Col 2:8-9 - In Him all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt
Colossians 2:8-9 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Messiah. For in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Did the ‘fullness’ of the Godhead dwell in Messiah because the Messiah, the one that was "sent by God" (John 17:3), the One who called His Father "His God" (John 20:17), was actually the Almighty Himself? No, but rather because it was the Father’s good pleasure to dwell in Him.
Col 1:19 (ASV)* For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell;
Col 1:19 (KJV)* For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;
The fact that God dwelt in the Messiah is not a mystery at all. It’s something that is talked about by all the writers of the 'New' Testament. Allow me to quote just a few examples.
2 Cor 5:18-19, “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Messiah, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation namely, that 'God was in Messiah' reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation."
Notice what Paul does not say, he doesn’t say that Messiah was actually the Almighty Himself, but rather that “God was in the Messiah“.
Don't confuse what I'm about to say here, but the fact is that "God dwells in us" as well, that’s if we are following steps of His Son, Yahoshua (1 John 2:6). Of course God doesn’t dwell in us to the extent that He dwells in Messiah, but he does dwell in us also.
2 Cor 6:16; Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we 'are' the temple of the living God; just as God said' " I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God and they shall be my people."
The apostle Paul takes it even a little further in telling us, that the "followers of Messiah" should also be filled up to the "fullness of God."
Eph 3:19 "...and to know the love of the Messiah which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up “to all the fullness of God"
So we see that even though we are to be filled up to the 'fullness of God,' that does not make us equal with the Almighty, or part of a triune god anymore then it makes the Messiah, the Almighty or part of a triune god.
A couple other of other passages that may help in our understanding that God, the heavenly Father Yahuweh, was in Messiah, but that did not make Yahoshua the Almighty.
Listen to how Peter described the Savior to the 1,000’s of Jews on the Day of Pentecost. And keep in my Peter said this years “after” the death and resurrection, and Peter is still calling Yahoshua “the man“, not the Almighty. .
Act 2:22 "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
And years later, Peter in witnessing to the first gentile converts tells them:
Act 10:38 "You know of Yahoshua of Nazareth, how ‘God anointed Him'with the Holy Spirit and with power how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil;for God was with Him"
You’ll notice again how Peter “did not” tell the Jews, the gentles, nor anyone else, that Yahoshua the Messiah was God Almighty, but rather the Almighty was in Messiah.
In summery, not only is the "fullness of God" dwelling in the Messiah but it should be dwelling in us as well (Eph 3:10). The fact that it dwells in the Messiah does not make the Messiah, the Almighty nor part of a triune god, any more then it does us.
Please don't misunderstand me there isn't a Being in the entire Universe as powerful, or with more authority than Yahoshua the Messiah, but that power and authority was given to him by his Father, Yahuweh, who is the only true God (John 17:3).
Mat 28:18 And Yahoshua came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know you Father: the only true God, and Yahoshua the Messiah, whom you have sent.
Joh 20:17 Yahoshua said unto her, do not touch me; for I have not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
As the Savior tells us, it is a matter of “Eternal Life” to know the Father as the only true God. To deny that is to deny the words of the Savior himself.
May Yahuweh bless the honest and good heart that is seeking him in spirit ad truth,
Shalom Reuven
* ASV - American Standard Bible
*KJV - King James Version