Colossians 2:9

For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily.

This is an unequivocal declaration of the deity of the Son of God, a thesis repeated at least a dozen times in the Greek New Testament, and reinforced by literally hundreds of other intimations and mandatory deductions throughout the entire New Testament. See my Commentary on Hebrews 1:8.

Godhead ... Ellis noted that "The Greek word for Godhead or deity is the abstract noun for God and includes not only the divine attributes, but also the divine nature."[30] Barry declared that "almost every word of this verse is emphatic."[31] Thus the meaning is intense, thus:

All the fullness of the Godhead ... not a mere emanation from the Supreme Being ...

Dwells and remains forever ... not descending on him for a time and then leaving again ...

Bodily ... that is, as incarnate in his humanity.[32]

Guthrie stated that "The word deity ([@theotetos]) occurs only here in the New Testament and denotes the divine essence."[33] However the Greek language had other words for God, and one of them is used of Jesus Christ in Titus 2:13, "Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ."

Bodily ... This is viewed as a reference to the incarnation of our Lord, his becoming a man and dwelling on earth as a human being. The Gospel of John (John 1:1,14) is parallel with what is said here; also see in my Commentary on Hebrews under Hebrews 10:5 and under Hebrews 2:16. Hendriksen objected to this interpretation on the grounds of the "present tense";[34] but the ordinary significance of verb tenses disappears when applied to him who is the same "yesterday, today, yea and forever."

[30] E. Earle Ellis, Wycliffe New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 791.

[31] Alfred Barry, op. cit., p. 106.

[32] Ibid.

[33] Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1147.

[34] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 111.