Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Colossians: Chapter 1].
etc._, p. 91) and in the papyri (Moulton and Milligan,
_Vocabulary, etc._). See it already in Lu 2:7 and Aleph for Mt
1:25; Ro 8:29. The use of this word does not show what Arius
argued that Paul regarded Christ as a creature like "all
creation" (\p•s•s ktise•s\, by metonomy the _act_ regarded as
_result_). It is rather the comparative (superlative) force of
\pr•tos\ that is used (first-born of all creation) as in Col
1:18; Ro 8:29; Heb 1:6; 12:23; Re 1:5. Paul is here refuting the
Gnostics who pictured Christ as one of the aeons by placing him
before "all creation" (angels and men). Like \eik•n\ we find
\pr•totokos\ in the Alexandrian vocabulary of the \Logos\
teaching (Philo) as well as in the LXX. Paul takes both words to
help express the deity of Jesus Christ in his relation to the
Father as \eik•n\ (Image) and to the universe as \pr•totokos\
(First-born).
1:16 {All things} (\ta panta\). The universe as in Ro 11:35, a
well-known philosophical phrase. It is repeated at the end of the
verse. {In him were created} (\en aut•i ektisth•\). Paul now
gives the reason (\hoti\, for) for the primacy of Christ in the
work of creation (16f.). It is the constative aorist passive
indicative \ektisth•\ (from \ktiz•\, old verb, to found, to
create (Ro 1:25). This central activity of Christ in the work
of creation is presented also in Joh 1:3; Heb 1:2 and is a
complete denial of the Gnostic philosophy. The whole of creative
activity is summed up in Christ including the angels in heaven
and everything on earth. God wrought through "the Son of his
love." All earthly dignities are included. {Have been created}
(\ektistai\). Perfect passive indicative of \ktiz•\, "stand
created," "remain created." The permanence of the universe rests,
then, on Christ far more than on gravity. It is a Christo-centric
universe. {Through him} (\di' autou\). As the intermediate and
sustaining agent. He had already used \en aut•i\ (in him) as the
sphere of activity. {And unto him} (\kai eis auton\). This is the
only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1Co 15:28) See
Eph 1:10 for similar use of \en aut•i\ of Christ and in Col
1:19; 20 again we have \en aut•i, di' autou, eis auton\ used of
Christ. See Heb 2:10 for \di' hon\ (because of whom) and \di'
hou\ (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe
(\ta panta\). In Ro 11:35 we find \ex autou kai di' autou kai
eis auton ta panta\ referring to God. But Paul does not use \ex\
in this connection of Christ, but only \en\, \dia\, and \eis\.
See the same distinction preserved in 1Co 8:6 (\ex\ of God,
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