Jesus is the Firstborn

Col. 1:15-17, “The firstborn over all creation.  (16)  For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him.  (17) He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.”

The word “firstborn” can refer to first in time, but in the context it refers to the highest priority of position. It does not speak of time or chronological order, but it is a title. Christ was not the first created being [v. 17]. Jesus is Lord- supreme, sovereign, foremost, preeminent, and above all.

Psalms 89:27, “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.”

Christ is called the firstborn over all creation in that He is given the preeminence over all created beings. He was before creation, not a creature but the Creator.

 

Christ existed before all things. How can he be the first created being and be the before creation? He is the great “I am” of John 8:58, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

John MacArthur says, “Here, Jesus declared Himself to be Yahweh, the Lord of the OT. God declared Himself to be the eternally preexistent God who revealed Himself in the OT to the Jews [Ex. 3:14; Deut. 32:39; Isa. 41:4; Isa. 43:10].