Colossians, Paul makes some astounding claims about Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus is the Agent through whom the invisible God actually created the cosmos. Because rebellion has vandalized God’s handiwork Christ Jesus took on the task of reclaiming that cosmos by Conquering the Evil forces let loose in the Cosmos (this took place through the cross). The result of the conquering work of Christ is the reconciliation of the cosmos to God. Paul does not say this is only people. “All things” things in heaven, things on earth, all things were reconciled by the blood of Jesus. What an incredible claim.

A Word from a Church Father: Irenaeus

The early church fully understood the ramifications of Christ being “creator” and what it would mean if Christ was not also “reconciler.” If the cosmic forces were allowed to go free (as it were) that would simply mean that it was God, rather than Satan, that was ultimately defeated. Paul clearly did not believe this, neither should we. Irenaeus was brilliant second century Christian who passionately defended the faith in resurrection against Gnostics of all shades. I close with a quotation from Against Heresies book 3.23.1. Irenaeus sees clearly the connection Paul establishes between creation and reconciliation/redemption:

“Man, who had been created by God that he might live, after losing life, through being injured by the serpent that had corrupted him, should not any more return to life, but should be utterly and forever abandoned to death, God would, in that case, have been conquered, and the wickedness of the serpent would have prevailed over the will of God. But inasmuch as God is invincible and longsuffering, He … by means of the Second Man did He bind the strong man, spoiled his goods and abolished death …”

Christ created the cosmos. He did battle with the “strong man” and defeated him at Golgotha. He did not abandon the work of his hands but reconciled all of it to himself. Thus we long to see the resurrected Lord, along with his resurrected people, on his resurrected and reconciled earth.

Shalom,

Bobby Valentine