The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 61

"And in him all things consist.'' But for him, all things would fall nsunder nnd go bac-k into nothingness. There a.re laws, indeed, which reo-uhto and give stability to thin;:-s; but these laws subsist in Christ, are non-existent ~ut of him. His continued c>xistence is really the gnarantee for the sun rising every morning, It will rise so long as he, who me.de it~ has nn end in its rising. And all things have consistence e.nd per- sistence only in his existence and in his ends. Thero is no other be.sis on which things can proceed toward the consummation, 2. In relation to tlie Ohurch. (1) His he1:1dship otier the Ohurch. "And he [who has the pre-eminenco in the universe] is the Head of the body, the Church." As Christ) ns God's Firstborn, has rights over all creation, so bas be the headship over the Church. In Eph. i, 22, 23 the thought turns more on the Church as the body of Christ; hero it turns more on Christ as the Head. Through the brain, in its connection with the nerves, the mind can be present in all the body; so Christ is present in all tho members of the Church, From the brain as a centre the movements of the body can be originated, guided, combined, controlled; so from Christ as a Centre the movements of the Church are originated, guided, combined, controlled. This domination of the brain, being so complete, is well :fitted to set forth the supremacy of Christ over the Church. (2) .As ar~ing out of his relation to the (Jl,urch. (a) Originating cause. "Who is [seeing be is] the Beginning." He gives origin t.o the Church. It belonged to Christ, as the Manifester of God, to bring the universe into existence; so it belongs to Christ, as the l\fanifester of God, to bring the Church into existence. The connection is very close. It is as though we created and then guided and controlled the movements of our body. A king rules over those with whose existence he has had ,ery little connection. Christ in the Church rules and by strongest right over those '\"{"hom he has created and a..,o-ain created. (b) Inaugurating cau.se. "The Firstbom from the dead." It is difficnlt to get a word to express the whole meaning. There is this idea-that he exists in that in which he operates. He is the great Energizer incarnate. And as incarnate (in the carrying out of his work) he was numbered among the dead. But he rose from the dee.d, the possessor of a new life. He is not only the possessor of a new life himself, but be is regenerative cause to those that come after him. As regenerative cause to those that come after, he has the right of the Firstbom over them. Thus is bis authority established in the Church as in the universe. 3. Combination. (1) His being Mediator in both spheres. '"fhat in all things he might have the pre-eminence." There was dualism (a good and a bad principle) at the root of the doctrine of intermediate beings or anF:elic mediators. 'l'be apostle teaches the existence of one Mediator presiding over the two spheres-the universe and the Church. This is a cardinal point in the Christology of the New 'l'estament. There are some who have mistakenly or confnseuly the idea that it is God in nature and Christ in the Church. It is really Christ in both, e.s the Mediator of God. He mediated in creation before be mediated in redemption. It belongs to the very idea of Lis being to be Mediator. This absolute pre-eminence of Chri~t implies a unity of meaning, a harmony of working, between the two spheres. It _1s comforting so far as the universe is C()'Tl,cerned. For it implies that we are as in a Christi.an temple. It is our Saviour who is working around us. We can feel that there is behind all works of creation not iron law, but infinite love-the love that bled on Calvary. It is comforting so far' as the OhMch ia =erned. For it implies, ns iB taught in Ephesians, that all things can be placed at the service of the Church. All tbe forms of things (even the evil forms) are for the education of the Church. All the products of the earth are for the support of the Church. The worldly powers are con- trolltd for the Church. The very stars in their courses fight for the Church. (2) llis qualifiw,tions as Mediator. "For it was the good pleasure of the l'ather that in him sbo1..ld all the fulness dwell." In the fact of Christ being Mediator there is implied a certain sulxrrdir.ation, his being Second in relation to the First. There is the_ s_a1no oubordination implied in his being represented as the copy of the great Or1g1nal, aud also in his being represented as Son which cannot be . tboug~t withou_t first thmknq:i; "Father." With the First, here as elsewhere, there 1s associated the 1deo. of i;oocl 1,leasure. It is as fitting for the Father to have his good pleasure as for Christ u, carry it_ out. The remarkable thing here is that this good pleasure is represented as ext~ndmg to the qualifications which Christ possessed as Mediator. "It was the good i,leasure of the Father tha.t in him should all the fulness dwell." To the word OU, I, 1-20.) TUE EPISTLE TO 'JUE COLOSSIAN'S. 55