all things have been
created through him and for him: Verse 16 contains one of several
examples in the hymn of chiasmus, the A-B-B-A pattern found frequently in the
NT (“were created all things . . . all things have been created”). The change
of verb tense from the aorist to the perfect form indicates creation’s ongoing
existence. In other words, not only were all things created but they also
remain in their created existence through for Christ and for Christ. The
passive voice that runs through the verse indicates that God is the creator. God
creates, but Christ is the agent of creation: “through him.” “For him” (en
auton) may refer to Christ’s glorification, but it most likely describes
Christ as the final goal: all things are created toward him. (Margaret Y.
MacDonald, Colossians and Ephesians [Sacra Pagina 17; Collegeville,
Minn.:The Liturgical Press, 2000], 60)
