Introduction to Colossians: Authorship, Date, Audience - Crain Home

Interpretation 1
the hope of glory, and the prayer referred to above fills up the
chapter till we come to the common ground of Christ's glory
in Colossians 1:15; and even here the divine glory of Christ is
brought out in Colossians, the simple fact of the purpose of
God as to Christ in Ephesians.
Already, the writer begins to theologize with verses thirteen and fourteen:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood,
even the forgiveness of sins:
The Intervarsity Press Commentary shows the rescue as echoing Old
Testament stories of God's intervention:
Paul's confession of God's gracious decision to usher the
church into the promised land continues by specifying its
result: God rescued us . . . and brought us into the kingdom of
the Son. God's action is described in the aorist tense (has
rescued), which suggests that the defeat of demonic enemies
and the church's entrance into God's kingdom have already
taken place. The verb translated rescue (rhyomai) echoes the
Old Testament stories of God's intervention to deliver an
embattled Israel from its enemies, especially the master story
of the exodus, when God delivered Israel from the pharaoh's
tyranny and the avenging angel. For Paul, the climactic act of
God's intervening grace, which constitutes the church's
Passover, occurred when Christ trusted God even to death. In
a sense, the saving result of Christ's death reoccurs whenever
a person trusts in Christ for salvation (compare Rom 3:22;
7:24--8:1).
http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/webcommentary
The prayer gives way to theology in Colossians 1: 15:
http://crain.english.mwsc.edu/colossians/interpretation_1.htm (11 of 20)6/17/2003 8:17:40 AM
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature: