There is a compelling argument for such a structure. In this framework both the strophes begin with the distinctive phrase, “ος έστιν (“He who is”) and exhibit the key words πρωτότοκος (“first­ born”), οτι έν αύτω (“because in Him”), δι’ αυτού (“through Him”), τα πάντα (“all things”)^[69]”, and the sequence, “in him… through him… to him^[70]” appears in the second half of both strophes. Someone writing in this manner is clearly asking the reader to slow down and think about the imagery and implications, the most important being that the same ‘he’ who was involved in creation is now the agent through which new creation happens^[71]. While this echoes the Adam christology of Paul^[72] on display in 1 Cor 15:45 it would also seem, to the contemporary Christian, to reinforce later developed dogmas such as the pre-existence of the Christ and the deity of Jesus. It would however be a mistake^[73] to read such fully formed ideas back into the text.

One of the most important words in the passage is the “image of the invisible God.”There are however, a number of allusions in this phrase that need to be understood to fully grasp the complexity of which the passage speaks and must be discussed before we can ascribe an intent to the passage. Though it cannot be stated that the phrase “image of the invisible God” in Colossians is a direct biblical quote, it is perhaps the use of ‘image’ in Genesis 1:24 that provides the strongest textual implication on the usage here^[74]. The Genesis passage implies that humanity is in some way “like God” pointing primarily, I would argue, to the relational nature of God and his creation, but also in the relevant emphasis here, to the function^[75] of humanity in ruling over creation^[76]. While, the fall damages that ‘image’, it is the Christ that is the firstborn of the new creation returning the fullness of that damaged ‘image’.