Colossians 1:15 - Jesus as Image of Invisible God
Colossians 1:15 describes Jesus as "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" [1]. This verse is part of a larger passage (Colossians 1:15-20) that presents Jesus as both the supreme creator and redeemer [3]. This section is often understood as an early Christian hymn due to its exalted language and parallel structure [3].
The term "image" (Greek: eikōn) signifies an exact likeness and perfect representation [4]. In the context of the "invisible God," it means that Jesus makes God visible and knowable [5]. While God is inherently invisible to human eyes [5, 8], Jesus fully reveals God's nature [9]. Adam Clarke suggests that if the Father is invisible, then the image of the Father in the Son must also be invisible in its essential nature, referring to the "ineffable glory" that Christ divested himself of [6]. John Chrysostom also emphasizes this concept of Jesus as the visible manifestation of the invisible God [7].
The phrase "firstborn of all creation" has been a significant point of interpretation. It does not imply that Jesus was created, but rather denotes his preeminence and sovereignty over all creation [4]. Other biblical texts also refer to Jesus as "firstborn" [2]. This passage highlights Jesus's role in relation to God and creation (Colossians 1:15-17) and then in relation to the Church (Colossians 1:18-20) [4]. As the "image of the invisible God," Jesus is presented as the Creator (Colossians 1:16) and Sustainer (Colossians 1:17) of the natural world [4]. The false teachers in Colossae were apparently promoting the worship of angels, but Paul asserts Christ's supremacy over all spiritual beings [4, 9].
Sources
- Colossians “who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. -- Colossians 1:15”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Excellency and Glory of Christ, The — As God -- Joh 1:1-5; Php 2:6,9,10. As the Son of God -- Mt 3:17; Heb 1:6,8. As one with the Father -- Joh 10:30,38. As the First-born -- Col 1:15,18. As the First-begotten -- Heb 1:6. As Lord of lords, &c -- Re 17:14. As the image of God -- Col 1:15; Heb 1:3. As creator -- Joh 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2. As the Blessed of God -- Ps 45:2. As Mediator -- 1Ti 2:5; Heb 8:6. As Prophet -- De 18:15,16; Ac 3:22. As Priest -- Ps 110:4; Heb 4:15. As King -- Isa 6:1-5; Joh 12:41. As Judge -- Mt 16:27; 25:31,33. As Shepherd -- Isa 40:10,11; Joh”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 1:15: 1:15-20 Paul presents Jesus as the supreme creator (1:15-17) and redeemer (1:18-20). The series of short statements, the exalted conceptions of Christ, and the parallelism in language and thought strongly suggest that these verses quote an early Christian hymn about Jesus that Paul applied to the situation of the Colossian Christians. 1:15 visible image: In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, eikōn (“image, representation”) is used to refer to human beings having been made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27) and also to the wisdom figure in Jewish writin”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:15: They who have experienced in themselves "redemption" (Col 1:14), know Christ in the glorious character here described, as above the highest angels to whom the false teachers (Col 2:18) taught worship was to be paid. Paul describes Him: (1) in relation to God and creation (Col 1:15-17); (2) in relation to the Church (Col 1:18-20). As the former regards Him as the Creator (Col 1:15-16) and the Sustainer (Col 1:17) of the natural world; so the latter, as the source and stay of the new moral creation. image--exact likeness and perfect Representative.”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 1:15: Who is the image of the invisible God,.... Not of deity, though the fulness of it dwells in him; nor of himself, though he is the true God, and eternal life; nor of the Spirit, who also is God, and the Spirit of the Son; but the Father, called "God", not to the exclusion of the Son or Spirit, who are with him the one God: "and he is invisible"; not to the Son who lay in his bosom, and had perfect and infinite knowledge of him; nor, in some sense, to angels, who always behold his face, but to men: no man hath seen him corporeally with the eyes of his body, though i”
- Colossians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Colossians 1:15: Who is the image of the invisible God - The counterpart of God Almighty, and if the image of the invisible God, consequently nothing that appeared in him could be that image; for if it could be visible in the Son, it could also be visible in the Father; but if the Father be invisible, consequently his image in the Son must be invisible also. This is that form of God of which he divested himself; the ineffable glory in which he not only did not appear, as to its splendor and accompaniments, but concealed also its essential nature; that inaccessible light which no”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: Homily III. Colossians i. 15–18 “Who is the Image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation: for in Him were all things created, in the heavens, and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers: all things have been created through Him, and unto Him; and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the Church.” To-day it is necessary for me to pay the debt, which yesterday 732 732 See Hom. ii. § 3 fin. I deferred,”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 4:15: 4:15 form: No image could capture the transcendent glory and power of the invisible God (Neh 9:20; Isa 63:10-14; Zech 4:6; John 4:24). Any form of the Lord could become an object of worship in lieu of worshiping God himself.”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 1:19: 1:19 God in all his fullness emphasizes that God has chosen to reveal himself fully in Jesus Christ. Seeing Jesus and understanding him therefore means seeing and understanding God (see John 14:6-11). The false teachers seemed to be saying that Christians needed to look to other spiritual beings to find out more about God (see Col 1:16, 20). But Christ is sufficient for all our knowledge of God (cp. 2:8-9).”