What does it mean that Jesus is the "firstborn" over Creation?

Secondly, there passes before us the glories of the Son in relation to the whole created universe. Having come into creation, the Son is "the firstborn of all creation" (N. Tn.). The word "firstborn" is often used in Scripture, as with ourselves, to signify priority in time — the one who comes first. Scripture also uses the word to signify pre-eminence and dignity. God speaks of Ephraim as "My firstborn", though, historically, Manasseh was Joseph's first-begotten son (Jeremiah 31:9). Again it is said of David, "I will make him my firstborn higher than the kings of the earth" (Psalm 89:27). Here the word is used to express the pre-eminence of David over the kings of the earth, and thus a figure of Christ. If the son comes into the creation He must of necessity have pre-eminence in position and dignity above every created being, and, in this sense, He is called "the Firstborn of all creation".

Moreover, we are told why the Son has thus the supreme place as the Firstborn. "For by Him were all things created", whether in heaven or on earth; whether seen or beyond the limits of our vision; whether material powers, or spiritual powers. Further, not only were all things created by Him, they were also created "for Him", as equally for the Father. Then we are further guarded against the infidel thoughts of men who may profess to believe in His pre-eminence over creation, and yet say that He, Himself, had a beginning; for we are definitely told, "He is before all things". This statement tells us in no uncertain terms of the divine and eternal glory of the Son. We are carried back to a time when there was nothing created that has been created, to learn not merely "He was", but "He is". These are words that while they forbid the thought that "He began" or that "He was made", plainly tell us of His eternal existence as the Son. Lastly, in relation to creation we are told, "All things subsist together by Him" (N. Tn.). Not only do created things subsist, but they "subsist together". The vast creation is sustained by the Son in all its several parts as one harmonious whole. Men would use what they speak of as the laws of nature to shut the Creator out of His universe; but apart from the sustaining power of the Son all would dissolve into ruin. Doubtless there are laws by which God maintains the universe, for God is a God of order, and possibly amidst all men's changing speculations they may have partially discovered some of these laws. But we may ask if gravity is one of these laws, by which the earth is held in its orbit round the sun. Who is it that sustains gravity? Scripture answers, "By Him all things subsist".

Thus coming into creation the Son takes the place of supremacy as the firstborn, for all things were created by Him, and for Him, and He is before all, and by Him all things subsist.

In verse 15 two words call for brief remarks. The word "Image" has the force of "Representative." The invisible God is exactly represented in Him, a thing impossible apart from the fact of Himself being God. Some are inclined to slightly demur to this on account of the second word in the verse, to which we have referred. In the word "Firstborn" they lay too much stress in their minds upon the second half of the word. "But He was born," they say. The word "firstborn" however besides its primary meaning has also a figurative sense (as in Ps. 89:27; Jer. 31:9), meaning, the one who takes the supreme place as holding the rights of the firstborn. That is the sense in which it is used in our passage. The Lord Jesus not only stands forth as the Representative of all that God is, He also stands forth absolutely pre-eminent over creation. All creation's glory and its rights are vested in Him, for the simple reason that He is the Creator, as verse 16 states.

But in Colossians 1, He is spoken of not only as the “Image of God” but as the “Firstborn of all creation.” If He had been the last to be born, He must still have the Firstborn’s place, and the reason for this is given; He created all! and when the Creator-Son comes into His creation, He must necessarily have the first place. And, further, new creation subsists in Him. All subsists in Him. The first place must belong to Him, for all that which is here defined stands in relation to Him.

