By Him Were All Things Created
June 2026
“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.”
—Colossians 1:16
In this verse, the apostle affirms the divinity of Christ as not only Savior but Creator of all thingsin heaven, on earth, visible and invisible. All things came to be “in Him,” “through Him,” and “for Him.”
Paul begins this verse with the declarative statement “for by Him were all things created.” In the Greek, “By Him” means “in Him, within Him, by His agency,” telling us that creation took place in connection with Christ. So Christ and Christ alone is the source, power, and authority in Creation. He was its conditioning cause, it’s originating center, it’s spiritual locality.
“All things” is used twice in this verse and means exactly what it says. “All things” translated an expression that was sometimes used in the sense of one word, “universe,” denoting the totality of things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. As well, it speaks of a definite historical event, which means that creation took place at some point in time in eternity past.
Paul here is taking aim at false teachers, the Gnostics, who taught that all matter was evil and the seed of sin, therefore the material creation could not come from a good God. They claimed that there was a great separation between Him that was bridged by a chain of angelic beings, gradually becoming more and more material, with the lowest form of these beings having created the natural universe and now govern it. Though these Gnostics claimed superior knowledge, in actuality, they confirmed Romans 1:22, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”It’s no different today with our education experts teaching evolution as a scientific fact.
The phrase, “that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible” describes to us the totality of creation. Heaven and earth states that everything in the spiritual and physical realm owes its existence to Christ. The physical world speaks of stars, planets, nature, and humanity. The spiritual realm speaks of the angelic host. So Paul is here stating that Christ’s authority extends far beyond what can be seen with the human eye.
The phrase, “whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers” refers to both holy and fallen angels, to demons and man.
As previously stated, Paul, in this epistle, is confronting false teaching that had come in to the Colossae church by the Gnostics. Here he is confronting their false teachings concerning angelic beings being spiritual intermediaries.
In Vincent’s Word studies In The New Testament, Marvin Vincent says this: “The passage is aimed at the angel-worship of the Colossians; showing that while they have been discussing the various grades of angels which fill the space between God and men, and depending on them as a media of communion with God, they have degraded Christ who is above them all, and is the sole mediator.”
The phrase, “all things were created by him and for him” reveals the purpose of creation. “By Him” reveals the source – Christ and “for Him” reveals His purpose which is for the glory, authority, and sole use and purpose of Christ.
In closing, this verse affirms Christs deity, His supremacy, and His ownership.