Jesus Ranks First Place
In all of the Scriptures below, Jesus is identified as the "firstborn" Son. That does not mean He was created. In the ancient Israelite understanding, "firstborn" often spoke of position, rank, and inheritance. It means that Jesus holds first place and supreme importance in the family of God.
There is no one like Jesus.
Jesus is King above all kings.
Psalm 89:27
"I will also make him My firstborn, greatest of the kings of the earth."
Jesus is the preeminent Head, the Beginning, and the Firstborn, surpassing all others as the Head of His people.
Colossians 1:18
"He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything."
Jesus is truly God and truly man—Vera Deus et Vera Homo—the image of the invisible God. To know Jesus and His character is to know God.
Colossians 1:15
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."
Jesus is the exact expression of the Father. And God is conforming His people to the image of His Son.
Hebrews 1:3
"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
Romans 8:29
"For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."
Jesus is our appointed and anointed Leader.
Hebrews 2:10
"For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings."
Jesus is the uncreated One and the reason everything in creation does not immediately fall apart into chaos and destruction.
Colossians 1:17
"He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together."
Jesus ranks first place.
He is supreme over kings, creation, the church, and even death itself.
~ George Dunn
