L&N 58.35, “that which has the same form as something else. We have also seen that such a community, as a Kingdom of God, can be undertaken by human beings only through religion, and finally, that in order for religion. By saying that Christ is in the image of God, he affirms that he is an accurate picture of what God is, and in fact, he is God. He has a back, and feet and His shape would allow Him to take a seat on His throne. It is an exact duplicate that is integrally a part of the original. God in the spiritual realm has a face, with eyes, ears, nose and mouth. The word εἰκών is usually translated “image” as in the image an emperor’s head on a coin (BAGD). Paul begins by identifying Christ is the “image of the invisible God” (1:15). Paul says by means of this hymn that if they want real wisdom, they ought to look to Jesus not their own philosophy. It is possible the false teachers were poking around in the nature of wisdom. Calvin begins by considering God’s opposition to any representation of Himself in Exodus 20.4 and how God makes no comparison between. We know that in the first century Jews were beginning to speculate seriously about wisdom and were developing the idea of an incarnate Wisdom through whom all things were created. In this chapter Calvin addresses the issue of idolatry and, interestingly, includes in the discussion his thoughts on the appropriate use of images in the worship of the church. A second possibility is this hymn may have been used and adapted by the false teachers in the Colossian community. Why use a hymn to relate theology? One possibility is that it is a call back to the foundational understanding of Jesus they received through Epaphras (and hence through Paul). It is likely Paul is drawing on a well-known “statement of faith” passed along to the church as part of their education in who Jesus was and is, then drawing some implications from this hymn which are specific to the problem at hand – a group within the church which has some misunderstandings about who Jesus is. Paul uses material like this in other contexts (Phil 2:5-9, for example). There is evidence this was poetry, perhaps pre-dating Paul and well known to the congregation. Thank the Lord for this beautiful favor that has been richly shed on us all.Colossians 1:15-20 appear to have been an early Christian hymn. You are the image of the invisible God, not just a representation but the divine nature imparted in your spirit and expressing itself through you! Arise, shine! PRAY
God, but as the invisible God's image or visible representation. By His grace, He has magnified his kindness by bringing us into Himself. Jesus is called God in certain places, and the Scriptures clearly teach that.
What does an image tell you? Can you see the spiritual correlation with the image of God? APPLY THE WORD What is an image? Think about it in the natural every day to day life. He has called us by His grace into the glory of God! MEDITATE The most astonishing part of it is that Christ has brought us into Himself, making us the living image of the invisible God. An image is a visual living picture of God that is visible to the human eyes and can easily be perceived by the mind. He has to be revealed or manifested for us to see or know Him. Christ is a heavenly Man, the actual manifestation of God in the flesh. What the first Adam was only a representation, Christ was the reality.Īdam was the natural man, an earthly image of God. He was exactly what God is in the flesh, nothing less nothing more.
Adam was created in the image of God, a representation of Him. In fact the scripture calls Him the second Adam. The “no” is what is most important because it brings out the glories of our Lord Jesus.
Every human being is created in the image of God, so Christ being in the image of God should not be anything surprising to us, correct? Yes, and no! Yes, because Christ was a Man and so by default carries the image of God that every human being carries. He is a living image, the exact manifestation of God who is unseen to the human eyes and mind. 1:15 KJV)Ĭhrist is the image of the invisible God. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Col.