The Reconciliation of the World Through the Blood of Christ’s Cross as the Completion of the Work of Creation (Col 1:15-20)

Abstract

The article contains a detailed exegesis of the Christological hymn in Col 1:15-20, highlighting the links between the theology of creation and kerygmatic theology. The first strophe (1:15-18a) emphasizes the author’s intention to show the function of Christ in the creation of the world, whereas the second one (1:18b-20) exposes the fact that Christ’s passion, death and resurrection were key moments in the history of the world, comparable only to the work of its creation. It is shown that both events are closely related in the hymn because reconciling the world to God in the blood of Christ is meant to be the completion of the work of creation, resulting in restoring a harmonious relationship between God and man.

Keywords

• Col 1:15-20
• Christology
• reconciliation
• creation theology
• kerygmatic theology