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歌罗西书生命读经 · 第10篇

基督与创造的关系

CHRIST’S RELATIONSHIP TO CREATION
1读经：歌罗西书一章十五至十九节。
1Scripture Reading: Col. 1:15-19
创造的凭藉
THE MEANS OF CREATION
2基督教所盛行的传统教训，认为基督是创造者。虽然基督是神，是创造者，但圣经中没有一节明确的说，基督创造天地和宇宙中的万物。有些人听见这话，也许会想，约翰一章三节岂不是那样说么？这一节说，『万物是藉著祂成的；凡已成的，没有一样不是藉著祂成的。』这一节不是说，基督创造了万物，乃是说，万物是藉著基督成的。在钦定英文译本中，这一节说，『万物是由祂造作的。』然而，这样的繙译并不准确。该句中希腊文的介系词应当繙作『藉著』，而不是『由』。因此，这一节不是说，万物是由基督创造的，乃是说，万物是藉著基督成的。这指明基督乃是创造的凭藉。也许有些人认为希伯来一章十至十二节说，基督是创造者。然而，这几节是引自诗篇一百零二篇，指明神是创造者。在这里是引用该处来证明基督是神。事实上，基督就是万物的创造者。但我们在这里所著重的点乃是，圣经没有特别说到基督是创造者。反而，圣经说到基督是创造的凭藉，万物是藉著祂成的。我们若笼统的论到创造，说基督是创造者并没有错。但我们若要说得确切一点，更好是说，基督是创造的凭藉。
2In the traditional teaching prevailing in Christianity, Christ is considered to be the Creator. Although as God Christ is the Creator, no verse in the Bible says explicitly that Christ created the heavens, the earth, and all the things in the universe. When some hear this, they may wonder about John 1:3. This verse says, “ All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being which has come into being.” This verse does not say that Christ created all things. It says that all things came into existence through Christ. The King James Version of this verse says, “ All things were made by him.” This, however, is not an accurate translation. The Greek preposition should be rendered through and not by. Hence, this verse does not say that all things were created by Christ, but that all things came into existence through Christ. This indicates that Christ is the means of creation. Some may think that Hebrews 1:10-12 says that Christ is the Creator. However, these verses are a quotation from Psalm 102 that indicates that God is the Creator. Here they are quoted to prove that Christ is God. Christ is in fact the Creator of all things. But the point we are emphasizing here is that the Bible does not say specifically that Christ is the Creator. Rather, the Bible speaks of Christ as the means of creation, as the means through which all things came into being. If we speak of creation in a general sense, it is correct to say that Christ is the Creator. But if we wish to speak more definitely, it is better to say that Christ is the means of creation
3歌罗西一章十六节说，『万有…都是在祂里面造的。』钦定英文译本说，『万有都是由祂造的。』这繙译并不准确。这节里的希腊文介系词，繙作『在…里面』较为准确。说万有都是在基督里面造的，指明祂是创造万有的凭藉。然而，这一节若繙作『万有都是由祂造的』，意思就是说，基督是创造者，不是创造的凭藉。
3Colossians 1:16 says, “In Him were all things created.” The King James Version says, “By him were all things created.” This rendering is not accurate. The Greek preposition used here is more accurately translated by the English word in. To say that all things were created in Christ indicates that He is the means of the creation of all things. However, if this verse is rendered, “By him were all things created,” it will say that Christ is the Creator, not the means of creation
基督在创造里彰显神
CHRIST EXPRESSING GOD IN CREATION
4保罗在一章十五节说，基督是那不能看见之神的像。这意思是说，基督是那不能看见之神的彰显。在这一点上我们需要问：基督怎样彰显神。答案是，祂在创造里彰显神。不过，基督不是仅仅客观的创造万有，而在创造里彰显神。如果基督仅仅是客观的创造者，不是主观的创造凭藉，祂就不能在创造里彰显神。请记住，万有不是由基督造的，乃是藉著基督造的。这是指著一个在基督里所进行的过程说的。
4In 1:15 Paul says that Christ is the image of the invisible God. This means that Christ is the expression of the unseen God. At this point we need to ask in what way Christ expresses God. The answer is that He expresses God in creation. However, Christ does not express God in creation simply by creating all things in an objective way. If Christ were merely an objective Creator, not the subjective means of creation, Christ could not express God in creation. Keep in mind that all things were created not by Christ, but through Christ. This points to a process that took place in Christ.
