for by him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or authorities. Everything was created through him and for him.
1:16 Because in him (not only for but in Him; Romans 12:5; Romans 16:3; Romans 16:7; Romans 16:9; Romans 16:11; 1Co 1:30; 1Co 4:15) all things were created (“are created. The permanence of the universe, thus, resides much more in Christ than in gravity. The universe is Christocentric”, ATR), those in the heavens and those on earth , visible and invisible; be thrones, be dominions, be principalities, be powers (2:10, fifteen; Romans 8:38; 1Co 15:24; Eph 1:21; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12) ; everything was created through him and for him. — This statement refutes the Gnostic concept that creation was accomplished through a succession of emanations from God, and that Christ was only one of them. “These angelic beings of whom the false teachers speak… are mere creatures who, having been created by Christ, are subject to Him” (GH). “This text addresses the angel worship of the Colossians; showing that while they were discussing the various degrees of angels who fill the space between God and men, and depending on them as the means of communion with God, they had lowered Christ who is above them all, and is the only mediator . Compare Hebrews 1:5-14, where the ideas of the Son as Creator and as Lord of the angels are combined” (MRV). Paul emphatically states that no principality or power — of any kind — has power apart from Christ, the Creator. In some English editions of the so-called Watchtower “Bible” (in Spanish, The New World Translation) the word has been placed another five times in verses 16-20. In other editions it is added between square brackets. “For in him all other things were created, etc.” They do this because they teach that Christ himself was created; that is, they say that God created Christ and then Christ created “all other things.” The “witnesses” thus affirm that Christ is a thing, a creature, who was created by God. They work hard, knocking on doors in season and out of season, enduring jobs, insults and persecutions but for what purpose? For the purpose of heaping blasphemy upon blasphemy against Christ, denying His Deity and proclaiming that He is only a creature. Although they say that He is “a god” or “an archangel”, for them Christ is, after all, a created being. In the not too distant future they will stand before Christ as the Judge of the world to account for his blasphemies. The “bible” of the Watchtower witnesses makes Paul say the opposite of what he actually says. Only God can createGen 1:1; Isaiah 44:24, “I am the Lord, who do everything, who stretch out the heavens alone, who stretch out the earth by myself”); but Christ is the Creator. Therefore, Christ is God (2:9, “in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily”). The New World Translation contradicts this text, as does 1Co 8:6; Hebrews 2:10; Y Joh 1:3. “But the manifest purpose of the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” to distort the Word of God according to their convenience, reaches its climax when in their book “What has religion done for humanity?” transcribe these same texts without separating the added words with brackets, in order to make the unsuspecting reader believe that it is a direct and exact translation of the authentic Holy Scripture” (Process to the “bible” of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, by Eugenio Danyans , page 69). Those of The Watchtower say, “Although there is no beginning of God (Elohim), or Jehovah, there was a beginning of speech or word; and it was God who began or produced or began the one who is called The Word or The Verb… Remembering that the word ‘god’ according to the Hebrew means ‘mighty’ or ‘one who is before (others)’, and remembering the power of the Son and his position with reference to the rest of creation, it is easily deduced that the Son of God, the Word, was and is ‘a god’ (El), or ‘mighty’, pre-eminent over other creatures, while Jehovah, the Creator of the Word, is the God (Elohim), without beginning and ‘from eternity’” (The Truth Shall Set You Free, pages 45, 46). These false teachers, like the Gnostics, do not stop blaspheming Christ. They say that God produced or began the Word and that He was “a god.” They are polytheists, because they “worship” two gods. After reading the blasphemous words of the witnesses, read again carefully the words of Paul: “For by him all things were created.” If Christ himself had been created, Paul could not have said that in him all things were created, for he himself could not have created himself.
Source: Commentary on the New Testament by Partain
Because in him they were created. Col 1:15; Ps 102:25-27; Isaiah 40:9-12; Isaiah 44:24; Joh 1:3; 1Co 8:6; Eph 3:9; Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:10-12; Hebrews 3:3, Hebrews 3:4.
those in the heavens. Col 1:20; Deu 4:39; 1Ch 29:11; Eph 1:10; Phil 2:10; Rev 5:13, Rev 5:14.
be thrones. Col 2:10, Col 2:15; Romans 8:38; Eph 1:21; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12; 1Pe 3:22.
through him and for him. pro 16:4; Isaiah 43:21; Romans 11:36; Hebrews 2:10.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
This Christian hymn emphasizes the superiority of Christ over all creation. Christ is the one who created all things, regardless of whether they are material or immaterial, visible or invisible. This idea is in direct opposition to the false teaching, later known as Gnosticism, that developed in the Colossian church. In general, Gnosticism believes that the creators of the earth are various angelic beings, and that Christ is one of those angels.
everything was created through him and for him: Jesus not only created all things, everything was formed for his purpose (Hebrews 1:2, where Christ is said to be the “heir of all”). But the glory of the earth, the heavens, or of the sun, moon, and stars cannot be compared with the glory of his new creation (2Co 5:17).
