At Col.1:15, the Bible explicitly states that Jesus was a created being. He is said to be the "firstborn of all creation.
First, the Greek word "firstborn" (PRWTOTOKOS) is used 130 times in the Bible (LXX). It always indicates a beginning of something that was not in existence before. PRWTOTOKOS never becomes "detached" from the primary meaning of a beginning of existence.
Next, grammatically the phrase "firstborn of creation" (PRWTOTOKOS PASHS KTISEWS) demands that Jesus be part of creation; a "creature." This is because this grammatical structure is a "partitive genitive" which means that the firstborn has to be part of the group mentioned. The expression "the firstborn of" occurs over 30 times in the Bible, and in every instance the meaning is the same: the firstborn is part of the group. The "firstborn of the sheep" is a sheep (Gen 4:4), the "first born of the animals" is an animal, (Neh. 10:36) and "the firstborn of creation" is a creature!
The genitive places the Christ as part of the created order (KTISEWS). So the evidence is explicit that Jesus is a created being.
Then Rev.3:14 states that Christ is: "the beginning of the creation by God" (hE ARCHE TES KTISEWS). The Greek grammar and context clearly teaches that Jesus is a created being! In John's writings he always uses ARCHE in its primary and usual meaning of something's "beginning." John also uses the genitive construction and in the Bible, and in EVERY occurrence where ARXH is followed by a genitive phrase (of the "...") that which is called the ARXH is always a member of the group referred to by the genitive (cf. Job 40:19). And it ALWAYS signifies the subject’s beginning (Mt.24:8; Mk 1:1; Jn 2:11; Php 4:14; Gen.10:10; 49:3; De.21:17; Hos.1:2). Therefore, the semantic evidence is that Christ is a creation, the first of God's creations, that he had a beginning.
Also most scholars agree that Rev.3:14 is a quote from Pro.8:22!
Although many modern day Trinitarians deny that the "wisdom" of in Pro.8 is speaking of Christ, it has not been so historically. The terms used by the NT writers caused most early Christian writers to identify Christ as the wisdom of Pro.8. The NT repeatedly applies the terminology of Pro. 8 to Jesus, and so confirms the understanding of Jesus being a created being who had a "birth" before the rest of creation. Compare Rev.3:14 with Pro. 8:22. Pro. 8:23,30 with Col. 1:15,16. Pro. 8:35 with Jn. 8:51; 14:6. 1Cor. 1:24,30 and Col. 2:3. Pro. 8:31 with Jn. 3:16. Mt. 11:19, Lk. 11:49 with Mt 23:34-36. Pro. 8:31 with Jn. 3:16.
Micah 5:2
Then in Micah 5:2 we see that Jesus indeed had an "origin or start" to his prehuman life! (Gesenius' Lexicon pg. 458; BDB Lexicon, pg. 426).
In Micah 5:2 we see the word origin translated into the English from the Hebrew word "matsaoth." It literally means origin. (Gesenius Hebrew Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament pg. 458; Brown, Driver Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, pg. 426) Here we see that Jesus indeed had an "origin or start" to his prehuman life!
The commentary by Carl Friedreich Keil and Franz Delitzsch relates this:
"Coming forth out of Bethlehem involves the idea of descent. Consequently we must not restrict nytaJd{m (his goings forth) to the appearance of the predicted future Ruler in the olden time, or to the revelation of the Messiah as the Angel of Jehovah even in the patriarchal age, but must so interpret it that it at least affirms His origin as well...the words affirm both the origin of the Messiah before all worlds and His appearances in the olden time."—Biblical Commentary of the Old Testament, The Twelve Minor Prophets, Vol. II, pp. 480-1.
Therefore, Micah teaches that the life of the Son of God had a start in the ‘indefinite' past. After that beginning of life, Jehovah his Father, used His Logos as His master worker and spokesman.—Pro.8:22–31, Jn.1:1-3
In view of what these Scriptures state concerning Christ's beginning and in view of the fact that there is not one Scripture stating Jesus existed from eternity, we must conclude that Christ was a created being, the first thing created by Jehovah God.
SOURCE: This is an answer provided by BAR_ANERGES to a question at Yahoo Answers.
