​Jesus as “Firstborn”

The history of Christianity is one of debate. As the Gospels reveal, Jesus was challenged right from the start. Rival schools like the Pharisees and Sadducees posed pointed questions to him, trying to trap him in his words and even to get him in trouble with the authorities. Some of Jesus’ most famous statements were responses to challenges from his critics:

• “What God has joined together, let man not put asunder.”
• “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
• “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s.”

Our world is very different from the one in which Jesus lived. But the more things change, the more they stay the same. If people posed challenges to Jesus, they will do so to us as well. For example, many challenge the perpetual virginity of Mary.

CHALLENGE

“Luke 2:7 says Mary ‘gave birth to her firstborn son.’ This implies that Joseph and Mary had other sons; therefore she didn’t remain a virgin.”

DEFENSE

In ancient Jewish culture, the term “firstborn son” did not imply that other sons came later.

The first male child to be born to a woman was regarded as her first-born, regardless of whether she had other children. The firstborn son had a special role that applied as soon as he was born. It was not a role he assumed when later children were born.

All life was seen as a gift from God. This applied to human children, the offspring of animals, and crops of fruit and grain. To honor God for these gifts, people would offer him the first of each in recognition of him as their source. Thus, after every harvest, the children of Israel offered to God the “first fruits” of their crops (Exod. 23:19).

The firstborn of men and animals were consecrated to God (Exod. 13:1–2). In the case of firstborn male animals, they were either sacrificed to God or—in some cases—redeemed by paying a special price (Exod. 13:12–13a). God rejected child sacrifice, however. For firstborn humans, fathers had to redeem them. The rule was: “Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem” (Ex. 13:13b; cf. vv. 14–15).

After Jesus’ birth, Joseph redeemed Jesus as Mary’s firstborn (Luke 2:22–23). This was mandatory for every woman that had just had her first male child, even though she had not yet had a “second born” child and might never have one.

Jesus’ status as a firstborn thus does not say anything about Mary and Joseph having additional children or Mary’s perpetual virginity.

TIP

The Jewish Encyclopedia notes: “Every Israelite is obliged to redeem his firstborn son thirty days after the latter’s birth. The mother is exempt from this obligation. The son, if the father fails to redeem him, has to redeem himself when he grows up (Ḳid. 29b). The sum of redemption as given in the Bible (Num. 18:16) is five shekels, which should be given to the priest” (Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906 ed., s.v. “Firstborn, Redemption Of”).

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