5达秘在他的英文新译本歌罗西一章十六节的注解里说，『在祂里面，』指在基督人位的能力里。正如达秘所说的，『祂的内在能力表现为创造的特征。』达秘论到『万有都是在祂里面造的』这句话所用的希腊文介系词的意义，说，『通常用于一件作成之事的特征。』（达秘选集，第三十三卷，八七页。）他又说，『万有的创造是以主耶稣基督里面本有的能力为特征，并由这能力所作成的，万有也由这一恒常而本有的能力，维系为一个有秩序、有规律的整体。』（达秘选集，第三十一卷，一八八页。）基督是创造得以进行的主动凭藉。在这个过程中，神的能力得以彰显，也得以显明。这在罗马一章二十节清楚的启示出来。这一节说，『自从创造世界以来，神那看不见永远的大能，和神性的特征，是人所洞见的，乃是藉著受造之物，给人晓得的，叫人无法推诿。』神的能力在一切所造之物中得以显明。因此，用达秘的话说，创造带著基督内在能力的特征。
5In his note on Colossians 1:16 in his New Translation, J. N. Darby says that the words “in Him” mean in the power of Christ’s Person. As Darby says, “He was the one whose intrinsic power characterized the creation.” Commenting on the meaning of the Greek preposition used in the phrase “in Him were all things created,” Darby says that it is “used generally for the character in which a thing is done” (Collected Writings, Vol. 33, p. 87). He also states that the “creation of all things was characterized and wrought by the inherent power which is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and all things subsist together as one ordered and law-governed whole by the same constant and inherent power” (Collected Writings, Vol. 31, p. 188). Christ is the active instrument through which creation was processed. In this process God’s power is expressed; it is made manifest. This is revealed clearly in Romans 1:20. This verse says that the “invisible things of Him from the creation of the world, being apprehended by the things made, are clearly seen, both His eternal power and divine nature.” In all created things God’s power is made manifest. Hence, in Darby’swords, creation bears the characteristics of Christ’s intrinsic power
主观的与创造有关
SUBJECTIVELY RELATED TO CREATION
6基督主观的与创造有关。基督不是仅仅作为客观的创造者，客观的创造宇宙。我们可以说，祂不是站在一旁，叫万物产生出来。相反的，创造的过程是在祂里面，就是在祂人位的能力里面发生的。基督是宇宙中独一的能力。祂的人位就是这个能力。所以，创造是在祂里面进行的。这意思是说，祂不仅仅是客观的创造者，也是创造藉以进行的主观凭藉。因这缘故，创造带有基督内在能力的特征。圣经不是说基督创造了宇宙，乃是说万物是藉著祂成的，或说万有都是在祂里面造的。『由祂』这辞是客观的，但『藉著祂』和『在祂里面』这些辞是主观的。
6Christ is related to creation in a subjective way. Christ did not create the universe merely in an objective way as an objective Creator. He did not, so to speak, stand apart and call everything in to being. On the contrary, the process of creation took place in Him, that is, in the power of His Person. Christ is the unique power in the universe. His very Person is this power. Therefore, creation was processed in Him. This means that He was not simply an objective Creator, but also the subjective instrument through which creation was processed. For this reason, creation bears the characteristics of Christ’s intrinsic power. Instead of saying that Christ created the universe, the Bible says that all things came into being through Him or were created in Him. The words “by Him” are objective, whereas the words “through Him” and “in Him” are subjective.
