{"id":46181,"date":"2021-06-21T09:26:47","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T06:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=46181"},"modified":"2025-05-18T15:54:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T12:54:13","slug":"what-does-the-lord-jesus-is-the-firstborn-from-the-dead-mean-revelation-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2021\/06\/21\/what-does-the-lord-jesus-is-the-firstborn-from-the-dead-mean-revelation-15\/","title":{"rendered":"What does \u201cThe Lord Jesus is the firstborn from the dead\u201d mean? (Revelation 1:5)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Revelation 1:5, it states, \u201cAnd from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This phrase highlights that Jesus is not only the firstborn of the dead, but He is also the preeminent one who has triumphed over death and holds authority over all creation. Theologically, this underscores the fact that Jesus is the first to be resurrected with a glorified body, never to die again, and because of this, He stands as the firstfruit of the resurrection, signaling the resurrection of all believers.<\/p>\n

Why is He also the firstborn of the living?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus is also described as the firstborn of the living (Colossians 1:18), meaning He is the firstborn of all those who have eternal life.<\/p>\n

In John 3:6, Jesus says, \u201cFlesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Theologically, this suggests that all humanity, due to original sin, is spiritually dead, but through the new birth by the Holy Spirit, they are made spiritually alive in Christ.<\/p>\n

Jesus is the firstborn of the living in the sense that He was the first to receive a resurrected, immortal life in His glorified body. When He was resurrected from the dead, He was the first to possess this eternal life that will be fully realized in all believers when they are resurrected at the end of the age. This eternal life is not just a return to life, but a transformation into a glorified state, never to die again. We see this in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23:<\/p>\n

\u201cB<\/em>ut Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And why is He also the firstborn of the dead?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before understanding why Jesus is the firstborn of the dead, we must understand the theological concept of “death” in Scripture. In the Bible, death is not just a physical event but also a spiritual separation from God due to sin (Romans 6:23). Jesus, through His death and resurrection, dealt with both the physical and spiritual aspects of death, bringing life to all who believe in Him.<\/p>\n

In Colossians 1:18, it says,<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was not merely a return to life like Lazarus or others in Scripture, but it marked the beginning of a new kind of life: eternal, glorified life.<\/p>\n

Although Lazarus, Elijah, and Elisha raised people from the dead, those individuals were revived in their earthly bodies, and eventually, they died again. But Jesus’ resurrection was different because He rose in a glorified body that will never die again (Romans 6:9). This marks Him as the firstborn from the dead, the first to experience the fullness of resurrection life, and the guarantee of our future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).<\/p>\n

This is why the Bible says:<\/strong><\/p>\n