Firstborn in the bible....
Deuteronomy 12:17
You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.
the firstborn here is of actual firstborn animals in the flock and animals of the flock group.
1 Chronicles 3:1
These were the sons of David born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; the second, Daniel the son of Abigail of Carmel;
actual firstborn david's son and one of davids sons as a group.
1 Chronicles 5:1
The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright,
The rights of firstborn given over but the replacement was still a son of Israel part and so the group.
Psalm 78:51
He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.
referencing the death of the firstborn of Egypt they were actual firstborn and all egyptian as a group.
Psalm 89:27
I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
appointed firstborn of kings, he was a king and so part of the kingly group.
Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
firstborn of the dead he was literally firstborn of the dead to everlasting resurrection he also had to be of the group that died.
Colossians 1:15 KJV
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Colossians 1:15 NASB
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
The evidence is unanimous I just waded through 112 references I found on firstborns in the bible. they all had to be part of the group they were called firstborn of. In most cases they were actual firstborns and with a couple they have been appointed firstborn but as I said they had to be part of the group there is absolutely no exception to this biblically.
But pitchard is right
You cannot just ignore the 'Born' in preference to the first.
Jesus had to be part of creation to qualify to be firstborn of it and in this case It looks that it means both literally and in preeminance.