Colossians 1:18

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.

Verse 17 Read Chapter 1 Verse 19

Ambrosiaster

AD 400

Christ is the head of the church, if things heavenly and earthly live together in him, such that if the whole body is ever deprived of its head, that is, separated from its Creator, there would be an insane and empty chaos. .

< 1 min1/16

Go to Commentary

Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

“If the spirit of him,” he says, “that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies, because of the spirit that dwells in you.” Therefore, the universal church, which is now in the pilgrimage of mortal life, awaits at the end of time what was first shown in the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is “the firstborn from the dead,” because the church is his body, of which he is the head. .

< 1 min2/16

Go to Commentary

Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

This is also what is meant when it said, “he emptied himself,” because he did not appear to men in that dignity which he had with the Father, but took into account the weakness of those who did not yet have a clean heart whereby they might see the Word in the beginning with the Father. What then do the words “he left the Father” mean? He left [the Father] to appear to men as he is with the Father. He likewise left his mother, that is, the old and carnal observance of the synagogue, which was a mother to him from the seed of David according to the flesh. And he clung to his wife, that is, the church, so that they might be two in one flesh. For the apostle says that he is the head of the church and the church is his body. .

1 min3/16

Go to Commentary

Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

For the resurrection we Christians know already has come to pass in our head, and in the members it is yet to be. The head of the church is Christ, the members of Christ are the church. That which has preceded in the head will follow in the body. This is our hope; for this we believe, for this we endure and persevere amid so great perverseness of this world, hope comforting us, before that hope becomes reality.

< 1 min4/16

Go to Commentary

Clement Of Rome

AD 99

Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a future resurrection, of which He has rendered the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits

< 1 min5/16

Go to Commentary

Cyprian of Carthage

AD 258

Also in the same place: "The first-born from the dead, that He might in all things become the holder of the pre-eminence."

< 1 min6/16

Go to Commentary

George Leo Haydock

AD 1849

He is the head of the body, the church. He now speaks of what applies to Christ as man. The first-born from the dead; i.e. the first that rose to an immortal life. (Witham)

< 1 min7/16

Go to Commentary

Gregory of Nyssa

AD 394

And he is also a “beginning.” … But what benefits do we derive from believing that he is the beginning? We become ourselves what we believe our beginning to be. .

< 1 min8/16

Go to Commentary

Hippolytus of Rome

AD 235

As the "first-begotten of the dead."

< 1 min9/16

Go to Commentary

Irenaeus of Lyons

AD 202

Then, at last, He came on to death itself, that He might be "the first-born from the dead, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence". and that He might have the pre-eminence over those things which are under the earth, He Himself being made "the first-begotten of the dead; "

< 1 min10/16

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

And He is the head of the body, the Church. Then having spoken of His dignity, he afterwards speaks of His love to man also. He is, says he, the Head of the body, the Church. And he said not of the fullness, (although this too is signified,) out of a wish to show His great friendliness to us, in that He who is thus above, and above all, connected Himself with those below. For everywhere He is first; above first; in the Church first, for He is the Head; in the Resurrection first. That is, That He might have the preëminence. So that in generation also He is first. And this is what Paul is chiefly endeavoring to show. For if this be made good, that He was before all the Angels; then there is brought in along with it this also as a consequence, that He did their works by commanding them. And what is indeed wonderful, he makes a point to show that He is first in the later generation. Although elsewhere he calls Adam first 1 Corinthians 15:45, as in truth he is; but here he takes the Chu... Read More

2 mins11/16

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

So that also in generation he is first. And this is what Paul is chiefly endeavoring to show. For if in fact he is the firstborn, that he was before all the angels, then there is brought in along with it this also as a consequence, that the work done by angels was really commanded by him. And what is indeed wonderful, Paul makes a point of showing that Christ is first, though he was actually born in human form at a relatively later time. Although elsewhere Paul calls Adam first, as in truth he is, he here takes the church for the whole race of mankind. For he is first of the church, and first of men after the flesh, like as of the creation. And therefore Paul here uses the word firstborn.

1 min12/16

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

Then having spoken of his dignity, [Paul] also proceeds to speak of his love for humanity. “He is,” he says, “the head of the body, the church.” He did not say “of the fullness” of the universe, (although this too is signified) out of a wish to show his great friendliness to us, in that he who is thus above, and above all, connected himself with those below.

< 1 min13/16

Go to Commentary

Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius

AD 320

And so He ceased to send to them prophets. But He commanded His own Son, the first-begotten,

< 1 min14/16

Go to Commentary

Rufinus of Aquileia

AD 411

This also confirms the truth of this confession of ours that, while it is the actual natural flesh and no other which will rise, yet it will rise purged from its faults and having laid aside its corruption, so that the saying of the apostle is true: “It is sown in corruption; it will be raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it will be raised in glory; it is sown a natural body, it will be raised a spiritual body.” Inasmuch then as it is a spiritual body, and glorious, and incorruptible, it will be furnished and adorned with its own proper members, not with members taken from elsewhere, according to that glorious image of which Christ is set forth as the perpetual type…. [indeed] in reference to our hope of the resurrection, Christ is set forth all through as the archetype, since he is the firstborn of those who rise, and since he is the head of every creature.

1 min15/16

Go to Commentary

Severian of Gabala

AD 425

“Firstborn of all creation” applied to his status before the emergence of the created order, whereas “firstborn from the dead” refers to the fact that he was raised first of all the brothers who will share in salvation. .

< 1 min16/16

Go to Commentary