7汽油用作汽车里面的能源，也许可以帮助说明这事。汽车是由司机操作的，但其能力的供应得自汽油。因著汽油供给能力，汽车就带有汽油之能力的特征。但汽油不是作一种客观的能力来供应汽车；汽油乃是藉著在汽车的一些机件里面发动，主观的使汽车有能力。如果汽油的能力是客观的，汽车就不会带有汽油内在能力的特征。但因著汽油是主观的联于汽车，由其所发动的车子就带有其内在能力的特征。钦定英文译本歌罗西一章十六节说，万有都是为著祂造的。『为著祂』也可译作『归于祂』。『为著祂』是客观的，而『归于祂』是主观的。万有都是在基督里面，藉著基督而造的，最终还要归于基督。这些说法都指明基督与创造有主观的关联。受造之物不仅是为著祂，也是归于祂。这意思是说，受造之物归结在祂里面。保罗使用『在…里面』、『藉著』并『为著（归于）』这三个介系词，都指明基督与创造有主观的关联。创造是在基督人位的能力里，以祂为主动的凭藉而发生的，并且还要归于祂，作受造之物的归结。这种关系全然是主观的。因著基督与创造有主观的关联，祂便在创造里彰显神。创造彰显了基督的特征；而基督是那不能看见之神的像。
7The use of gasoline as the source of power in an automobile may be a helpful illustration. An automobile is operated by the driver, but it receives its power supply from gasoline. Since gasoline provides the power, an automobile bears the characteristics of the power of gasoline. But gasoline does not supply an automobile as an objective power; it empowers it subjectively by operating within certain mechanical parts of the automobile. If the power of gasoline were objective, an automobile would not bear the characteristics of the intrinsic power of gasoline. But since gasoline is subjectively related to the automobile, the vehicle driven by it bears the characteristics of its intrinsic power. The King James Version of Colossians 1:16 says that all things have been created for Him. It is better to render the Greek “unto Him.” “For Him” is objective, but “unto Him” is subjective. All things have been created in Christ, through Christ, and, ultimately, unto Christ. These expressions indicate that Christ has a subjective relationship to creation. Creation is not simply for Him; it is also unto Him. This means that it consummates in Him. The three prepositions in, through, and unto were used by Paul to point out the subjective relationship of Christ to creation. Creation took place in the power of Christ’s Person, through Him as the active instrument, and unto Him as its consummation. Such a relationship is altogether subjective. Because of His subjective relationship to creation, Christ expresses God in creation. Creation expresses the characteristics of Christ who is the image of the invisible God
万有在基督里面得以维系
ALL THINGS SUBSISTING IN CHRIST
8在十七节保罗继续说，『万有也在祂里面得以维系。』这意思是说，万有靠著基督作联系的中心，得以一同存在。受造之物在基督里面得以维系，进一步指明基督主观的与创造有关。我们要分辨『存在』、『组成』、和『维系』这些辞，这是很重要的。歌罗西一章十七节不是说万有在基督里面存在，也不是说万有在祂里面组成，乃是说万有在祂里面得以维系。存在就是生存，组成就是形成或构成，维系乃是互相结合一起而存在。想一想轮子的轮辋、轮辐和轮轴。所有的轮辐是凭轮轴而得以维系在一起。轮辐所以能维系，惟一的路乃是藉著在轮子中央的轮轴那里结合在一起。这说明万有在基督里面得以维系的这个事实上，基督与创造的关系。
8In verse 1 7 Paul goes on to say, “All things subsist together in Him.” This means that all things exist together by Christ as the holding center. For creation to subsist in Christ is a further indication that Christ is subjectively related to creation. It is important to differentiate between the words exist, consist, and subsist. Colossians 1:17 does not say that all things exist in Christ or consist in Him; it says that all things subsist in Him. To exist is to be, to consist is to be composed or constituted, and to subsist is to hold together for existence. Imagine a wheel with its rim, spokes, and hub. All the spokes subsist together in the hub. The only way for the spokes to subsist is to beheld together at the hub in the center of the wheel. This illustrates Christ’s relationship to creation with respect to the fact that all things subsist in Himself.
