20th July 2025

Over the centuries, this verse has been the subject of much debate. Some have interpreted Paul’s comment that Jesus is the ‘firstborn’ as meaning that Christ was the first and highest being created by God. In other words, he was the first in all creation who was born. However, the wider scriptural and cultural context presents a different understanding.

In the Old Testament, ‘firstborn’ does not always imply chronological priority; it can designate pre-eminence and special status. For instance, Israel is called God’s ‘firstborn’ (Exodus 4:22), and God says of David, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, ‘…I will appoint [David] to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth’ (Psalm 89:27).

In most parts of the world at the time Paul wrote, the law of primogeniture meant the firstborn (usually the eldest son) got all of the wealth, all of the status, all of the standing and all of the power of the father. Therefore, the firstborn is equal with the father. Paul is saying Jesus Christ is equal in power and dignity with God the Father.

In our header scripture (Colossians 1:15), Paul says Jesus is ‘the firstborn over creation’, not of creation. He is signalling Jesus’s supremacy over all creation, not that he is part of creation. Everything that was created, he is over. Paul’s following verses (vv.16-17) clarify that all things were created ‘through him and for him’, and ‘He is before all things, and in him all things hold together’. Christ is not a creature but the Creator: his ‘firstborn’ status marks him as sovereign, the heir and Lord over all that exists.

For Paul, calling Christ the ‘firstborn’ is to ascribe to him the rights and privileges of God’s unique eternal Son. Paul’s description of Christ as Creator eliminates any notion of Christ himself being a created being. Instead, Christ’s relationship to creation is as its source, sustainer, and goal. The ‘firstborn’ is not among the creatures, but above them, holding all things together.

This affirmation that Jesus is ‘the firstborn over all creation’ is not simply a doctrine for theological debate in academic circles; it is the foundation for how we live out our lives as Christians. If Christ is the image of the invisible God and the ‘firstborn’, sovereign over all things, then allegiance to Christ supersedes all earthly powers and philosophies.

For the Colossians, and for contemporary believers, this means that Christ is sufficient – no supplement is needed. The fullness of God dwells in Him (v.19), and in him, believers find reconciliation, purpose, and identity. Worship becomes an act of acknowledging Christ’s unrivalled authority, and discipleship is shaped by his example and teachings. Additionally, Christians are called to participate in his mission of reconciliation and renewal, and to proclaim Christ’s lordship and love in the world. Jesus is the one we are to proclaim with all the energy he gives us (vv.28-29).

Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead 
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA

Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm

Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:  
wordoflife@gracecom.church