JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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Biblical scholars such as C. F. D. Moule sees here a reference to deity and thus interprets
this to mean "God in all His fullness,"4 that is, "all that God is." J. B. Phillips in his New
Testament paraphrase renders this, "the full nature of God." The New English Bible translates it,
"the complete being of God." Lightfoot paraphrases it, "the totality of divine powers and
attributes."5
The idea of the word "fullness" is that nothing of deity is lacking in Christ. He is the full
demonstration of who God is. In other places Paul speaks of Jesus as God "manifest in the
flesh" (1 Ti 3:16) and of His appearance on earth as an "epiphany" (2 Ti 1:10).
Paul's use of the word "full" is significant since it is probably done to argue against the
false teachers at Colossae who looked upon the many spirit beings (aeons) as filling the space
between God and the world. These spirits would serve as intermediaries and therefore any
communication between God and the world had to pass through them. They were the connecting
link between God and His perfect world of the spirit and the world which was inherently evil.
It is likely that these false teachers included Christ as one of these supernatural entities
since they were forced to admit that he was of heavenly origin and thus God was in some sense
present in Him. But He was only one aspect of the divine nature and thus in Himself He was not
sufficient to meet all the needs of people. Paul, therefore, declares that Christ is not just one of
many divine beings. He is the one Mediator between God and the world. All, not just part, of
the attributes of God are centered in Him.
Since the word "dwell" suggests "permanent residence" as opposed to "temporary
sojourn," Paul was probably refuting a teaching among the Colossians that the divine fullness
had only a transient and temporary association with Christ. Paul's point is that God's fullness
resides in Christ permanently.
● Jesus is the "radiance" or "effulgence" and "image" of God (Heb 1:3; Col 1:15).
The word "radiance" or "effulgence" (apaugasma) means "to send forth light," "to flash
out" in the sense of radiating and it also means "to flash back" in the sense of reflecting. The
word apaugasma can mean either a light that is emitted from some luminary in the sense of
radiance or effulgence, or a light reflected from some luminary that is a refulgence or reflection.
The essential meaning is very close. The idea is that Jesus is the manifestation of God, who is
light (1 Jn 1:5).
As one in whom light is sent forth Jesus expresses God to us. Because no one will ever
see God, the only radiance that reaches us from God is mediated to us through Jesus Christ. Just
as the rays of the sun bring light and warmth to the earth, so the light of God shines through the
Person of Jesus into the hearts of people.