the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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King James Version
Colossians 1:18
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He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
And He is the head of the body, the church;Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
And he is the boss over our outfit, which others know as the church. He is the beginning, and the first to rise from the dead. He has conquered everything—even death.
And he is the head of the body, the church: the starting point of all things, the first to come again from the dead; so that in all things he might have the chief place.
And *he* is the head of the body, the assembly; who is [the] beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that *he* might have the first place in all things:
He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything.
He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
who is the beginning, the first-begotten from the dead, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.
Moreover He is the Head of His Body, the Church. He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, in order that He Himself may in all things occupy the foremost place.
And hee is the head of the body, the Church: who is the beginning, the first borne from the dead, that in all things he might haue the preeminence:
And He is the Head of the body, the assembly, who is the Beginning, the First-born out of the dead, that He be preeminent in all things;
And he is the heade of the body, namely, of the cogregacion: he is the begynnynge and first begotten from the deed, that in all thinges he mighte haue the preemynence.
he himself is the head of the church, which is his body. he is the prince, the first-born from the dead, that in all things he might be chief.
He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent.
And he is the heed of the body that is to wit of the congregacion: he is the begynnynge and fyrst begotten of the deed that in all thynges he might have the preeminence.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all [things] he may have the pre-eminence.
And himself is the head of the body -- the assembly -- who is a beginning, a first-born out of the dead, that he might become in all [things] -- himself -- first,
He is the head of the body, which is the church. Everything comes from him. He is the first one who was raised from the dead. So in all things Jesus has first place.
He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.
And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
He is the head of his body, which is the church. He is the very beginning, the first to be raised from death, so that he would be above all others.
Also he is head of the Body, the Messianic Community — he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might hold first place in everything.
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
And hee is the head of the body of the Church: he is the beginning, and the first begotten of the dead, that in all thinges hee might haue the preeminence.
And he is the head of the body, the church: for he is the beginning, the firstfruits of the resurrection from the dead; that in all things he might be the first;
He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
He is also the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself might have first place in everything.Acts 26:23; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 1:10,22; 4:15; 5:23; Revelation 1:5;">[xr]
And he is the head of the body of the church, (he) who is the chief and first-born from among the dead, that he should be preeminent in all.
And he is the head of the body the church; as he is the head and first-born from among the dead, that he might be the first in all things.
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.
Christ is the head of the church which is His body. He is the beginning of all things. He is the first to be raised from the dead. He is to have first place in everything.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
And, he, is the head of the body, the assembly, Who is the beginning, Firstborn from among the dead, in order that, he, might become, in all things, himself, pre-eminent; -
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may hold the primacy:
and he himself is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in everything,
And he is the head of the body of the Churche: he is the begynnyng, the first borne of the dead, that in all thynges he myght haue the preeminence.
He is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning of everything else. And he is the first among all who will be raised from death. So in everything he is most important.
He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
He is the head of his body, the church; he is the source of the body's life. He is the first-born Son, who was raised from death, in order that he alone might have the first place in all things.
And he is heed of the bodi of the chirche; which is the bigynnyng and the firste bigetun of deede men, that he holde the firste dignyte in alle thingis.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
he is: Colossians 1:24, Colossians 2:10-14, 1 Corinthians 11:3, Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:16, Ephesians 5:23
the beginning: John 1:1, 1 John 1:1, Revelation 1:8, Revelation 3:14, Revelation 21:6, Revelation 22:13
the firstborn: John 11:25, John 11:26, Acts 26:23, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 1:18
in all: or, among all, Psalms 45:2-5, Psalms 89:27, Song of Solomon 5:10, Isaiah 52:13, Matthew 23:8, Matthew 28:18, John 1:16, John 1:27, John 3:29-31, John 3:34, John 3:35, Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 15:25, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 5:9-13, Revelation 11:15, Revelation 21:23, Revelation 21:24
Reciprocal: Genesis 37:7 - obeisance 1 Kings 10:23 - exceeded Psalms 45:7 - above Psalms 68:18 - for men Song of Solomon 3:11 - his mother Song of Solomon 7:5 - head Ezekiel 46:8 - he shall go Zechariah 6:13 - and the Matthew 2:6 - a Governor Matthew 3:16 - and he Matthew 16:18 - my John 3:30 - but 1 Corinthians 12:12 - as Ephesians 2:6 - hath Philippians 2:9 - given Colossians 2:19 - not 1 Thessalonians 1:10 - whom Hebrews 1:2 - appointed Hebrews 1:4 - so Hebrews 3:3 - this
Cross-References
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
Thus saith the Lord , which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name:
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he is the head of the body, the church,.... By "the church" is meant, not any particular congregated church, as the church at Colosse, or Corinth, or any other; but the whole election of grace, the general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven in the Lamb's book of life; the church which Christ has given himself for, and has purchased with his blood, and builds on himself the rock, and will, at last, present to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; this is compared to an human body, and therefore called "the body"; which is but one, consisting of many members in union with each other, set in their proper places in just symmetry and proportion to each other, and subservient to one another, and are neither more nor fewer; see 1 Corinthians 12:12, c. and of this body, the church, Christ is "the head" he was the representative head of this body of elect men from all eternity, and in time; he is a political head of them, or in such sense an head unto them, as a king is to his subjects; he reigns in them by his Spirit and grace, and rules them by wholesome laws of his own enacting, and which he inscribes on their hearts, and he protects and defends them by his power; he is an economical head, or in such sense an head of them, as the husband is the head of the wife, and parents and masters are the heads of their families, he standing in all these relations to them; and he is to them what a natural head is to an human body; of all which 1 Corinthians 12:12- :. The Messiah is called one head, in Hosea 1:11; which Jarchi explains by David their king, and Kimchi on the place says, this is the King Messiah:
