Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
All things (ta panta). The universe as in Romans 11:35, a well-known philosophical phrase. It is repeated at the end of the verse.
In him were created (en autw ektisqh). Paul now gives the reason (oti, for) for the primacy of Christ in the work of creation (Colossians 1:16 f.). It is the constative aorist passive indicative ektisqh (from ktizw, old verb, to found, to create (Romans 1:25). This central activity of Christ in the work of creation is presented also in John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2 and is a complete denial of the Gnostic philosophy. The whole of creative activity is summed up in Christ including the angels in heaven and everything on earth. God wrought through "the Son of his love." All earthly dignities are included.
Have been created (ektistai). Perfect passive indicative of ktizw, "stand created," "remain created." The permanence of the universe rests, then, on Christ far more than on gravity. It is a Christo-centric universe.
Through him (di autou). As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used en autw (in him) as the sphere of activity.
And unto him (kai eiv auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (I Corinthians 15:28) See Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of en autw of Christ and in Colossians 1:19-20 again we have en autw, di autou, eiv auton used of Christ. See Hebrews 2:10 for di on (because of whom) and di ou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (ta panta). In Romans 11:35 we find ec autou kai di autou kai eiv auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use ec in this connection of Christ, but only en, dia, and eiv. See the same distinction preserved in I Corinthians 8:6 (ec of God, dia, of Christ).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Colossians 1:16:
Matthew 1:18
Matthew 14:19
John 1:3
John 1:4
John 1:10
Acts 3:15
Acts 17:18
Acts 20:28
1 Corinthians 8:6
1 Corinthians 8:6
1 Corinthians 12:6
Ephesians 1:10
Ephesians 1:21
Ephesians 2:10
Colossians 1:13
Colossians 1:14
Colossians 1:16
Colossians 1:17
Colossians 1:18
Colossians 1:18
Colossians 1:20
Colossians 1:23
1 Timothy 4:3
Hebrews 1:2
2 Peter 2:10
Revelation 4:4
Revelation 4:11
Revelation 21:6
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