 |  |
"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by Him
were all things created, that are in heaven, and are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by
Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist."
We note that there are several parallels here with Heb. 1: The image of the invisible
God, and the express image of His substance; the creation of all things, and the making of
the ages; the statement that by Him all things consist, and that by His word all things are
upheld; in both passages He is spoken of as the prototokos, the firstborn. In Colossians
the titles are introductory to revealing Christ as the Head of the boy, the church, and the
firstborn from the dead. In Hebrews the titles are introductory to His office as Mediator
of the new covenant, and the firstborn in the habitable world whereof the apostle speaks
in this epistle. The creation in its universal sense is intended in Col. 1:, the ages and
their burden occupy the thought in Heb. 1: The former is held together by the hand that
created them, the latter is upheld and carried by the word of His power. Something must
be accomplished during the course of the ages, and the word of His power is pledged to
bring it to pass. Concerning the Son it is written in Hebrews that He is the upholder of all
things, appointed heir of all things, that all things are to placed in subjection under His
feet. It is a comforting as well as a majestic thought to realize that the burden of "all
things" pertaining to the purpose of God is resting upon the Son of God. With matchless
wisdom, with infinite grace, with mighty power, and with Divine foreknowledge, the
whole of God's marvellous plan is brought to its goal by that One who died and rose
again.
What is the means whereby the Son beareth or upholdeth all things? His hands made
the heavens, His feet shall have all things placed beneath them, His body bore our sins,
His Word, however, it is that upholds all things.
Rhema (the word)) differs from logos in that it indicates a spoken word or command,
e.g., "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God". We find rhema in
Hebrews as follows:--
"The word of His power" (1: 3).
"Tasted the good word of God" (6: 5).
"The ages were formed by the word of God" (11: 3).
"The voice of words" (12: 19).
The word that framed the ages is the word that upholds all things, the word that called
them into being will surely prevail over all opposition and bring all to perfection. It is
"the word of His power". He was crucified in weakness, but He liveth by the power of
God (II Cor. 13: 4). He was marked off the Son of God with power, by the resurrection
(Rom. 1: 4). As the risen One He said, "all power is given unto Me in heaven and in
earth" (Matt 28: 18). This word "power" is rendered by "miracle" in Heb. 2: 4, and
is linked with rhema in 6: 5, "the powers of the coming age". The high-priesthood of
Christ differs from that of Aaron in that it is "according to the power of an endless life"
(7: 16); and in 11: 11, 34 it is again occurs. It is the power of the risen Christ that
makes His word effective, He will destroy him that has the power of death, that is the