# Colossians 1.18 **Book:** [Colossians](/codex/colossians/) · NASB95 ## Verse > He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. (Colossians 1:18, NASB95) ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **NASB95** ([NASB95](/codex/nasb95/)) > 16. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. > > **18. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.** > > 19. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20. and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:16-20, NASB95) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Paul the Apostle. - **Audience:** the Colossian church, engaging an early proto-Gnostic / syncretistic heresy that diminished Christ's supremacy by interposing intermediary spiritual beings. - **Location:** Paul writing from Roman imprisonment, c. AD 60-62. - **Time period:** AD 60-62. ## Theological reading The verse is the **structural climax of the Colossian Christological hymn** (1:15-20). It contains four claims about Christ: ### 1. *Head of the body, the church* Christ is the **head** (*kephalē*) of the **body** (*sōma*), the church. The relationship is organic: head and body are united, distinct, mutually-defining. The church is *not* a human institution but Christ's body, animated and directed by Him. This is one of the foundational ecclesiological texts: - Christ is the *single* head, no human can replace Him; popes / pastors / councils all serve under His headship - The church is *one* body, unity is not optional but essential - The church *belongs* to Christ, not to denominations, leaders, or members - Cf. Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 2:19 ### 2. *The beginning* (*archē*) *Archē* (see [G0746 - arche](/codex/g0746-arche/)), Christ as the *beginning* / *origin* / *first principle*. This title: - Echoes [John 1.1](/codex/john-1-1/)'s *en archē*, Christ as the eternal beginning - Echoes Revelation 3:14, Christ as "the *archē* of the creation of God" - Designates Christ as the *originating principle* of new creation alongside His role in original creation ### 3. *Firstborn from the dead* (*prōtotokos ek tōn nekrōn*) Christ is the **firstborn from the dead**, see [G4416 - prototokos](/codex/g4416-prototokos/). As in v. 15 (*prōtotokos pasēs ktiseōs*, firstborn of all creation), the term carries: - **Temporal priority**, Christ rises *first* before others - **Rank priority**, Christ is *preeminent* over all who will be raised The resurrection-firstfruits theology (1 Cor 15:20-23) frames Christ as the *aparchē* (firstfruits) and *prōtotokos* (firstborn) of the resurrection. Believers will share in His resurrection in due order. ### 4. *First place in everything* (*en pasin prōteuōn*) The purpose-clause (*hina*): *that He Himself will come to have first place in everything*. The Greek *prōteuōn* (present-active participle of *prōteuō*), "to be first" / "have preeminence." Christ's headship of the church and firstborn-status from the dead serve the divine purpose: **Christ's preeminence in everything**. This is the climactic theological statement of the hymn. The entire structure of Colossians 1:15-20 builds toward this declaration: Christ has the *first place* in everything, creation, sustaining, the church, resurrection, reconciliation. ## The anti-Gnostic / anti-syncretism force The Colossian heresy minimized Christ's role by interposing intermediary spiritual beings (cf. Col 2:8, 16-23). Paul's response: Christ is **head of the body**, **firstborn from the dead**, *first* in *everything*. There is no room for intermediaries; Christ's supremacy is total. This Christological-supremacy argument applies to: - **Ancient Gnosticism / proto-Gnosticism**, Christ as a lower aeon - **Roman Catholic intermediary-saints / Mary**, when Marian devotion approaches *de facto* mediation - **Modern syncretism**, "Jesus + something else" patterns - **Religious pluralism**, "Jesus is one path among many" - **Watchtower / Arian Christology**, Jesus as a created highest-being In every case, Colossians 1:18 forecloses the diminishing of Christ's preeminence. ## The cosmic-and-ecclesial Christology Colossians 1:15-20 presents a **comprehensive Christological scope**: - **Cosmic** (vv. 15-17), Christ as image, firstborn of creation, agent of creation, sustainer - **Ecclesial** (v. 18), Christ as head of the church, firstborn from the dead, preeminent - **Reconciliation** (vv. 19-20), Christ as the locus of all-fullness, reconciler of all things through cross-blood The structure: Christ is **first** in creation *and* in redemption. Both creation and re-creation flow through Him. ## Apologetic significance The verse anchors: 1. **The deity of Christ**, only God is preeminent in everything 2. **The headship of Christ over the church**, anti-papal / anti-statist ecclesiology 3. **The bodily resurrection**, Christ as firstborn-from-the-dead requires real bodily resurrection 4. **The supremacy of