The Incomparable Christ (Col. 1:15-20)

Here's my first shot at a technical commentary on a Greek passage. Enjoy!

The Incomparable Christ (Col. 1:15-20)

15 ὅς ἐστιν[1] εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ[2] τοῦ ἀοράτου[3],

πρωτότοκος[4] πάσης κτίσεως,

16 ὅτι[5] ἐν[6] αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη[7] τὰ πάντα[8] [9]

ἐν[10] τοῖς οὐρανοῖς[11] καὶ [12] ἐπὶ[13] τῆς γῆς,

τὰ ὁρατὰ[14] καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα,[15]

εἴτε[16] θρόνοι[17] εἴτε κυριότητες

εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι·

τὰ πάντα διʼ[18] αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται[19]·

17 καὶ αὐτός[20] ἐστιν πρὸ[21] πάντων[22]

καὶ τὰ πάντα[23] ἐν[24] αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν[25],

18 καὶ αὐτός[26] ἐστιν[27] ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος[28] τῆς ἐκκλησίας[29]·

ὅς ἐστιν ἀρχή,

πρωτότοκος[30] ἐκ[31] τῶν νεκρῶν[32],

ἵνα[33] γένηται[34] ἐν[35] πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων,

19 ὅτι[36] ἐν[37] αὐτῷ εὐδόκησεν[38] πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα[39] κατοικῆσαι

20 καὶ διʼ[40] αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν,

εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ[41] τοῦ αἵματος[42] τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ[43],

[διʼ αὐτοῦ][44] εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.[45]

---

[1] Imperfective aspect invites us to look closely at this man. (Wallace, 219).

[2] Genitive of Aposition (Wallace, 53).

[3] Attributive Genitive (Wallace, 48).

[4] Can be first temporally or first hierarchically. (TDNT, vol. 6, 866.). If it is the former meaning, then Christ is the firstborn of new creation, having been the first to receive a resurrected body. The sense would not be firstborn of all creation and therefore a part of it (contra Arius). If the meaning is the latter, then Christ is the authority over all creation.

[5]Causal conjunction (Wallace, 299). Verse 16 and continuing provides the basis for Paul’s claim in verse 15.

[6] Could be instrumental, “By Him”, or locative, “In Him” (Wallace, 167). The locative would be more consistent with ἐν’s usage in this passage. Although the passive verb ἐκτίσθη looks for an agent, it could be a divine passive with the Father being the implied ultimate agent, and Christ being the secondary agent. Wallace however dislikes the use of ἐν for personal agency (Wallace, 167). Ultimately the sense is very close together, Christ is involved in creation and creation is centered in Him.

[7] Divine Passive.

[8] Neuter implies “all things” rather than “all people”.

[9] Majority Text, second hand of Sinaiticus, and codex Alexandrinus have τὰ repeated here.

[10] Could be means, “By”, but context would suggest locative, “In” (Wallace, 167).

[11] Lit.: “heavens”.

[12] τὰ is repeated here by several major works: א², A, C, D, and the MT. The meaning is not altered, these is just more emphasis on “the things” which are upon the earth.

[13] Can convey purpose but coupled with ἐν, the best meaning is locative (Wallace, 167).

[14] Substantive adjective: “the visible things” or “things characterized as visible” (Wallace, 130).

[15] Substantive adjective: “the invisible things” or “things characterized as invisible” (Wallace, 130).

[16] Logic correlative giving possible categories of things (Wallace, 300). The repeated use of εἴτε suggests these four groups should be viewed as being subsets of one logical group. With Ephesians 6:12 in mind, the group is most likely spiritual beings.

[17] All four terms- θρόνοι, κυριότητες, ἀρχαὶ and  ἐξουσίαι- are anarthrous suggesting that these terms might reflect the qualities of the beings they describe and not necessarily their titles.

[18] Secondary agency, (Wallace, 166).

[19] The repetition of the passive tense suggests that both verbs are divine passives as this second verb has no primary agent, but only the secondary agent, Christ. The switch from the aorist to the perfect tense also now adds an ongoing element to creation. Creation was created not for a one time purpose, but also for continuation in Christ and for Him.

[20] Emphatic personal pronoun: “He, himself, is”.

[21] Can be taken as time, “before”, or as value, “above” (Wallace, 170).

[22] Anarthrous, emphasizing the quality of all, the totality of what Christ is before.

[23] Neuter, things.

[24] Locative: “in Him”, means “by Him” is less likely (Wallace, 167).

[25] Perfect tense. The meaning could be the enduring state of holding together worked out in an ongoing process. The aspect could be either heightened imperfective (Campbell), or stative (Porter). Stative seems to fit the context better.

[26] Emphatic personal pronoun. The meaning is the same as the previous verse: “He, himself, is”.

[27] Dramatic switch from the perfect to the present tense causing a zooming effect in aspect: Stative to imperfective (Wallace, 219). Paul wants to focus on the particulars of this state of holding together”.

[28] Genitive of Subordination (Wallace, 54)

[29] Genitive in Simple Apposition (Wallace, 52)

[30] Inclusio with v. 15. Meaning should be taken the same in both places.

[31] Source: “from the dead” or “of the dead”, or even “out of the dead” (Wallace, 166). There is an implication of dissociation, that He is firstborn of the dead, and no longer considered one of the dead.

[32] Substantive adjective: “the dead ones” (Wallace, 130).

[33] Purpose clause.

[34] Middle voice. He acts for his own benefit.

[35] Locative (Wallace, 167).

[36] Causal conjunction (Wallace, 299).

[37] Locative (Wallace, 167).

[38] Aorist tense brings the perfective aspect inviting us to view the totality of the pleasure God took in Christ (Wallace, 239).

[39] Repeated idea with πᾶν, emphasizing the totality of the fullness of God.

[40] Secondary agency, (Wallace, 166).

[41] Secondary agency, (Wallace, 166).

[42] Genitive of Agency (Wallace, 61).

[43] Genitive of Source (Wallace, 56).

[44] There is mixed attestation as to this phrase. B, original hand of D, as well as numerous latter manuscripts have διʼ αὐτοῦ repeated here, but this is almost certainly not the original wording. All the families have support for dropping these two words: P⁴⁶, A, C, D, א, and the MT. This is most likely a gloss.

[45] Inclusio with the creation of all things in verse 16.