… the firstborn over all creation.
Summary: Looking at the meaning of the word “firstborn” opens the door to a fascinating journey through the Bible.
Saying that someone is “the firstborn over all creation” says a lot … or nothing. After all, what does that even mean?
The idea of being “first born” carries with it a great deal of significance in Old Testament biblical terms. The firstborn son, in particular, inherits certain benefits and responsibilities (Deuteronomy 21:17). During the Exodus, when God liberated the Hebrews from the Egyptians, there was another consequence associated with being firstborn: death.
The Hebrews who followed God’s instructions for the first Passover were spared this consequence. Instead, the Lord required the Israelites to set aside (consecrate) all firstborn males as belonging to God (Exodus 13:1-2).
Eventually, the Lord lays claim to the tribe of the Levites in exchange for all the firstborn Hebrews (Numbers 3:11-13). The Levites, in turn, become the tribe that serves as the priests for Israel.
Connecting the dots, we see a pattern that illustrates God’s plan for all creation.
Jesus is the firstborn in the family of Mary and Joseph. They are not a family of material wealth, so there is nothing to inherit. Instead, Jesus offers us an inheritance of a different kind.
Instead of being tied to the priesthood associated with the old covenant, the Book of Hebrews establishes Jesus as a priest based on an older lineage that goes back to Melchizedek (Hebrews 7).
In addition to being God’s Son, Jesus is God’s firstborn Son. His inheritance, according to the old covenant, is a “double portion.” Being God’s Son, his inheritance includes both the physical realm and the spiritual (Matthew 28:18).
All of this brings us to a strange place.
Before he could come into his inheritance, Jesus had to die.
(Pause for a moment and think about that.)
What would you give your life for? If someone offered you an inheritance if you sacrificed your life, what would it take to get you to accept the offer?
In Jesus’ case, it was a simple proposition. Paul explains it this way:
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” (Galatians 4:4-5)
His inheritance is us! His kingdom is life. Not a life defined by the flesh and its corrupt idea of what is good and bad, but a life defined by God’s definition of good. By allowing his body to be killed, Jesus testifies to the superiority of the Spirit.
He is both the “New Covenant” in his blood (1 Corinthians 11:25) and the firstborn under the New Covenant.
Application: Love others as Jesus loves you.
Food for Thought: How does being the firstborn affect a person?
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