In writing to the Church at Colossae, St. Paul includes what scholars believe to be an early hymn that emphasizes the work of Christ in creation and redemption:  

“Who rescued us from the authority of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Who is the image of the invisible God, THE FIRSTBORN OF ALL CREATION. For IN Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and FOR Him. And He IS before all things, And IN Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him—whether things on earth or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:13-20

Suffice it to say, anti-Trinitarians have jumped upon this passage as a prooftext that Christ cannot be God. They argue that this hymn proves that Christ is the first creature that God brought into being.

They base this on the phrase “firstborn of all creation,” which these heretics interpret to mean the first part of creation which God made.

In this post I will show why the expression “firstborn of” cannot possibly mean that Christ is the first creature that God brought into existence. I will highlight the fact that when this phrase is used elsewhere in the God-breathed Scriptures it refers to the first offspring produced or begotten by the particular thing, individual, nation, group etc., which that specific individual/thing is said to be the firstborn of. I will then demonstrate from these cases the utter futility of assuming that the expression “firstborn of all creation” means that Jesus is the first creation of God.  

With the foregoing in perspective here are the places where “firstborn of” appears throughout the Hebrew Bible:

“Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering;” Genesis 4:4  

“and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam” Genesis 25:13  

“These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,” 1 Chronicles 1:29

“These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau, are chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz,” Genesis 36:15

“and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the millstones; and all the firstborn of the cattle.” Exodus 11:5

“Now it happened at midnight that Yahweh struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle.” Exodus 12:29  

“He struck the firstborn of Egypt, From man to beast.” Psalm 135:8

“To Him who struck the Egyptians through their firstborn, For His lovingkindness endures forever,” Psalm 136:10

“But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem… And it happened, when Pharaoh hardened his heart with stiffness about letting us go, that Yahweh killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to Yahweh the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.” Exodus 13:13, 15  

“You shall not delay the offering from the fullness of your harvest and the juice of your wine vat. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.” Exodus 22:29  

“And you shall redeem with a lamb the first offspring from a donkey; and if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. None shall appear before Me empty-handed.” Exodus 34:20

“For the redemption price of the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites… from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365.” Numbers 3:46, 50  

“for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.” Numbers 8:16

“Every first issue of the womb of all flesh, whether man or animal, which they bring near to Yahweh, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem… But the firstborn of an ox or the firstborn of a sheep or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall splash their blood on the altar and shall offer up their fat in smoke as an offering by fire, for a soothing aroma to Yahweh.” Numbers 18:15, 17

“And there you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.” Deuteronomy 12:6

“You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand.” Deuteronomy 12:17

“And you shall eat in the presence of Yahweh your God, at the place where He chooses for His name to dwell, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God all your days.” Deuteronomy 14:23  

“You shall set apart as holy to Yahweh your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd nor shear the firstborn of your flock.” Deuteronomy 15:19

“Manasseh’s Inheritance And this was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war.” Joshua 17:1  

“And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were Ram the firstborn, then Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah… The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel, were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker.” 1 Chronicles 2:25, 27

“These were the sons of Caleb. The sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, were Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim,” 1 Chronicles 2:50  

“Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.” 1 Chronicles 4:4  

“And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the office of trust over the things which were baked in pans.” 1 Chronicles 9:31

“and to bring to the house of our God the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks as it is written in the law, for the priests who are ministering in the house of our God.” Nehemiah 10:36

Finally:

“Sons of Reuben Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he profaned his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not recorded in the genealogy according to the birthright. Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the ruler, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.” 1 Chronicles 5:1-3⁽¹⁾

THE ARIAN/UNITARIAN DILEMMA

The foregoing references show that the expression “firstborn of” refers to the first offspring produced by the thing or individual which/who it is said to be the firstborn of. I.e., the firstborn of Pharaoh means the first son that Pharaoh sired. The firstborn of Jacob/Israel refers to the first child that Jacob begot.   

Therefore, if we were to take the phrase “firstborn of all creation” literally then this would mean that creation produced or brought Christ into being. In other words, it wasn’t Christ who brought all creation into existence, but rather it was creation itself that produced him as its first creature!

After all, the hymn doesn’t say Jesus is the firstborn of God (and even that wouldn’t necessarily mean the very first thing God created). Rather, it describes Christ as the firstborn OF all creation.

As such, in light of the pattern of how the phrase “firstborn of” is employed throughout Holy Scripture, the Arians/Unitarians would have to conclude that instead of God creating Jesus, it was actually creation which produced/begot Christ as the first created thing!

Obviously, this is a nonsensical interpretation and only goes to show the utter desperation of the Arian/Unitarian heretics in trying to force the phrase to mean that God created Jesus as the first part of his creation, with every other creating thing coming into existence immediately thereafter.

The fact is that the hymn is describing Jesus as the firstborn not in the sense of God having created him first. Rather, as the context itself shows God’s beloved Son is the firstborn of creation in terms of his being preeminent/supreme/transcendent over all creation by virtue of his having created and actively sustaining all things for his very own possession.

And since Christ created the entire creation to be his inheritance this then explains why he is the One who came into the world to redeem it by the blood of his cross. I.e., the One who created and sustains all creation is the very One who then came to reconcile all things to himself.

