Firstborn from the dead
By Peter Leithart
Paul (Colossians 1:18) and John (Revelation 1:5) both describe Jesus as the “firstborn from the dead.”
The firstborn is the heir, and so the firstborn of the dead is the heir of the world of death. He has the keys to death and hades. Death holds no fear, no dangers; it belongs to Jesus now.
Better: If Jesus is born from the dead, then death has become a mother. The grave is not the end but the gate to a new beginning. By His resurrection, Jesus transformed every tomb into a womb.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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