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
IN HIM WERE ALL THINGS CREATED. Paul confirms the creative activity of Christ.
(1) All things, material and spiritual, owe their existence to the work of Christ as the active agent in creation (Joh 1:3; Hebrews 1:2).
(2) In Him all things are preserved intact and sustained (v. Col 1:17; Hebrews 1:3; see ARTICLE THE CREATION, p. Col 1:6).
Source: Full Life Study Bible
be thrones, be dominions, be principalities, be powers. cop. Col 2:15; Romans 8:38; Eph 1:21; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12; 1Pe 3:22; Jude 1:6. These are various categories of angelic beings whom Christ created and over whom he reigns. It is not specified whether they are holy or fallen because He is Lord of both groups. The false teachers had incorporated the worship of angels into the practice of their heresy (see note on Col 2:18), and this included the lie that Jesus was one of them, a mere spirit created by God and inferior to Him. Paul flatly rejected that notion and made it clear that angels, whatever their rank and regardless of whether they are holy or fallen , they are simple creatures and their Creator is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the only one who has pre-eminence over them. The purpose of his catalog of angelic powers is to show the immeasurable superiority of Christ over any being that the false teachers might raise. everything was created through him and for him. cop. Romans 11:33-36. See notes on Joh 1:3; Hebrews 1:2. As God, Jesus created the material and spiritual universe for his delight and glory.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
1:16 For in him (not only by but in him; Rom 12:5; Rom 16:3; Rom 16:7; Rom 16:9; Rom 16:11; 1Co 1:30; 1Co 4:15) were created all things (“are created. The permanence of the universe, thus, resides much more in Christ than in gravity. The universe is Christocentric”, ATR), those that are in the heavens and those that are on earth, visible and invisible; be thrones, be dominions, be principalities, be powers (2:10, 15; Rom 8:38; 1Co 15:24; Eph 1:21; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12); everything was created through him and for him. — This statement refutes the Gnostic concept that creation was accomplished through a succession of emanations from God, and that Christ was only one of them. “These angelic beings of whom the false teachers speak… are mere creatures who, having been created by Christ, are subject to Him” (GH).
“This text addresses the angel worship of the Colossians; showing that while they were discussing the various degrees of angels who fill the space between God and men, and depending on them as the means of communion with God, they had lowered Christ who is above them all, and is the only mediator . Compare Heb 1:5-14, where the ideas of the Son as Creator and as Lord of the angels are combined” (MRV). Paul emphatically states that no principality or power — of any kind — has power apart from Christ, the Creator.
In some English editions of the so-called Watchtower “Bible” (in Spanish, The New World Translation) the word has been placed another five times in verses 16-20. In other editions it is added between square brackets. “For in him all other things were created, etc.” They do this because they teach that Christ himself was created; that is, they say that God created Christ and then Christ created “all other things.” The “witnesses” thus affirm that Christ is a thing, a creature, who was created by God. They work hard, knocking on doors in season and out of season, enduring jobs, insults and persecutions but for what purpose? For the purpose of heaping blasphemy upon blasphemy against Christ, denying his Deity and proclaiming that he is only a creature. Although they say that He is “a god” or “an archangel”, for them Christ is, after all, a created being. In the not too distant future they will stand before Christ as the Judge of the world to account for his blasphemies.
The “bible” of the Watchtower witnesses makes Paul say the opposite of what he actually says. Only God can create (Gen 1:1; Isa 44:24, “I am the Lord, who do all things, who alone extends the heavens, who extends the earth by myself”); but Christ is the Creator. Therefore, Christ is God (2:9, “in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily”). The New World Translation contradicts this text, as does 1Co 8:6; Hebrews 2:10; and Joh 1:3. “But the manifest purpose of the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” to distort the Word of God according to their convenience, reaches its climax when in their book “What has religion done for humanity?” transcribe these same texts without separating the added words with brackets, in order to make the unsuspecting reader believe that it is a direct and exact translation of the authentic Holy Scripture” (Process to the “bible” of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, by Eugenio Danyans , page 69).
Those of The Watchtower say, “Although not…