What does ‘firstborn over all creation’ mean?
Question 3029
Colossians 1:15 describes Jesus as “the firstborn of all creation.” Critics of Christianity, particularly Jehovah’s Witnesses and other groups that deny Jesus’ deity, seize upon this phrase as proof that Jesus was the first thing God created. If He is the “firstborn,” surely He must have been born at some point? This question deserves careful attention because getting it wrong leads to a false Christ who cannot save.
The Greek Word and Its Range of Meaning
The word translated “firstborn” is πρωτότοκος (prōtotokos), a compound of πρῶτος (prōtos, “first”) and τίκτω (tiktō, “to bear” or “to bring forth”). At first glance, it might seem straightforward: Jesus was the first to be brought forth, the first created being. But Greek words, like English words, carry multiple meanings, and context determines which meaning applies.
In Greek usage, “firstborn” developed a meaning that went far beyond chronological birth order. It came to signify rank, pre-eminence and rights of inheritance. The firstborn son in ancient Israel received the double portion and carried the authority of the family line, but this position could be conferred on someone who was not literally born first. Understanding this cultural and linguistic background is essential to grasping what Paul meant.
Old Testament Background: Firstborn as Status
The Old Testament provides numerous examples where “firstborn” refers to status rather than birth order. Consider David. He was the youngest of Jesse’s sons, yet God declared him in Psalm 89:27: “And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” David was not chronologically firstborn; he was being given the position and privileges of the firstborn. The term describes his rank, not his origin.
Similarly, Israel as a nation is called God’s firstborn: “Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22). Was Israel the first nation to exist? Certainly not. Egypt, Babylon and others preceded Israel by centuries. But Israel held the position of firstborn in God’s purposes, receiving the covenant blessings and standing in special relationship to God. Ephraim is called the firstborn in Jeremiah 31:9, even though Manasseh was actually born first (Genesis 41:51-52). Jacob, the younger twin, received the birthright over Esau (Genesis 25:23). The pattern is consistent: “firstborn” in Scripture often denotes supremacy and inheritance rights, not temporal origin.
The Context of Colossians 1
Paul’s meaning becomes crystal clear when we read the verses surrounding this phrase. Immediately after calling Jesus “the firstborn of all creation,” Paul writes: “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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17).
Think about this carefully. If Jesus is a created being, Paul has written nonsense. Paul says “all things” were created by Jesus. If Jesus Himself is a created thing, then Jesus created Himself, which is absurd. The phrase “all things” (τὰ πάντα, ta panta) is comprehensive and without exception. Paul even specifies the categories: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, every rank of spiritual being. Nothing is excluded. The only logical conclusion is that Jesus is not part of creation but its source.
Paul then adds that Jesus “is before all things.” The verb here is ἐστιν (estin), present tense, indicating ongoing existence. Jesus did not merely precede creation in time; He exists eternally outside of and prior to all created reality. And “in him all things hold together” (συνέστηκεν, synestēken). The universe’s continued existence depends on Jesus. He is not a creature among creatures but the sustainer of every creature.
What “Firstborn of All Creation” Actually Means
Given this context, “firstborn of all creation” must mean that Jesus holds the rank, authority and inheritance rights over all creation. He is supreme over everything that exists. He is the heir of all things. Every created being and every created thing belongs to Him and exists for His purposes. John Walvoord summarised it well: “The word ‘firstborn’ is not used here to indicate that Christ was created, but rather to assert His priority and sovereignty over creation.”
Charles Ryrie explains that πρωτότοκος emphasises “Christ’s sovereignty over creation rather than suggesting He was the first created being. The word ‘first-created’ (πρωτόκτιστος, prōtoktistos) exists in Greek and could have been used if Paul meant to say Jesus was created first. He deliberately chose a different word with different meaning.”
The Firstborn from the Dead
Later in the same passage, Paul uses “firstborn” again: “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent” (Colossians 1:18). This helps clarify the meaning. Jesus was not the first person chronologically to be raised from death. Lazarus, the widow of Nain’s son, Jairus’s daughter, and others were raised before Jesus’ resurrection. But Jesus is the “firstborn from the dead” in the sense of rank and permanence. He is the first to rise in a resurrection body never to die again. He is the prototype and guarantee of our resurrection. He holds supremacy over death itself.
Paul explicitly states his point: “that in everything he might be pre-eminent” (ἵνα γένηται ἐν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς πρωτεύων, hina genētai en pasin autos prōteuōn). The purpose of calling Jesus “firstborn” is to establish His pre-eminence. He is first in rank, first in authority, first in honour. This is what “firstborn” means throughout the passage.
Hebrews 1 Confirms This Reading
The book of Hebrews makes the same point with even greater emphasis. After declaring that the Son is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature,” and that He “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3), the writer states that the Son is superior to angels. When God brings the “firstborn” into the world, He commands all angels to worship Him (Hebrews 1:6). But angels are created beings, and created beings are forbidden to receive worship (Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9). If the “firstborn” were merely the first creature, He could not receive angelic worship. That He does receive it proves He is not a creature at all but God Himself.
The Arian Heresy and Its Modern Forms
The idea that Jesus was created first, and then everything else was created through Him, is not new. It was taught by Arius in the fourth century and condemned at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Arius famously said of the Son, “There was when He was not.” The church rightly rejected this as heresy because it denied the eternal deity of Jesus and made Him something less than fully God.
Today, Jehovah’s Witnesses perpetuate essentially the same error. Their New World Translation inserts the word “other” into Colossians 1:16-17 to make it say Jesus created “all other things,” implying He was created first and then created everything else. But the word “other” does not appear in any Greek manuscript. It is an insertion designed to force the text to fit a theological position it does not teach. Arnold Fruchtenbaum notes that “such additions to Scripture reveal a theology imposed upon the text rather than derived from it.”
Conclusion
“Firstborn of all creation” is a title of supreme honour and authority. It declares that Jesus holds the position, rights and inheritance of the firstborn over everything that exists. He is not part of creation but Lord over creation. He made all things, sustains all things, and all things exist for His glory. Far from diminishing Jesus’ deity, this title exalts Him to the highest place. He is pre-eminent in all things, and rightly so, for He is God the Son, eternally begotten, never made.
“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.” Colossians 1:16
Bibliography
- Walvoord, John F. Jesus Christ Our Lord. Moody Press, 1969.
- Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Victor Books, 1986.
- Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. Messianic Christology. Ariel Ministries, 1998.
- Bruce, F.F. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans, 1984.
- O’Brien, Peter T. Colossians, Philemon. Word Biblical Commentary. Word Books, 1982.
- Harris, Murray J. Colossians and Philemon. Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament. Eerdmans, 1991.
- MacArthur, John. Colossians and Philemon. MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Moody Press, 1992.
- Lightfoot, J.B. Saint Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. Macmillan, 1879.
