Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Revelation of Christ to the Church and the new creation, as the Originator of both.
he—emphatical. Not angels in opposition to the false teachers' doctrine concerning angel-worship, and the power of Oeons or (imaginary) spirit emanations from God (Colossians 2:10, Colossians 2:18).
head of the body, the church—The Church is His body by virtue of His entering into communion corporeally with human nature [NEANDER], (Ephesians 1:22). The same One who is the Head of all things and beings by creation, is also, by virtue of being "the first-born from the dead," and so "the first-fruits" of the new creation among men, the Head of the Church.
who is—that is, in that He is the Beginning [ALFORD]. Rather, this is the beginning of a new paragraph. As the former paragraph, which related to His originating the physical creation, began with "Who is" (Colossians 1:15); so this, which treats of His originating the new creation, begins with "who is"; a parenthesis preceding, which closes the former paragraph, that parenthesis (see on Colossians 1:16), including from "all things were created by Him," to "Head of the body, the Church." The head of kings and high priests was anointed, as the seat of the faculties, the fountain of dignity, and original of all the members (according to Hebrew etymology). So Jesus by His unction was designated as the Head of the body, the Church.
the beginning—namely, of the new creation, as of the old (Proverbs 8:22; John 1:1; compare Revelation 1:8): the beginning of the Church of the first-born (Hebrews 12:23), as being Himself the "first-born from the dead" (Acts 26:23; I Corinthians 15:20, I Corinthians 15:23). Christ's primogeniture is threefold: (1) From eternity the "first-begotten" of the Father (Colossians 1:15); (2) As the first-born of His mother (Matthew 1:25); (3) As the Head of the Church, mystically begotten of the Father, as it were to a new life, on the day of His resurrection, which is His "regeneration," even as His people's coming resurrection will be their "regeneration" (that is, the resurrection which was begun in the soul, extended to the body and to the whole creation, Romans 8:21-22) (Matthew 19:28; Acts 13:33; Revelation 1:5). Sonship and resurrection are similarly connected (Luke 20:36; Romans 1:4; Romans 8:23; I John 3:2). Christ by rising from the dead is the efficient cause (I Corinthians 15:22), as having obtained the power, and the exemplary cause, as being the pattern (Micah 2:13; Romans 6:5; Philippians 3:21), of our resurrection: the resurrection of "the Head" involves consequentially that of the members.
that in all things—He resumes the "all things" (Colossians 1:20).
he might have the pre-eminence—Greek, "He HIMSELF may (thus) become the One holding the first place," or, "take the precedency." Both ideas are included, priority in time and priority in dignity: now in the regenerated world, as before in the world of creation (Colossians 1:15). "Begotten before every creature, or "first-born of every creature" (Psalms 89:27; John 3:13).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Colossians 1:18:
Song of Solomon 5:11
Matthew 27:52
Romans 8:39
1 Corinthians 15:23
Ephesians 1:23
Colossians 1:15
Colossians 1:16
Colossians 1:16
Hebrews 1:5
Hebrews 1:6
1 Peter 3:18
Revelation 1:5
Revelation 3:14
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