Portion for Reading: Deut 20-22Msg: Deut 21:15-17
Deut 21:17b…That son is the first sign of his father's strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.
Jesus was the 'firstborn' from the dead? (Col. 1:18)
Here is what Colossians 1:18 says:
"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything."
It is true that the Scriptures record several instances of individuals who were raised from the dead before Jesus.
Here is what Colossians 1:18 says:
"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything."
It is true that the Scriptures record several instances of individuals who were raised from the dead before Jesus.
In the Old Testament in Second Kings 4:32-37 we have the account of Elisha raising the Shunammite's son from the dead. Also in Second Kings 13:20-21 we have another individual raised from the dead when his body is thrown into Elisha's grave.
In the New Testament we have several occurrences that proceed Jesus' resurrection. In Matthew 9:18-26 we have the record of the raising of the synagogue officials daughter by Jesus; In Matthew 27:53 it is recorded that at Jesus death "the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised." Luke 7:14 records the raising of the son of the widow at Nain by Jesus; and of course John 11:44 records the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus.
So the question is, how then could Jesus be regarded as the "firstborn" from the dead.
So the question is, how then could Jesus be regarded as the "firstborn" from the dead.
In Colossians 1:18, both "beginning" and "firstborn" refer to the "creation" of the church through Christ's resurrection. Jesus is the "first-born" or "beginning" of the church in the sense that he made it possible for others to be "born from the dead."
"Firstborn" may also mean he was the first victor over death. Jesus is the "firstborn" never to die again. All others that we know about that were resurrected eventually died again physically. Jesus was born from the dead never to die again, even as we who have been obedient to Christ are born from the dead in the resurrection, never to die again.
This passage also teaches us about the authority of Jesus over the dead, as he has authority over all creation. He produced and ruled both the old and the new creation. The "and" between "beginning" and "firstborn" is not in the Greek, so that "firstborn" modifies "beginning" rather than being a separate description. This means Jesus is the beginning-firstborn for the dead. He began creation, He began the church, He conquered death, He has authority over all. He is the first one to be raised never to die again.
Author: Mike Scott