What Does It Mean That Jesus Is the "firstborn of All Creation"?
1) Direct answer
“Firstborn of all creation” means Jesus holds the place of preeminence and heirship over everything God made. It does not mean He is a created being. He is the visible image of the invisible God, and all things were made by Him, through Him, and for Him.
2) Scriptural explanation
- The Bible says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by Him were all things created… and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:15–17). If all things were created by Him and He is before all things, He cannot be one of the created things.
- It also says He is “the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). So “firstborn” speaks of rank and preeminence—He is Head over creation and Head of the new creation by resurrection.
- God calls the king “My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27). “Firstborn” there clearly means highest place, not first one to exist.
- “God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). The body is the Son; the Life in Him is God. As to the flesh, Sonship began in time (Luke 1:35). As to the Life, He is the Word by whom all things were made (John 1:1–3,14).
- He is also called “the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14)—the One in whom creation has its start and the One who begins the new creation by rising from the dead.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- If He created all things, He is not a creature. Creator and creation are not the same.
- “Firstborn” in Scripture often means the heir with preeminence. Israel was called God’s “firstborn” (Exodus 4:22) as a position, not because it was the first nation.
- So “firstborn of all creation” means He is the supreme Heir over it, and “firstborn from the dead” means He is the first to rise in immortality, bringing in the new creation and taking the Headship.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice… it’s not three persons. One God was manifested in flesh. The Son is the body God used, and in that body He took the rights of the Firstborn over all creation and, by resurrection, became the Firstborn of the new creation. That’s the mystery—preeminence, not creaturehood.
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What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
One man's influence on another
62-1013 §75
I told someone not long ago... They said, "Brother Branham, I understand that you're Jesus Only?" I said, "You understand wrong," see. I said, "I am not Jesus Only." Said, "Well, you baptize in Jesus' name." I said, "That don't make me Jesus Only." I said, "Jesus Only doctrine; they baptize to regeneration. I don't believe in that. I don't believe as soon as you're baptized in Jesus' name remit your sins; I believe Peter said, 'Repent first; turn around, you missed the mark; go back.'" Repent and then show to the w...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 5:E-18
Now back in Hebrews 1:1-3 we made note that Jesus was the express image of God. He was God expressing Himself in man to man. But there is something else to note in these verses, especially verses one and two. "God Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son." I want you to notice here in the margin of your Bible you will see a correction. The word, 'by' is not a correct translation. It should be 'IN.' Not 'by.' It t...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §57
You know I said ... the little mule, you know, I've told about, that his eyes was ... whatever more, his ears broke down, but if he was borned with a birthright. An innocent, perfect lamb died in his place. There it is. So that was for the birthright. The first baby that broke forth from the mother, and they seen that hand (and knew that it might turn back again). And when he pushed forth his hand to show that he had it, he was the first one, the midwife bound the scarlet thread around it and he pulled his hand bac...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 7:E-85
We now face the question as to why they should be given eternal life at the judgment since the Epistles seem to conclusively point out that one must possess the Spirit of Christ or perish. Though it seems thus, we must not discredit the words of Jesus Who most pointedly sets forth that there are some found in the Book of Life who will either receive eternal life before the general resurrection or after it. Paul does not evade this truth for he most clearly says in Philippians 3:11, "If by any means I might attain t...
Prayer Line
53-1100 §7
All right, is this the lady here? Howdy do, lady? I suppose you and I are strangers, we've never met, as... If we have, I don't you. But if I could help you, I--I'd do it. I can only tell you what Jesus said. This is the Word of God, first, and then, that's to the world, to the nation, to every individual. You believe that? But now, if I am His servant, then His Word would come through His servants, seers, prophets or whatever you want to call them. That would be secondarily to the individual, it that right? Now, s...