Colossians 1:18

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

-Colossians 1:18

In this verse begins a slight break in the idea of the passage.  Not all bible translations have it here and its location is actually still up for debate.  But, I will place my vote that "He is the beginning..." is the start of this slight break.

More importantly, what does it mean and why is it being said?  Earlier, Paul says that he is "the firstborn of all creation" and "he is before all things".  How does this statement relate to what Paul has already said?  How is it any different than what Paul has already said?  Is it the same thing to say that Jesus is "before all things" and "he is the beginning"?  If they are the same, why say it?  Well, it probably doesn't mean quite the same thing.  Everything has a purpose and is placed there for a reason.  "before all things" probably makes reference to Jesus' existence before all things.  However, to say that Jesus is the beginning is a little bit different.

What's interesting is the word in Greek is also translated as "principalities" or "authorities".  If we look back a few verses, we find that it's the same word used in verse 16: "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him."  So, Jesus created authorities, and he IS the authority.  I just thought that was a neat little connection.

This interesting phrase is found in Revelation 22:13: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end".  This is another place where Jesus is being referred to as "the beginning".  In this case, he is also being called "the Alpha" and "the Omega" and "the last".  I guess saying that Jesus "is the beginning" is something great and it leaves me in awe of him.