Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Colossians 1:16

"for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;" — Colossians 1:16 (ASV)

The apostle now states the ground for Christ’s dominion over creation: he is firstborn (Lord) over creation because he made it. To him it owes its unity, its meaning, indeed its very existence.

Three prepositional phrases define the creative activity of Christ: All things came to be “in [NIV, by] him” (v.16a), “through [NIV, by] him” (v.16b), and “for him” (v.16c). Creation was in him in the sense that it occurred within the sphere of his person and power. He was its conditioning cause, its originating center, its spiritual locality. Creation is through Christ in the sense that he was the mediating Agent through whom it actually came into being. The entire life of the universe is mediated from God through Christ (cf. Jn 1:3, 10). Creation is for Christ in the sense that he is the end for which all things exist, the goal toward whom all things were intended to move. They are meant to serve his will and to contribute to his glory.

“All things” denotes the totality of things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. The reference to “thrones,” “powers,” “rulers,” and “authorities” is perhaps an allusion to the angelic hierarchy that figured so prominently in the Colossian heresy. Paul’s mention of these things does not, of course, mean that he recognized the existence of a hierarchy of spirit beings, such as the errorists taught. His words do suggest, however, that whatever supernatural powers there may be, Christ is the One who made them and he is their Lord.