Colossians 1:17
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Original Language Analysis
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
1 of 11
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
αὐτῷ
him
G846
αὐτῷ
him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
2 of 11
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
πρὸ
before
G4253
πρὸ
before
Strong's:
G4253
Word #:
4 of 11
"fore", i.e., in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
6 of 11
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
τὰ
G3588
τὰ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 11
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
Hebrews 1:3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;1 Corinthians 8:6But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.Acts 17:28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.John 8:58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.John 17:5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.Colossians 1:15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:Psalms 75:3The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.Revelation 1:17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:Revelation 1:8I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.Isaiah 44:6Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Historical Context
Greek philosophy sought the logos (λόγος, "rational principle") underlying cosmic order. Stoics believed divine reason permeated nature, giving it structure and coherence. Paul boldly identifies Christ as this unifying principle, personalizing what philosophers abstracted. The universe holds together not through impersonal force but through the personal Christ, the incarnate Word (John 1:1-3). This makes Christianity both philosophically profound and personally relational.
Questions for Reflection
- How does understanding Christ as the sustaining power behind physical laws affect your view of science and nature?
- What areas of your life need Christ's integrating power to bring coherence from chaos?
- Do you worship Christ as cosmic Lord, or have you domesticated Him into a merely personal savior?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. "He is before all things" (autos estin pro pantōn, αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων) asserts both temporal and logical priority. Christ existed before creation (temporal) and stands supreme over it (logical). This echoes Jesus's claim "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58), applying Yahweh's eternal self-existence to Christ.
"By him all things consist" translates synestēken (συνέστηκεν, "hold together"), perfect tense indicating ongoing state resulting from past action. Christ actively sustains creation's coherence; matter, energy, natural laws, and cosmic order depend on His continuous will. Hebrews 1:3 similarly states Christ "upholds all things by the word of his power." Without Christ's sustaining power, the universe would collapse into chaos—a stunning claim for the carpenter from Nazareth.