Paul's Prison Epistles: Paul's ImprisonmentSample

Paul’s Theology—Christ’s Honor: Colossians 1:16-17

Christ is honored because he is perfect, holy, and righteous. And he is honored because he holds a position of highest authority, and because he executes that authority justly and righteously. He is also honored because he himself is the most valuable being in all of creation, the one whom God values more highly than any other. And he is honored because he is the creator and sustainer of the universe. We could easily list hundreds of reasons that Jesus is worthy of honor. But perhaps the greatest reason that Jesus deserves honor and praise is that he is divine; Jesus is God, and God is worthy of the highest honor imaginable.

One reason Paul emphasized Jesus’ honor so greatly was that some people in the church did not appreciate how special Jesus was. Apparently, false teachers had introduced the veneration of angels and spirits into the church and had suggested that Jesus was just one of these many similar beings. One way that Paul refuted these false teachings was by emphasizing Christ’s unique and surpassing greatness. Consider the way he contrasted Christ with other spiritual beings in Colossians 1:16-17:

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17).

Jesus is unique because he is the creator of everything that is — even of the angels and spirits that the false teachers revered. Jesus is not just the greatest ruler in the universe. He is also the one who established all the lower offices that other rulers hold, both in the spiritual realm and on earth. And he is the one who created the other rulers, including both human beings who rule on earth and beings such as angels and demons who have authority in the spiritual realm.