"For in him [Jesus Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."
Colossians 2:9
“For in him.”
In Jesus Christ. We are sure that the author meant “Jesus” as we read,
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:8-9).
For those who have difficulty believing that Jesus Christ is God, or that He is man, these verses should confirm this fact for you.
“Dwelleth, all the fulness of the Godhead.”
Paul was fond of this word “fulness” to describe Jesus as God. What does this word mean? Thayer defines it as…[1]
1) that which is (has been) filled
2) that which fills or with which a thing is filled
3) fulness, abundance
4) a fulfilling, keeping
“The word must be taken in its passive sense – that with which a thing is filled, not that which fills. The fullness denotes the sum-total of the divine powers and attributes”[2] (Vincent).
“Of the Godhead.”
The “fulness of the Godhead” is in Jesus. This proves that He is not an angel or some lesser form of God, He is not a junior, or half-god. No, Jesus Christ is God! Everything that makes God, God, is in Him. The same divine essence that is in God the Father and God the Holy Spirit is also found in Jesus Christ.
“For it pleased the Father that in him [Jesus Christ] should all fulness dwell” (Colossians 1:19).
“Bodily.”
Jesus is 100% God and 100% man. This was not the case during the Old Testament days when He was preincarnate, that is before He came in the flesh. From Bethlehem on, this is Jesus’ condition, He is the God-Man. He is the Son of God and the Son of man.
Why? This is the only way He could give Himself to be the sacrifice for our sin. God can’t die, and there is no sinless-perfect man on the earth. Therefore, God came in human flesh, He is the perfect man, and as a man, He could die. Jesus was the perfect, sinless sacrifice for you and me. He died in our place so that we could be forgiven. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
[1] J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] M.R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.