Leaving without explanation the visible, since there was no doubt about it, he speaks in detail about what was doubted — the invisible. But he did not present all the heavenly ranks individually, as if indicating very little out of much. For invisible, of course, are also the archangels and our souls. What is said about those applies to these as well.
Col. 1:16. all things were created by Him and for Him (δι' αυτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτόν)⁴;
Here is what he expressed above by the word "in Him" (ἐν αὐτῷ), he now expresses by the word "through Him" (δι' αὐτοῦ), just as the Evangelist John says: "all things were made through Him" (δι' αὐτοῦ) (John 1:3). But having said "all things," he did not include the Spirit. For the Spirit is not one of all those things, but is one absolutely, just as there is one God and one Lord. So then, everything that has being was created through Him. Then, lest you consider Him a servant, he adds: "and for Him" (εἰς αὐτόν), that is, all things are held together in Him. He not only created, but He also sustains all things, so that if creation were deprived of His providence, it would perish. And he did not say "sustains," but much more subtly: "all things rest upon Him and are held together by Him." And this alone, namely that they (created things) rest upon Him, is sufficient for their support and preservation. But this means no less than to create, and even more — especially as it concerns us. For we too produce on occasion a garment or a dwelling, but we cannot preserve it from corruption; whereas He both created and preserves.
Col. 1:17. And He is before all things, and all things consist by Him.
He constantly returns to the same thing, so that by unceasing words, as by frequent blows, he might uproot the pernicious teaching. And notice, he did not say that He came into being before all, but – "is," which is proper to God. Where then is Paul of Samosata, who says that He received His beginning from Mary? And all things stand upon Him, as upon a foundation; it is in this sense precisely, as a foundation, that He is the firstborn of creation. But this shows not His consubstantiality with creation, but that all things are held together by Him.
Col. 1:18. And He is the head of the body of the Church;
Having spoken of the dignity of the Son, he then speaks also of His love for mankind. For being above all, as Creator and Almighty, He united Himself with those below. And he did not say: the head "of the fullness of the church," but – "of the body," in order to show the reality of His kinship with us, that He took on the same flesh as ours, and did not bring it from heaven. For Paul used the word "Church" in the sense of the entire human race, as if saying: even by birth according to the flesh, He is the first among men, as the head.
Col. 1:18. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
"Firstfruits," he says, He is of the resurrection, as having risen before all. And since He loosed the pangs of death, naturally He is also called the firstborn. But as firstfruits, He also has followers after Him in the rest of mankind. For firstfruits are the firstfruits of something. And just as in one sheaf offered as firstfruits the entire harvest is blessed, so also we all through Him have been sanctified and brought to God, and in the resurrection of one body all of nature has been deemed worthy of resurrection.
Col. 1:18. so that He might have preeminence in all things,
"In all things," that is, in everything that we behold around Him. For He was both born from the Father before all, and is first among all as the Head of the Church, and rose before all as the firstfruits, having granted them incorruption. And there were those who rose before, but they died again. But He rose and does not die. And note, "firstborn" here is as the firstfruits of the resurrection, because this is the same as a new birth; but there it does not say "firstfruits of creation," although He is the firstborn. For the mode of existence is not the same: He was begotten, while the creature was created.
Col. 1:19. For it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness should dwell,
"The fullness" of the Godhead, that is, if the Son and the Word was somewhere, then it was not His activity that dwelt there, but His very essence. And Paul finds no other cause for this than the good pleasure and will of God.
Col. 1:20. And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
"Through Him," that is: having Himself accomplished salvation, He granted it to us. But lest you think that He assumed the role of a servant, he says: "to Himself," that is, He Himself reconciled people to Himself. And in another place he said: was reconciling with God; consequently, what belongs to the Father also belongs to the Son. And he did not say: καταλλάξαι – to reconcile, but – ἀποκαταλλάξαι – to reconcile again, which means: to restore us – people – as a debt long owed, and to reconcile completely, so that we would no longer be enemies to Him. For not only was reconciliation given, but the very means of reconciliation, that is, the slaying of the Son, has exceedingly great power.
Col. 1:20. Having made peace through Him, through the Blood of His Cross,
Reconciliation points to enmity, and peacemaking points to war. For we were both enemies and adversaries of God. Thus, reconciliation is a great thing, but through Himself it is even greater, and moreover through "Blood" and the "cross," a shameful death. For He did not reconcile by means of words, as an ambassador, but by giving up Himself. And having said, "By the blood of the cross," he did not stop, but added, "His," so that you would not think that the cross has power in and of itself. For it was not simply the cross that saved, but specifically His cross.
Col. 1:20. and the earthly and the heavenly.
That He reconciled the earthly things is understandable, for each person was at enmity both with himself and with one another, and we were even enemies of the angelic life. But the heavenly things — in what way? The earth was separated from heaven, the angels were at enmity with men, seeing their Master insulted; therefore they were also sent for punishment, as for example to David (2 Sam. 24:17), to the Sodomites (Gen. 19:15), and to the valley of weeping. So the Son, having brought man, the enemy and adversary, up to heaven, also caused the angels to appear on earth singing and accompanying every believer. And it seems to me that Paul was caught up to heaven in order to learn how men dwell in heaven, and the Son ascended there. Thus, for earthly things there is a twofold peace: in relation to the heavenly beings and in relation to oneself, but in heaven there is only a single peace. For at last they were reconciled with us and rejoice in the salvation of so many. How then after this do you, Colossians, say that you were brought to God by angels? For they are far too removed from reconciling us with God, since they were even hostile to us, and if God Himself had not reconciled us with them, we would have had no peace.
Col. 1:21. And you, who were once alienated and enemies, by your disposition toward evil deeds,
Having said above that we were under the power of darkness, he now says that we were enemies in our minds, and he is not saying the same thing; but lest, having heard the first, you should consider it a matter of necessity, he adds the latter, in order to show that He reconciled us, even though we did not deserve this. For one who suffers by necessity is worthy of compassion, but one who voluntarily endures evil is worthy of rejection. So, he says, He reconciled us, completely unworthy as we were, even though we departed from Him not by compulsion or necessity, but voluntarily and willingly. And he speaks of this after having mentioned the heavenly beings, showing that the enmity did not at all originate from the heavenly beings, but from us. For they desired peace, and God likewise, but you did not want it. Therefore he did not say simply "being hostile," but "alienated," that is, not even thinking of returning. For you were enemies "in disposition," that is, by choice. And the calamity did not stop there, but was also manifested in evil deeds, that is, you were both enemies and acted as enemies. And by all this he shows that the angels had no power either to change our conviction or to free us from the devil, since they themselves were also our enemies, and the one who possessed us had not yet been bound. But Christ both bound the enemy and persuaded us to renounce him.
Col. 1:22. now He has reconciled in the body of His Flesh, by His death,
Again he points to the manner of the reconciliation, namely – "in the body." In what way? Did He only undergo scourging and striking? No, but He also died the most shameful death.
Col. 1:22. to present you holy and blameless and innocent before Him,
Again he points to another benefaction, saying now the same thing that he expressed above with the words: "who made you capable." For not only, he says, did He free us from sins, but He also granted holiness, not an ordinary one, but holiness before His face, and blamelessness, and innocence, so that we would commit nothing that would deserve even simple reproach.