[[On the contrary, Col. depicts Christ as image ( see also 2 Cor. 4:4) of the invisible God]]
Thus he is not the invisible God of whom he is the image.
[[ (John 1:18).]]
No one has seen God; Jesus, the Son of God, has told us about him. Jesus is not Yahweh.
[[He is pre-eminent and supreme as God's agent in the creation of all things, including angels (Col. 1:16 and John 1:3).]]
He is God's agent in making the creation; he is not God Almighty.
[[He is prior to all things (Col. 1:17 and Heb. 1:3)]]
He is before the all being spoken. Being the firsborn of creation, he was created before the creation being included in pantwn -- all -- that is being referred to here Colossians 1:17. The "ta panta" of Hebrews 1:3 is referring his bearing *ta panta* -- the all -- that is being spoken of in the context.
[[Firstborn of creation doesn't mean Jesus was the first creature made by the Father.]]
Of course it does mean that he was the first creature made by God. Except there be those who wish see into the Bible that Jesus is Yahweh, there would be doubt as to what this means: Jesus, being the firstborn of all creation, is the first to be created, being included in that of which he is the firstborn of.
[[It means he is the heir of all creation.]]
Being the heir does not mean that he was not created. He is the heir as God's firstborn creature. As the heir of God, he receives what is promised from God. He is not God who gives him this inheritance, anymore than the joint-heirs who also receive an joint-heirship with Jesus as heirs of God.
[[All things were created for him (Col. 1:16)]]
ta panta di autou kai eis auton ektistai
*Ta Panta*, the all, that is being spoken of, was created *di* -- through -- Jesus, and for him.
[[and in him all things hold together (Col. 1:17)]]
ta panta en autw sunesteeken
*Ta Panta* -- All these things -- by means of him are put together.
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=4921&version=
[[ See also Heb. 1:2. ]]
Hebrews 1:2
ep eschatou twn heemerwn toutwn elaleesen heemin
UPON LAST [PART] OF THE DAYS THESE HE SPOKE TO US1909 2078 3588 2250 3778_94 2980 1473_9en huiw hon etheeken kleeronomon pantwn di hou
IN SON, WHOM HE PUT HEIR OF ALL (THINGS), THROUGH WHOM1722 5207 3739 5087 2818 3956 1223 3739kai epoieesen tous aiwnas
ALSO HE MADE THE AGES;2532 4160 3588 0165Verse one shows that God spoke in times past by his prophets, but now he speaks by means of his Son. The parallel here does not give any indication that Jesus is God, but rather that Jesus, like the prophets, spoke for God. -- Deuteronomy 18:15,18,19.
All variations of *pas* -- panta, pantwn, etc. -- almost always refer to what is being spoken of in context.
http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Brown/T/Pierce/1923/allofgod.html
I do not necessarily agree with all conclusions of the above author.
See:
http://reslight.addr.com/col1-16.htm
http://reslight.addr.com/jesbeg.html
http://reslight.addr.com/heb1-1-10.html
Christian love,
Ronald