B) THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 1:15-18 1. In Relation to the Father. 1:15 2. In Relation to the Creation. 1:16-17 3. In Relation to the Church. 1:18 V.15-18 Has been called by numerous people “ The Great Christology" V.19-20 Has been called by numerous people “ The Christ Hymn" V.15 a) God over creation - I. Image of God - 1. Man was made in the image of God. Gen.1:26-27 2. Christ is the image of God. Because the Son is God He can be the image of God the Father. Heb.1:2-3; John 14:8-11; 2.Cor.4:6 II. Firstborn over all - We need to ask ourselves this questions: 1. Because Jesus is the firstborn, does that mean He is created? Rev.3:14; John 1:18 2. What does it mean to be firstborn? For a Jew it had to do with a position and is clearly seen in Heb.11:17 where Isaac is called Abraham’ s firstborn son, we know that Ishmael was his firstborn son but according to promise Isaac was his firstborn, so the word firstborn is used as a positional word and focuses not on the aspect of being born but on position. Ps.89:27 3. It doesn’ t say firstborn in all creation but over all creation. Christ has been given all things as His inheritance. Eph.1:18; Ps.2:7-9 V.16 b) God the Creator - I. The Son is One of the Creator’ s of all things. Gen.1:26; Heb.1:2 II. All things where created: 1. By Him - Origin of the power, the Architect of it. 2. Through Him - Operation of the power, the Agent of it. 3. For Him - Objective of the power, the Addressee of it. III. Notice it says not only through Him but also by Him. IV. He created also the angels, seraphim and cherubim and that means He can’ t Himself be what He created: He is not an angel. Heb.1:5-14; 2:5 Gnosticism honoured angels, but Jesus is greater than the angels. V.17 c) God in creation - I. Pre-existence - 1. Only God is before all things, the Son is even before time for time is a thing, a matter and a created thing. That means that the Son is eternal, without beginning. Micah 5:2 2. It is not saying “ He was before all things” but He is before (Refer to His eternal existence). John 8:58 II. Providence - All things consist or are held together by the Son. Heb.1:3 All adams, molecules, gasses and mass, all of it would collapse and explode if He stopped upholding it. V.18 d) God above creation - I. His Pre-eminence over the Church - He is the Head. II. His Pre-eminence over the dead - He is the First. 1. He is both the lower Rock and the higher Rock. Ps.114:8 2. He was the first to enter heaven with a resurrected body. All others went to Hades (Gr.), Sheol. (Heb.) when they died, people like Enoch, Elijah and the raised saints of Mat.27:50-53 went to Hades too. Jesus brought all the saints to heaven after His resurrection. Eph.4:8 3. Jesus is not the first that rose from the dead but the firstborn in position and as heir. III. Pre-eminence over all things - All things that God does is always done through Christ and everything that is not done in or through Him is flesh or devilish. IV. Gnosticism gave Jesus Prominence but not Pre-eminence and therefore Paul explained who Christ is in His Excellency and Majesty.