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No.19a.
The title Head, and its relation to the Fullness.
pp. 119, 120
The next reference to the Headship of Christ, and its relation to the `Fullness' is found
in Col. 1: In this passage two creations come into view, the old and the new, and in both,
Christ has the pre-eminence. This twofold feature is not only true of Col. 1:, but of the
epistle as a whole, as will be made manifest if the corresponding sections Col. 1: 13-23
and 3: 5-15 are set out before the eye:
1: 13 - 23
and
3: 5 - 15.
G | 1: 15, 16. The Creator. The Image.
H | 1: 20. Reconciliation of heaven and earth.
I | 1: 17, 18. Christ pre-eminent. All in Him.
J | 1: 20. Peace and forgiveness of sins.
K | 1: 22. Holy, blameless, unreproveable.
BEWARE--Col. 2: 4 - 23.
G | 3: 10. Created after the Image.
H | 3: 11. Reconciliation of Jew and Greek.
I | 3: 11. Christ is all and in all.
J | 3: 13-15. Peace. Forgive quarrel.
K | 3: 9, 12. Put off, put on, holy and beloved.
The reader will realize that a complete structure which would avoid transposing
Col. 1: 20 as we have done, would necessitate a much more elaborate framework, but
would not be of any greater assistance to us in our present enquiry. The two sections
obviously echo one another, and that is all we desire to demonstrate at the moment.
When we come to build a doctrine upon a structure of any passage, then any such
accommodation is ruled out there must never be the remotest suspicion that any verse or
feature has been displaced for ulterior motives. Consequently before we go further we
must present the actual literary structure of Col. 1: 13-23 without reference to the evident
parallels that exist in chapter 3: