Texts in Conversation
The Hellenistic Jewish philosopher Philo describes the divine Word as both the image of God and God’s firstborn. Colossians uses the same language to describe Jesus, presenting him as the agent of creation.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Philo On the Confusion of Tongues
Classical
145 but they who have real knowledge, are properly addressed as the sons of the one God, as Moses also entitles them, where he says, "Ye are the sons of the Lord God." And again, "God who begot Thee;" and in another place, "Is not he thy father?" Accordingly, it is natural for those who have this disposition of soul to look upon nothing as beautiful except what is good, which is the citadel erected by those who are experienced in this kind of warfare as a defence against the end of pleasure, and as a means of defeating and destroying it. 146 And even if there be not as yet any one who is worthy to be called a son of God, nevertheless let him labour earnestly to be adorned according to his first-born word, the eldest of his angels, as the great archangel of many names; for he is called, the authority, and the name of God, and the Word, and man according to God's image, and he who sees Israel. 147 For which reason I was induced a little while ago to praise the principles of those who said, "We are all one man's Sons." For even if we are not yet suitable to be called the sons of God, still we may deserve to be called the children of his eternal image, of his most sacred word; for the image of God is his most ancient word.
Date: 20-50 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Colossians 1:15
New Testament
13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, 16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.
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Notes and References
... As mentioned previously, for Philo the Word is God’s "image" (compare Colossians 1:15a). This language stems from Genesis 1:26-27, as can be seen at Allegorical Interpretation 3.96 ... In fact, in Philo "image" is one of the chief titles for the Word ... Philo elsewhere also bestows the title "Firstborn" upon the Word (compare Colossians 1:15b): But if there be any as yet unfit to be called a Son of God, let him press to take his place under God’s First-born, the Word, who holds the eldership among the angels, their ruler as it were ... For if we have not yet become fit to be thought sons of God yet we may be sons of his invisible image, the most holy Word. For the Word is the eldest-born image of God ...
Beetham, Christopher A.
Echoes of Scripture in the Letter of Paul to the Colossians
(pp. 125-126) Brill, 2008
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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