Christ over rivals**, anti-syncretist / anti-pluralist 5. **The unity of cosmic and ecclesial Christology**, not two Christs (one creator, one savior) but one Christ in both roles ## Connection to other passages - [Colossians 1.15](/codex/colossians-1-15/), image / firstborn of creation (immediate context) - [Colossians 1.16-17](/codex/colossians-1-16-17/), agent + sustainer of creation - [Colossians 2.9](/codex/colossians-2-9/), fullness of Deity - Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:15; 5:23, head / body parallel - 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, firstfruits / firstborn from dead parallel - Revelation 1:5; 3:14, Christ as firstborn / *archē* - [John 1.1](/codex/john-1-1/), [John 1.3](/codex/john-1-3/), [John 1.14](/codex/john-1-14/), Logos / cosmic Christology ## Key words - G2776 - kephale, *kephalē* (head) - [G4983 - soma](/codex/g4983-soma/), *sōma* (body) - [G1577 - ekklesia](/codex/g1577-ekklesia/), *ekklēsia* (church) - [G0746 - arche](/codex/g0746-arche/), *archē* (beginning) - [G4416 - prototokos](/codex/g4416-prototokos/), *prōtotokos* (firstborn) ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Argument from the Continuance of Being](/codex/argument-from-the-continuance-of-being/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Argument from the Pre-Given Logos](/codex/argument-from-the-pre-given-logos/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Did Jesus Send Muhammad Dilemma Argument](/codex/did-jesus-send-muhammad-dilemma-argument/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Jesus Has a God Therefore Not God Objection Defeater](/codex/jesus-has-a-god-therefore-not-god-objection-defeater/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Jesus Never Claimed to Be God Objection Defeater](/codex/jesus-never-claimed-to-be-god-objection-defeater/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Manuscript Variants Bible Corruption Objection Defeater](/codex/manuscript-variants-bible-corruption-objection-defeater/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Necessity of the Incarnation](/codex/necessity-of-the-incarnation/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Paul Invented Christianity Objection Defeater](/codex/paul-invented-christianity-objection-defeater/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Trinity Invented at Nicaea Objection Defeater](/codex/trinity-invented-at-nicaea-objection-defeater/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) **Concepts:** - [Christ Was Made (Misread Proof-Texts)](/codex/christ-was-made-misread-proof-texts/) - [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Christs Deity](/codex/christs-deity/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Genesis Hermeneutics](/codex/genesis-hermeneutics/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Hypostatic Union](/codex/hypostatic-union/), via [Colossians 1.15-19](/codex/colossians-1-15-19/) - [Incarnation](/codex/incarnation/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Islamic Dilemma](/codex/islamic-dilemma/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Kalimatullah](/codex/kalimatullah/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Lesson 4.5, Comparative Religion Engagement](/codex/lesson-4-5-comparative-religion-engagement/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Logos Christology](/codex/logos-christology/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Oneness Pentecostalism](/codex/oneness-pentecostalism/), via [Colossians 1.15-19](/codex/colossians-1-15-19/) - [Papacy](/codex/papacy/) - [Pre-Pauline Creeds](/codex/pre-pauline-creeds/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Tahrif](/codex/tahrif/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Trinity vs Oneness vs Modalism vs Arianism](/codex/trinity-vs-oneness-vs-modalism-vs-arianism/), via [Colossians 1.15-19](/codex/colossians-1-15-19/) **People:** - [Avery Austin (God Logic)](/codex/avery-austin-god-logic/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Bart Ehrman](/codex/bart-ehrman/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Larry Hurtado](/codex/larry-hurtado/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [Paul the Apostle](/codex/paul-the-apostle/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) **Lexicon:** - [G0746 - arche](/codex/g0746-arche/) - [G1577 - ekklesia](/codex/g1577-ekklesia/) - [G2937 - ktisis](/codex/g2937-ktisis/) - [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) - [G4416 - prototokos](/codex/g4416-prototokos/) - [G4983 - soma](/codex/g4983-soma/) - [H1060 - bechor](/codex/h1060-bechor/) - [H7218 - rosh](/codex/h7218-rosh/) **Guides:** - [02 Faith and Worldview](/codex/02-faith-and-worldview/), via [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/) **Passages:** - [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/) --- _Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_