The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 76

Vere. 15-17.-771e glory of tlte Son. The blessings which flow to us from the love of tho Father (vers. 12-14) are only enjoyed by union with "the Son of his love," "in whom" we are {l Cor. i. 30), and "in whom we ha.ve our redemption " and all its allied blessings. Who is this Son of God? In answering this question the npostle unfolds the true doctrine of the Christ, and meets one of the errors that was seeking o. home in the Colossian Church. The error of the heretical teachers was two- fold-" They had a false conception in theology and a false basis of morals. These two were closely connected together and had their root in the same fundamental error- the idea of matter as the abode of evil and thus antagonistic to God. As the two elements of the heretical doctrine were derived from the same source, so the reply to both was sought by the apostle in the same idea-the conception of the person of Christ as the one absolute Mediator between God and man, the true and only Reconciler of heaven and earth." The practical error is dealt with in the second chapter; the doctrinal heresy is refuted here. The false teachers seem to have believed in a variety of angelic or superhuman mediators who bad some place in the works of creation and redemption. Paul teaches that both in the universe and in the Church, in ereation aDtl redemption, Christ is the one and all-sufficient Mediatur. He alone could fill the voi,l between God and man; he alone could be the great Reconciler; and to him alone was due the homage which these false teachers were diverting to angels or other beings standing in the place which Goel claims for "the Son of his love." The apostle's teaching is "that in all things he might have the pre-eminence "-in relation to Gud; to the universe, the natural creation; and to the Church, the moral creation ( vers. 15-18). I. THE GLORY OF THE SoN IN RELATION TO Goo. "Who is the Image of the invisible God." The two chief ideas seem to be representation and revelation. Else- where the Son is called "the Elful~ence of his i:;lory [revelation], and the very Image of his substance [representation]" (Heb. i. 3). We may find an important application of this truth in the life and character of the Incarnate Word. Christ's words," He that bath seen me hath seen the Father," seem to require this. The Father's perfections were represented and reflected in the sinless character of the Man Christ Jesus, as the brightness of the midday sun, on which we cannot gaze, may be reflected in a lake or mirror, and under certain limitations its rays may be examined and analyze<l. Through the words and conduct of Jesus we may learn much concerning the truthfulness, the unselfishness, the indignation, and the Jove of God. But while this truth may have been a thought in Paul's mind, the truth he teaches here is part of the revel.i.tion which Scripture gives respecting the nature of the Triune Jehovah. That the term" Image" refers to the pre-incarnate Christ, we infer from (1) the creation being ascribed to him; and (2) the term "Firstborn," etc., being coupled with it-a term which includes both priority and supremacy. Notice: 1. There is that in the Divine nature v.,hich is both invisible and incomprehensible. (Exod. xxxiii. 20; John i. 18; 1 Tim. vi. 15, 16.) As we cannot see" the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" with mortal eyes, neither can we fully comprehend a Divine Being who is absolute, infinite, without beginning and with- out end. 2. Yet God hath been seen by mortal eyes. (Gen. xviii. 22-33; xxxii. 28-30; Exod. xxiv. 10, 11; xxxiii. 23; Josh. v. 13-15; vi. 2, etc.) And 'l:llen have learned to see God by the eye of faith, to know him as their own God. The doctrine of the Word of God, who is "the Image of God" (2 Cor. iv, 4), "the Life" and" the Light of men" (John i. 4; 1 John i. 2), is the reconciling truth. There is a glory in God which no creature can behold; but the Divine Word is a ray of that glory. There is a Divine personality which is invisible; but the Word is the express image of that Person. There is n Divine silence respecting mysLeries we cannot comprehend; but there is also a Divine" Word" which breaks the silence and reveals to us something of the infinite ano. incomprehensible (John i. 1, 14, 18). Every manifestation in time has been through liim who is "tho Imago of the invisible God." But" who by searching can find out God" eto, (Job xi. 7-<J)'t  70 nrn El'ISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. [011, I, 1-29,