The following translations do an excellent job of capturing the intended meaning of the hymn:

“Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God. He existed before God made anything at all, and, in fact, Christ himself is the Creator who made everything in heaven and earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t; the spirit world with its kings and kingdoms, its rulers and authorities; all were made by Christ for his own use and glory. He was before all else began and it is his power that holds everything together. He is the Head of the body made up of his people—that is, his Church—which he began; and he is the Leader of all those who arise from the dead, so that he is first in everything; for God wanted all of himself to be in his Son. It was through what his Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him—all things in heaven and on earth—for Christ’s death on the cross has made peace with God for all by his blood.’” Colossians 1:15-20 Living Bible (TLB)

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and FOR HIM. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” New Living Translation (NLT)

Unless stated otherwise, scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

FURTHER READING

JESUS CHRIST: SUPREME OVER ALL CREATION

Jesus Christ: The Eternal Maker of all Creation

THE NWT TESTIFIES THAT THE TRINITY IS THE ETERNAL CREATOR!

Jesus as the First Creature and the Irrationality of Arianism

ENDNOTES

(1) 1 Chronicles 5:1-3 is rather interesting since here we see the expression firstborn being used in two different senses. In respect to Reuben, firstborn refers to his being the first child begotten by Jacob. Yet in regards to Joseph, he is given the status of firstborn in that he, not Reuben, was designated the heir of Jacob who was given preeminence over the rest of his siblings, despite his being the eleventh son sired by Israel.

This is in fulfilment of Joseph’s dreams where he saw his siblings bowing to him in recognition of his being made ruler over them:

“Then Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; so they hated him even more. And he said to them, ‘Please listen to this dream which I have had: Indeed, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf rose up and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.’ Then his brothers said to him, ‘Are you really going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he had still another dream and recounted it to his brothers and said, ‘Behold, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ And he recounted it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers really come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?’ And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.” Genesis 37:5-11

“Then Joseph took them from his knees and bowed with his face to the ground. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph and said, ‘May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has been my shepherd throughout my life to this day, The angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless these boys; And may my name live on in them, And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.’ But Joseph saw that his father set his right hand on Ephraim’s head, and it was displeasing in his sight; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, ‘Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Place your right hand on his head.’ But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become the fullness of nations.’ And he blessed them that day, saying, ‘By you Israel will pronounce blessing, saying, “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh!”’ Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you back to the land of your fathers. And I give you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.’” Genesis 48:12-22  

“Then Joseph came home, and they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him. And he asked them about their well-being and said, ‘Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?’ And they said, ‘Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.’ They bowed down and prostrated themselves. Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son. And he said, ‘Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?’ And he said, ‘May God be gracious to you, my son.’And Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred with compassion over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself and said, ‘Set the meal.’So they set the meal for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. And they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. And he took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times greater than any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him.” Genesis 43:26-34

“Then Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, and they said, ‘What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and returns back to us all the evil which we dealt against him!’So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, ‘Your father commanded before he died, saying, “Thus you shall say to Joseph, ‘Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they dealt evil against you.’” So now, please forgive the transgression of the slaves of the God of your father.’ And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, ‘Behold, we are your slaves.’But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to do what has happened on this day, to keep many people alive. So now, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ And he comforted them and spoke to their heart.” Genesis 50:15-21

“God had singled out Joseph to be the one “Of Joseph he said, ‘Blessed of Yahweh be his land, With the choice things of heaven, with the dew, And with the choice produce of the sun, And with the choice yield of the months, And with the best things of the ancient mountains, And with the choice things of the everlasting hills, And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let it come to the head of Joseph, And to the top of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. As the firstborn of his ox, splendor is his, And his horns are the horns of the wild ox; With them he will push the peoples, All at once, to the ends of the earth. And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And those are the thousands of Manasseh.’” Deuteronomy 33:13-17  

The foregoing illustrates the fact that the expression “firstborn” doesn’t always or necessarily refer to the first one born. The phrase is used to emphasize the preeminence and inheritance assigned to a specific individual without any connotation of origin or birth.

This brings me to my two final examples.

“The firstborn of death eats parts of his skin; It eats parts of him.” Job 18:13  

“The firstborn of death” isn’t speaking of death literally having an offspring but rather refers to the deadliest or worst of diseases, which is how certain translations render the phrase:   

“By disease his strength and his skin shall be devoured; the firstborn of death [the worst of diseases] shall consume his limbs.” Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

“It eats away parts of his skin; the most terrible death devours his limbs.”

tn The “firstborn of death” is the strongest child of death (Gen 49:3), or the deadliest death (like the “firstborn of the poor, the poorest”). The phrase means the most terrible death (A. B. Davidson, Job, 134). New English Translation (NET https://netbible.org/bible/Job+18; emphasis mine)

Here’s the final text:

“And the firstborn of the poor will graze, and the needy lie down in safety; but I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant it will slay.” Isaiah 14:30 English Standard Version (ESV)

Here the term “firstborn of the poor” is not a reference to the first child born to a poor individual. As the NET note cited above indicates, the phrase is used in relation to the poorest of the poor.

The following versions help capture the intended meaning of this verse:    

“The poorest of the poor will find pasture…” New International Version (NIV)

“And the foremost of the poor will eat…”

The previous two verses show that there are places in which firstborn stresses the preeminence, supremacy and/or transcendence of a thing or person. In such cases, the phrase isn’t even addressing birth whatsoever such as what we find in the following example of David:

“Formerly You spoke in vision to Your holy ones, And said, ‘I have bestowed help to a mighty one; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David My servant; With My holy oil I have anointed him… He will call to Me, “You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.” I also shall make him My firstborn, The HIGHEST of the kings of the earth.’” Psalm 89:19-20, 26-27

David wasn’t the first Israelite king, nor was he the firstborn since he was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons (cf. 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 17:12-15; 1 Chronicles 2:12-16). As the passage itself stresses, David is God’s firstborn in the sense of his being preeminent over all the other kings of the nations.

Once again, the stress is on preeminence and supremacy, not on birth. Such is the case with Colossians 1:13-20 which emphasizes Christ’s supremacy over all creation in virtue of his creating, actively sustaining, personally redeeming and sovereignly ruling over all things.

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