Matthew Poole and continuators on Colossians 1:16

16 For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth visible and invisible , whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers : all things were created by him, , and for him .

He proves Christ to be before, and Lord over every creature, more excellent than them all with a prerogative, other Princes want, for none of them is a creatour of his subjects, who were not made by him or for him, as all creatures without exception were made by and for Christ. The Apostle here is as cautious, as may be, lest by speaking of Christ as the first born of every creature he should seem to put him in the order of creatures, which he shews do depend upon him for their creation and preservation, sith he brought them out of nothing into being, and therein doth sustain them.

In whom they have their beings, live and move, Act. 17.28. Some render the particle in, rather than by. But they disclaim the Philosophical notions about Platonick Ideas, onely conceive all to be made in Christ, as the exemplary cause whom God had in his eternal decree set up as the pattern of all prefections being his image according to which 'twas agreed in the Council of the Trinity, Man should be made, Gen. 1.26. But the most do according to our translation, render it, (as in Hebrew phrase) by (being of the same import with that in the end of the verse) or through which is expressive of the principal efficient, not the instrumental cause, for al[illegible: 1 letter] the things made were produced out of nothing into being immediately by him, Ioh. 1.3, 10. Heb. 1.8, 10. he might well be Lord over them, all who was the first founder of them, Act. 10.36. 1 Cor. 8.6. and whatever the adversaries alledge, 'tis plain in scripture that by is used of the principal cause, v. 1. Rom. 11.31, 36. 1 Cor. 1.1. & 12.8, 9. 2 Cor. 1.1. Gal. 1.1. 1 Thess. 4.2. & 2 Thess. 3.12.

Creation is simply, universally, and absolutely attributed to him for whatever subtilties, some would suggest, all things created by him is equivalent to he created all things, compare Psal. 96.5. & 102.25. with Is. 44.24. & 48.13. Ier. 10.12. Act. 17.24. with Ro. 11.36. (like 1 Cor. 1.9. with 1 Thess. 2.12.)

The Apostle speaks extensively of all proceeding from not being into being, both generally and distributively agreeable to the common expression of all things that were made at the beginning, Act. 4.24. though in scripture where mention is made of the creation, Heaven and Earth be not always expressed, Is. 40.26. Mark 10.6. & 13.19. Act. 17.24. Rom. 1.20. 2 Pet. 3.4. Rev. 4.11. but here where all things in Heaven and Earth, visible and invisible are expressed 'tis evident that Heaven & Earth are together comprehended.

These two adjuncts of visible and invisible do divide all creatures whatsoever, there being nothing made that is not one or the other.

An Enumeration is particularly made of the latter, which for their excellency (if any) might seem to be exempted (by those in danger of being beguiled to the worshipping of Angels) from the state and condition of being created by Jesus Christ, particularly.

Those he here names as elsewhere, (Rom. 8.38. Eph. 1.20, 21. & 3.10. & 6.12.) in the Abstracts for the concrets the invisible inhabitants of the world, I know some would have dignities in humane policy to be meant as, Tit. 3.1. 2 Pet. 2.10. Iude. v. 10. But 'tis more rational with the generality of ancient and modern interpreters as, c. 2.15. to expound these Titles of incorporeal and Angelical creatures, whether by an Emphatical Synonymie, Angels generally by a Metonymie being Ministers of the heavenly state, or more probably as should seem from the scope of the place by such a subdivision of invisibles as the Apostle did conceive there was according to the properties wherein they were eminent, and the offices whereunto they were delegated of God which he expresseth disjunctively by borrow'd Titles from the distinctions of men in dignities and offices here below, as Dukes, Earls, Lords, and other magistrates, the scriptures elsewhere intimating, distinctions amongst the spiritual Ministers attending the commands of the heavenly Majesty upon his throne, represented shadow'd by the Cherubims, Gen. 3.24. Exod. 25.18, 22. 1 Sam. 4.4. & 2 Sam. 6.2. 1 Chron. 28.18. Psal. 80.1. Is. 37.16, 36. Ezek. 1.13. denominated Arch-Angel and Princes, Iud. v. 9. Dan. 10.13, 21. 1 Thess. 4.16. which imply some distinctions and orders amongst Angelical beings, but what that is we know not, (whatever is disputed in the Roman Schools from the spurious Denys) and therefore having no ground from scripture, account it no better than curiosity to enquire, and rashness to determine.

After his enumeration and distribution of things created the Apostle doth for further confirmation repeat the universal proposition or assumption with preposition expressive of the same absolute efficiency of causality that is attributed to God the Father and the Holy Ghost, all created things being made by him, i. e. by Christ whose works without are undivided from those of the other Persons in the Trinity; they were all brought out of nothing into being by him, not by Angels.

Which is more fully prov'd from his being the final (as well as efficient) cause of them: they all had their being in respect of him or for him, i. e. his Glory, Rom. 11.36. to manifest his divine power and infinite goodness, Ioh. 5.17.23. & 17.5. he is their end as well as founder, Rev. 5.13. the Apostle affirms the same of him that is affirmed of the Father, Iob. 9.8. Prov. 16.4. Isa. 44.24. he made them all for his own sake. The Socinians in derogation to Christ's Divinity would restrain, limit, and narrow what Christ saith here in this verse to the new creation or reparation, but against manifest reason. For 1. The words creature and creation in the foregoing verse, and this, are used absolutely as was before suggested, and so created here repeated twice and joyned with the word all, and therefore to be understood as elsewhere absolutely of the old or first creation, Mark 10.6. & 13.19. & 16.15. Rom. 1.20.25. 1 Cor. 11.9. 1 Tim. 4.3. Heb. 4.13. 2 Pet. 3.4. Rev. 10.6. for when it is used of the second creation, or restoration the restrictive additament of new is joyned with it, Is. 65.17, 18. 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 6.15. Eph. 2.15. & 4.24. not left indefinitely as here. 2. In parallel places, the making and founding of the old creation is ascrib'd to Christ, both negatively and positively, Ioh. 1.3. Heb. 1.3, 10. not one thing is excepted, and therefore should not be restrained to men. 3. 'Tis most evident from the context the Apostle doth in this verse discourse of creation, in contradistinction to what he speaks of afterwards in the 18th, and 20th. verses, when he comes to treat of Christ as head of his Church, and we have no reason to charge the Apostle with a useless repetition further. 4. The Apostles significant enumeration and distinction of things created doth evidence that he understood the subject, the creation in the most extensive and unlimited consideration of it. He reckons up material as well as immaterial things, and those in Heaven which needed no restoration, aswell as those on earth which did, being polluted with sin. Those Angels who had not put off the honour of the first, did not belong to the New Creation; having not devested themselves of their original integrity, they needed not to be reinvested with that they never lost: and Devils cannot be ranked among New Creatures, neither can wicked Souls, Matt. 25.41. Rev. 22.15. neither are there new and old orders of Angels; so that the dominion Christ is here (as elsewhere) asserted as Founder of, is the whole, not onely new Creation, Rev. 5.13.

Marginal references: 1 Pet. 3.22.