From Christ’s relation to creation, the thought now turns to his relation to the Church, with the opening statement He is the head of his body, the church. The idea of “head” is that of power, rule, authority (see Eph 1.22-23). The metaphor “head of the body” represents the supremacy of Christ and the unity of all Christians as a living organism which belongs to Christ.
A literal rendering of the statement He is the head of his body may seem not only strange but even rather ludicrous. As a result, one may wish to change the order of the expressions which are in apposition, namely his body and the church. The translation may then read “he is the head of the church which is his body.” In some languages, however, it is not possible to use a term such as “head” to identify supremacy over or the governing of some object. One may have to say “he is the one who is supreme over the church, which is his body” or “he is the one who governs the church, which is his body.”
He is the source of the body’s life represents in Greek “he is the beginning” (or source). Two questions arise: (1) does this refer to creation or the Church? Most prefer the latter; simply to say “he is the beginning” (Revised Standard Version Phillips New International Version) is inadequate. (2) What relation with the Church does it designate? Translator’s New Testament “its founder”; Barclay “its beginning”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “he is the source of the new life”; Bible en français courant “it is in him that the new life begins”; Twentieth Century New Testament “the Source of its Life.” In favor of the idea “source of its life” is the belief, current at that time, that from the head came the life and nourishment that kept the body alive. But the variety of translations shows that no dogmatic certainty is possible.
There are certain serious problems involved in any literal translation of he is the source of the body’s life, for this might very well suggest that Christ is the food which nourishes the body. The relationship may be expressed as causative, for example, “he is the one who causes the body to live.”
The first-born Son who was raised from death: for “first-born Son” see verse 15. The resurrection is perhaps referred to here as the reason why Christ is the source of the body’s life: “because he was the first-born Son to rise from death.” It is possible that born here refers specifically to the resurrection: so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the first who was returned from death”; Barclay “for he was the first to return from the dead.” But the use of prōtotokos (and not simply prōtos) makes it difficult to take the word as indicating only priority in time. Bible en français courant combines the two: “he is the first-born Son, the first to have been brought back from death to life.” Or, in line with Rom 1.4, it could be taken to mean “he is the first-born Son, as shown by his resurrection.” (See the similar ho prōtotokos tōn nekrōn in Rev 1.5.)
If one translates first-born Son as “first Son,” it is important to employ a qualifying statement such as “who was raised from death” which will be clearly non-restrictive. That is to say, one should not give the impression that Christ is simply “the first son who was raised from death,” implying that other sons were also “raised from the dead.” In order to avoid such a misunderstanding, one may often translate this phrase as “he is God’s first son; God raised him from death.” In a number of languages, however, one cannot speak of the resurrection as being simply “raised from death.” The meaning must be formally restructured in some such manner as “God caused him to live again,” or “God gave him back his life,” or even “God caused his life to return to him.”
Have the first place translates a verbal phrase “that he might become supreme,” and it may be expressed as “be above all else,” or “to have the preferred place,” or “to have a place of commanding.”
In all things: this could be “in every way” (so Jerusalem Bible) or “among all people.” But the context argues for the neuter “in all things.” In all things may be better expressed in some languages as “over all things.” A literal rendering of in all things might suggest merely “among all things.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1977. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .