Colossians:1:18

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rwp @Colossians:1:18 @{The head of the body } (\h ˆ kephal ˆ tou s “matos \). Jesus is first also in the spiritual realm as he is in nature (verses 18-20 |). Paul is fond of the metaphor of the body (\s “ma \) for believers of which body Christ is the head (\kephal ˆ\) as seen already in strkjv @1Corinthians:11:3 ; strkjv @12:12 ,27 ; strkjv @Romans:12:5 |. See further strkjv @Colossians:1:24 : strkjv @2:19 ; strkjv @Ephesians:1:22f .; strkjv @4:2 ,15 ; strkjv @5:30 |. {The church } (\t ˆs ekkl ˆsias \) Genitive case in explanatory apposition with \tou s “matos \. This is the general sense of \ekkl ˆsia \, not of a local body , assembly , or organization . Here the contrast is between the realm of nature (\ta panta \) in verses 15-17 | and the realm of spirit or grace in verses 18-20 |. A like general sense of \ekkl ˆsia \ occurs in strkjv @Ephesians:1:22f .; strkjv @5:24-32 ; strkjv @Hebrews:12:23 |. In strkjv @Ephesians:2:11-22 | Paul uses various figures for the kingdom of Christ (commonwealth \politeia \, verse 12 |, one new man \eis hena kainon anthr “pon \, verse 15 |, one body \en heni s “mati \, verse 16 |, family of God \oikeioi tou theou \, verse 19 |, building or temple \oikodom ˆ\ and \naos \, verses 20-22 |). {Who } (\hos \). Causal use of the relative , "in that he is ." {The beginning } (\h ˆ arch ˆ\). It is uncertain if the article (\h ˆ\) is genuine . It is absolute without it . Christ has priority in time and in power . See strkjv @Revelation:3:14 | for his relation as \arch ˆ\ to creation and strkjv @1Corinthians:15:20 ,23 | for \aparch ˆ\ used of Christ and the resurrection and strkjv @Acts:3:14 | for \arch ˆgos \ used of him as the author of life and strkjv @Hebrews:2:10 | of Jesus and salvation and strkjv @Hebrews:12-2 | of Jesus as the pioneer of faith . {That in all things he might have the preeminence } (\hina gen ˆtai en p ƒsin autos pr “teu “n \). Purpose clause with \hina \ and the second aorist middle subjunctive of \ginomai \, "that he himself in all things (material and spiritual ) may come to (\gen ˆtai \, not \ˆi \, be ) hold the first place " (\pr “teu “n \, present active participle of \pr “teu “\, old verb , to hold the first place , here only in the N .T .). Christ is first with Paul in time and in rank . See strkjv @Revelation:1:5 | for this same use of \pr “totokos \ with \t “n nekr “n \ (the dead ).

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