9我们已经指出，万有是在基督里面，并藉著基督而产生的，并且万有还要归于基督。不要以为有甚么是与祂分开的。万有都是在基督人位内在的能力里面，藉著祂作主动的凭藉而造的，并且万有还要归于祂作终极的目标。不仅如此，万有也靠著祂作轮轴得以维系，结合在一起。因著万有都是在基督里面，并藉著基督造的，并且万有还要归于基督，又因著万有都在基督里面得以维系，神就能藉著基督（那不能看见之神的像）在创造里彰显出来。
9We have pointed out that all things came into being in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ. Nothing should be regarded as separate from Him. All things were made in the intrinsic power of Christ’s Person, through Him as the active instrument, and unto Him as the consummate goal. Furthermore, all things subsist, are held together, in Him as the hub. Because all things were created in Christ, through Christ, and unto Christ and because all things subsist in Christ, God can be expressed in creation through Christ who is the image of the invisible God
一切的丰满
ALL THE FULLNESS
10在一章十九节保罗说，『因为一切的丰满，乐意居住在祂里面。』这里的丰满实际上等于十五节的像。那不能看见之神的像，就是那不能看见之神的完满彰显。丰满居住在基督里面，意思是说，神一切的彰显，祂一切的像，乐意居住在基督里面。
10In 1:19 Paul says, “For in Him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.” The fullness here is virtually the equivalent of the image in verse 15. The image of the invisible God is the full expression of the unseen God. For the fullness to dwell in Christ means that all the expression of God, all of His image, was pleased to dwell in Him
11十五至十九节组成歌罗西书的一个段落。这一段启示，基督在旧造里并在新造里，都是首先的。基督是神两个创造的头一位，是神的彰显。神在祂里面得著彰显，因为万有是在祂里面、藉著祂、为著归于祂而造的，并且万有在祂里面得以维系。不但旧造如此，新造更是如此。召会这个新造乃是基督的身体；祂是这身体的头。藉著祂与创造主观的关系，基督乃是那不能看见之神的丰满，是那不能看见之神的像。十九节的丰满不是一样东西，乃是一个人位，就是三一神的彰显，三一神的像。在二十至二十二节中，很难断定各个代20名词所指的是谁。十九至二十节说，一切的丰满，乐意居住在基督里面，『便藉著祂叫万有…都与自己和好了。』倘若这丰满不是一个人位，怎能乐意居住在基督里面？丰满会乐意，这事实指明丰满乃是一个人位。这丰满不仅乐意居住在基督里面，并且藉著祂叫万有与自己和好。十九和二十节有两个动词─『居住』与『叫…和好』─由一个连接词连接起来。因此，这丰满乐意居住，也乐意叫万有与自己和好。『藉著祂』这辞按原文在二十节用了两次，两次都是指藉著基督作主动的凭藉，使和好得以完成。但叫万有与自己和好，这个『自己』的前述词是甚么？就是十九节所说的丰满。这就是为甚么达秘的新译本在二十和二十二节中，使用『牠自己』（itself）和『牠』（it）这两个代名词，来指十九节的丰满。不过，这里希腊文的代名词不该当作中性的，乃该当作阳性的。这意思是说，我们不该说『牠』，而该说『祂』。故此，万有都与这丰满和好了。二十一至二十二节说到，我们从前是仇敌，但如今这丰满在基督肉体的身体里，藉著死，叫我们与祂自己和好，把我们圣别、没有瑕疵、无可责备的呈献在这丰满面前。这样来领会这一段真有意义！乃是丰满居住在基督里面，也是这丰满使我们与祂自己和好，并且我们是被呈献在这丰满面前。这丰满乃是神自己彰显出来。这丰满乐意居住在基督里面，使我们与祂自己和好，并且把我们呈献在祂自己面前。
11Verses 15 through 19 make up one section of the Epistle to the Colossians. In this section Christ is revealed as the first both in the old creation and in the new creation. As the One who is first in both of God’s creations, Christ is the expression of God. God is expressed in Him because all things have come into being in Him, through Him, and unto Him, and they subsist in Him. This is true not only of the old creation, but even the more of the new creation. The new creation, the church, is Christ’s Body, of which He is the Head. Through His subjective relationship to creation, Christ is the fullness of the unseen God, the image of the invisible God. The fullness in verse 1 9 is not a thing; it is a person who is the expression, the image, of the Triune God. In verses 20 through 22, it is difficult to determine to whom the various pronouns refer. Verses 19 and say that in Christ the fullness was pleased to dwell, and “through Him to reconcile all things to Him.” If the fullness were not a person, how could it be pleased to dwell in Christ? The