Lexical Summary prótotokia: Birthright Original Word: πρωτοτόκια Strong's Exhaustive Concordance birthright. From prototokos; primogeniture (as a privilege) -- birthright. see GREEK prototokos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom prótotokos Definition the rights of the first-born NASB Translation birthright (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4415: πρωτοτόκιαπρωτοτόκια, πρωτοτοκιων, τά (πρωτότοκος), in the Sept. also πρωτοτοκεια (others, πρωτοτοκεια (cf. Chandler § 99), πρωτοτόκια, manuscript Venet., Aq.), for בְּכורָה, primogeniture, the right of the firstborn (in classical Greek ἡ πρεσβεία, and τό πρεσβεῖον): Hebrews 12:16. (Philo repeats the word after the Sept. in his alleg. legg. 3, 69; sacrif. Abel. § 5. Occasionally also in Byzantine writings.) Topical Lexicon Term and Textual Occurrence Strong’s Greek 4415 designates the “birthright,” the full package of privileges and responsibilities that belonged to the firstborn son. The New Testament uses the term only once, in Hebrews 12:16, where the writer warns believers not to be “godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright”. Old Testament Background of the Birthright The concept of the birthright is rooted in the patriarchal narratives. Jacob and Esau provide the classic illustration: Esau, exhausted from hunting, exchanged his future estate for “bread and lentil stew” (Genesis 25:29–34). Later, Jacob received the paternal blessing intended for Esau (Genesis 27). Mosaic legislation solidified these rights, granting the firstborn a “double portion of all he has” (Deuteronomy 21:17). The Chronicler reiterates the same principle while explaining why Reuben forfeited his birthright (1 Chronicles 5:1–2). Thus, the birthright intertwined material inheritance, leadership within the clan, and a unique covenantal privilege. Legal and Familial Significance 1. Economic Advantage – The firstborn received twice the land and livestock of other sons, ensuring family stability (Deuteronomy 21:17). Theological Emphasis in Hebrews 12:16 Hebrews presents Esau’s transaction as the quintessential example of short-sightedness. By elevating bodily appetite above covenantal privilege, Esau modeled profanation. Hebrews uses his failure to exhort believers under pressure not to discard eternal inheritance for immediate comfort. The warning follows the call to “pursue holiness” (Hebrews 12:14), emphasizing that practical sanctification guards spiritual inheritance. Christ, the Firstborn, and Believers’ Inheritance While Hebrews employs 4415 only once, the letter elsewhere calls Jesus “Heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2) and “Firstborn” (Hebrews 1:6). The contrast is clear: Christ, the perfectly obedient Firstborn, secures the redeemed inheritance that Adam and Israel forfeited. Believers become “fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17), not by natural primogeniture but by adoption and union with Him (Ephesians 1:5–11). The earthly birthright looks forward to “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 Peter 1:4). Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Guard the heart against momentary cravings that jeopardize long-term spiritual gain. Warning Against Profane Disregard Esau’s regret came too late: “Afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected” (Hebrews 12:17). The passage calls disciples to an alert, repentant lifestyle, lest habitual neglect calcify the heart. Salvation is secure in Christ, yet Scripture exhorts perseverance as the evidence of genuine faith (Hebrews 3:14). Echoes in Later Christian Teaching Early church writers, such as Chrysostom, treated Esau’s sale as emblematic of those who trade eternal life for fleeting indulgence. Reformation commentators applied it to nominal believers content with outward religion but lacking saving faith. Contemporary missions literature uses the birthright theme to illustrate the tragedy of unreached peoples unaware of their intended inheritance in Christ. In sum, Strong’s 4415 encapsulates a singular biblical warning: earthly appetites must never eclipse the priceless inheritance secured by the true Firstborn, Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations πρωτοτοκεία πρωτοτοκια πρωτοτόκια πρωτοτόκιά πρωτοτόκία prototokia prototókia prōtotokia prōtotókiaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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