Having children is a great blessing, the Bible says that children are an inheritance from the Lord (Psalm 127:3), and it is in them that a word that we will study below is used, so join us in reading.
The word eldest means “the eldest,” “the firstborn,” or “the one who was born first.” Derived from the Latin primogenitus. When used in the Bible, it generally, and depending on the context, conveys the idea of having a “privileged position.”
Throughout time, especially in the Bible, the firstborn has always played a very important role in the family. He was the first descendant of the parents and a sign of God’s blessing.
It may interest you: What does it mean that Jesus is the Son of David?
What is the definition of the word firstborn in the Bible?
In the Bible, the word firstborn is used several times and in many different situations and times.
It is used to describe: the first son of a family, the firstborn of a nation, someone who has received the honor of “firstborn,” and even the first offspring of animals (Exodus 13:2).
The words present in the original biblical texts and that have been translated into Latin as firstborn, have their origin in Hebrew and Greek.
In the Bible, the term translated as “firstborn” is defined as the first male child of a family.
✅ Important fact #1: In Jewish culture the first male child inherited the birthright. This right granted him special privileges. He received the blessing of the family, which translated into spiritual and social leadership.
What benefits did the firstborn son have in the Bible?
In the Bible, the first-born sons had many privileges, among the main ones, as stated above, is to have a prominent position among their other brothers and to receive the main blessing of their father.
The firstborn sons had a special benefit in relation to the inheritance of their parents, they received a double portion of the inheritance, that is, in the case of having two children, the inheritance was divided into three parts and two thirds were for the son elderly.
✅ Important fact #2: In the Bible there are several children who, although they were not firstborn by birth, received the blessing of the firstborn, some examples are: Jacob, Judah and ephraimthe son of José.
The word firstborn in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, the word firstborn is used several times. In most of them the Hebrew term is translated «bekor«.
We should also point out that in the Bible there is a difference between firstborn by inheritance and firstborn by referral.
Firstborn by inheritance
According to the Bible, the firstborn by inheritance is the firstborn of the father of either of his wives, in case he had practiced polygamy.
Firstborn by referral
The firstborn by remission refers to the mother’s firstborn, and applies to both man and beast.
In case the firstborn was the firstborn of the mother but not of the father, it was to be redeemed at the age of one month by the father.
The father would redeem that son with a value equal to five cycles. This value should be delivered to the priest in money or objects. If the father did not carry out this procedure, when the son grew up, he had to redeem himself.
In Israel, the firstborn were to fast the day before the celebration of Easter. This ordinance was related to the release of the last plague sent to Egypt.
The word Firstborn in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the word firstborn is used several times to generally translate the Greek term prototokos.
In some texts, this Greek term is applied to Jesus, such as the expressions “firstborn from the dead,” “firstborn of all creation,” and “firstborn among many brethren” (Colossians 1:15,18; Romans 8 :29).
In these cases, the term used is not related to the idea of birth or to a chronological order of time. It is applied in the sense of “position”, similar to when the term is used to refer to a favored child as the main heir to a family estate.
What does the expression “firstborn from the dead” mean?
The expression “firstborn from the dead,” for example, does not mean that Jesus was literally the first to rise from the dead. Other people were resurrected before Jesus in the Old Testament.
This expression means that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead in an immortal and glorious form. He was the first to return from the dead no longer subject to death.
His resurrection marked the beginning of a new creation, ushering in a new era (2 Corinthians 5:17; cf. Acts 2:29-36; 13:32-35). Without the resurrection of Christ, no other resurrection would be possible. The resurrection of Jesus is the guarantee that we too will be resurrected (Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Hebrews 1:6; 12:23).
Related: Why did Jesus rise on the third day?
What does the expression “firstborn of all creation” mean?
There are many references to the Lord Jesus that are made regarding the firstborn, in the sense of authority and position.
When it is said that Jesus is the “firstborn of all creation,” for example, it does not mean that he was the first to be created or born. This expression points to the eternity of the Son of God.
It means that Jesus has always existed with the Father, and by the Father he is especially loved. In Him, by Him and for Him all things were created, and without Him nothing was made that has been made (Colossians 1:16,17; cf. John 1:1-3).
Thus, the term firstborn is applied to Jesus to emphasize that He exercises authority over all creation. He owns all rights to her, which shows his honor, his excellence, and his supremacy.
Why does the church have a privileged position as the firstborn?
The New Testament stresses the birthright of the Church. We, as the Lord’s Church, made children of God, inscribed in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
This means that we are the firstborn in the family of God, as we share in the inheritance of Jesus, the Firstborn (Romans 8:17 and Hebrews 12:23).
Curiosity about the firstborn in the Bible
The Bible mentions some cases of firstborn sacrifices by some kings of Israel. They sacrificed their own sons and daughters (2 Kings 16:3, 17:17 and 21:6). This practice, inherited from paganism, was highly disapproved of by God (Jeremiah 19:5).
Later, in the New Testament, Jesus used the place where the sacrifices of the firstborn were made as a figure to teach the severity and reality of torment in hell. This place was known as the Valley of Hinnom (Luke 12:5).