Theme: A comprehensive, cosmic Christ

Exegetical note
The author here begins his tight argument for the superiority of Christianity over Judaism by forging a Christology that has both Jewish Wisdom and Hellenistic elements. Though lacking any reference to Incarnation, the author speaks of the Christ in a protological ("through whom he created the world") and an eschatological ("the heir of all things") light, but depicts his real significance as being in the present, as the (1) reflection of God's nature and glory, (2) providential upholder of the cos…