Does this term firstborn mean Jesus is the firstborn into a family? If it did what family would he be born into? Angels. The bible does not tell us who was the first of the angels. It does make it clear that Satan, formerly known as Day Star was the most powerful and perfect of the angelic creatures. “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.(Ezek. 28:15)

The bible never speaks of Jesus in this manner, instead it describes Jesus: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting"(Micah 5:2)

The Bible tells us what was made first, the heavens and the earth, and this was done by the Son, Jesus, Heb. 1:8-12. To the son, Jesus, the Father says, “For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son"? But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him." (Heb. 1:5-6 quoted from the Septuagint version of Deut.32.43).

The Father said this to none of the angels. He brings the firstborn back into the world by the resurrection. Certainly if Jesus was an angel God would not instructed other angels to worship Him. He would be contradicting himself.

In the New Testament there are two Greek words that are used for "Son." For those who have experienced the new birth are called Sons of God by an adoption (John 1:12); the Greek word is teknon (Romans 8:14-15, 19:23; Gal. 4:5, Eph.1:5). We find that this word for "son" is never used for Jesus; instead, the Greek word huios is used, which refers to his position of nature. It signifies a relationship to his Father. It does not mean origin but is an expression of nature. When Jesus is called the "only begotten Son" it means He is the unique one of a kind, no other is like Him, He alone has this nature and position.

In the Old Testament this word is used for a firstborn son, it also carries the concept of preeminence. For example in Ex.4:22 the nation Israel is called God’s firstborn Son. No one considers that God actually begot a nation in a literal sense. The Greek word for firstborn is Prototokos, it is found 7 times in the New Testament. It means first in rank, an heir, to have preeminence in position; not in origin.

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (also used in Matt. 1:25).

Rom 8:19: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Paul explains this as our “eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body”

(Rom. 8:23). This redemption involves a resurrection unto eternal life. He continues in V.29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Jesus is the firstborn of those who died and are raised to new life. He promises to have all believers follow in his resurrection. Rom 8:30 “these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” To be glorified one must be resurrected. We are promised this as our names are written in heaven. Heb. 12:23: “to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect.”

Col. 1:15-18: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

He is the firstborn over all creation. Not of creation, or from creation. If he was created He could not be the perfect image of the invisible God, because he would only be a creature.

The writers used the word over Gr- pas- 1) individually: each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything 2) collectively: some of all types. As it says who is the beginning; God is the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega.

As with any Scripture one must read through to have the context before they can understand individual words. This whole portion is referring to Jesus being the first to rise to eternal life, being exalted over all the creatures, not first literally born as a spirit. The key is the summary of the passages who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.”

Rev. 1:5: “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.”

Both Col.1:15 and Rev.1:5 both clarify the meaning of firstborn. In its context it means to rise from the dead, and have an eternal body that is incorruptible from sin and death. Christ certainly was not the first raised from the dead, but he was the first raised to eternal life in the body. This is what gives him the position of headship over the human race, preeminence, being the heir of all things.

Heb. 1:5-6 states: “For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son”? But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” He brought him into the world AGAIN by the resurrection. The Father declares the Son is indeed Lord, He is the firstborn from the dead unto eternal life in the body (Col.1:17; Rev.1:5). “And declared the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead” (Romans 1:4). 

Col 1:18-19 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell”

The Son is worshipped in the same way the Father is by his creatures, as the angels worship the one who is raised (Heb.1:5-6), we too are to worship Him.