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Eternal Sonship: Difference between revisions
→The Scriptural Reasons for the Church's Historical Position
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:''IN THE beginning'' [before all time] ''was the Word'' (Christ), ''and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself''. [Isa. 9:6.] ''He was present originally with God''. <ref>The Amplified Bible, John 1:1–2 (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987).</ref> | :''IN THE beginning'' [before all time] ''was the Word'' (Christ), ''and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself''. [Isa. 9:6.] ''He was present originally with God''. <ref>The Amplified Bible, John 1:1–2 (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987).</ref> | ||
It is critical to understand in this passage the meaning of the simple word "was" (ἦν in the Greek). The verb εἰμί (eimi) means "to be" and in its imperfect tense (ἦν or "en"), refers to ''continuous action in the past''. You could compare this to saying "I was eating" in contrast to "I ate" or "I had eaten". Specifically and most importantly in this context, the verb does not point to a specific point of origin or beginning in the past.<ref>James White, The Forgotten Trinity, Bethany House Publishers, 1998 | It is critical to understand in this passage the meaning of the simple word "was" (ἦν in the Greek). The verb εἰμί (eimi) means "to be" and in its imperfect tense (ἦν or "en"), refers to ''continuous action in the past''. You could compare this to saying "I was eating" in contrast to "I ate" or "I had eaten". Specifically and most importantly in this context, the verb does not point to a specific point of origin or beginning in the past.<ref>James White, The Forgotten Trinity, Bethany House Publishers, 1998</ref> | ||
There never was a time when the Word was not. There never was a thing that did not depend on him for its existence. The verb “was” is most naturally understood of the eternal existence of the Word: “the Word continually was.” John is affirming that the Word existed before creation, which makes it clear that the Word was not created. It is fundamental to John that the Word is not to be included among created things. <ref>Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 65-66 (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).</ref> | There never was a time when the Word was not. There never was a thing that did not depend on him for its existence. The verb “was” is most naturally understood of the eternal existence of the Word: “the Word continually was.” John is affirming that the Word existed before creation, which makes it clear that the Word was not created. It is fundamental to John that the Word is not to be included among created things. <ref>Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 65-66 (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).</ref> | ||
Since the late 4th century, commentators have recognized that each of the three uses of “was” in John 1:1 has a different connotation: existence, relationship, and predication respectively. “The Word was” is akin to the “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel proper. There can be no speculation about how the Word came to be, for the Word simply was.<ref>Raymond E. Brown, vol. 29, The Gospel According to John (I–XII): Introduction, Translation, and Notes, Anchor Yale Bible, 4 (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008).</ref> | Since the late 4th century, commentators have recognized that each of the three uses of “was” in John 1:1 has a different connotation: existence, relationship, and predication respectively. “The Word was” is akin to the “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel proper. There can be no speculation about how the Word came to be, for the Word simply was.<ref>Raymond E. Brown, vol. 29, The Gospel According to John (I–XII): Introduction, Translation, and Notes, Anchor Yale Bible, 4 (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008).</ref> | ||
The Greek words ginomai (to become) and eimi (to be) have similar nuances, but John frequently uses them together to make a point. For instance, in john 8:58 Jesus says, “Before Abraham was [ginomai], I am [eimi].” The first verb suggests “coming into being,” such as Abraham’s birth; the second implies ongoing existence. Thus in John 1:6, John writes, “There came [ginomai] a man sent from God.” In John 1:1, John carefully writes, “In the beginning was the Word”—“the Word was with God”—“the Word was God.” In each case he uses eimi in its imperfect form (en). John is making an absolute affirmation about the eternal existence of the Word. It did not come into being nor was there ever a time when “the Word was not.” Whatever we can say about God, we can and must say about the Word.<ref>Gary M. Burge, John, The NIV Application Commentary, 54-55 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000). </ref> | |||
When the writer to the Hebrews asserted that our Lord was a priest after the order of Melchisedec rather than of Aaron, it was only to claim for Him an existence that had “neither beginning of days, nor end of life” (Heb. 7:3). <ref>Clarence Herbert Benson, The One True God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Biblical essentials series, 58 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2004).</ref> | |||
:''And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. John 17:5 | |||
The reference here is before creation, before the beginning. The use of παρά (para) twice in this verse looks back to the assertion in John 1:1 that the Word (the Λόγος [Logos], who became Jesus of Nazareth in John 1:14) was with God (πρὸς τὸν θεόν, pros ton theon).<ref>Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes, Jn 17:5 (Biblical Studies Press, 2006).</ref> | |||