Introduction
In Jesus’ Glorious Position in the Universe, we explore who Jesus is and his true position in creation. The Bible reveals that he is the only begotten Son of God, exalted above all things and worthy of honor and praise. We examine how his divinity, authority, and role in creation distinguish him from angels and human beings. We also see how the Father gave him a superior name and made him the heir of all things. Throughout this study, we delve into the Scriptures to understand the greatness of Christ and his eternal purpose.
The One God in Scripture
We have conducted studies that have shown us that the Father is the only God in the Scriptures (John 17:3), and consequently, this subject leads us to another important question regarding Jesus. With the Father as the Sovereign of the universe, who is Jesus, and what is his position in relation to Him? If only the Father is God, does Jesus not deserve glory and praise? What is his position before the universe? Is he merely a “son of God” like the angels and human beings? Today’s study will explore the position of Jesus and his significance.
Who is Jesus?
The first question we must ask is: Who is Jesus? The well-known verse of the Gospel tells us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). Jesus is the “only begotten Son” of God. He is unique and different from all the other “children of God“.
God created angels and human beings. We all belong to Him as His creatures, but among all the beings that exist, none receive the same designation that is given to Christ in relation to God. Only Jesus is called the “only begotten Son“. In this sense, His sonship differs from ours. He is a Son unlike any other in the universe, including those in heaven. He is set apart from all creation.
Let us now analyze the following passage in Colossians:
Colossians 1:15-20 – “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him 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, and for him: And he is before all things, and in him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell; and by him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him; I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven“
He who is the Image of the Invisible God
Who is Jesus? Paul states that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God“. But who is the invisible God? Clearly, Jesus recognizes the Father as His God, the one whom fallen humanity has never seen. Jesus is the “image” of this God, meaning He is the perfect representation of the Father in His full character.
God created human beings in His “image and likeness” (Genesis 1:26), but Christ is uniquely described as the “image of God“. In another letter, this idea is emphasized even further. The author of Hebrews states that Christ is the “express image” of God’s person (Hebrews 1:3). In this sense, Jesus Himself declared:
John 14:9 – “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you still do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; and how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?’“
Many people misinterpret these words, believing that Christ was saying He was the Father Himself incarnate. However, this is not the case at all. The apostle John declares in his gospel, “No one has ever seen God. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made Him known” (John 1:18).
Christ came to this fallen world to reveal the Father. Humanity had lost sight of God’s true character, and one of the purposes of Christ’s coming was to restore that understanding. He was the only one who could do so, for He is the one who “expresses the image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). This is why Christ said to Philip, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). By looking at Him, the disciples could fully understand what the Father is like, for the Son is the “image of the invisible God“, the One whom no one has ever seen.
In Him Everything Was Created
The text in Colossians continues by stating, “In Him all things were created… all things were created through Him and for Him“. Jesus was the one who created everything that exists in this universe-our world, animals, human beings, plants, stars, the sun, planets, everything. However, the text is not limited to what exists in material form.
It also mentions that He was the agent of the creation of the invisible world, meaning He created everything that exists in heaven-the angels, the seraphim, the cherubim-everything. The Father created all things through His Son. The Son was the agent of creation, and the Father granted to the Son all created things, for everything came into existence “for Him“.
See the glorious position of Jesus before the universe! When Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for fallen humanity, He came to redeem what was already His. He came to reclaim what the devil had taken for himself through deception and sin.
The text continues by saying that His existence is prior to all things, for “He is before all things“. Nothing existed before Him. Pay close attention to what this text is saying! The Father did not create anything before the existence of Jesus. How profound this message is! It means that in the entire universe, the Father directly brought only His Son into existence, for Christ is His “only begotten Son” (John 3:16).
The One Who Came Into Existence Directly From the Father
When the Father said, “He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), He was giving nothing less than all that He had, for Jesus was the only being who originated directly from the Father. The Father offered everything He had as a ransom for fallen humanity. What great love, and what a great sacrifice the Father made to save us!
The Son of God is not only the creator of all things but also their sustainer. The text states that “all things hold together by Him“. This means that by His power, Jesus keeps everything in creation functioning. The power of Jesus is immeasurable! We live and exist through Him. The air we breathe, the thoughts we produce, the bodies we move, the stars that shine in the sky, the sun that warms our planet-everything, both animate and inanimate, continues to exist through the sustaining power of Christ.
