NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

Dogmatic.On Coloss. i. 15. Firstborn of every Creature.“If before the creation the Son was not a generated being but a created being, 409 Hewould have been called first created and not firstborn. 410 If, because He is called first begottenof creation He is first created, then because He is called first begotten of the dead 411 Hewould be the first of the dead who died. If on the other hand He is called first begotten ofthe dead because of His being the cause of the resurrection from the dead, He is in the samemanner called first begotten of creation, because He is the cause of the bringing of thecreature from the non existent into being. If His being called first begotten of creation indicatesthat He came first into being then the Apostle, when he said, ‘all things were createdby Him and for Him’ 412 ought to have added, ‘And He came into being first of all.’ But insaying ‘He is before all things,’ 413 he indicated that He exists eternally, while the creaturecame into being. ‘Is’ in the passage in question is in harmony with the words ‘In the beginningwas the Word.’ 414 It is urged that if the Son is first begotten, He cannot be only begotten,and that there must needs be some other, in comparison with whom He is styled firstbegotten. Yet, O wise objector, though He is the only Son born of the Virgin Mary, He isxli409 οὐ γέννημα ἀλλὰ κτίσμα. The use of the word γέννημα in this book is one of the arguments allegedagainst its genuineness, for in Book. II., Capp. 6, 7, and 8. Basil objects to it; but in the same Book II., Cap. 32,he uses it apparently without objection in the sentence ἐκ τοῦ γεννήματος νοῆσαι ῥ& 140·διον τοῦ γεγεννηκότοςτὴν φύσιν. Maran, Vit. Bas. xliii. 7.410 The English word firstborn is not an exact rendering of the Greek πρωτότοκος, and in its theological useit may lead to confusion. “Bear” and its correlatives in English are only used of the mother. τίκτω (TEK. cf.Ger. Zeug.) is used indifferently of both father and mother. πρωτότοκος is exactly rendered firstborn in Lukeii. 7; but first begotten, as in A.V. Heb. i. 6, and Rev. i. 5, more precisely renders the word in the text, and in suchpassages as Ex. xiii. 2, and Psalm lxxxix. 28, which are Messianically applied to the divine Word. So early asClemens Alexandrinus the only begotten and first begotten had been contrasted with the first created, and highestorder of created being. With him may be compared Tertullian, Adv. Prax. 7, Adv. Marc. v. 19, Hippolytus, Hær.x. 33, Origen, C. Cels. vi. 47, 63, 64, In Ioann. 1, § 22 (iv. p. 21), xix. § 5 (p. 305), xxviii. § 14 (p. 392), Cyprian,Test. ii. 1, Novatian, De Trin. 16. On the history and uses of the word, see the exhaustive note of Bp. Lightfooton Col. i. 15.411 Rev. i. 5.412 Col. i. 16.413 Col. i. 17.414 John i. 1.68