[[Jehovahs witnesses]] argue that Jesus was created This is the verse most frequently cited to support the idea that Jesus was a created being: > "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." (Colossians 1:15, NWT/ESV) In this context, the JW interpretation is that Jesus is part of the "all creation" category, specifically the first member of it. *The Refutation*: "Firstborn" is a Title/Rank Let's point to instances where individuals are called "firstborn" (`prototokos`) even though they were born later than their siblings or came later in history. 1. King David (Psalm 89:27) David was the youngest of eight sons (1 Samuel 16:10-13), yet God says of him: > "And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth." Since David was chronologically the last-born of his brothers, the term here clearly refers to his status, authority, and inheritance as the supreme king, not his birth order. 2. Israel/Ephraim (Exodus 4:22 & Jeremiah 31:9) The nation of Israel was not the first nation on earth, yet God calls them His firstborn: > "Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son...’" (Exodus 4:22) 3. Furthermore, in Jeremiah 31:9, God refers specifically to the tribe of Ephraim: > "...for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." Chronologically, Manasseh was the firstborn son of Joseph, but Jacob (the father of Israel) intentionally gave the "firstborn" blessing and status to the younger brother, Ephraim (Genesis 48:13-20). | Subject | Verse | Meaning in Context | | ------- | --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | David | Psalm 89:27 | Appointed "firstborn" as the highest king; he was the youngest son. | | Ephraim | Jeremiah 31:9 | Named "firstborn" over his older brother Manasseh; refers to inheritance. | | Israel | Exodus 4:22 | Designated "firstborn" as God’s chosen/special possession among nations. | | Jesus | Colossians 1:15 | The "firstborn" over creation, meaning He holds the legal right and supremacy over it. | It is now clear, the "firstborn of all creation" doesn't mean Jesus is the first creation, but rather the heir and ruler over all of it—especially since the following verse ([[Col-01#v16|Colossians 1:16]]-20) states multiple times that **all** things were created by Him and for Him. The word "all" is often removed in the JW translations to misinform learners. ![[Col-01#v16]] ![[Col-01#v17]] ![[Col-01#v18]] ![[Col-01#v19]] ![[Col-01#v20]] >[!question]- Isnt the OT written in Hebrew? What does the word prototokos do there? > >The reason we use the Greek word `prototokos` when discussing these Old Testament verses is because of the [[Septuagint]] (LXX). The Septuagint is the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, completed a few centuries before Jesus was born. When the New Testament authors (like Paul in Colossians) wrote in Greek, they frequently quoted from this Greek version of the Old Testament. > > Here is how the translation bridge works: > * Hebrew Word: `Bekhor` (בְּכוֹר) > Meaning: Firstborn, chief, or one who holds the right of inheritance. > > * Greek Word: `Prototokos` (πρωτότοκος) > Meaning: The direct Greek equivalent used by the Septuagint translators to render bekhor. > > Why this matters for your argument > When Paul calls Jesus the `prototokos` in Colossians 1:15, he isn't inventing a new term. He is deliberately using the same Greek word that the Septuagint used for: > * David in Psalm 89:27: The Hebrew `bekhor` is translated as `prototokos` in the Greek version. Since David was the youngest son, Paul’s readers would have understood `prototokos` as a title of supremacy and rank, not biological birth order. > * Israel in Exodus 4:22: Again, `bekhor` becomes `prototokos`. Israel is the "firstborn" (heir/chosen) among nations, even though many nations existed long before them. > * Ephraim in Jeremiah 31:9: The Hebrew `bekhor` is used for Ephraim, the younger brother, and translated as `prototokos` in the Greek. > The "Smoking Gun" Linguistic Argument > There is a specific Greek word for "first-created": **protoktistos** (πρωτόκτιστος). > If Paul had wanted to say Jesus was the first thing God created, he had a perfect, unambiguous word for it (**protoktistos**). By choosing prototokos (firstborn/heir) instead, he was leaning into the Old Testament "Inheritance" and "High Status" definition of the word. > The next verse uses the Greek word for "**all**" (panta) to further distance Jesus from being a part of the creation itself? >