WAS CHRIST CREATED? (COLOSSIANS 1:15)

There are more than 100 occurrences of the word protokopos (“firstborn”) in the early Greek version of the OT. The vast majority of these times, it refers to a child in the strictly biological sense. However, there are times when it means something different than this obvious meaning. It can also apply to a favorite son, one who will be the predominant one in the family. In this context, note the many times when the patriarchs conveyed the blessing to a son who was not the oldest.

In addition, the people of Israel are called the firstborn son in Exodus 4:22 and Jeremiah 31:9, meaning that “he has designated this nation as his number one nation, the one closest to his heart.” (Brauch) Also, in Psalm 89:27, David is called God's firstborn, referring to the place of leadership he will occupy. These are all symbolic or metaphorical uses of the term. See Micah 6:7 and Zechariah 12:10.

Moving on to the NT, protokopos appears eight times. Only one of them definitely refers to the process of birth, and that is Luke 2:7. There are two problematic passages, Colossians 1:15 and Hebrews 1:6, where Christ is designated as God's firstborn. This raises the question posed above – was Christ in fact a created being? Before concentrating on Colossians 1:15, it should be noted that Romans 8:29 and Revelation 1:5 call Christ the firstborn of many and the firstborn from the dead, respectively. Ruiz cross-references Psalm 89:27 in regard to the Revelation verse and states that Christ is preeminent in those two respects.

The ancient Arians (4^th century) took Colossians 1:15 as their starting point to prove that Christ was a created being, the first created being but a created one nonetheless. Their ideas have been perpetuated into modern times through the Jehovah Witnesses. And to bolster their heretical contention, they have taken great liberties with the Greek text of Colossians 1:15-20 by adding the word “other” (not found in the original) six times before the word “things.” Thus, for example, “all things have been created through him and for him” now becomes “all other things have been created through him and for him.” Are they correct in clarifying the text in this way in light of the fact that v. 15 definitely calls Christ the firstborn? Christian scholars of all denominations, whether conservative or liberal, are united in rejecting this interpretation. The reasons are explained below.

Colossians 1:15 is part of a two-part hymn consisting of the parallel stanzas 1:15-17 and 1:18-20. Brauch notes that in each stanza, Christ stands separate from the Creation (first stanza) and from the Church (second stanza). Thus, in verses 15-17 we learn that Christ as the image of God was the creator of all things, before all things and sustains all things. In verses 18-20 it is said that he, in whom the fullness of God dwells, was the beginning and head of the Church and the firstborn of the dead (see Romans 8:29 and Rev. 1:5). And actually, v. 20 with its reference to Christ as the reconciler of all things by his death on the cross takes us back to v. 14, which states that He is our redeemer who forgives our sins. (Dunn)

So why can't the term “firstborn” in this passage still mean that Christ was a created being? Here are some opinions of leading New Testament scholars:

Melick: “the term 'firstborn' distances Jesus from creation rather than subsumes him under it.”

N. T. Wright: “It therefore conveys the idea of priority in both time and rank...It is in virtue of this eternal pre-existence that the Son of God holds supreme rank.”

Geisler: If the thought were “first-created,” the Greek word protoktisis would have been used instead.

Guthrie: “The context makes it clear that Christ is the agent of creation, which at once places Him above it.”

Ashby: The context rules out the Arian idea completely. “The title here given emphasizes the thoughts of priority and superiority.”

Bartels: Verse 15 read in conjunction with the following two verses “is a confession of the supreme rank of the pre-existent Christ as the mediator in the creation of all things.”

Barth and Blanke: “When the 'pre-existing one' is glorified in the following verses, that is done in the knowledge that his is the one who 'became a human being.' In reverse, the one who 'became human' is referred to as the 'pre-existing one.'”

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery: “Jesus occupies the position of preeminence in creation and in resurrection, the restoration of God's created order (I Cor 15:20,23).”

Ladd summarizes the situation when he says, “'Firstborn' (protokopos) can have two meanings: temporal priority, or sovereignty of position...Christ is both the head over creation and the agent of creation. His creative activity includes not only the physical cosmos but all orders of spiritual beings, things both visible and invisible.”