16 For G3754 by G1722 him G846 were G2936 all things G3956 created, G2936 that are in G1722 heaven, G3772 and G2532 that are in G1909 earth, G1093 visible G3707 and G2532 invisible, G517 whether G1535 they be thrones, G2362 or G1535 dominions, G2963 or G1535 principalities, G746 or G1535 powers: G1849 all things G3956 were created G2936 by G1223 him, G846 and G2532 for G1519 him: G846
17 And G2532 he G846 is G2076 before G4253 all things, G3956 and G2532 by G1722 him G846 all things G3956 consist. G4921
18 And G2532 he G846 is G2076 the head G2776 of the body, G4983 the church: G1577 who G3739 is G2076 the beginning, G746 the firstborn G4416 from G1537 the dead; G3498 that G2443 in G1722 all G3956 things he G846 might have G1096 the preeminence. G4409
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Colossians 1
Commentary on Colossians 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 1
We have here,
Col 1:1-2
Col 1:3-8
Here he proceeds to the body of the epistle, and begins with thanksgiving to God for what he had heard concerning them, though he had no personal acquaintance with them, and knew their state and character only by the reports of others.
Col 1:9-11
The apostle proceeds in these verses to pray for them. He heard that they were good, and he prayed that they might be better. He was constant in this prayer: We do not cease to pray for you. It may be he could hear of them but seldom, but he constantly prayed for them.-And desire that you may be filled with the knowledge, etc. Observe what it is that he begs of God for them,
Col 1:12-29
Here is a summary of the doctrine of the gospel concerning the great work of our redemption by Christ. It comes in here not as the matter of a sermon, but as the matter of a thanksgiving; for our salvation by Christ furnishes us with abundant matter of thanksgiving in every view of it: Giving thanks unto the Father, v. 12. He does not discourse of the work of redemption in the natural order of it; for then he would speak of the purchase of it first, and afterwards of the application of it. But here he inverts the order, because, in our sense and feeling of it, the application goes before the purchase. We first find the benefits of redemption in our hearts, and then are led by those streams to the original and fountain-head. The order and connection of the apostle's discourse may be considered in the following manner:-