What It Means To Be Firstborn Research Paper

In the book of Colossians 1:15 & 18 the word πρωτοτοκος has a lot of exegetical weight because there is a lot riding on its meaning. If by saying that the son, that is Jesus Messiah, was the firstborn of creation Paul meant that Jesus was the first created being, then we have a problem. Under this literal reading of πρωτοτοκος we lose the divinity of Christ, as well as the Trinity. But isn’t that what it means to be firstborn? Clearly this is an important word, and it would behoove us to get to the bottom of its meaning. So what does πρωτοτοκος really mean? In order to know what this word means we need to look at how Paul uses it elsewhere, how it is used in the New Testament, and then how it is used in the Septuagint. This will give us a good grasp of the Biblical uses. We will start by looking at Paul. Paul uses πρωτοτοκος 3 times in the New Testament. Two of them are in Colossians 1:15 & 18. Here Jesus is called the firstborn of creation as well as the firstborn from the dead. The only other place that Paul uses this word is in Romans 8:29. Paul says that those who God foreknew were also predestined to be conformed to the son’s image, with the purpose being that he might be the firstborn (πρωτοτοκος) of many brothers. It seems then, in this context, that Paul is using the word in a somewhat …show more content…
First there is a literal use. As in Luke 2:7, this word is used to literally talk about those who are the firstborn in a family. Closely related to this, the second use is what we will call a metaphorical use. This is seen in Romans 8:29 where the idea of the firstborn is used as a metaphor for what it is like for people to be born again. Finally, the last use that we see is one with a context that suggests some kind of pre-eminence or rulership. This is seen in Revelation 1:5. There is some kind of relationship to kingship and lordship with the idea that Christ is the

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