COLOSSiANS 1.13-20

Paul's hymn about Jesus in Col 1.15-20 is filled with ideas and thoughts that are almost too wonderful to comprehend. For example,

He is before all things and in him all things hold together.

How does that work? How do all things, living or non-living, have their ongoing sustenance in/by Jesus? Or here's another one,

All things have been created through him and for him.

So, Paul, you're saying that not only did this Jesus cause all that is to come into existence, whether the seemingly infinite galaxies or the subatomic particles, but all things are somehow for Him? Hmmm. Wow.

While the majority of this passage is masterful and elegant in content, style, structure, etc, Paul ends in 1.20 on a minor chord. He says that Jesus

Made peace through the blood of His cross.

Now if you're living in the Roman Empire in the first century, the cross is not cute or even religious. The cross was for guilty criminals whose heinous deeds were known to all. Crucifixions were done publicly so as to shame the guilty. People were more than welcome to mock those being crucified to make themselves feel better.

If one was to think of the cross in light of the Roman Empire, they would think of it as the dark, dirty underbelly of justice. Those people were getting what was coming to them. The cross was a symbol of retribution. No one would ever dare think something as dumb or demented as peace being made through the cross. However, this was precisely the case.

This cross is saying something about the depth of the stain of sin [1.14, 21-22]. This cross is saying something about the greatness of the love of the Father [1.12-13]. There is something so radical and counter-cultural about the cross of Jesus that it changed Paul's thinking to its very core. It must effect the same in us.

HALOS, HARPS, HOPE, and HEAVEN

My Sara loves to think about heaven. But not vaguely. She says that she loves to think about being with Jesus. Probably a dozen times since we've been married she has told me that when she was scared at night when she was younger, she would imagine Jesus wrapping her in His strong, secure, yet gentle arms. This is good hope.

Stupid hope that really isn't hope is thinking that heaven is going to be halos, harps, clouds, and waltzing with sky fairies. Of course, Jesus will be there too. But who cares. He only "saved" me. He is of no importance to heaven because the real importance of heaven is that it's not hell.

Nearly every Christian I have spoken with has some idea that eternity is an unending church service. We have settled on an image of never-ending sing-along in the sky, one great hymn after another, forever and ever, amen. And our heart sinks. That's it? That's good news? And then we sigh and feel guilty that we are not more "spiritual" [John Eldridge].

Honestly, I'm not opposed to singing. I'm definitely not opposed to singing hymns. And I'm not opposed to singing hymns for a really long time. BUT... If this is the apex of "hope" then it is a total joke.

Look in Gen 1-2. Man was made to reign and rule with God, like, and for God over all of creation. Our hope is that the Gen 1-2 will be restored. Rev 19-22 proves that it shall be so in the new heavens and the new earth. The echo of this kind of hope is heard in many places. Here's a great one:

To come to Thee is to come home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest after long labour, to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes [Charles Spurgeon].

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory [Col 3.1-4].

colossal alliteration

Paul's hymn about Jesus in Col 1.13-20 is dense and breathtaking. There's not a lot of room to question where Jesus stands in Paul's worldview after wading through it. From this passage, Paul moves on to let those in Colossae know why this stuff matters [1.21-22].

Because this Jesus is who He is and has done what He has done, Paul explains to the Colossians that they were once ALIENATED, but have now been RECONCILED so that they could be presented before Him HOLY, BLAMELESS, and ABOVE REPROACH.

I've capitalized these words to show a couple things.

First off, Paul's application of the majesty of Jesus' person and work interprets the past, reminds them of their present state, and details their future hope. With this hope, however, must come a continual faith that clings to the good news about Jesus [1.23]. 

Secondly, Paul says what he says in hopes that it will stick. He wants them to get it. Not everybody 2000 years ago was literate. His epistles were meant to be read to local congregations. So, what does he do? Paul uses alliteration as a literary device in order that the beauty of these things might more easily resonate in the mind of the Colossians.

[sorry if this is wrongly laid out]

When I take the time, I'm nearly always blessed by WHAT and HOW the biblical writers say what they say. There is gospel and artistry here. So good.