Letter 95

Isidore of PelusiumUnknown|isidore pelusium
From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: An inquirer
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Isidore explains the meaning of 'firstborn of all creation' against Arian misreading.

Setting aside the well-worn interpretations, let me state the meaning clearly — even if some think I am cutting a new path of interpretation. The word 'firstborn' can be accented two ways. With one accent, it means 'the one born first'; with the other, it means 'the one who first brought forth.' Christ is called 'firstborn of all creation' not because he was created first — that is the Arian error — but because he is the one who first brought all creation into being. He is not the eldest creature; he is the Creator.

Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.