Revelation 1:5
Revelation 1:55and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,
Watchtower commentary frames as a list of Jesus's delegated titles: faithful witness, firstborn from the dead, ruler of earth's kings. Each is taken as a position Jesus holds by appointment from the Father. The verse is read as honouring Jesus while preserving his subordinate status.
The verse is a doxology to Jesus, not a CV. "The firstborn from the dead" (prōtotokos ek tōn nekrōn) denotes preeminence and rank, not chronological origin — Israel was God's "firstborn" () though not the first nation, and David was "firstborn" () though the youngest son. "Who loves us and set us free from our sins by means of his own blood" describes the Redeemer's work — the work of God himself, since only God forgives sin (). And v6 — "he made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father" — applies to "us," every believer Christ has freed from sin. The priesthood of all believers begins here.