IS JESUS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE?

(Colossians 1: 15-18)

By Watchman Dean

April 20, 2014

Christians unanimously read Colossians 1: 15 through 18 and determine that it identifies Christ as "he who created all things" and he who "holds all things together." I'm finding even Unitarians are reading these verses that way and explaining it by saying that the "creation" spoken of in these verses is the "new creation."

What they don't understand is that Paul is writing to the Colossians about "the knowledge of God" (colossians 1: 10) and how Christ, being the "image of the Father" demonstrates and shows us the Father. Paul is not just talking about Christ, therefore, in Colossians, Paul is talking about "the invisible God" and how he is revealed to us through the Son, and Paul is talking about the salvation and deliverance of the invisible God and how they are brought to us by Messiah!

I'm now going to break down with parenthesis how these verses are typically read, then I will break down how they are SUPPOSED to be read.

CHRISTIAN TRANSLITERATION OF COLOSSIANS 1: 15-18

15 Who (CHRIST) is the image of the invisible God, (THE FATHER) the firstborn (pre-eminent) of every creature:

16 For by him (CHRIST) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, (CHRIST) and for him (CHRIST):

17 And he (CHRIST) is before all things, and by him (CHRIST) all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, (CHRIST) the church: who is the beginning, (CHRIST) the firstborn from the dead; (CHRIST) that in all things he (CHRIST) might have the preeminence.

As you can see clearly, the typical Christian reading of the above texts removes the Father, Elohim, from the text. Paul is no longer talking about God AND Yeshua (according to Christians, because of course Christians are trinitarians and believe there is no distinction between them and that they are the SAME).

Now, let's read how the HOLY SPIRIT directs that these verses MUST be read. (Not only the Holy Spirit, but basic rules of English for if you read verse 10 he begins his message by introducing them to the "knowledge of GOD.").

THE LITERAL and SPIRITUAL TRANSLITERATION

Colossians 1: 15-18

15 Who (THE SON, YESHUA) is the image of the invisible God, (THE FATHER ELOHIM) the firstborn (pre-eminent) of every creature:

16 For by him (THE INVISIBLE GOD, whom Christ is the image of) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, (THE FATHER, THE INVISIBLE GOD whom Christ is the image of) and for him (CHRIST):

17 And he (THE INVISIBLE GOD WHOM CHRIST IS THE IMAGE OF) is before all things, and by him (THE INVISIBLE GOD) all things consist.

18 And he (THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD-CHRIST) is the head of the body, the church: who (THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE BELIEVERS) is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all

things he (HE WHO WHO'S BODY WE ARE- CHRIST) might have the preeminence.

Paul repeats this same pattern throughout Colossians, discussing the FATHER, the INVISIBLE GOD, and how he has used his "IMAGE" (The SON) to bring us the KNOWLEDGE of him (God). Paul switches back and forth speaking of both the FATHER, then Christ, or speaking of Christ, then the FATHER and how they relate to one another in the context of what he is saying!

In fact, ALL the Apostles used this same pattern, and it is most clearly seen in the book of Revelation, where an ANGEL appears to JOHN, then GOD speaks to John through the Angel, then CHRIST speaks to John, then God again, then the CHRIST.

Trinitarians (traditional Christians) cannot SEE this pattern because they make Jesus and God the SAME!

There is one more thing that needs to be discussed from these four verses.

These four verses (especially verse 15) identifies Y'shua (Jesus) as a PART of the CREATION. In verse 15 it says he is the "firstborn" or (pre-eminent) of ALL of GOD'S CREATURES. Trinitarians wash over this truth when reading the passage. It clearly identifies Christ as a "CREATURE" by saying he is "firstborn" of all the creatures. Common sense dictates that he cannot be the "pre-eminent" creature among "all" creatures if he's NOT A CREATURE (something trinitarians adamantly insist).

Notice, the language then switches and includes US, the believers, identifying us as the "body" of Christ. This means that if Christ is "the image of the invisible God" and we are "his body" we too are "the image the invisible God" and are SUBJECTS of this text as well. Paul rightly includes us, saying that the CHURCH (the BODY) is "the firstborn of the DEAD."

We are buried with Christ in baptism (Paul explains later) and we are

RAISED with CHRIST, so that it is no longer we that live but Christ lives in us.

Christians notoriously FAIL to understand the implications of this, for, if being "the image of the invisible God" means that you are in fact the invisible God and therefore are 'CREATOR" then WE who are "predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ" (Romans 8: 29) are ALSO "the creator." Clearly, being in the "image of the invisible God" does not make one the CREATOR.

Shalom

Watchman Dean