Prototokos - It's Meaning and Usage in the New Testament
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The Apostle Paul left us two great passages expressing his teaching concerning the person of Christ in His pre-incarnate state: Philippians 2:5-7 and Colossians 1:15-17. It is interesting that both passages provide quite a challenge to the translator, though their meaning undoubtedly was clear to their original audiences. In the Colossians passage, Paul describes the Lord Christ as “the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.” (New American Standard Bible). He then goes on to ascribe to Jesus the creation of “ta panta,” all things, i. e., the universe and all that is in it.(1)
How, then, are we to understand Paul’s use of the phrase, “first-born”? What does this word tell us about Jesus Christ? How is it used in the New Testament?
The word under consideration is “prototokos.” It is made up of two words, “protos,” meaning first,(2) and “tokos” from “tikto,” “to give birth.”(3). There is little evidence that the word “prototokos” was used extensively before the time of the Septuagint.(4) Its basic meaning is the first one born, the first born child. However, it must be examined in its context to determine its true meaning.