Jesus’ Pre-Existence

Pre-existence answers to the question; was Jesus already in heaven before his birth into a human being through the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel of John:
1:1 In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life brought light to humanity.

These verses have perhaps been considered as the sure proof of Jesus ‘pre-existence (He was in the beginning with God, the Word of God), as well as of Jesus’ essential part in the creation of the world (Through him all things were made, and apart from him nothing was made that has been made). Here we come to the big problem: Is the Bible translated correctly?

According to the traditional Bible interpretation, Jesus has existed from the beginning of time in heaven with God. Jesus is also believed to have participated in creating the heavenly powers (angels) together with the Father. According to the Trinity theory, Jesus is just as omnipotent as God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

I repeat the question: are the verses of the Bible that justify this doctrine correctly translated and correctly understood?

Another form of understanding, which I specifically endeavor to clarify, claims that instead of Jesus being pre-existent in heaven with God, he was born two thousand years ago as a human baby of virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, proclaimed “repent and believe the gospel”. Only after his death, he ascended to heaven and God raised him above all creatures. However, he “existed” in God’s mind and became God’s Word in accordance with God’s plan. This was what God had foreknown and pre-ordained before the creation of the world.

An answer to the pre-existence problem can also be found by reading what the Bible tells about the creation of the world; if God the Father turns out to be the sole creator of the world, then it is necessary to interpret in another way the verses that make the impression that Jesus was also involved in the creation.

Who were the companions or fellows, instead of whom Jesus was anointed with oil of gladness? When God anointed Jesus but not his angel friends, it also shows that Jesus has a pre-existence in heaven. So, provided that the comrades of Jesus were angels. Those who deny the pre-existence of Jesus still believe that Jesus would be born on earth not until after being conceived by the Holy Spirit to virgin Mary. They also think that Jesus’ companions or comrades are humans, not celestial beings. Against this opinion, one could say: all people were sinful and very far from Jesus, who was a completely sinless man. Among the angelic servants of God, there were lots of sinless angels e.g. some angel princes. According to one interpretation, Jesus was the first of these, but the difference was not so great before the exaltation of Jesus. Jesus was the commander of the Heavenly Armies as an archangel (archangel Michael as Jehovah’s Witnesses believe). – My opinion is that Jesus’ companions were humans of his time. They were Jews, but no one else was sinless!

The following Bible verse is also worth keeping in mind when interpreting the question of fellows: Heb 1:5 For to which of the angels [meaning that no one, not even the archangel] did he say at any time, “You are my Son, today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be a Father to him and He shall be a Son to me”? – But if we do not accept the pre-existence of Jesus in heaven, we will have to re-write or at least re-interpret a number of Biblical verses.

 

Traditional Interpretation of Pre-existence

For example, the following verses show, according to the traditional interpretation, that Jesus had been with the Father in Heaven from the very beginning:

Jhn 3:13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

41 The Jews, therefore, murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven.

57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.

10:36 … whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, …

Jhn 17:5 Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.

24 Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

1 Cor 10:1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 4: and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. – If the rock was spiritual, then Christ must also be spiritual. Not the real thing.

Col 1:16 For by [or in] him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether they are kings, lords, rulers, or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist

1 Pet 1:20 He himself existed before all things, and by [or in] him all things hold together.

Mic 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, Out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

Heb 1:2 – has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.

Rev 3:14 and to the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:

How should these verses of the New Testament be interpreted? Many believe that the truth is just what is said in these verses. However, in these writings, I try to bring another alternative interpretation.

The Old Testament Proverbs tell about the birth/creation/ possessing of / being set up etc. of Jesus. Whatever form it is, it is essential that Jesus existed before the dawn of time, from eternity. The father has no beginning, the Son has (Mic 5:2).

For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers (Heb 2:11). Some people think it is a bad mistake to say God created Jesus, but who can explain what the difference is, and what kind of difference is between creation and being brought forth. Perhaps God created Jesus from himself? At the beginning of time, there was no other heavenly being but God, there was, in fact, nothing. All this reflection is based on the notion that Jesus has existed in heaven from the beginning of times.

God has made by his word (logos) the whole world and all living creatures. Jesus Christ has been (from the very beginning) the word of God (John 1:14) OR another interpretation: Jesus has become the word of God when he is born upon earth.

 

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