The authority of Christ is the driving focus, as seen in the fact he is the agent in the creation of τὰ πάντα (1:16), which is to be taken in its most sweeping sense. His authority is implied further by the list of authorities and powers later in the verse. The πρὸ πάντων in 1:17 probably refers to authority and not priority in time is seen in the parallel καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ in 1:18. Bruce thinks that πρωτότοκος refers primarily to his preexistence. But while preexistence cannot be denied, rulership is the more important focus. (J. William Johnston, The Use of πας in the New Testament Studies in Biblical Greek [New York: Peter Lang, 2004], 177)
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- James White (and John Owen) on Hebrews 10:29
- Luther's Unease with the term "Homoousios"
- Zelph on the Shelf vs. Jershon
- Graham N. Stanton, "Presuppositions in New Testame...
- Echad does not mean "compound one"
- Christological and Anthropological Implications of...
- Multi-volume works on Christian History
- M. Russell Ballard on the importance of using LDS ...
- Priestly Sacrificial Language in 1 Clement
- Refuting the "all you need for salvation is the Bi...
- Brian Hales, The CES Letter: A Closer Look
- Te-Li Lau on the Internal Witness of the Holy Spirit
- Kevin Vanhoozer on 1 Corinthians 4:6
- Daniel McClellan vs. James White
- Hebrews 10:5 versus Oneness Pentecostal Theology
- Christological Implications of John 5:26
- Paul and the "third heaven" in 2 Corinthians 12:2
- The Pre-eminence of Jesus in Colossians 1:16
- Throwing out critical-thinking skills to be a Trin...
- Another note on Hebrews 1:1-2
- Examples of Non-Trinitarian Statements in the Book...
- Ephesians 1:17 and Illogical Trinitarian Argumenta...
- John 15:6 versus Eternal Security
- A Study on Imputation
- Philip R. Gons, "When Did Abraham First Savingly B...
- Allen Hansen and Walker Wright, "Worship Through C...
- John Calvin's Murder of Michael Servetus
- Ben Stanhope and the meaning of Elohim
- Additional Notes on Hebrews 7:12 and the Aaronic P...
- Paul, Satan, and 2 Corinthians 11:14
- Private vs. Public Definitions of "Christian"
- Selected New Testament Texts on Final Judgement be...
- Worship of Adam in the Life of Adam and Eve
- Augustine and Trinitarian Discomfort with John 17:3
- The "works" in view in Ephesians 2
- Refuting the insanity of KJV-Onlyism
- Exegesis of Selected biblical texts and the Plural...
- Another desperate attempt to defend Chalcedonian C...
- Michael Ash, The Sin "Next to Murder"
- RCH Lenski on Acts 22:16 and Baptism being Salvific
- The pericope adulterae (John 7:53-8:11) as a later...
- Jürgen Roloff on Revelation 3:9, 21
- Keil and Delitzch on Genesis 19:24 not being a Tri...
- Praying about the Book of Mormon
- Does Ecclesiastes 9:5-7 Support Soul Sleep/Death?
- Christology and Colossians 2:9
- Early Christians and 1 Corinthians 15:40-42
- Recent articles on the Hebrew background of the Bo...
- Michael Brown on the hardening of Pharaoh's heart
- Resources on the Sabbath Debate
- The Importance of a Balanced Approach to Higher Cr...
- James White fails on John 17:3 and Philippians 2:9
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