Jesus Christ, The True Emperor
We begin by clarifying who it is that St. Paul refers to as the “principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” We make the case that Paul is not only referring to the angels, but also to the earthly rulers—and more specifically, the Roman Emperor. Paul is telling us that Jesus has been revealed both to mankind and to the angels, as the true emperor—the God above all gods. We were then reminded that as humanity was created in the image of God, we should not be surprised to learn that God’s plan was first revealed to us. We are the sole creation made in God’s image, which is both an honor and a high calling. The Bible teaches us that with honor comes responsibility. And that responsibility is that we must represent Christ to all of creation—to show the deep and all-encompassing love of Christ, which He first showed to us. In doing so, we are offered through Christ Jesus to be reconciled to God, and to one another.