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1:6 1:7 1:8 1:9 1:10 1:11 1:12 1:13 1:14 1:15 1:16 1:17 1:18 1:19 1:20
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
St. Victorinus
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-begotten of the dead. In taking upon Him manhood, He gave a testimony in the world, wherein also having suffered, He freed us by His blood from sin; and having vanquished hell, He was the first who rose from the dead, and
death shall have no more dominion over Him,Romans 6:9 but by His own reign the kingdom of the world is destroyed. _____________________________________________________________
St. Athanasius
He is said to be 'First-born from the dead' not that He died before us, for we had died first; but because having undergone death for us and abolished it, He was the first to rise, as man, for our sakes raising His own Body. Henceforth He having risen, we too from Him and because of Him rise in due course from the dead. [Discourses Against the Arians Discourse 2 Verse 61]
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St. Gregory of Nyssa
In what sense does He become "the first-born from the dead?" Assuredly this is plain, that because we are by birth flesh and blood, as the Scripture says, "He Who for our sakes was born among us and was partaker of flesh and blood (Heb. 1:14)," purposing to change us from corruption to incorruption by the birth from above, the birth by water and the Spirit, Himself led the way in this birth, drawing down upon the water, by His own baptism, the Holy Spirit; so that in all things He became the first-born of those who are spiritually born again, and gave the name of brethren to those who partook in a birth like to His own by water and the Spirit. But since it was also meet that He should implant in our nature the power of rising again from the dead, He becomes the "first-fruits of them that slept(1Cor. 15:20) " and the "first-born from the dead,(Col. 1:18)" in that He first by His own act loosed the pains of death(Acts. 2:24), so that His new birth from the dead was made a way for us also, since the pains of death, wherein we were held, were loosed by the resurrection of the Lord. Thus, just as by having shared in the washing of regeneration(Titus 3:5) He became "the first-born among many brethren," and again by having made Himself the first-fruits of the resurrection, He obtains the name of the "first-born from the dead," so having in all things the pre-eminence, after that "all old things," as the apostle says, "have passed away(2Cor. 5:17)."[Against Eunomius Book 2 Chapter 8]
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St. Augustine
I know that some think that at the death of Christ a resurrection such as is promised to us at the end of the world was granted to the righteous, founding this on the statement in Scripture that, in the earthquake by which at the moment of His death the rocks were rent and the graves were opened, many bodies of the saints arose and were seen with Him in the Holy City after He rose. Certainly, if these did not fall asleep again, their bodies being a second time laid in the grave, it would be necessary to see in what sense Christ can be understood to be "the first begotten from the dead," if so many preceded Him in the resurrection. And if it be said, in answer to this, that the statement is made by anticipation, so that the graves indeed are to be supposed to have been opened by that earthquake at the time when Christ was hanging on the cross, but that the bodies of the saints did not rise then, but only after Christ had risen before them -- although on this hypothesis of anticipation in the narrative, the addition of these words would not hinder us from still believing, on the one hand, that Christ was without doubt "the first begotten from the dead." [Letter 164.9]
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St. Bede
the first-begotten. This is the same that the Apostle says, "We have seen Jesus Christ for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour.(Heb 2:9)" And in another place, in setting forth the reproach of the cross, he added, "Wherefore also God highly exalted Him, and gave Him the Name which is above every name.(Phil 2:9)"
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St. Beatus of Liébana
‘Since John does recall above, about this Word, that before He took on flesh He was with the Father in glory, John necessarily includes the assumed human flesh, saying, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness“, namely, about His testimony of divine things rendered by taking on manhood, and by intervening for us sinners by His passion and blood, and by cleansing us from all our iniquity. So He brings a faithful testimony, on behalf of our frailty and weakness, to God the Father, “with Whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.” [James 1:17] ‘…For first He rose from the dead, while death could not hold Him. [cf Acts 2:24] Whence also the Apostle says, “Christ the first-fruits, then they that are in Christ” [1 Cor 15:23] In His Presence, that is, then we who are Christians, called through Baptism, will rise up from death, revived, to the Second Coming. And therefore He is called the “first begotten” and the “first-fruits…of the dead” [1 Cor. 15:20], because having first conquered the grave, He returned first to the heavens. Here is “the prince of the kings of the earth”, because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.’ “He Who hath loved us.” ‘For we did not receive love in exchange for us having loved God, but He “first hath loved us” [1 John 4:19], so that with humility He might become man for us, and He took on “the form of a slave” [Phil 2:7].’ ‘Of Whom there is none like on earth, because every man is only man: He is both God and man.’ No man ‘is like Him, because even though every adopted son attains to the receiving of the Divine nature, yet none ever’ begins to be ‘like God out of his own nature.’ ‘Yet He was even rightly styled a slave, because He did not disdain to take “the form of a slave”. Nor did His taking the humility of the flesh injure His sovereignty, for in order that He might both take upon Him that which He was to serve, yet not undergo alteration in that which He had, He neither lessened the Divine by the Human, nor swallowed up the Human in the Divine. Because through Paul it is said of Him, “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave….“‘ [Phil 2:6-7] ‘He hasn’t stolen it because He has owned it.’ ‘Yet to Him it is “emptying Himself” of the greatness of His Invisible Being to manifest Himself as a visible’ human; so that “the form of a slave” should be the covering of Him Who, without limitation, enters into all things by virtue of Godhead.’ “And washed us from our sins in His own blood.” ‘He shows His feeling of love and charity. Because the reason for death had not come near him, neither by nature nor mortal condition. He had willed to die for us, and so it is said, He “washed us from our sins in His own blood.” _____________________________________________________________
St. Thomas Aquinas
Now Christ, by reason of His bodily resurrection, is called "the first-fruits of them that sleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20), and "the first-begotten of the dead" (Apocalypse 1:5). Therefore His resurrection is the cause of the resurrection of others. (Summa Theologica)
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Nicholas of Lyra
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness Of the Father’s glory and majesty, as is clear in the Gospel. the first begotten That is, the first among those rising from the dead, although before Him Lazarus and many others were resuscitates from death. This I, nevertheless, was mortal life, which is more properly called death than life, as St. Gregory says in Homily 25, “The true resurrection is to immortal life to which Christ rose first. His resurrection is the cause of the resurrection of others. and the prince of the kings of the earth On account of this He said in his resurrection, “All power is given unto me in Heaven and on earth.(Matt. 28:18)” who hath loved us, and washed us That is, who alone by His love and not by our merits washed us. from our sins Original and actual sin. in his own blood The sacraments of baptism and penance, are made efficacious by His blessed passion.
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Haydock Bible
And from Jesus Christ, made man, and the Redeemer of mankind, whom St. John here names after the seven spirits, because he continues his discourse about Christ, who is the faithful witness; testified and approved of God by so many miracles, prophecies, &c. He is the chief of the martyrs or witnesses, as the Greek word signifies. --- The first begotten of the dead, both first in dignity, and first that rose to an immortal life. --- The prince of the kings of the earth, whose power is infinitely greater than all theirs; and this to put the suffering Christians in mind, that they needed not to fear the persecuting emperors, who have no power after this life.
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John Henry Cardinal Newman
First-born, or the beginning, is used as an epithet of our Lord five times in Scripture, and in each case it is distinct in meaning from Only-begotten. It is a word of office, not of nature. 1. St. Paul speaks of His becoming, in His incarnation, the "First-born among many brethren," Rom. viii. 29; and he connects this act of mercy with their being conformed to His Image, and gifted with grace and glory. 2. He is "the First-born of the dead," Apoc. i. 5. 3. As also in Col. i. 18. 4. Col. i. 15. "The First-born of all creation," as quasi the efficient and the formal cause whereby the universe is born into a divine adoption. 5. St. Paul speaks of the Father's "bringing the First-born into the world." To these may be added, Apoc. iii. 14, "the beginning of the [new] creation of God."…. In like manner Augustine says that we must distinguish between the two titles "Only-begotten and First-born," that the Son may be with the Father Only-begotten, and Firstborn towards us. vid. the author's Theol. Tracts, Arianism, § 9, circ. fin. And St. Thomas says, "So, as He is the only true and natural Son of God, He is called the only begotten, ... And in so far as others are entitled sons of adoption by their likeness to Him, He is called (as it were, metaphorically) the first begotten." Part I. 41, art. 3 (t. 20). [Ath., vol. 2, p. 459]
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Aquinas Study Bible
first-begotten of the dead: He is the first begotten of the dead as having risen in a glorified state before all others. (St. Methodius) washed us from our sins: Original and actual sin. by his own blood The sacraments of baptism and penance, are made efficacious by His blessed passion. (Nicholas of Lyra)
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