Nearly three years ago I covered Colossians 1:15. Just now I found an article written back in 2007 wherein a man advancing the Trinitarians’ ideology has decided to focus on verse 16. The author managed to gloss right over that scripture, not even thinking what the words in that verse mean. According to the New King James Version (NKJV), it reads: “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” This article uses that scripture as its opening argument.
Just to demonstrate that the New World Translation is not that distant from the NKJV, Colossians 1:16 in that Bible reads: “by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him.”
The main difference between the two translations are the opening words “All things were created” (NKJV) versus “all other things were created.” (NWT) Which is correct? Indeed, most modern-day translations all agree with the NKJV, so that puts Jehovah’s Witnesses up against a wall. Where did we come up with, why do we insert “other,” into that verse? Here is the official explanation. But really, verse 16 is very dependent on what preceded it in verse 15, that Jesus was “the firstborn of all creation.” I’m not going to argue that verse all over again. If you need to set the scene, go back and read my commentary on that verse.
Having established (in that prior article) that what verse 15 says is quite literally true (without trying to qualify and rationalize “first born” as the Trinitarians do), we accept that Jesus truly is, just as Paul wrote and intended, “the firstborn,” the first creation of Jehovah; Jehovah being the one Jesus himself called his own God. So in verse 16, when Paul wrote that “all things were created” through Jesus, it is simple logic to accept that it would have to be all other things (i.e. other than Jesus himself). Obviously Jesus did not create himself, so the verse has to be understood that it excludes Jesus. Whether the reader does that mentally or the translation helps the reader get the clear intent, the same resulting conclusion should be reached -- Jesus made everything else using God’s power.
That brings us to the next point of reason, the ending sentence: “All other things have been created through him and for him.” This sentence is what I was referring to when in the opening I claimed the Trinitarians always “manage to gloss right over that scripture, not even thinking what the words in the verse mean.” What does the word “through” mean to you? If you send a parcel “through” a shipping agent, who is doing the shipping? The agent is actually performing the work, but you are the shipper. If you are shipping a gift to a grandchild, the grandchild is not going to thank the carrier, he (or she) is going to thank you. If you are shipping illegal materials, it is not the carrier service that will be arrested, it is you. So if all [other] things were created through Jesus, who is the one that supplied the power? Answer: Jehovah God. The one Jesus called “my Father.”
But does the Greek word for “through” really carry that meaning? Here is what Strong’s Concordance says: “Definition: (a) gen: through, throughout, by the instrumentality of, (b) acc: through, on account of, by reason of, for the sake of, because of.” (Italics mine.) So yes, the original Greek means exactly what I claim it means.
Finally, comes the last two words of the last sentence: “for him.” If, as the Trinitarians try arguing with their convoluted rationalizations, that Jesus is God, why did Paul write “for him”? If Paul was arguing that Jesus is God, wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to write “for himself”? Really, these last two words only work when you realize that Jesus is the recipient, God the Father is the giver. (Strong’s)
So rather than cower to the Trinitarians, we proudly declare that Jehovah is the only true God. Jesus was given certain abilities just like any father would lovingly train his son. Our teaching raises God to the level he deserves but we also praise Jesus as God’s Anointed One through whom all other things were made and to whom every knee should bend. And as to the twisted claim that we really do not have monotheistic beliefs, I would point to this article.
One closing thought: “There is actually to us one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and we through him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6) So now, Mr. Bodie Hodge, who are those advancing Satan’s ideas? The weight of scripture demonstrates it is not Jehovah’s Witnesses. So who does that leave? You know, they say that when you point a finger, there are more pointing back at you.
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