fact that the fullness can be pleased indicates that it is a person. The fullness was pleased not only to dwell in Christ, but through Him to reconcile all things to Him. In verses 19 and 20 two infinitives — to dwell and to reconcile — are joined by a conjunction. Hence, the fullness was pleased to dwell and to reconcile. The phrase “through Him” is used twice in verse 20. Both times it refers to Christ as the active instrument through which reconciliation was processed. But what is the antecedent of the pronoun Him, to whom all things are reconciled? The antecedent is the fullness spoken of in verse 19. This is the reason that in his New Translation, J. N. Darby uses the pronouns itself and it, in verses 20 and 22, to refer to the fullness in verse 19. The Greek pronouns, however, should not be regarded as neuter, but as masculine. This means that instead of saying “it,” we should say “him.” There fore, all things have been reconciled to the fullness. In verses 21 and 22, we who were enemies have been reconciled by the fullness in the body of flesh through death so that we may be presented holy and blameless and without reproach before the fullness. How meaningful is this understanding of the passage! It is the fullness that dwells in Christ, it is the fullness that reconciles us, and it is to the fullness that we shall be presented. This fullness is God Himself expressed. This fullness was pleased to dwell in Christ, to reconcile us, and to present us to Himself.
12神在祂一切丰富所是里的彰显歌罗西书所启示的基督乃是包罗万有的。祂不仅是神，也是受造之物的首生者。万有都是在祂里面并藉著祂成的。不仅如此，万有也都归于祂，并且在祂里面得以维系。故此，神一切19的所是藉著祂得以彰显。我们已经看见，在十九节，一切的丰满不是指神所是的丰富，乃是指那些丰富的彰显。在创造中，并在召会中，神一切丰富所是的完满彰显，都居住在基督里面。神丰富的所是在旧造和新造中彰显出来，乃是藉著基督；万有是在基督里面、藉著祂、且归于祂而成，并在祂里面得以维系。那不能看见的神，乃是这样得以彰显出来。当我们思想宇宙和召会，就是旧造和新造的时候，我们就看见三一神的一切丰满。我们看见三一神的彰显。这丰满乐意居住在子里面，并叫万有与祂自己和好，使祂得著彰显。不仅如此，这丰满又把我们圣别、没有瑕疵、无可责备的呈献在祂自己面前，好使祂在新造中得著祂的彰显。
12THE EXPRESSION OF GOD IN ALL HIS RICH BEING The Christ revealed in Colossians is all-inclusive. He is not only God, but also the firstborn of creation. All things came into being in Him and through Him. Furthermore, all things are unto Him and subsist in Him. Therefore, through Him is expressed all that God is. We have seen that all the fullness in verse does not denote the riches of what God is, but the expression of those riches. The full expression of God in all His rich being, both in creation and in the church, dwells in Christ. The rich being of God is expressed both in the old creation and in the new creation through Christ as the One in whom, through whom, and unto whom all things came into being and as the One in whom all things subsist. It is in such a way that the invisible God is expressed. When we consider the universe and the church, the old creation and the new creation, we see all the fullness of the Triune God. We behold the expression of the Triune God. This fullness was pleased to dwell in the Son and to reconcile all things to Himself for His expression. Furthermore, this fullness will present us holy, blameless, and without reproach to Himself so that He may have His expression in the new creation.
