Some have concluded from Paul's description of Christ in Colossians 1:15 as "the firstborn of all creation," (protótokos páses ktíseos) that Christ is a created being.
In Colossians 1:15-23, Paul is discussing the preeminence of Christ. The theme of this passage is found in verse 18: "that he might have preeminence in all things." This is the most important paragraph (actually it is a single sentence of more than 130 words) in the NT for understanding Christ's nature and our relationship to Him. Following is an outline of the passage:
THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST (Colossians 1:15-23)
I. IN CREATION (15-17)
1. He is the image of the invisible God (15a)
2. He is the firstborn over all creation (15b)
3. All things were created by Him (16)
4. He is before all things (17a)
5. In Him all things consist (17b)
II. IN REDEMPTION (18-23)
1. He is the head of the body, the church (18a)
2. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (18b)
3. That He might have the preeminence in all things (18c)
4. It pleased the Father...
a. That in Him all the fullness should dwell (19)
b. That by Him all things were to be
reconciled to Himself, making peace through
the blood of the cross (20)
5. The Colossians as a case in point (21-23)
a. They were once alienated and enemies in mind,
through wicked works (21a)
b. Yet now reconciled...
1) In the body of His flesh through
death (21b-22a)
2) To be presented holy, blameless,
and irreproachable in His sight (22b)
3) If they continue in the faith...
a) Grounded and steadfast (23a)
b) Not moved away from the gospel
1/ Which they heard (23b)
2/ Which was preached to every creature
under heaven (23c)
3/ Of which Paul became a minister (23d)
Paul presents Christ as the "firstborn over all creation" (NKJV & NIV; "firstborn of every creature" KJV; "firstborn of all creation" ASV, et al.). The NKJV and NIV rendering is more what Paul intended--that Christ is over all creation rather than the first of all created. This is evident from the surrounding verses, the theme of the passage, and a consideration of other passages of Scripture.
While the term "firstborn" can mean "the first one born (or created)," leading some (Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, 4th century AD Arians and others) to conclude that Jesus is a created being, it is also used metaphorically in the Bible to refer to one who occupies the rank of a firstborn or enjoys the privileges of being firstborn (without literally being the "firstborn"). It is used in this way by God to refer to the nation of Israel (Exodus 4:22) and to David, the youngest of 8 brothers (Psalm 89:20, 27). Hence, any interpretation of "firstborn" in this passage must be in harmony with the teaching about Christ in other passages such as Colossians 1:16 and John 1:1-3 where Jesus is described as the creator of all things. He could not be the creator of ALL if He Himself is created.
Here (Col. 1:15) Paul uses "firstborn" to show the authority and rights Christ has over all creation. The Hebrew writer (Heb. 1:2) refers similarly to Christ as "heir of all things." The custom/law of inheritance provided for the firstborn to receive a double portion of the inheritance from his father (i.e., to have preeminence in the inheritance; see Deut. 21:15-17 especially in the NIV. We are joint heirs with Christ--Romans 8:17. We receive an inheritance because He has one. Again, He is preeminent.). In short, Paul uses "firstborn over all creation" to show that Christ has all the rights of a firstborn as if he were the firstborn: just as God described Israel as His firstborn over all the nations, even though Israel was not the first nation to exist; just as He referred to David as His firstborn over all the kings of the earth, even though David was not the first king and not the firstborn in his family. Thus, Christ is firstborn over creation, even though he is not himself a created being.
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