Jesus Christ Ton Prōtotokon
Jesus Christ is called “The Firstborn”, in the New Testament.
This term has been totally misused by those who oppose Jesus Christ as Almighty God, and coequal with God the Father, in the Eternal Godhead.
These are those, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, who use, or, rather, misuse, Colossians 1:15, where Paul says of Jesus Christ: “He is the Image of the Invisible God, the Firstborn over all Creation”, by saying that the term here, “prōtotokos”, shows that Jesus Christ Himself is part of Creation, as He is the “first-created”.
In the first place, if Paul wished to show that Jesus Christ is the “first-Created”, then he would have used the correct Greek word for this, “protoktistos”, which means exactly this. This is never used for Jesus Christ in the entire Bible!
What Paul actually means by, “prōtotokos pāsēs ktiseōs”, in Colossians 1:15, is made very clear in verse 18, where Jesus is called, “prōtotokos ek tōn nekrōn”, “The Firstborn out of the dead”. Surely Paul is not saying here, that Jesus Christ is the “first-created”, at His Resurrection? This verse goes on to tell us what is meant by “prōtotokos”, “that in all things He may have the preeminence”. The Greek verb used here, “prōteuōn”, means “to hold the highest place”.
This is very clear from Psalm 89:27, which is spoken of King David:
“I also shall make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth”
In the Greek Old Testament, the LXX, “firstborn” is the same Greek word, “prōtotokos, used for Jesus Christ.
David was not the “firstborn” child to Jessie. The verse itself explains what God means when He uses this term, “prōtotokos, for His King. That David will be the “HIGHEST” of all the kings on the earth!
“prōtotokos pāsēs ktiseōs”, is defined in the next verse.
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (v.16)
Here we have, “en autōi...di' autou...eis auton”, for Jesus Christ as THE CREATOR. It is “IN Him”, and “BY Him”, and “UNTO Him”, that all of Creation exists!
In fact, the words, “en autōi”, shows that Jesus Christ is the SOURCE of all Creation.
In Acts 17:28, where Paul is in conversation with some philosophers, he says of Almighty God, that “en autōi we live and move and have our being”. As the SOURCE of all Creation.
In Colossians 1:17, Paul goes on to say of Jesus Christ:
“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”
Jesus Christ, “estín”, before all of Creation. The use of the present, continued, tense here, is clear that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Creator of the entire Universe, and its very existence is dependent upon Jesus Christ.
Because of Jesus Christ being the Highest place in the entire Universe, we read in Hebrews 1:6:
“But when He again brings The Firstborn (ton prōtotokon) into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God Worship Him”
The same Greek verb, “proskynéō”, used here, and correctly translated in the greater majority of English Versions, as, “worship”; is also used in places like John 4:21, where Jesus says, “worship the Father”. And used at the Birth of Jesus Christ, in Matthew 2:2, 8, 11; Mark 5:6. And at the end of Jesus’ earthly Ministry, Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:52. In Revelation 5:14, we have BOTH God the Father and Jesus Christ, WORSHIPED together.
It is staggering that anyone who reads the words in Colossians chapter one, can, in all honesty say, that they teach that Jesus Christ is part of Creation!
There can be no doubt, that what we do read of Jesus Christ here, and elsewhere in the Holy Bible, if read with an open and honest mind, can only lead us to conclude, that Jesus Christ is indeed Almighty God, YHWH, The Great I AM.
Only God the Holy Spirit can open our understanding to these Great Truths in His Infallible and Inspired Word.
Jesus Christ is called “The Firstborn”, in the New Testament.
This term has been totally misused by those who oppose Jesus Christ as Almighty God, and coequal with God the Father, in the Eternal Godhead.
These are those, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, who use, or, rather, misuse, Colossians 1:15, where Paul says of Jesus Christ: “He is the Image of the Invisible God, the Firstborn over all Creation”, by saying that the term here, “prōtotokos”, shows that Jesus Christ Himself is part of Creation, as He is the “first-created”.
In the first place, if Paul wished to show that Jesus Christ is the “first-Created”, then he would have used the correct Greek word for this, “protoktistos”, which means exactly this. This is never used for Jesus Christ in the entire Bible!
What Paul actually means by, “prōtotokos pāsēs ktiseōs”, in Colossians 1:15, is made very clear in verse 18, where Jesus is called, “prōtotokos ek tōn nekrōn”, “The Firstborn out of the dead”. Surely Paul is not saying here, that Jesus Christ is the “first-created”, at His Resurrection? This verse goes on to tell us what is meant by “prōtotokos”, “that in all things He may have the preeminence”. The Greek verb used here, “prōteuōn”, means “to hold the highest place”.
This is very clear from Psalm 89:27, which is spoken of King David:
“I also shall make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth”
In the Greek Old Testament, the LXX, “firstborn” is the same Greek word, “prōtotokos, used for Jesus Christ.
David was not the “firstborn” child to Jessie. The verse itself explains what God means when He uses this term, “prōtotokos, for His King. That David will be the “HIGHEST” of all the kings on the earth!
“prōtotokos pāsēs ktiseōs”, is defined in the next verse.
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (v.16)
Here we have, “en autōi...di' autou...eis auton”, for Jesus Christ as THE CREATOR. It is “IN Him”, and “BY Him”, and “UNTO Him”, that all of Creation exists!
In fact, the words, “en autōi”, shows that Jesus Christ is the SOURCE of all Creation.
In Acts 17:28, where Paul is in conversation with some philosophers, he says of Almighty God, that “en autōi we live and move and have our being”. As the SOURCE of all Creation.
In Colossians 1:17, Paul goes on to say of Jesus Christ:
“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”
Jesus Christ, “estín”, before all of Creation. The use of the present, continued, tense here, is clear that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Creator of the entire Universe, and its very existence is dependent upon Jesus Christ.
Because of Jesus Christ being the Highest place in the entire Universe, we read in Hebrews 1:6:
“But when He again brings The Firstborn (ton prōtotokon) into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God Worship Him”
The same Greek verb, “proskynéō”, used here, and correctly translated in the greater majority of English Versions, as, “worship”; is also used in places like John 4:21, where Jesus says, “worship the Father”. And used at the Birth of Jesus Christ, in Matthew 2:2, 8, 11; Mark 5:6. And at the end of Jesus’ earthly Ministry, Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:52. In Revelation 5:14, we have BOTH God the Father and Jesus Christ, WORSHIPED together.
It is staggering that anyone who reads the words in Colossians chapter one, can, in all honesty say, that they teach that Jesus Christ is part of Creation!
There can be no doubt, that what we do read of Jesus Christ here, and elsewhere in the Holy Bible, if read with an open and honest mind, can only lead us to conclude, that Jesus Christ is indeed Almighty God, YHWH, The Great I AM.
Only God the Holy Spirit can open our understanding to these Great Truths in His Infallible and Inspired Word.