父的爱子
THE SON OF THE FATHER’S LOVE
是那不能看见之神的像
BEING THE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD
13一章十五节说，『爱子是那不能看见之神的像，是一切受造之物的首生者。』十三节说到父的爱子，这里说到这位父的爱子乃是那不能看见之神的像。在十五节这里，保罗将『一切受造之物的首生者』和『那不能看见之神的像』列为同位语。在文法上，这表示两个辞句乃是同义辞。那不能看见之神的像，就是一切受造之物的首生者。十六节开始于『因为』，指明保罗所说神的像就是一切受造之物首生者的原因。这个原因乃是：『万有，无论是在诸天之上的、在地上的、能看见的、不能看见的、或是有位的、主治的、执政的、掌权的，都是在祂里面造的；万有都是藉著祂并为著祂造的。』为甚么那不能看见之神的像，就是一切受造之物的首生者？祂之所以是首生者，因为万有都是在祂里面、藉著祂并为著祂造的。
13Colossians 1:15 says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation.” The relative pronoun who refers to the Son of God’s love (v. 13). This means that the Son of the Father’s love is the image of the invisible God. In verse 15 Paul puts the phrase “firstborn of all creation” in apposition to the phrase “the image of the invisible God.” Grammatically this indicates that these expressions are synonymous. The image of the invisible God is the firstborn of all creation. The fact that verse 16 begins with the word because indicates that it gives the reason Paul said that the image of God is the firstborn of all creation. The reason is that “in Him were all things created in the heavens and on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and unto Him.” Why is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation? He is the firstborn because all things were created in Him, through Him, and unto Him
14我们已经看见，基督是神的像，乃是神的彰显。一个人若没有肉身的样式或形像，他就得不著彰显。人乃是藉著肉身的形像得以彰显。虽然神是不能看见的，祂却藉著祂的像，就是祂的儿子，得著彰显。父的爱子乃是那不能看见之神的彰显。这个彰显首先是一切受造之物的首生者，因为万有都是在祂里面、藉著祂并为著祂造的。藉著祂而成的受造之物，彰显神永远的大能和神性的特征。神性的特征和永远的大能，都是那不能看见之神的彰显。你若仔细的探讨宇宙，你会承认宇宙证实了永远的大能和神性的特征。连许多科学家也晓得，在受造之物中，存在著某种特殊的大能。这个能力就是基督，那不能看见之神的像。
14We have seen that as the image of God Christ is the expression of God. If a person had no physical form or image, he could not be expressed. A person is expressed through his physical image. Although God is invisible, He is expressed through His image, which is His Son. The Son of the Father’s love is the expression of the invisible God. This expression is firstly the firstborn of all creation, because all things were created in Him, through Him, and unto Him. The creation that came into existence through Him expresses God’s eternal power and divine nature. Both the divine nature and the eternal power are the expression of the invisible God. If you study the universe in a thoughtful way, you will confess that it testifies of the eternal power and of the divine nature. Even many scientists realize that in creation some kind of extraordinary power exists. This power is Christ as the image of the invisible God
15十六节所用的三个介系词─『在…里面』、『藉著』、『为著（归于）』指明创造与基督有了主观的关系。由于创造的过程，以及创造的目标和归结，在创造与基督之间有一种主观的关系。创造是在基督里并藉著基督而成的。这指明因著创造藉以产生的过程，创造便与基督有了主观的关系。再者，一切受造之物都归于基督。这指明创造与基督有主观的关系，因基督乃是这创造存在的归结、目标。在创造的过程中，在创造的目标里，基督都得著彰显。因此，创造与基督这不能看见之神的像，是不能分开的。
15The three prepositions used in verse 16—in, through, and unto—indicate that creation is subjectively related to Christ. There is a subjective relationship between ─ creation and Christ because of the process of creation and because of the goal, the consummation, of creation. In Christ and through Christ creation came into being. This indicates that creation is subjectively related to Christ because of the process by which it came into existence. Moreover, all of creation is unto Christ. This indicates that creation is subjectively related to Christ as the consummation, the goal, of its existence. Both in the process of creation and in the goal of creation Christ is expressed. Therefore, creation cannot be separated from Christ as the image of the invisible God.
