Note 10 at Col. 1:18: Christ is not only the Creator but He is also the head of the church. Scripture describes the church as a family (Eph. 3:15), a vineyard (Mt. 20:1-16), a kingdom (Mt. 5:20; Lk. 17:20-21; Col. 1:13), a building (1 Cor. 3:9; Eph. 2:21), a flock (Jn. 10:1-16; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2-3), and a bride (Rev. 21:2, 9; 22:17). But the description of Christ's church as His body has no Old Testament equivalent. The church is a living organism and as such has life, with it's head being Christ Jesus. As head He is Chief, Supreme, and Lord of His Church.

Note 11 at Col. 1:18: This is another passage that those who do not believe in the deity of Christ try to use to "dethrone" Christ (see note 5 at v. 16 and note 9 at v. 17). But this is not speaking of Jesus as having a beginning like other creatures. This is speaking of Christ's resurrection. He was the beginning of a whole new species of beings which had never existed before. Those were the new creations that Paul spoke of in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Jesus Christ was the first person ever begotten from the dead in newness of life (Rom. 6:4; see note 12 at this verse).

It is also correct to speak of Jesus as "the beginning" if you are defining "beginning" as "the source or origin" (New American Heritage Dictionary). This is the way "beginning" is used in a number of scriptures referring to Jesus (see ref. i at this verse).

Note 12 at Col. 1:18: Jesus was not the first person to be raised from the dead. Elijah raised the widow's son from the dead (1 Ki. 17:22). Elisha raised the Shunammite woman's son from the dead (2 Ki. 4:35). And one man came back to life when his body was tossed in the tomb of Elisha and touched his dead bones (2 Ki. 13:21). Jesus raised three people from the dead (Lk. 7:15; Mt. 9:25; Jn. 11:44) prior to His own resurrection.

However, no one had been resurrected as Jesus was. Jesus didn't just come back to life to have to die again. Jesus was resurrected with a spiritual body (see note 13 at 1 Cor. 15:44, p. 964) which can never die (Rom. 6:9). Jesus was also the first "born-again" man. He not only had a glorified body but he had a spirit which had been raised in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).

First Corinthians 15:20 refers to Jesus as the firstfruits from the dead. That means He was the first but there are more to come. That is referring to all believers who have been "born again" (see note 2 at Jn. 3:3, p. 92). Every Christian has a new "born-again" spirit and will receive a glorified body at the second coming of Christ.

Note 13 at Col. 1:18: The word "preeminence" was translated from the Greek word PROTEUO which means "to be first (in rank or influence)" (Strong). The dictionary defines "pre-eminence" as "superior to all others; outstanding" (New American Heritage Dict.). This is what Paul is stressing. Jesus is Lord of all.