ACC ~ Revelation 1 v5

THE WORD MADE FLESH IS WITNESS. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: Since earlier he had recalled that Word who, before the assumption of the flesh, was with the Father in glory, he of necessity adds the humanity of the assumed flesh when he says, “And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness.” For through the humanity which he had assumed, he gave a faithful testimony to his divinity, and by his passion and blood he interceded for our sins and cleansed us from all unrighteousness. And so, for the sake of our frailty and weakness he brought a faithful witness to God the Father “with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 1.5.

THE MARTYR IS WITNESS OF HIM WHO IS TRUE WITNESS. EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA: They did not proclaim themselves witnesses, nor did they allow us to address them by this name. If any one of us, in letter or conversation, spoke of them as witnesses, they rebuked him sharply. For they conceded cheerfully the appellation of “Witness” to Christ “the faithful and true Witness,” “firstborn of the dead,” and prince of the life of God. They reminded us of the witnesses who had already departed, and said, “They are already witnesses whom Christ has deemed worthy to be taken up in their confession, having sealed their testimony by their departure. But we are lowly and humble confessors.” ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 5.2.2-3.

AS FIRSTBORN OF THE DEAD, CHRIST IS SOURCE OF LIFE. IRENAEUS: Great, then, was the mercy of God the Father. He sent the creative Word, who, when he came to save us, put himself in our position, and in the same situation in which we lost life. He loosed the prison bonds, and his light appeared and dispelled the darkness in the prison, and he sanctified our birth and abolished death, loosing those same bonds by which we were held. He showed forth the resurrection, becoming himself the firstborn from the dead, and raised in himself prostrate man, being lifted up to the heights of heaven, at the right hand of the glory of the Father. Just as God had promised through the prophet, saying, “I will raise up the tabernacle of David.”This means that which is fallen, the body sprung from David. This was in truth accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ, in the triumph of our redemption, that he raise us in truth, setting us free to the Father. … as the firstborn of the dead, head and source also of the life unto God. PROOF OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING 38-39.

AS FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD, CHRIST IS THE PATTERN OF OUR SALVATION. ATHANASIUS: Although it was after us that he was made man for us and became our brother by likeness of body, still he is called and is the firstborn of us. Since all people were lost through the transgression of Adam, Christ’s flesh was saved first of all and was liberated, because it was the Word’s body. Henceforth also we, having become joined together with his body, are saved through it. For in his body the Lord becomes our guide to the kingdom of heaven and to his own Father, saying, “I am the way” and “the door,” and “through me all must enter.” Wherefore he is also said to be “firstborn from the dead,” not because he died before us, since we died first, but because he suffered death for us and abolished it, and therefore, as man, was the first to rise, raising his own body for our sakes. Therefore, since he has risen, we too shall rise from the dead from him and through him. DISCOURSES AGAINST THE ARIANS 2.61.

IN CHRIST THE GENERAL RESURRECTION IS BEGUN. OECUMENIUS: Paul also ascribes to him this phrase, saying, “Who is the firstfruits, the firstborn from the dead.” They call him the “firstborn from the dead” since he initiated the general resurrection and “has renewed for us a new and living way (namely, the resurrection of the dead) through the veil, that is, through his flesh,” as it is written. For all of those who rose again from the dead before the coming of the Lord were again handed over to death, for that was not the true resurrection but merely a reprieve from the time of death. Therefore, none of them is named the “firstborn from the dead,” but the Lord is indeed called this, since he is become the source and cause of the true resurrection and, as it were, has become a certain firstfruits of the resurrection of men, becoming such as they were and going forth as from a certain bridal chamber out of death unto life. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 1.5.

CHRIST IS THE FIRSTBORN EVEN OF THOSE WHO PRECEDED HIS BIRTH. BEDE: It can be understood that, for a special reason, the Lord was said to be firstborn, according to what John says in the Apocalypse about him. … And the apostle Paul says, “Now those whom he has foreknown he has also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son, that he himself should be the firstborn among many brothers.”He is the firstborn among many brothers because “to as many as received him he gave the power to become sons of God,” of whom he is rightly named the firstborn because in dignity he came before all the sons of adoption, even those who in their birth preceded the time of his incarnation. Therefore, they can with the greatest truth bear witness with John, “He who comes after us was before us.” That is, “He was born in the world after us, but by the merit of his virtue and kingdom he is rightfully called the firstborn of us all.” HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.5.

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