The Jehovah's Witnesses and Col. 1:15-17

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exists." The New World Translation

     The New World Translation not only miss interprets various scriptures, it also adds words to verses to make them agree with their theology. Col. 1:15-17 fits both categories.
     First of all the J.W.'s interpret the word "firstborn" to mean "first created." This is not correct because there is a Greek word of "first created" and it is not used. The Greek for firstborn is proto with tikto: firstborn. The Greek for first created would be proto with ktizo: first created. Paul did not use the second but the first.
     Second, the biblical use of the word "firstborn" is most interesting. It can mean the first born child in a family (Luke 2:7), but it can also mean "pre-eminence." In Psalm 89:20, 27 it says, "I have found David My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him...I also shall make him My first-born" (NASB). As you can see, David, who was the last one born in his family was called the firstborn by God. This is a title of preeminence here.
     Third, firstborn is a title that is transferable:

     Gen. 41:51-52, "And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: For, said he, God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction" (NASB)
     Jer. 31:9, "...for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn (NASB)."

     Scripture best interprets scripture. Firstborn does not mean first created, it is a title of preeminence, and it is transferable. The Jehovah's Witnesses should consider this when they examine Col. 1:15.

Col. 1:16-17

     In the NWT in Col. 1:16-17, the word "other" is added four times. This is done because in JW theology, Jesus is the first-created thing among God's creation. Although "other" is added in brackets, which means that the NWT acknowledges that it is not in the Greek, it is, nevertheless, added. This shows the JW bias dominating the biblical text. Why?  Because there exists two Greek words for "other":  allos which means another of the same kind; and heteros which means another of a different kind. Paul could have used either here if he want to show that Jesus was "another" created thing. But he did not. There is no linguistic reason at all to insert this word here four times -- unless you are trying support the presupposition that Jesus is not God.
     Ask a J.W. to read the text without saying the word "other." He will have difficulty. After he has done so, ask him what he thinks the text is saying without the word "other" added in. It will be an interesting discussion.

     The Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is the first created being. They teach that through Jesus, all other things were created. Basically, they maintain that God created Jesus and then Jesus created all other things.¹  After all, according to their theology and their Bible, since Jesus is not God, Jesus must be a creation.  However, that position based on Col. 1:16-17 presents a theological problem for the Jehovah's Witness.
     In Isaiah 44:24 God says, "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, 'I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone'" (NASB). If the Jehovah's Witness is correct, then how is it possible for the LORD (YHWH, or Jehovah) to stretch out the heavens alone and yet Jesus, "the first created thing," be the one who did it? They can't both be true.
     In actuality, Jehovah is the name of God. God is a trinity, and therefore Jesus can be the creator of all things and YHWH can do it by himself.

1."Jehovah's first creation was his 'only-begotten Son'. . . was used by Jehovah in creating all other things", Aid to Bible Understanding, pp. 390-391.