Journal: Christian Apologetics Journal
Volume: CAJ 01:1 (Spring 1998)
Article: The Old Testament Background Of The Firstborn: A Preliminary Study For Understanding “The Firstborn Of All Creation” (Colossians 1:15)
Author: Robert Keay

CAJ 1:1 (Spring 1998) p. 1

The Old Testament Background Of The Firstborn:
A Preliminary Study For Understanding
“The Firstborn Of All Creation” (Colossians 1:15)

Robert Keay, Ph.D.

(Dr. Keay is Academic Dean of New England Bible College, South Portland, Maine.)

Introduction

Any person spending time with a Jehovah’s Witness discussing the deity of Christ will likely be confronted with the claim that Jesus Christ cannot be God because Scripture declares that he is the first created being. To support this claim the Jehovah’s Witness will point to Colossians 1:15 (“the firstborn of all creation” NWT), Revelation 3:14 (“beginning of the creation by God” NWT), and Proverbs 8:22 (“Jehovah produced me as the beginning of his way” NWT). This article examines the meaning of the term “firstborn” in order to assess the accuracy of the Witnesses’ claim concerning Colossians 1:15. The article will first examine the Old Testament background of the term “firstborn,” showing how Paul would have understood and used the word. This will be followed by an evaluation of the arguments the Watchtower uses in Reasoning from the Scriptures to defend their claim.

Old Testament Background Of Firstborn

The term “firstborn” has a rich background in Israelite history and literature. The frequent use of the word in the Old Testament (c. 158x) provides a good starting point for understanding its meaning. Additionally, the firstborn concept occurs in passages where the word does not. These passages must be consulted to avoid the “word study fallacy.” The occurrences in the Pentateuch (over half), describing Israel’s ancestry and earliest history, are especially important in establishing the significance of the word for the covenant people.

Basic Meaning Of Firstborn

In a basic sense the word “firstborn” is related to two concepts: birth order and birth right. When “firstborn” is related to birth order it refers to the oldest child in a family, the first child born, either male (Gen. 22:21; 1 Chron. 2:25) or female (Gen. 19:31, 33, 34, 37; 29:26; 1 Sam. 14:49). Additionally the word is also used in contexts involving the birth order of animals (You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
Click here to subscribe