MESSIAH: THE FIRSTBORN
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Messiah
a) Understanding the Messiah or Christ is the first and foremost requirement for spiritual enlightenment. Paul makes a most comprehensive statement of who and what Christ is.
b) The two titles, Messiah and Christ, are synonymous and interchangeable. “Messiah” is the Hebrew for which “Christ” is the Greek equivalent. The basic meaning of these titles is The Anointed One.
2. The Firstborn
a) Paul twice uses the expression "firstborn" with reference to Christ. First he calls him "the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15) and then "the firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18). Putting these together we see that Christ is the firstborn from the dead of all creation. Now "all creation" is used in the sense of all mankind. This is the same sense as in Colossians 1:23 where Paul speaks of the gospel proclaimed "in all creation under heaven" which of course means to all mankind in the world. Christ is the firstborn from the dead of all people on earth.
b) What does it mean to be the firstborn from the dead? Paul explains this when he speaks of being "buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12). So being the firstborn from the dead means being the first to partake of the resurrection from the dead.
c) You might object that Christ was not the first to rise from the dead. That is true, since he himself raised people from the dead. However they were not raised to live forever, and they later died again. Jesus, after his resurrection, did not die again but ascended into heaven (Colossians 3:1). Christ has made the complete journey, resurrection, ascension, glorification. He is the forerunner (Hebrews 6:19-20), the first-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:22-23), and the firstborn (Colossians 1:18).
The End ...
1. Messiah a) Understanding the Messiah or Christ is the first and foremost requirement for spiritual enlightenment. Paul makes a most comprehensive statement of who and what Christ is.
b) The two titles, Messiah and Christ, are synonymous and interchangeable. “Messiah” is the Hebrew for which “Christ” is the Greek equivalent. The basic meaning of these titles is The Anointed One.
2. The Firstborn
a) Paul twice uses the expression "firstborn" with reference to Christ. First he calls him "the firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15) and then "the firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18). Putting these together we see that Christ is the firstborn from the dead of all creation. Now "all creation" is used in the sense of all mankind. This is the same sense as in Colossians 1:23 where Paul speaks of the gospel proclaimed "in all creation under heaven" which of course means to all mankind in the world. Christ is the firstborn from the dead of all people on earth.
b) What does it mean to be the firstborn from the dead? Paul explains this when he speaks of being "buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12). So being the firstborn from the dead means being the first to partake of the resurrection from the dead.
c) You might object that Christ was not the first to rise from the dead. That is true, since he himself raised people from the dead. However they were not raised to live forever, and they later died again. Jesus, after his resurrection, did not die again but ascended into heaven (Colossians 3:1). Christ has made the complete journey, resurrection, ascension, glorification. He is the forerunner (Hebrews 6:19-20), the first-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:22-23), and the firstborn (Colossians 1:18).
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