William Burkitt's Expository Notes

Colossians 1:16

Mark the connection: The apostle affirms Christ to be the first-born of every creature, namely, because by him were all things created, and by him all things consist: Now if all things were created by him, surely he himself cannot be. creature.

And thus the sense of the apostle's words runs easy; Christ is the image of the invisible God, the Heir and Lord of the whole creation, for by him all things were created; he that created all creatures, cannot himself be. creature; for it is impossible that any creature should create himself.

Mark futher, Christ is here represented as Creator of the universe; all things were created by him in heaven and in earth, all the angels in their several orders, degrees and dignities.

2. As he is represented the Creator, so likewise the upholder of every creature: as by him were all things created,, so by him do all things consist.

3. He is set forth as the last end of all the creatures; all things were created for him, as well as by him, for the manifestation of his own glory, as God; he that was the first cause, must be the last end: And accordingly, all the creatures throughout the whole creation do give glory unto Christ, some in an active way, as angels and saints; some in. passive way, as damned men and devils; some in an objective way, as sun, moon, and stars, giving us occasion to glorify the power and wisdom of their great Creator.

Learn, 3. That seeing the whole creation was at first made, and is still upheld by the power of Christ, it proves him to be evidently and undeniably God: He that created all things, and upholdeth all things by the word of his power, is and must be God.

Vain here is the Socinian evasion, who, by creation, understand. renovation of the mind, and. reformation of the manners of men by the gospel; for Christ is here said to create all things in heaven, that is, particularly the angels in heaven; but they having, kept their first station, wanted no renovation, so that it must be understood of the first creation of the natural world, and not of the renovation of the moral world.

God forgive these men's perverting and bold practising upon the scriptures. Can any sensible man persuade himself, that when St. Paul says, that all things were created by Christ in heaven and earth, thrones, dominions, principalitites, and powers, that the apostle should mean no more than the moral renovation of the world below by the preaching of the gospel, in which the angels were not concerned? For though Christ was an Head of confirmation to them, yet had they no need of. renovation, or being made new, having always kept their first station.

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William Burkitt's Expository Notes

Colossians 1:16

Old Testament

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