Colossians 1 · Verse 18

Colossians 1:18

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

Colossians 1:18, King James Version

Colossians 1:18 in other translations

BSB	And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
WEB	He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
ASV	And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
YLT	And himself is the head of the body--the assembly--who is a beginning, a first-born out of the dead, that he might become in all things --himself--first,
DARBY	And he is the head of the body, the assembly; who is the beginning, firstborn from among the dead, that he might have the first place in all things:
BBE	And he is the head of the body, the church: the starting point of all things, the first to come again from the dead; so that in all things he might have the chief place.
Webster	And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he may have the pre-eminence.

What does Colossians 1:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

18. Revelation of Christ to the Church and the new creation, as the Originator of both. he--emphatical. Not angels in opposition to the false teachers' doctrine concerning angel-worship, and the power of Oeons or (imaginary) spirit emanations from God (Col 2:10, 18). head of the body, the church--The Church is His body by virtue of His entering into communion corporeally with human nature [Neander], (Ep 1:22). The same One who is the Head of all things and beings by creation, is also, by virtue of being "the first-born from the dead," and so "the first-fruits" of the new creation among men, the Head of the Church. who is--that is, in that He is the Beginning [Alford]. Rather, this is the beginning of a new paragraph. As the former paragraph, which related to His originating the physical creation, began with "Who is" (Col 1:15); so this, which treats of His originating the new creation, begins with "who is"; a parenthesis preceding, which closes the former paragraph, that parenthesis (see on Col 1:16), including from "all things were created by Him," to "Head of the body, the Church." The head of kings and high priests was anointed, as the seat of the faculties, the fountain of dignity, and original of all the members (according to Hebrew etymology). So Jesus by His unction was designated as the Head of the body, the Church. the beginning--namely, of the new creation, as of the old (Pr 8:22; Joh 1:1; compare Re 1:8): the beginning of the Church of the first-born (He 12:23), as being Himself the "first-born from the dead" (Ac 26:23; 1Co 15:20, 23). Christ's primogeniture is threefold: (1) From eternity the "first-begotten" of the Father (Col 1:15); (2) As the first-born of His mother (Mt 1:25); (3) As the Head of the Church, mystically begotten of the Father, as it were to a new life, on the day of His resurrection, which is His "regeneration," even as His people's coming resurrection will be their "regeneration" (that is, the resurrection which was begun in the soul, extended to the body and to the whole creation, Ro 8:21, 22) (Mt 19:28; Ac 13:33; Re 1:5). Sonship and resurrection are similarly connected (Lu 20:36; Ro 1:4; 8:23; 1Jo 3:2). Christ by rising from the dead is the efficient cause (1Co 15:22), as having obtained the power, and the exemplary cause, as being the pattern (Mi 2:13; Ro 6:5; Php 3:21), of our resurrection: the resurrection of "the Head" involves consequentially that of the members. that in all things--He resumes the "all things" (Col 1:20). he might have the pre-eminence--Greek, "He Himself may (thus) become the One holding the first place," or, "take the precedency." Both ideas are included, priority in time and priority in dignity: now in the regenerated world, as before in the world of creation (Col 1:15). "Begotten before every creature, or "first-born of every creature" (Psa 89:27; Joh 3:13).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 18. And he is the head of the body, the Church. Eph 1:22; Eph 5:23.

Who is the beginning. In all things--alike in the work of creation and in the church. He is the fountain of authority and power, and commences everything that is designed to uphold the order of the universe, and to save the world.

The firstborn from the dead. At the head of those who rise from their graves. This does not mean, literally, that he was the first who rose from the dead, for he himself raised up Lazarus and others, and the bodies of saints arose at his crucifixion; but it means that he had the pre-eminence among them all; he was the most illustrious of those who will be raised from the dead, and is the head over them all. Especially, he had this pre-eminence in the resurrection in this respect, that he was the first who rose from death to immortality. Others who were raised undoubtedly died again. Christ rose to die no more. 1Cor 15:20.

That in all things. Marg., among all. The Greek will bear either construction, and either will accord with the scope of the apostle's remarks. If the former, it means that he is at the head of all things--the universe; if the latter, that he is chief among those who rose from the dead. Each of these is true; but the scope of the passage seems rather to require us to understand this of everything, and to mean that all the arrangements respecting him were such as to give him supremacy over the universe.

