Bible Lexicons

πρωτότοκος, πρωτότοκον (πρῶτος, τίκτω), the Sept. for בְּכור, firstborn;

a. properly: τόν υἱόν αὐτῆς τόν πρωτότοκον, Matthew 1:25 (where τόν πρωτότοκον is omitted by L T Tr WH but found in the Sinaiticus manuscript. (see Tdf., WH., at the passage)); Luke 2:7; τά πρωτότοκα αὐτῶν (genitive of the possessor ((?); αὐτῶν is more naturally taken with θίγῃ (Winer's Grammar, § 30, 8 c.), as by Prof. Grimm himself under the word θιγγάνω)), the firstborn whether of than or of beast, Hebrews 11:28 (πᾶν πρωτότοκον ... ἀπό ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους, Exodus 12:29; Psalm 104:36 (); (Philo de cherub. § 16; Pollux 4, 208)).

b. tropically Christ is called πρωτότοκος πάσης κτίσεως (partitive genitive (see below), as in τά πρωτότοκα τῶν προβάτων, Genesis 4:4; τῶν βοῶν, Deuteronomy 12:17; τῶν υἱῶν σου, Exodus 22:29), who came into being through God prior to the entire universe of created things (R. V. the firstborn of all creation) (see κτίσις, 2 b.), Colossians 1:15; — this passage does not with certainty prove that Paul reckoned the λόγος in the number of created beings (as, among others, Usteri, Paulin. Lehrbegriff., p. 315, and Baur, Das Christenthum der drei ersten Jahrhh. 1st edition, p. 295, hold); since even Origen, who is acknowledged to have maintained the eternal generation of the Son by the Father, did not hesitate to call him (cf. Gieseler, Kirch.-Gesch. i., p. 261f edition 3; (i. 216 English translation, of edition 4, edited by Smith)) τόν ἀγενητον καί πάσης γενετῆς φύσεως πρωτότοκον (c. Celsus 6, 17), and even κτίσμα (a term which Clement of Alexandria also uses of the λόγος); cf. Joan. Damascen. orthod. fid. 4, 8 καί αὐτός ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καί ἡ κτίσις ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ; (others would make the genitive in Colossians, the passage cited depend upon the comparitive force in (the first half of) πρωτότοκος (cf. πρωτότοκος ἐγώ ἤ σύ, 2 Samuel 19:43); but see Lightfoot at the passage (especially for the patristic interpretation)). In the same sense, apparently, he is called simply ὁ πρωτότοκος, Hebrews 1:6; πρωτότοκος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, the first of the dead who was raised to life, Colossians 1:18; also τῶν νεκρῶν (partitive genitive), Revelation 1:5 (Rec. inserts ἐκ); πρωτότοκος ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, who was the Son of God long before those who by his agency and merits are exalted to the nature and dignity of sons of God, with the added suggestion of the supreme rank by which he excels these other sons (cf. Psalm 88:28 (); Exodus 4:22; Jeremiah 38:9 (), Romans 8:29; ἐκκλησία πρωτοτόκων, the congregation of the pious Christian dead already exalted to the enjoyment of the blessedness of heaven (tacitly opposed to those subsequently to follow them thither), Hebrews 12:23; cf. DeWette ad loc. (Anthol. 8, 34; 9, 213.)

STRONGS NT 4416a: πρώτως πρώτως, adverb, first: Acts 11:26 T Tr WH. Cf. Passow, under the word πρότερος at the end; (Liddell and Scott, ibid. B. IV.; Phryn. ed. Lob., p. 311f; Rntherford, New Phryn., p. 366).