Albert Barnes Commentary Colossians 1:15

"who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;" — Colossians 1:15 (ASV)

Who is the image of the invisible God. eikwn tou yeou tou aoratou. The object here, as it is in the parallel passage in Ephesians 1:20-23, is to give a correct view of the exaltation of the Redeemer. It is probable that, in both cases, the design is to address some erroneous opinion on this subject that prevailed in those churches, or among those who claimed to be teachers there. (See the Introduction to this epistle, and the comments on Ephesians 1:20-23). For the meaning of the phrase occurring here, the image of the invisible God, consult the explanations for Hebrews 1:3 and 2 Corinthians 4:4.

The meaning is that He represents to humanity the perfections of God, much as an image, figure, or drawing does the object it is made to resemble. The word image—eikwn—is explained in the comments on Hebrews 10:1.

It properly denotes that which is a copy or delineation of a thing, which accurately and fully represents it, as distinct from a rough sketch or outline. (1 Corinthians 11:7; 1 Corinthians 15:49). The meaning here is that the being and perfections of God are accurately and fully represented by Christ.

The apostle proceeds to state in the following verses the particular respects in which He was thus a representative of God: namely, in His creative power, in His eternal existence, in His heirship over the universe, and in the fullness that dwelt in Him. This cannot refer to Him merely as incarnate, for some of the things affirmed of Him pertained to Him before His incarnation. The idea is that in all things Christ fairly represents to us the Divine nature and perfections; God is manifest to us through Him (1 Timothy 3:16).

We see God in Him, as we see an object in that which is in all respects an exact copy of it. God is invisible. No eye has seen Him, or can see Him. However, in what Christ is and has done—in the works of creation and redemption—we have a fair and full representation of what God is (this is elaborated in the comments on John 1:18 and John 14:9).

The firstborn of every creature. This means among all the creatures of God, or over all His creation, occupying the rank and preeminence of the firstborn. The firstborn, or the eldest son, among the Hebrews, as elsewhere, had particular privileges. He was entitled to a double portion of the inheritance. It has also been a common practice, especially in Oriental countries, for the eldest son to succeed to his father's estate and title.

In early times, the firstborn son was the officiating priest in the family, in the absence or on the death of the father. There can be no doubt that the apostle here refers to the usual distinctions and honors conferred on the firstborn, and means to say that, among all the creatures of God, Christ occupied a preeminence similar to that.

He does not say that, in all respects, He resembled the firstborn in a family; nor does He say that He Himself was a creature, for the point of His comparison does not turn on these things. What He proceeds to affirm respecting Him is inconsistent with the idea of His being a created Being Himself.

He that created all things that are in heaven and that are in earth was not Himself created. That the apostle did not mean to represent Him as a creature is also clear from the reason which he assigns why He is called the firstborn: He is the image of God, and the firstborn of every creature, for oti by Him were all things created. That is, He sustains the elevated rank of the firstborn, or a high eminence over the creation, because by Him all things were created in heaven and in earth.

The language used here also does not fairly imply that He was a creature, or that He was, in nature and rank, one of those in relation to whom it is said He was the firstborn. It is true that the word firstborn—prwtotokov—properly means the firstborn child of a father or mother (Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:7), or the firstborn of animals. However, two things are also to be remarked regarding the use of the word:

1. It does not necessarily imply that anyone is born afterwards in the family, for it would be used of the firstborn, though an only child; and
2. It is used to denote one who is chief, or who is highly distinguished and preeminent. Thus it is employed in Romans 8:29, That He might be the firstborn among many brethren. So, in Colossians 1:18, it is said that He was the firstborn from the dead; not that He was literally the first who was raised from the dead (which was not the fact), but that He might be preeminent among those who are raised.

. The meaning, then, is that Christ sustains the most exalted rank in the universe; He is preeminent above all others; He is at the head of all things. The expression does not mean that He was "begotten before all creatures," as it is often explained, but refers to the simple fact that He sustains the highest rank over the creation. He is the Son of God. He is the heir of all things. All other creatures are also the offspring of God; but He is exalted as the Son of God above all.