For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things.
Don't be surprised if Colossians strikes you as vaguely familiar. More than half of its verses have close parallels in Ephesians. The cities of Colosse and Ephesus were neighbors in Paul's day, and one of the believers in Ephesus has taken the gospel message to Colosse. Paul, who has never visited Colosse, writes this letter to people who know him by reputation only. The letter opens on an optimistic note, with Paul thanking God for the Colossians' spiritual progress. Then he brings up a doctrinal flaw that has crept into their church.
Paul's letters tend to follow a pattern: a greeting, a prayer, some doctrine and a practical application of how Christians should live. Although Paul often launches out into deep water theologically, he always leads his readers back to practical issues: What difference does theology make in daily life?
One stately paragraph (verses 15-20) contains a compressed summary of the absolute supremacy of Christ. Then Paul brings it down to the practical: Christ's supreme power does not distance us from God, but brings us closer. Christ alone has the ability to span the vast gap between God and humanity.
Reflection
Because Jesus bridges the gap between God and us, we don't have to approach God indirectly, through a "ladder" of angels, saints, or other deities. Before Christ, a mystery was kept hidden for many centuries. But with Christ, everything broke out into the open. We can come to know God directly because of his son, Jesus.
