CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
Colossians 1:18. And He is the head of the body, the Church.—As He held priority of all creation, so also His is the name above every name in the new creation. The firstborn from the dead.—The cardinal point of the apostle’s faith.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Colossians 1:18
The Relation of Christ to the Moral Creation.
After showing that Christ holds the position of absolute priority and sovereignty over the whole universe, the apostle now proceeds to point out His relation to the principal part of that whole—the Church, as the symbol and embodiment of the new, moral creation. From this verse we learn that Christ is the supreme Head, and primal life-giving Source of the Church, and as such is invested with universal pre-eminence.
I. Christ is the supreme Head of the Church—the new moral creation.—
1. The Church is the body of Christ. “The body, the Church.” Much controversy has prevailed as to what constitutes the Church; and the more worldly the Church became, the more confused the definition, the more bitter the controversy. The New Testament idea of the Church is easily comprehended. It is the whole body of the faithful in Christ Jesus, who are redeemed and regenerated by His grace—the aggregate multitude of those in heaven and on earth who love, adore, and serve the Son of God as their Redeemer and Lord. The word ἐκκλησία contains two leading ideas: the ordained unity, and the calling or separating out from the world. Three grand features ever distinguish the true Church—unbroken unity, essential purity, and genuine catholicity. (Cf. Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:15-16; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
2. Christ is the Head of the Church.—“And He is the Head of the body, the Church.” That the world might not be considered this body, the word “Church” is added; and the materialistic conception of a Church organism thus refuted. As the Head of the Church—
(1) Christ inspires it with spiritual life and activity.
(2) He impresses and moulds its character.
(3) He prescribes and enforces its laws.
(4) He governs and controls its destinies.
(5) He is the centre of its unity.
II. Christ is the originating, fontal Source of the organic life of the Church.—In respect to the state of grace, He is the beginning; in respect to the state of glory, He is the firstborn from the dead. He gives to the Church its entity, form, history, and glory; except in and through Him, the Church could have no existence.
1. He is the Author of the moral creation.—“The beginning.” Christ has been before described as the Author of the old material creation. Here He is announced as the beginning of the new spiritual creation. The moral creation supplies the basis and constituent elements of the Church. In the production, progress, and final triumph of the new creation, He will redress all the wreck and ruin occasioned by the wrong-doing of the old creation. Of this new moral creation Christ is the source, the principle, the beginning; the fountain of life, purity, goodness, and joy to the souls of men.
2. He is the Author of the moral creation as the Conqueror of Death.—“The firstborn from the dead.” Sin introduced death into the old creation, and the insatiable monster still revels and riots amid the corruptions he perpetually generates. The Son of God, in fulfilment of the divine plan of redemption, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He descended into Hades, and placed Himself among the dead. On the third day He rose again, “the firstfruits of them that slept.” He was “the firstborn from the dead”; the first who had risen by His own power; the first who had risen to die no more. By dying He conquered death for Himself and all His followers. He can therefore give life to all that constitute that Church of which He is fittingly the Head, assure them of a resurrection from the dead, of which His own was a pattern and pledge, and of transcendent and unfading glory with Himself in the endless future.
III. The relation of Christ to the Church invests Him with absolute pre-eminence.—“That in all things He might have the pre-eminence.”
1. He is pre-eminent in His relation to the Father.—He is “the image of the invisible God”; the Son of His love, joined by a bond to us mysterious and ineffable, and related in a sense in which no other can be. He is the first and the last; the only divine Son.
2. He is pre-eminent in the universe of created beings.—He existed before any being was created, and was Himself the omnipotent Author of all created things. The whole hierarchy of heaven obey and adore Him. He is alone in His complex nature as our Emmanuel. Mystery of mysteries; in Him Deity and humanity unite!
3. He is pre-eminent in His rule over the realm of the dead.—He entered the gloomy territory of the grave, wrestled with and vanquished the King of Terrors, rose triumphantly from the dismal battle-field, and is now Lord both of the dead and of the living. “I am He that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore; and have the keys of Hades and of death” (Revelation 1:18).
4. He is pre-eminent in His relation to the Church.—The Church from beginning to end is purely His own creation. He sketched its first rough outline, projected its design, constructed its organism, informed it with life, dowered it with spiritual riches; and He will continue to watch over and direct its future until He shall “present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing”!
5. He is pre-eminent in the estimation and homage of a ransomed world.—He is the central figure of all history; around Him all events group themselves, and by Him are stamped with their true character, significance, and worth. The dream of the ages, the teaching of figures and symbols, the shadows and forecastings of coming events, are all dismissed in the effulgent presence of Him to whom they all point, like so many quivering index-fingers. Christ has to-day the strongest hold upon the heart of humanity. His perplexed enemies admire while they reject Him; the ever-increasing multitude of His friends reverence and adore Him; and the era is rapidly advancing when to Him a universe of worshippers shall bow the knee and acknowledge that “in all things He has the pre-eminence.”
Lessons.—
1. The pre-eminence of Christ entitles Him to universal obedience.
2. The highest blessedness is found in union with the Church of Christ.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSE
Colossians 1:18. The Church the Body of Christ.
I. As the body of Christ the Church is one with Him.—
1. One in covenant dealing with God.
2. One in respect of the principle of life.
3. One in history.
4. How Christ may be served or persecuted.
II. As the body of Christ the Church is one in itself.—
1. Identity of principle.
2. Substantial agreement in faith.
3. A visible association through sympathy.
III. As the body of Christ the Church has many co-operating and mutually dependent members.—
1. The members are as numerous as are believers or as are offices.
2. Their mutual dependence and co-operation illustrated in the work of spreading the gospel.
3. Let each one know his own place and duties.
IV. As the body of Christ the Church must grow up to completeness and maturity.—
1. Each believer is first a babe in Christ, and advances to the measure of the stature of a man in Christ.
2. As a whole the Church is gradually augmented and increased—from Abel onwards.
3. To gather in and perfect the elect is the peculiar work of time.
V. As the body of Christ the Church must be restored to perfect soundness and health.—
1. Christ receives the Church—dead.
2. The first step towards perfect soundness is a resurrection.
3. Hence each believer is quickened with Christ in order to be healed.
4. The bodies of the saints shall likewise be perfect.—The Physician.
5. In heaven no one shall say, “I am sick.”
VI. As the body of Christ the Church is the object of His unremitting care.—
1. To provide for the wants of his body is man’s unceasing care.
2. Christ has made ample provision.
3. He now ministers to His Church’s wants—clothing, food, defence, habitation.
VII. As the body of Christ the Church is the instrument through which He accomplishes His purposes.—
1. The body the instrument of the heart or soul.
2. The Church the instrument of Christ.
3. The Church but the instrument.—Stewart.
Christ the Firstborn from the Dead—
I. In the dignity of His person.
II. Because He rose by His own power.
III. Because He is the only one who rose never to die again.
IV. Because He has taken precedence of His people who all shall rise from their graves to glory.