He might have the pre-eminence. Gr., might be first πρωτευων. That is, might be first in rank, dignity, honour, power. He has the pre-eminence

(1.) as over the universe which he has formed--as its Creator and Proprietor;

(2.) as chief among those who shall rise from the dead--since he first rose to die no more, and their resurrection depends on him;

(3.) as head of the church--all synods, councils, and governments being subject to him, and he alone having a right to give law to his people; and

(4.) in the affections of his friends--being in their affections and confidence superior to all others.

(c) "head of the body" Eph 5:23 (*) "beginning" "chief" (d) "the first born from the dead" 1Cor 15:20 (1) "in all things" "among all"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 18 He is the head of the body - What the apostle has said in the two preceding verses refers to the Divine nature of Jesus Christ; he now proceeds to speak of his human nature, and to show how highly that is exalted beyond all created things, and how, in that, he is head of the Church - the author and dispenser of light, life, and salvation, to the Christian world; or, in other words, that from him, as the man in whom the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelt, all the mercy and salvation of the Gospel system is to be received. The beginning, the first-born from the dead - In 1Cor 15:20, Christ is called the first-fruits of them that slept; and here, the chief and first-born from the dead; he being the first that ever resumed the natural life, with the employment of all its functions, never more to enter the empire of death, after having died a natural death, and in such circumstances as precluded the possibility of deception. The αρχη, chief, head, or first, answers in this verse to the απαρχη, or first-fruits, 1Cor 15:20. Jesus Christ is not only the first who rose from the dead to die no more, but he is the first-fruits of human beings; for as surely as the first-fruits were an indication and pledge of the harvest, so surely was the resurrection of Christ the proof that all mankind should have a resurrection from the dead. That in all - he might have the pre-eminence - That he might be considered, in consequence of his mediatorial office, as possessing the first place in and being chief over all the creation of God; for is it to be wondered at that the human nature, with which the great Creator condescended to unite himself, should be set over all the works of his hands?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Colossians 1:15-23

Christ in his human nature, is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that hath seen Him hath seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord in Christ Jesus. He was born or begotten before all the creation, before any creature was made; which is the Scripture way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is represented to us. All things…

Read the full comment on Colossians 1:15-23 →

Colossians 1:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

αὐτόςautosHe himselfG846

ἐστινestinisG1510

ἡhētheG3588

κεφαλὴkephalēheadG2776

τοῦtouof theG3588

σώματοςsōmatosbodyG4983

τῆςtēstheG3588

ἐκκλησίας·ekklēsiaschurch;G1577

ὅςhoswhoG3739

ἐστινestinisG1510

ἀρχή,archēbeginning,G746

πρωτότοκοςprōtotokosfirstbornG4416

ἐκekout fromG1537

τῶνtōntheG3588

νεκρῶν,nekrōndead,G3498

ἵναinaso thatG2443

γένηταιgenētaimay beG1096

ἐνeninG1722

πᾶσινpasinall thingsG3956

αὐτὸςautosHe himselfG846

πρωτεύων·prōteuōnholding preeminence;G4409

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Colossians 1:18

Ephesians 1:22-23
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Revelation 1:5
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Ephesians 4:15-16
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
1 Corinthians 15:20-23
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Acts 26:23
That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
Psalms 89:27
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
1 Corinthians 11:3
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Revelation 22:13
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
John 11:25-26
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Ephesians 5:23
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Revelation 21:6
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

he is.
24; 2:10-14; 1Co 11:3; Eph 1:10,22,23; 4:15,16; 5:23
the beginning.
Joh 1:1; 1Jo 1:1; Re 1:8; 3:14; 21:6; 22:13
the firstborn.
Joh 11:25,26; Ac 26:23; 1Co 15:20-23; Re 1:5,18
in all. or, among all.
Ps 45:2-5; 89:27; So 5:10; Isa 52:13; Mt 23:8; 28:18; Joh 1:16,27
Joh 3:29-31,34,35; Ro 8:29; 1Co 15:25; Heb 1:5,6; Re 5:9-13; 11:15
Re 21:23,24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Colossians 1:17
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Colossians 1:19
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Read all of Colossians 1

Colossians 1:18 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y él es la cabeza del cuerpo que es la iglesia; él que es el principio, el primogénito de los muertos, para que en todo tenga el primado.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	et il est le chef du corps, de l’assemblée, lui qui est le commencement, le premier-né d’entre les morts, afin qu’en toutes choses il tienne, lui, la première place;
German Elberfelder 1871	Und er ist das Haupt des Leibes, der Versammlung, welcher der Anfang ist, der Erstgeborene aus den Toten, auf daß er in allem den Vorrang habe;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et ipse est caput corporis Ecclesiæ, qui est principium, primogenitus ex mortuis: ut sit in omnibus ipse primatum tenens: