“The Cosmic Christ” (Part I)

Dale Gooding - Col 1:15-20

https://youtu.be/FJqtrP8XhOY

I) Jesus is the Image of God - Col 1:15,16a
     We need to understand a few things:
     1)  This text is often titled “The Hymn of Christ”
           A) Early Catechism to teach Who Jesus was
           B) Correlate with: Gen 1:1; Jn 1:1-3; Heb 1
     2) The Impetus - “The Colossian Heresy”
           A) Heretical
           B) Tenets
                i) An insistence on legalism
                ii) A belief in heightened knowledge
                iii) Not denying, but dethroning Christ
           C) Human Deficiency
                i) Divine Transcendence
                ii) Communication Comprehension
                iii) Change (Perversion)
     3) Importance of background (Col 2:4;16-19)
     4) Paul's intent
          1) Identify Jesus as pre-existent Creator
          2) Demonstrate Jesus as Divine / Sustainer
          3) Show that Jesus is The Reconciler

    A) Jesus is the eikon

    B) Jesus is a man - “firstborn”

    C) Jesus is the Creator - John 1:1-3