No angel, no matter how powerful, could accomplish such a feat. Only someone with power similar to the Father could do this! This shows us that the Father granted the Son great power so that He could create and sustain all things in existence.
Who is Jesus? The Head of the Church
Jesus became “the head of the body, the church“. The church is not a physical congregation but His spiritual body-those who accept His sacrifice, repent, and obey Him. Christ has become the “head” of this body because of the sacrifice He made on earth. He is “the beginning and the firstborn from the dead“. This is another glorious position of Jesus!
He also holds the title of “firstborn of all creation“. In both cases, the term “firstborn” should be understood as signifying “primacy“, as Christ holds the most important position among all creation and among all who have been resurrected.
He Is Above All Things
The text goes on to say, “so that in everything he may have the preeminence“. Christ’s position is above all created things! Before the Father, Christ receives the “preeminence” over all things. According to the dictionary, “preeminent” means something “far above what is around; superior, eminent, sublime” (Oxford Languages). This is the position the Father has given His Son!
What a glorious position Jesus holds before the universe! He is superior to everything and everyone-greater than all the angels ever created and all of humanity. Yet, when He came to this earth, we treated Him with contempt and rejection (and many still continue to do so today). May God have mercy on us while there is still time!
The Fullness Dwells in Him
The text continues: “It was the Father’s good pleasure that all the fullness should dwell in Him“. What fullness? Fullness of what? Paul himself mentions it later in his letter. He says: “For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). It pleased the Father that “all the fullness of divinity” dwell in Him! Christ is, without a shadow of a doubt, fully divine, just as His Father is! Divinity dwells fully in Christ; the same divinity that the Father possesses, the Son also possesses! Jesus is the “Only begotten Son” (John 3:16) of the Father. In addition to being the only being who came into existence directly from the Father, He was given the privilege of possessing the same divinity as the Sovereign of the universe! Jesus is, without a doubt, “the image of the invisible God“. His character and divinity perfectly represent the Father.
The text in Hebrews provides similar information to what we read in Colossians, but it also adds a few more details. Let’s take a look:
Hebrews 1:1-4 – “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds: Who 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; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance inherited a more excellent name than they“
The Right Hand of God is Sat
I will not be redundant in what we have already analyzed. Let us focus on the additional information. The text mentions that Christ “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high“. That is, He sat down at the right hand of the Sovereign of the universe, the One who occupies the highest position in the universe. He sat down at the right hand of God, His Father. Jesus said: “just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21). What creature could sit at the right hand of the Father’s throne? Certainly none! Only His divine Son could do so and share in that honor and glory! What a glorious position Jesus has once again received!
As we mentioned earlier, Christ is above all creation, including the angels. This is what the author confirms in the following words: “made so much more excellent than the angels“. Jesus is above all the angels! Furthermore, He has also “inherited a more excellent name than they“. You can only inherit something that is not originally yours. The Son inherited the “most excellent name” that could exist. From whom did He inherit it? Certainly from the only being who is above Him!
The Name He Inherited
Who is this being? It is His Father! Who is Jesus? The only begotten Son of God! Therefore, Jesus inherited His Father’s name! The unpronounceable name of the tetragrammaton “YHWH” is the name of the Father, but by filiation, Jesus was also able to receive it. By inheritance, He received such a name! It is not His main name, but His inherited name, the “most excellent” among the names! Once again, we see something that sets Christ apart from all that exists! He is the only one who can receive the sacred name of God, the same name that we were forbidden to speak in vain in the third commandment of His law (Exodus 20:7).
The texts of Colossians and Hebrews also say about Christ that “having made peace through the blood of His cross, through Him to reconcile all things to Himself“, and “made by Himself the purification of our sins“. In view of His immense sacrifice, He can assume the position of mediator between God and humanity. In this way, the apostle Paul explains: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Only Christ can be considered our mediator! There is no other! Only one! Only Jesus! For it was by His life and His blood that He made Himself our representative before the Father.
Conclusion: The Glorious Position of Jesus
ForAll that we have seen in this study – His unique existence, His divinity, His position above all things, the name He inherited, the creation He carried out, and all other things – the Father grants Christ the right to receive glory and praise forever and ever:
Revelation 5:13 – “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever“
To God and His Son are granted “thanksgiving, and honor, and glory, and power” to “forever and ever“! Amen and Amen!
May God bless us!