Col. 1:15-18. Who, as now incarnate, but the ever existent God, is the image or exact likeness in every attribute and moral character of the invisible God "who dwelleth in light unapproachable, whom no man hath seen nor can see," but who has been declared, made known, by the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father; the Firstborn, not in point of time, but of priority, establishing His headship of every creature, or of all creation, being thus its Master and its Head; for, the reason why this is the case is that by Him, in His power, the Author and Agent, were all things as hereafter stated, created, not formed out of pre-existent matter, but called into being from absolute nothingness, that are in heaven, the vast universe above and about us, and that are in earth, the sea, the land, all things, vegetable and animal, in various families and orders, with their characteristics and possibilities of further development, in fact every possible and conceivable existence outside of Deity itself; visible, the material creation; and invisible, the world of spirit; whether they be thrones, highest official dignitaries; or dominions, rulers over parts of God's vast universe; or principalities, lesser authorities; or powers, every angelic being exulting in strength, fallen and unfallen, though all as created by Him were unfallen, intelligent, responsible, superhuman, immortal spirits: all things as thus characterized, without a single exception were created by Him, who thus proves Himself to be absolute Deity, one with the Father, in essence, power and glory; and for Him as the expression of His attributes of power, wisdom, skill, of His divine mind with its infinite and glorious conceptions — that vast plan in which His entire universe is to set forth His glories, and those more blessed ones of righteousness, holiness, goodness and love; and He is before all things, nothing can compare with Him in importance; no subject can engage our thoughts equal with Himself; He rises above all the affairs of this world and of the universe; even as He existed before them, so now He is infinitely superior to them; and by Him, by His wisdom, and the power of that word which called all things out of nothing into being, not by anything inherent in themselves, all things consist, are held fast together, the stars in their immeasurable orbits above us, the tiny drops of water that sparkle upon a blade of grass, all are held fast by the same omnipotent power of the eternal Son of God; and He is the Head, supreme Master and sovereign Lord, not only in an administrative way, but vitally the controlling power of the body, composed of all believers since Pentecost, being united to Him by the baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, no longer a Jewish nation or an earthly people, but Me Church, the truth as to which forms the mystery spoken of in this epistle, and made known by special revelation to Paul; who is the beginning, the Author and Head of the new creation which rests not upon fallen man, but upon the Son of God incarnate, who is the Firstborn from the dead, victorious over that death and judgment under which His people lay, He the first-fruits and the Forerunner of all His redeemed; that in all things, in every department of existence, wherever the thought can reach or wherever the Spirit of God can lead to still higher and ever higher conceptions of the breadth and length, the depth and height of those domains which have no boundaries, to all, with every family in heaven and earth, angelic, human, infernal, He might have the pre-eminence, Head over all things, Lord of all, to whom yet every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Turning to the higher and larger sphere of Colossians, we hear the same truth. In the Son of God's love we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins; “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” Is this His highest title? Is this His Divine glory? No; but founded upon it. He is the firstborn of every creature, not because He partook of flesh, nor because He was the holy Man Who triumphed over all the consequences of the first Adam's sin, and conquered him that led the first man captive at his will: in a word, not because He was here below, be it the most faithful and glorious, but because He was the Creator. He is the firstborn of every creature, for by (or, in virtue of) Him were all things created. Here is His right to the supremacy in question.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created through him, and for him: he is before all things, and by (or, in virtue of) him all things consist” (Col. 1:16-17).

His primacy over all creation flows from His Divine creative power. He asserts it as man; but His title flows from another and higher source. But He is more than firstborn of all creation. “He is head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.” This, as we have seen, is the glory especially dwelt on in the Epistle to the Ephesians.

For example, Jacob used the term “firstborn” in this general sense of dignified excellence when blessing his unworthy eldest son, Reuben: “Thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power” (Gen. 49:3). Such was the precedence in rank that the title of “firstborn " gave Reuben over the other sons of Jacob, though in his case its value to him and his descendants was to a great extent lost through his own sinful failure.

Now, it will be seen from the context of Col. 1:15 that supremacy and excellence are inseparably associated with the use of the title of “Firstborn” in this passage. The reason why the Son of the Father's love is “Firstborn of all creation” is plainly stated: it is “because by Him were created all things." The Son's degree of superiority is that elevation which the Creator possesses above His own creation. Because the Son made the earth and the heavens, He necessarily, when He appears in the world for our redemption, takes the dignity of “Firstborn “in relation to the earth and the heavens and to all contained in them.

