πρωτότοκος
prōtótokos; gen. prōtotókou, masc. noun from prṓtos (G4413), first, and tíktō (G5088), to bear, bring forth. Firstborn, preeminent.
(I) Particularly the firstborn of a mother (Mat 1:25; Luk 2:7). It also includes the firstborn of animals (Sept.: Gen 27:19, Gen 27:32; Exo 12:12, Exo 12:29).
(II) Of the saints in heaven, probably those formerly highly distinguished on earth by the favor and love of God, such as patriarchs, prophets, apostles (Heb 12:23; Sept.: of Israel, Exo 4:22).
(III) Prōtótokos is applied to Christ in Luk 2:7, "And she brought forth her firstborn son." Here the word carries none of the theological load which it bears elsewhere when used of Christ. Jesus is simply identified as the first child born to Mary. To be sure, this was no ordinary birth. As the Scripture records Mary's conception was wrought by the Holy Spirit and God Himself was the Father of this child (Luk 1:26-35). So in this text the word is quite ordinary and means simply firstborn.
(IV) Prōtótokos is a theologically significant title used of Christ in five NT passages.
(A) Rom 8:29, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." The predetermined goal of salvation for those whom God foreknew is stated to be conformity (súmmorphos [G4832]) to the image (eikṓn [G1504]) of God's Son. The stated purpose of this task is that the Son might be (eis tó eínai [eis {G1519}, unto, for; tó {G3588}, the; eínai {G1511}, to be], in order to be) the firstborn among many brothers. Prōtótokos presents Christ as the preeminent or ranking member of the group. Interpreters have viewed the emphasis as falling upon either the phrase "among many brothers" or the word "firstborn." If the former, then the upshot of Paul's words is that God predestined the elect to glory so that they might share in the inheritance allotted to Christ as God's Son. That is, God desired to include with Christ a host of other but lesser heirs, brothers among whom Christ would stand as preeminent. However, this misses the point of the passage which stresses not the number of the elect but the astonishing goal of their salvation-conformity to the very image of the Son Himself. The latter emphasis seems most fitting. The conformity of sinners into the glorious image of God's Son places Christ in a position of preeminence and glory among them. The ultimate goal of salvation, the glory of God, is thus achieved. Yet, some find it is difficult to understand how the conformity of God's elect would serve to bring about Christ's position as firstborn. How is it that the salvation of sinners makes Christ the firstborn? Is He not so upon His own merit and in consideration of His own character? It can be replied that the effect in view is not one that has reference to Christ Himself or the Father's estimation of Him. Rather, the effect has reference to Christ before man. God's design in original creation was to reflect His glory in man and the world. The fall of Adam defaced the imago Dei and consequently God's preeminence among humanity was lost. Salvation is the restoration of man to His original purpose. Therefore, since the salvation of sinners restores the divine image in man, Christ cannot but be exalted and made preeminent among them.
(B) The word prōtótokos is also used in relation to God's creation referring to Christ's supremacy over it. Jesus Christ cannot be both creator and creature. In Col 1:15 He is placed above His creation when He is called prōtótokos pásēs ktíseōs (pásēs, gen. fem. of pás [G3956], every; ktíseōs, gen. of ktísis [G2937], creation or creature), "the firstborn of every creature," or better still, "the one preeminent over all creation" (a.t.). The next verse makes it adequately clear, "For by him were all things created," meaning that He Himself is not part of creation (cf. Joh 1:3). The meaning approximates that of the noun archḗ (G746), beginning, which means either objectively the first effect, the first created thing, or subjectively the first cause, the source of creation.
In Rev 3:14 the noun archḗ in the phrase hē archḗ tḗs ktíseōs toú Theoú is intended to identify Jesus as the first cause or source of creation and not as the first object of creation. Jesus Christ is consequently the archḗ, the ruler over all.
(C) In Col 1:18 we have the use of both archḗ and prōtótokos together in regard to the resurrection. "And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning [archḗ], the firstborn [prōtótokos] from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." As stated II, B above, archḗ means the first cause. Hence, archḗ in the clause "who is the beginning [i.e., principle cause or originator]," is parallel to prōtótokos in the clause "firstborn of all creation" in Col 1:15 Both of these expressions assert Christ's supremacy and preeminence over creation. Why then does Paul add that Christ is the "firstborn from among the dead?" Is this not redundant? Not at all. While it should suffice to say that Christ is the firstborn of the entire universe without qualification (heaven / earth, visible / invisible), a question may arise regarding the order of things in the new creation, that is, those things cleansed of sin and renewed by redemption. Recall that the Colossian church was being threatened by incipient gnosticism. In an effort to explain the presence of sin in the universe, this movement taught that the material universe was created by a kind of lesser god and not the highest essence of deity. God was a plē̄́rōma (G4138), a fullness, from whom a succession of lesser beings, called aeons, emanated. The spiritual purity of these beings diminished with each lower order of their existence. Finally, an aeon far enough removed from the origin (archḗ
of deity created the material universe. The gnostics taught that Christ was only one of these aeons. If Paul then says that Christ is the creator of such a universe, some might therefore believe that surely He could not sustain any relation to the new creation. So Paul must say that Christ is supreme in redemption as well as in creation. All this is so that Christ might have "preeminence," the pres. part. prōteúōn from prōteúō (G4409), to be first, to have the preeminence. Prōteúōn is used only in Col 1:18 and indicates not an acquired right to be ruler, preeminent, but an inherent right by virtue of His nature, He, being the creator, deserves to have the preeminence. "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (Joh 1:3). The pres. tense indicates permanence and perpetuity. He is always preeminent.
(D) In Heb 1:6 we have another reference to Christ as prōtótokos, "And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." In this verse and Rev 1:5 (KJV) prōtótokos is translated "first begotten." Heb 1:6 refers to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus into the inhabited world (oikouménē [G3563]). As angels were present at His ascension so will they be at His return and must worship Him then. Christ's preeminence is cosmic. He is exalted over even the highest order of celestial creatures.
(E) The last verse where prōtótokos is used of Christ is Rev 1:5 and it follows the idea of Col 1:18 discussed IV, C.
Deriv.: prōtotókia (G4415), the rights of the firstborn.
