Greek word · G4416

πρωτότοκος

prōtotokos

firstborn

Firstborn. Literally the first child born, and from there a title of priority, rank, heir's position and special status, even when birth order is not the point.

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

πρωτότοκος, -ον

(πρῶτος, τίκτω) [in LXX chiefly for בְּכוֹר ;]

first-born: Luke 2:7; pl., Hebrews 11:28. Metaphorical, of the priority of Christ (originally perh. a Messianic title, cf. Psalms 89:28, Hebrews 1:6; see ICC on Colossians 1:15): Hebrews 1:6; π. πάσης κτίσεως, Colossians 1:15; ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, Romans 8:29; π. (ἐκ) τ. νεκρῶν, Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:5; pl., of the elect, ἐκκλησία πρωτοτόκων, Hebrews 12:23.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Romans 8:29

Range of meaning

Firstborn. Literally the first child born, and from there a title of priority, rank, heir's position and special status, even when birth order is not the point.

Against the English

English readers may hear only birth order or chronology. The ancient term focused on status: the firstborn son was heir, received a double share (Deuteronomy 21:17), and represented the family.

Used elsewhere in the period

Exodus 4:22: 'Israel is my firstborn son.' Psalm 89:27 (88:28 in the Greek Old Testament), of the Davidic king: 'I will make him firstborn, highest of the kings of the earth.' The status meaning is clear there, since David was not literally a firstborn. In the New Testament: Colossians 1:15 and 1:18 ('firstborn of all creation… firstborn from the dead'), Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 1:5 ('firstborn of the dead').

From the study of Revelation 1:5

Range of meaning

Literally 'first-born'. In biblical usage it also carries the firstborn's legal and social status: priority, a double inheritance, headship of the family, and a special belonging to God (Exod 13:2). It can be used of status alone, without literal birth order (Exod 4:22, Israel as God's firstborn; Ps 89:27, the king).

Against the English

English 'firstborn' or KJV 'first begotten' sounds purely biological and chronological. That invites the objection that others (Lazarus, Jairus's daughter) were raised earlier. The Greek word carries rank and inheritance as well as sequence.

How it drifted

Modern English has lost the inheritance and primacy law of the firstborn, so the word now sounds like birth order only.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Ps 88(89):28: 'I will make him firstborn (prōtotokon), highest among the kings of the earth', said of David's heir. This is the clear source of both this title and 'ruler of the kings of the earth'. Col 1:18: 'firstborn from the dead'. Rom 8:29: 'firstborn among many brothers'. 1 Cor 15:20: 'firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep'.

From the study of Luke 2:7

Range of meaning

'Firstborn': the first child to open the womb. In Israel this was a legal and religious status. The firstborn son belonged to God and had to be redeemed (Exod 13:2, 12-15; Num 18:15-16), and he had inheritance rights (Deut 21:15-17). Figuratively it means pre-eminent, highest in rank (Ps 89:27 LXX; Exod 4:22, Israel as God's firstborn).

Against the English

'Firstborn' is accurate. Modern readers may assume it implies 'the first of several'. In ancient usage it did not have to.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke ties the word straight to the Law: 'Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord' (2:23, citing Exod 13). A Jewish grave inscription from Leontopolis in Egypt (dated 5 BC, CIJ II 1510) says a young mother, Arsinoe, died 'in the pains of giving birth to her firstborn child'. She clearly had no later children, so the term could be used of an only child.

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 2:7 πρωτότοκον firstborn

    And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

    Here: The child who 'opens the womb.' That status brought legal and religious duties under the Law of Moses, which Luke goes straight on to describe (2:22-23). It names his rank and status; it says nothing either way about whether later children were born.

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 8:29 πρωτότοκον firstborn

    For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

    Here: 'Firstborn.' It names the eldest son's position of priority, honour and inheritance in the family. It also suggests 'firstborn from the dead' (Colossians 1:18), the first to enter the resurrection life that the others will share.

Colossians · 2

  1. Colossians 1:15 πρωτότοκος [the] firstborn

    The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

    Here: Literally "first-born", but in Scripture it is above all a title of rank: the heir, who has priority and authority in the household (compare Psalm 89:27). Here it says the Son comes before creation and rules over it. Verse 16 explains why: "for in him all things were created."

  2. Colossians 1:18 πρωτότοκος firstborn

    And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

    Here: The firstborn holds the first rank and the inheritance. 'From the dead' makes it concrete: he is the first to come out of death into a life that does not end, and others will follow after him.

Hebrews · 3

  1. Hebrews 1:6 πρωτότοκον Firstborn

    And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”

    Here: Used absolutely as a title, "the Firstborn". It carries the firstborn son's rank and inheritance rights. It echoes Psalm 89:27, where God makes the Davidic king "firstborn, highest of the kings of the earth", and ties back to the Son as "heir of all things" (1:2).

  2. Hebrews 11:28 πρωτότοκα firstborn

    By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.

    Here: This neuter plural ('the firstborn things') is the object of 'destroying'. Being neuter, it covers both human and animal firstborn, as Exodus 12:29 says.

  3. Hebrews 12:23 πρωτοτόκων of [the] firstborn

    in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

    Here: Plural: 'firstborn ones'. These are people with the firstborn's standing as heirs and as belonging specially to God. It deliberately contrasts with Esau, who sold his firstborn rights (12:16).

Revelation · 1

  1. Revelation 1:5 πρωτότοκος firstborn

    and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,

    Here: First in time and first in rank. He is the first to rise into the life of the age to come, the first of many, and the heir who holds the firstborn's place of honour (Ps 89:27).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.