Verses often taken out of context or misused: Colossians 1:15
Colossians 1:15 [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (ESV)
I tackled this verse for two reasons.
1) When you are talking with Jehovah Witnesses, this verse is one that they misuse to deny that Jesus is God. Learning about this will hopefully give you some confidence to talk and share the true Gospel with them.
2) The deity of Christ is being assaulted in this world. So much so that it has been impacting the beliefs of the Church.
1) Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is Michael the archangel, the highest created being. Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the Trinity, believing Jesus to be a created being and the Holy Spirit to essentially be the inanimate power of God. They often use their translation of the Bible called the New World Translation (NWT), which is a translation made to directly support their theological beliefs. It does not stand up to grammatical, historical and, manuscript scrutiny. They will argue that Jesus is created but in verse 16 the immediate context defeats their argument that Jesus is a created being.
Colossians 1:15–16 [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (ESV)
He cannot be the first thing created if He was the one that created all things. This is where their NWT jumps in and changes things to meet their beliefs. It says: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth.. [emphasis added showing their addition].
If you are still struggling with understanding this verse it is most likely wrapped up in the phrase “firstborn of all creation”. In scripture, the word “firstborn” has many different uses when we study each context. Here are some examples: Luke 2:7 “Literal Birth” | Luke 2:23 “Literal Birth” | Romans 8:29 “Preeminent” | Colossians 1:18 “First Resurrected” | Hebrews 1:6 “Preeminent and worshipped” | Hebrews 11:28 “Literal Birth” | Hebrews 12:23 “Belonging to God” | Revelation 1:5 “First Resurrected”
In Psalm 89:20-27 talking about David it says Psalm 89:27 [27] And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. David was not the firstborn of his family; he was the last one born. We can see in this section of Scripture that David is called the firstborn, “the highest of the kings of the earth.” It is clearly a title of preeminence.
In reading the context of Colossians 1:15 it is very clear that “firstborn” is about the preeminence of Christ over all.
2) Every two years the Ligonier ministry completes surveys of those professing to be evangelicals (see the stateoftheology.com how they verify this). They have been tracking the answers to 30 statements. #6 states “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God”. In 2016 71% agreed and 23% disagreed in 2018 78% agreed and 18% disagreed (2020 results have not come out yet). This is quite alarming based on those numbers as this understanding of Christ undermines the entire person and work of Jesus.
Look at the context:
Colossians 1:10–23 [10] so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; [11] being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. [21] And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [22] he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, [23] if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (ESV)
