Reading for July 6th

Read Colossians 1.15-23 A hymn to the universal Christ and comment on his redeeming work.
Christ, the cosmic agent of creation, has reconciled creation's warring elements (vv. 15-20),
and their early teachings to ensure maturity (vv. 21-23).
In verses 15-20 the hymn's origin is unknown, but if not Christian it may be an adaptation
from a Greek mystery religion, a Jewish text about the Son of Man and the end times, or a
Hellenistic Jewish wisdom text like Prov 8.22-31 or Sir 24.1-22.
It easily divides into two: Christ as the agent of creation (vv. 15-18a) and Christ as an
agent of redemption (vv. 18b-20).
In verse 16 Christ's role in creation is like the role of Wisdom (see Prov 8.22-26; Sir 24.9).
In verse 18 Head of the body, see 2.19; Eph 1.22-23.
In verse 20 Reconcile, restore to friendship from enmity.
In verse 21-23 a direct exhortation to the recipients: God has reconciled them and they will be blameless before God if they are steadfast.
In verse 21 Estranged, alienated or unfamiliar with something.
See Eph 2.12; 4.18.
Comments or Questions...