It All Points to Jesusਨਮੂਨਾ

Tuesday, April 15

First Born

Pastor Adam Martin

Executive Pastor, The Counseling Center at Seacoast

And he is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,
so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:18 (NIV)

As we prepare to celebrate the meaning of Easter, we are likely to come across many different names in the Bible used to describe Jesus: names like “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God…Prince of Peace” from Isaiah 9:6 and “Redeemer” from Isaiah 59:20. We also see Jesus as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" from John 1:29. But the apostle, Paul, was the only one to call Jesus the "firstborn from among the dead." Being somewhat provocative in Colossians 1:18, he uses the phrase to challenge some centuries-old ideas.

First, the Greek and Hebrew cultures rejected the idea of a physical resurrection. While both believed in immortality, the Jews didn't believe in a bodily resurrection before the final judgment. And Paul wanted to challenge this belief— especially since his encounter with Jesus occurred post-resurrection. In fact, Paul's radical transformation from a devout observer of Judaism to a deeply committed follower of Jesus is one of the biggest hurdles for those who want to discredit the Christian faith. At some point, it becomes impossible to explain why someone would forfeit their personal and professional reputation to follow the very person they sought to destroy—unless there was an actual risen Christ.

Jesus, The Firstborn Son

The second idea Paul challenged by referring to Jesus as the "first-born from among the dead" was the long-standing Hebrew custom of primogeniture. Primogeniture was a cultural tradition whereby the eldest son in a family was given the birthright or the inheritance from the father. This was very different from how families often operate today, equally dividing the family assets among all surviving children. In Hebrew culture, the eldest son inherited everything and with it, he was expected to take on the responsibility of caring for his siblings and their families. What the Hebrew people failed to recognize in Jesus was how the firstborn son of God embodied this tradition they held so dearly.

As the firstborn son, Jesus received every blessing from his heavenly Father. And as the firstborn, Jesus would bestow those blessings on God's children. This idea of primogeniture is what made the parable of the prodigal son so scandalous (Luke 15:11-32). When the younger son came to the father asking for his inheritance, he was actually asking for what should have been given to his older brother. Nonetheless, the father gave his son what he asked for and the son promptly left to squander that generosity. And when this younger, rebellious son came to his senses and decided to return home, the father again poured out blessing on him. But where did that blessing come from? That also came from the older son's portion. Twice the father would bless the younger son with blessings that belonged to the older son. According to this tradition, it was the older son who deserved the blessing. But in God's great mercy, it was the younger son who received it. And while the older son in this parable struggled to mirror his Father's grace, Jesus embodied his Father’s grace by going to the cross. There is no other point in history where grace has been more clearly defined for us than at the cross.

Welcome To The Family

Lastly, Paul knew that the term "firstborn" was common in first-century culture, but "firstborn from among the dead" would have been paradoxical. Paul was saying that Jesus was the first (and only) person who had conquered the grave. But just as "firstborn" implied that there were subsequent children born into the family, the phrase "firstborn from among the dead" was meant to imply that while Jesus was the first to overcome the grave, he would not be the last. Through the righteousness that he gave to us at the cross, we too, shall overcome death and live with him forever. If you need a reason to celebrate Easter this year, look no further.

As the firstborn, he welcomes us to the family.

Reflect

What are some things you want God to resurrect in yourself this Easter season?