"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18.

In stark contrast to man’s impotence, the Lord Jesus is declared to be preeminent in three ways:

He is the head of the body, the church

By "the church" is meant the general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven in the Lamb's book of life; those sinners from every tribe, nation and tongue for whom Christ shed His precious blood, built upon Himself, the Rock, and will, at last, present to himself a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, Ephesians 5:23-27. Christ is "the head;" He was the representative head of this body of elect men from all eternity, and in time; He is as a king is to His subjects. Having died to redeem and justify them, He reigns in them by His Spirit and grace, and rules them by His grace, and He protects and defends them by His power, Romans 8:14.

He is the beginning

He was set up from the beginning, from everlasting, but is also the beginning and the end; and who is, indeed, without beginning of days, or end of life. His dominion has no bounds. He is the Head of all principality and power, the Prince of the kings of the earth, the King of His justified church. As Eve was from Adam, so is the church from Christ; it is a body of His preparing, and a temple of His building, and He sits as a priest on His throne

He is the firstborn from the dead