who is the beginning; which either denotes the eternity of Christ, who was not only in the beginning, and was set up from the beginning, from everlasting, but is also the beginning and the end; and who is, indeed, without beginning of days, or end of life: or his dominion; he is the principality, as the word may be rendered; he is the principality of principalities, the head of all principality and power, the angels; he is the Prince of the kings of the earth; he is King of saints; the kingdom of nature and providence is his, and the government of his people in a special manner is on his shoulders: or this may design his being the first cause of all things; he is the beginning of the creation of God; the efficient cause of all created beings; he is the beginning of the church, of which he is the head; as Eve was from Adam, so is the church from Christ; it is a body of his preparing, and a temple of his building, and where he sits as a priest on his throne, and has the government of it: the second number, wisdom, in the cabalistic tree of the Jews, is called "the beginning" n, as is the Logos, or Word, by Philo the Jew o:
the firstborn from the dead; the first that rose from the dead by his own power, and to an immortal life; for, though others were raised before him, and by him, yet not to a state of immortality; the path of life, to an immortal life, was first shown to him as man; and who also is the firstfruits of them that sleep, and so the pledge and earnest of the future resurrection of the saints; and is both the efficient and exemplary cause of it; the resurrection of the dead will be by him as God, and according to his own, as man:
that in all [things] he might have the pre-eminence; or might be the first and chief over all persons, angels, and men; having a superior nature, name, and place, than the former, and being the firstborn among many brethren designed by the latter: and in all things he is the first, and has the precedence and primacy; in sonship, no one is a Son in the sense he is; in election, he was chosen first, and his people in him; in the covenant, he is the surety, Mediator, and messenger of it, he is that itself; in his human nature, he is fairer than the children of men; in redemption, he was alone, and wrought it out himself; in life, he exceeded all others in purity, in doctrine, and miracles; and in dying he conquered death, and rose first from it; in short, he died, revived, and rose again, that he might be Lord both of dead and living; and he ought to have the pre-eminence and first place in the affections of our hearts, in the contemplations of our minds, in the desires of our souls, and in the highest praises of our lips.
n Cabala denudata, par. 2. p. 7. & Lex. Cabal. p. 679, 681. o Philo de Conf. ling. p. 341.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And he is the head of the body, the church - Notes Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23, note.
Who is the beginning - In all things - alike in the work of creation and in the church. He is the fountain of authority and power, and commences everything that is designed to uphold the order of the universe, and to save the world.
The first-born from the dead - At the head of those who rise from their graves. This does not mean literally that he was the first who rose from the dead for he himself raised up Lazarus and others, and the bodies of saints arose at his crucifixion; but it means that he had the pre-eminence among them all; he was the most illustrious of those who will be raised from the dead, and is the head over them all. Especially, he had this pre-eminence in the resurrection in this respect, that he was the first who rose from death to immortality. Others who were raised undoubtedly died again. Christ rose to die no more; see the notes at 1 Corinthians 15:20.
That in all things - Margin, “among all.” The Greek will bear either construction, and either will accord with the scope of the apostle’s remarks. If the former, it means that he is at the head of all things - the universe; if the latter, that he is chief among those who rose from the dead. Each of these is true, but the scope of the passage seems rather to require us to understand this of everything, and to mean that all the arrangements respecting him were such as to give him supremacy over the universe.
He might have the pre-eminence - Greek, “might be first” - πρωτεύων prōteuōn. That is, might be first in rank, dignity, honor, power. He has the pre-eminence:
(1)As over the universe which he has formed - as its Creator and Proprietor;
(2)As chief among those who shall rise from the dead - since he first rose to die no more, and their resurrection depends on him;
(3)As head of the church - all synods, councils, and governments being subject to him, and he alone having a right to give law to his people; and,
(4)In the affections of his friends - being in their affections and confidence superior to all others.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. He is the head of the body — What the apostle has said in the two preceding verses refers to the Divine nature of Jesus Christ; he now proceeds to speak of his human nature, and to show how highly that is exalted beyond all created things, and how, in that, he is head of the Church-the author and dispenser of light, life, and salvation, to the Christian world; or, in other words, that from him, as the man in whom the fulness of the Godhead bodily dwelt, all the mercy and salvation of the Gospel system is to be received.
The beginning, the first-born from the dead — In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Christ is called the first-fruits of them that slept; and here, the chief and first-born from the dead; he being the first that ever resumed the natural life, with the employment of all its functions, never more to enter the empire of death, after having died a natural death, and in such circumstances as precluded the possibility of deception. The αρχη, chief, head, or first, answers in this verse to the απαρχη, or first-fruits, 1 Corinthians 15:20. Jesus Christ is not only the first who rose from the dead to die no more, but he is the first-fruits of human beings; for as surely as the first-fruits were an indication and pledge of the harvest, so surely was the resurrection of Christ the proof that all mankind should have a resurrection from the dead.
That in all - he might have the pre-eminence — That he might be considered, in consequence of his mediatorial office, as possessing the first place in and being chief over all the creation of God; for is it to be wondered at that the human nature, with which the great Creator condescended to unite himself, should be set over all the works of his hands?