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First, the Greek word "firstborn" (PRWTOTOKOS) is used 130 times in the Bible (LXX). It always indicates a beginning of something that was not in existence before. PRWTOTOKOS never becomes "detached" from the primary meaning of a beginning of existence.
Next, grammatically the phrase "firstborn of creation" (PRWTOTOKOS PASHS KTISEWS) demands that Jesus be part of creation; a "creature." This is because this grammatical structure is a "partitive genitive" which means that the firstborn has to be part of the group mentioned. The expression "the firstborn of" occurs over 30 times in the Bible, and in every instance the meaning is the same: the firstborn is part of the group. The "firstborn of the sheep" is a sheep (Gen 4:4), the "first born of the animals" is an animal, (Neh. 10:36) and "the firstborn of creation" is a creature!
The genitive places the Christ as part of the created order (KTISEWS). So the evidence is explicit that Jesus is a created being.
Then Rev.3:14 states that Christ is: "the beginning of the creation by God" (hE ARCHE TES KTISEWS). The Greek grammar and context clearly teaches that Jesus is a created being! In John's writings he always uses ARCHE in its primary and usual meaning of something's "beginning." John also uses the genitive construction and in the Bible, and in EVERY occurrence where ARXH is followed by a genitive phrase (of the "...") that which is called the ARXH is always a member of the group referred to by the genitive (cf. Job 40:19). And it ALWAYS signifies the subject’s beginning (Mt.24:8; Mk 1:1; Jn 2:11; Php 4:14; Gen.10:10; 49:3; De.21:17; Hos.1:2). Therefore, the semantic evidence is that Christ is a creation, the first of God's creations, that he had a beginning.
Also most scholars agree that Rev.3:14 is a quote from Pro.8:22!
Although many modern day Trinitarians deny that the "wisdom" of in Pro.8 is speaking of Christ, it has not been so historically. The terms used by the NT writers caused most early Christian writers to identify Christ as the wisdom of Pro.8. The NT repeatedly applies the terminology of Pro. 8 to Jesus, and so confirms the understanding of Jesus being a created being who had a "birth" before the rest of creation. Compare Rev.3:14 with Pro. 8:22. Pro. 8:23,30 with Col. 1:15,16. Pro. 8:35 with Jn. 8:51; 14:6. 1Cor. 1:24,30 and Col. 2:3. Pro. 8:31 with Jn. 3:16. Mt. 11:19, Lk. 11:49 with Mt 23:34-36. Pro. 8:31 with Jn. 3:16.
Micah 5:2
Then in Micah 5:2 we see that Jesus indeed had an "origin or start" to his prehuman life! (Gesenius' Lexicon pg. 458; BDB Lexicon, pg. 426).
In Micah 5:2 we see the word origin translated into the English from the Hebrew word "matsaoth." It literally means origin. (Gesenius Hebrew Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament pg. 458; Brown, Driver Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, pg. 426) Here we see that Jesus indeed had an "origin or start" to his prehuman life!
The commentary by Carl Friedreich Keil and Franz Delitzsch relates this:
"Coming forth out of Bethlehem involves the idea of descent. Consequently we must not restrict nytaJd{m (his goings forth) to the appearance of the predicted future Ruler in the olden time, or to the revelation of the Messiah as the Angel of Jehovah even in the patriarchal age, but must so interpret it that it at least affirms His origin as well...the words affirm both the origin of the Messiah before all worlds and His appearances in the olden time."—Biblical Commentary of the Old Testament, The Twelve Minor Prophets, Vol. II, pp. 480-1.
Therefore, Micah teaches that the life of the Son of God had a start in the ‘indefinite' past. After that beginning of life, Jehovah his Father, used His Logos as His master worker and spokesman.—Pro.8:22–31, Jn.1:1-3
In view of what these Scriptures state concerning Christ's beginning and in view of the fact that there is not one Scripture stating Jesus existed from eternity, we must conclude that Christ was a created being, the first thing created by Jehovah God.
SOURCE: This is an answer provided by BAR_ANERGES to a question at Yahoo Answers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO HOME PAGE INDEX