基督是创造者
和创造的凭藉
CHRIST AS CREATOR AND AS THE MEANS OF CREATION
16基督是神也是基督。祂是神，是创造者；祂也是基督，是神的受膏者，是神所选立的一位。基督是神所膏、所选立的一位，执行神的托付。基督是神，祂是创造者；祂也是基督，是创造的凭藉、方法。因此，约翰一章三节不是重在基督是创造者，乃是重在祂是创造藉以进行并产生的凭藉。歌罗西一章十六节也是这样。创造的过程是在祂里面，并藉著祂且归于祂而完成的。祂是凭藉，创造乃是藉著祂并在祂里面而成的。
16Christ is both God and Christ. As God He is the Creator, but as Christ He is God’san o in ted One and appointed One. As God’san o in ted and appointed One, Christ carries out God’s commission. As God Christ is the Creator, but as Christ He is the instrument, the means, of creation. Therefore, in John 1:3, the emphasis is not that Christ is the Creator, but that He is the means through which creation was processed and came into existence. The same is true of Colossians 1:16. The process of creation was carried out in Him, through Him, and unto Him. He is the means, the instrument, through which and in which creation came into existence
基督─神的像如何彰显神
HOW CHRIST, THE IMAGE OF GOD expresses God
17十六至十八节是十五节的解释。在这些经文里所见到的项目，都与基督是那不能看见之神的像有关。这意思是说，神的像─基督，与创造的过程和目标有关，与受造之物的首生者有关，与创造得以维系有关，并与从死人中复活的首生者有关。这些项目的结果就是十九节所说一切的丰满，就是在旧造里的丰满，以及在新造里的丰满。因此，十九节的丰满就是十五节的像。
17Verses 16 through 18 are a definition of verse 15. The items found in these verses are related to Christ as the image of the invisible God. This means that Christ as the image of God is related to the process and goal of creation, to the firstborn of creation, to the subsistence of creation, and to the firstborn from among the dead. The issue of these items is all the fullness, the fullness in the old creation and the fullness in the new creation, spoken of in verse 19. Hence, the fullness in verse 19 is the image in verse 15
18基督这不能看见之神的像如何彰显神？祂是父的爱子，彰显三一神，因为祂是旧造和新造所藉以产生的那位。不仅如此，祂彰显三一神，因为祂是两个创造的首生者。这使祂成为神完满的彰显。在十九节中，一切的丰满是指基督的人位。保罗在下一节用阳性代名词来指这个丰满，原因就在这里。赞美主，基督是包罗万有的！保罗在歌罗西书说，基督是那不能看见之神的像，一切受造之物的首生者，也是从死人中复活的首生者。祂是父的爱子，在旧造里并在新造里，祂都是神完满的彰显。基督是神，没有起始。但作为受造之物的首生者，祂有起始。让我们放下天然的观念，相信神纯正的话，并赞美主，祂是包罗万有者，祂是三一神完满的彰显。
18How does Christ, the image of the invisible God, express God? As the Son of the Father’s love, He expresses the Triune God because He is the One through whom both the old creation and the new creation came into being. Furthermore, He expresses the Triune God because He is the firstborn of both creations. This makes Him the full expression of God. All the fullness in verse 19 denotes the very Person of Christ. This is the reason that in the following verse Paul uses a masculine pronoun to refer to the fullness. Praise the Lord that Christ is all - inclusive! In Paul’s words in Colossians, Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and the firstborn from among the dead. As the Son of the Father’s love, He is the full expression of God, seen both in the old creation and in the new creation. As God, Christ has no beginning. But as the firstborn of creation, He had a beginning. Let us set aside the natural concept, believe the pure Word of God, and praise the Lord that as the all-inclusive One He is the full expression of the Triune God.