Colossians 1:15

The Text: "who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;"

The Meaning Given To It: Jehovah's Witnesses teach that ...the Son, as the First-born, the Only-begotten and "the creation by God," had a beginning and that Being God's first creation, he was with his Father in heaven from the beginning of all creation. Jehovah God used him in the creating of all other things that have been created. From Paradise Lost To Paradise Regained, pp. 164, 127. In other words, Jehovah's' Witnesses believe that "first born" is the same things as "first created." This is totally erroneous as our context will show.

The Context: Beginning in vs. 9, Paul discloses to the Colossians his constant prayer for them. Among the things he expresses in his prayer is his thanks to the Father for making us fit for "the inheritance of the saints in light" and who "delivered us out of the power of darkness and into the kingdom of the Son of his love," vss. 12-14. Now beginning in vs. 15, he begins to mention various qualities and characteristics of this Son.

The Meaning: The word "firstborn" (Grk., prototokos) is sometimes used to express the idea of the first to be born (see Gen. 27:19; Ex. 11:5; Lk. 2:7). But that it has a figurative meaning is equally clear from the following list found in Maurice Barnett's excellent work, Jehovah's Witnesses, vol. 1, p. 15:

Firstborn of death---the most fatal and deadly disease, Job 18:13

Firstborn of the poor---pre-eminent in poverty, Isaiah 14:30

Israel my Firstborn, Exodus 4:22

Ephraim my Firstborn, Jeremiah 31:9

Make him the Firstborn, highest, etc., Psalms 89:27

Firstborn ones---members regardless when born again, Hebrews 12:23

Jesus the Firstborn among many brethren, Romans 8:29

Jesus the Firstborn, Colossians 1:15-18, Revelation 1:5

In The Expanded Vine's Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, p. 434, Mr. Vine says of this word, "firstborn (from protos, first, and tikto, to beget), is used of Christ as born of the Virgin Mary, Luke 2:7; further, in His relationship to the Father, expressing His priority to, and preeminence over, creation, not in the sense of being the first to be born." That this is the meaning in this context is clear.

1-The things said of Christ in this context are similar to what is said of Him in Heb. 1:1-ff. and places Him in a position superior to all others as is obvious by the word "preeminence" in vs. 18. What is said of Christ here and in Hebrews was not and cannot be said of anyone else. This is the "name" that is above all others, Phil. 2:9, "wherein we must be saved," Acts 4:12.

2-"Firstborn" is used in vs. 18 in reference to "firstborn from the dead" which is obviously not a reference to being born or created but rather a statement of Christ's superiority in reference to all the dead. If "firstborn" in vs. 18 is used to express preeminence rather than "born first," why shouldn't the same be true of its use in the same context in vs. 15?

It is not Jesus' origin that is under consideration in this great text but rather His superior position to all that exists.

David Smitherman