THE FIRSTBORN NOT ALWAYS THE ONE BORN FIRST

Amongst men, priority of birth usually bestows the firstborn rights, but not always. According to the natural order of birth, Esau possessed the birthright, yet it was transferred to Jacob the younger. Although David had many sons of earlier birth than Solomon (1 Chron. 3), yet the regal successional rights to the throne of David were granted to the latter. This is a striking instance, for on that account Solomon appears in the Messianic pedigree, traced through Abraham and David (Matt. 1:6), though he was not the eldest son of David (cf. 1 Kings 2:22). It was God's sovereign grace that conferred this high distinction of “firstborn” upon the son of David and Bathsheba (Psa. 89:27), showing that primogeniture was not always followed for firstborn rights. Solomon was not the first to be born of the sons of David, yet he became the firstborn in the royal family, and inherited the crown of Israel.

He is, moreover, "the Firstborn of every creature," or rather, "of all creation," for the word employed is not that which expresses each individual created thing, but that which speaks of creation as a whole. The reason given for His pre-eminence in creation is, that He is the Creator of all things, all things in their totality, whether in heaven or in earth, visible or invisible, of whatever gradation or rank - all alike He by His omnipotent power called into existence. Every possible word is used to show that the glory is His "in" Him, "by" Him, and "for" Him, the "characteristic power, active instrument, and end." And then, still further to enhance His glory, it is added, "And He is before all things"; necessarily so, being the Creator; and by Him all things consist, or subsist together. Called into being by Him, all things are upheld in existence by His own power. Viewed thus in connection with creation, He, in virtue of His rights as Creator, is absolutely pre-eminent.

The "image of the invisible God." Adam was made "in our image after our likeness" (Gen. 26); the "image" he still remains (Gen. 9:6). "Likeness" means "being like;" "image" signifies "representing." Thus a coin, say of the year 1846, bears the queen's image — it "represents" her; but it is by no means like her — her "likeness." The Lord is never, and can never be called, the "likeness" of God, for He is God: He was sent "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Rom. 8:3), but He is repeatedly called the "image" of God.

"The firstborn of every creature" — not in point of time, but of pre-eminence. Solomon was far down in the family of David, but "I will make him my firstborn," etc. If the Creator deigns to be born at all, whenever He is born He must be "the firstborn." "For by (or, "in the power of") Him were all things created." The word "by" is different here from the end of the verse; there, it signifies the actual agent through whom the work was done, here, the originator of the work. In His power too "all things subsist" or hold together.

Indeed, the very fact of who He is gives Him precedence over all who have preceded Him historically. This is seen in verse 16. Mark the word "For." Since He is creator of "all things that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, then certainly when He comes into His own creation, He rightly takes the place of God's firstborn: all others must give way to Him. As Creator He is of course the life-Giver, a prerogative absolutely and only of the Living God. He has brought into existence all things visible and invisible. Therefore, no place is too high for Him. He is Head in His own creation. Whatever place of dignity, lordship or authority He may have given to others in His creation, whether angelic or human, He is far above them all. Moreover, they have not only been created by Him, but for Him (v.16). They are His own possession, for His own pleasure, for His own glory. Yet His matchless love and grace have so worked in the hearts of His redeemed saints as to give them unspeakable pleasure in the fact of His being given pleasure.

Verse 17 shows us the two outstanding characteristics of His Headship, first His precedence before all things: "He is before all things," and secondly His sufficiency of provision for the subsistence of all creation: "In Him all things consist." It required His infinite creatorial power to bring all things into existence, and it requires no less power continually to sustain it in existence.

He by whom we have redemption, the Son of God's love, is the image of the invisible One representing Him to His creatures, and He is the firstborn of all creation, a position and dignity thus independent of priority in time. And the reason assigned for His place in the universe as man is, that by Him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. Such is His place in relation to creation; such, too, is His history in relation to it in the past, the present, and the future. By Him all things were created. By Him all things consist. He upholds all things by the word of His power. For Him too they were all created. So one can understand that the Creator and upholder of all things, and He who is before all things, should not enter the ranks of His creatures and become a man without having the position in creation and the title of the Firstborn. Next we learn of another Headship with which He is invested. He is the Head of the Body the Church, who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. His place as Firstborn in the ranks of creatures tells us of His incarnation. His title as Firstborn from the dead reminds us necessarily of His cross and resurrection. As risen He is in the relationship of Head of the Body the Church, the beginning too of a new order of things, of which those redeemed by His blood form part, that in all things He might have the pre-eminence, and this pre-eminence He must have, because in Him all the fulness was pleased to dwell.