Confessing the Cosmic Christ (1 Corinthians 8:6 and Colossians 1:15–20)

The theme of the cosmic Christ—that is, the inclusion of Christ in the relationship of God to all things, not only at his exaltation but already in the divine work of creation—is one of the most remarkable aspects of the Christology of the New Testament. This essay considers cosmic Christology in two early sources, both part of the corpus Paulinum: the poetic fragments at 1 Corinthians 8:6 (“one lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and we are through him”) and Colossians 1:15-20 (“the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation”).