The Firstborn

"Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth." Revelation 1: 5

No title is more explicit than that of "Firstborn" to exalt the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ. He essentially emphasizes his rank, his dignity, his honor, as in the Messianic Psalm 89 : "I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Psalm 89:27).

First born of all creation

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation" (Col. 1:15).

Christ is the source of all creation, and as such he has primacy over all creation, because "all things were created by him and for him, and [is] above all, and [Him]" (Col. 1:17).

Firstborn in the inhabited world

"When [God] introduces the Firstborn into the inhabited world, he says : Let all the angels of God bow down to him" (Heb 1.6)

Jesus, Mary's firstborn (Luke 2: 7) according to a temporal order, is Firstborn according to her eternal relationship as the Son of God. Even the angels, the nearest creatures of God, must adore Him. It has supremacy over the whole created universe, apart from any idea of ​​time and chronology.

Firstborn from the dead

"He ... is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he may hold the first place" (Col. 1:18).

Only the Creator, Jesus is also the only Redeemer : he penetrates into the depths of fallen creation to overcome the power of death. Having triumphed, he was resurrected - the empty tomb attests it - he is alive and dominates the new creation.

Firstborn among many brothers

"Those whom God predicted, he also predestined them to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be firstborn among many brothers." (Rom. 8. 29)

If the firstborn of all creation, become a man, is so closely identified with his own that he calls them "brothers," God gives him a place of supremacy among them, for the purpose of God is the glory of Christ. If God grants pre-eminence to his Son over all that is created and in his plan of redemption, we, his redeemed ones saved by grace, place Jesus in the first place in our hearts and in our lives.

Source (To pleasing the Lord)