John 1:1 reads, “in the beginning was the Word.” Some propose that Jesus did not exist before He became a human being. See, for example, Tuggy’s case against preexistence. They hold that “the Word,” in these dramatic verses (John 1:1-2), does not refer to the Son of God, but simply refers to God’s eternal plan or wisdom by which He made all things.
For example, John 1:9-10 indicates that “the world was made through” “the true Light … coming into the world.” People that to not believe in the preexistence of Jesus would argue that this simply means that the world was made through God’s wisdom, and that God’s wisdom, which is the true light, came into the world when God gave it to the mortal human being called Jesus.
Genesis 1 provides support for this view, for in that chapter God creates by speaking. The phrase “God said” is found 10 times in that chapter. For instance, “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Gen. 1:3). Also:
“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host” (Psalm 33:6).
But the Word is the Son of God.
This is indicated by the following:
With God – The Word is described as “with God” (John 1:1-2). The Word must therefore be a Person; not merely God’s plan or wisdom.
Created through – According to John 1:3, God created all things through the Word, but according to Colossians 1:16 and Hebrews 1:2, God created through His Son. The Word is therefore His Son.
(Note: “Him” in John 1:3 is an interpretation. The original Greek word means “the same”. The “Him” therefore cannot be used as proof that “the Word” is the Son of God.)
Became flesh – But perhaps the clearest evidence is John 1:14, which states that “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us”. This can only be the Son of God.
Interestingly, His preexistence is not a clear teaching in the synoptic gospels, but there are also much evidence of His preexistence elsewhere in John and in Paul’s letters. He “descended from heaven” (John 3:13; 6:38, 62). He said, “I am from above … I am not of this world” (John 8:23). See Jesus existed prior to His birth in the form of God.
Progressive Revelation
The synoptic gospels do not clearly teach His preexistence because revelation is progressive. The apostles at first did not know about His preexistence. That was only later revealed to John and perhaps to Paul.
The progressive nature of revelation should not be confused with the evolution of religious dogma. Religious theories slowly develop over time. The existence of the conflicting Christian schools of thought is proves that this development is mostly not from God, but from man’s corrupt mind. God’s full truth does exist in the world, but is spread around among the different Christian denominations and movements.
Why is the Son of God called “the Word?”
He is the Word because He brings light. He is called “the Word” in verse 1, but in verse 4 we read: “in Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” Verse 9 adds, “the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (v9). So perhaps He is the “Word” because He brought the “Light”. “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (v5).
He is the Word because He is God’s creative power. Perhaps there exists a mysterious connection between the Word which God spoke in creation, and His Son; a connection reflected in the phrase, “the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18; NASB).
What is proposed is the thought that His Son was “begotten” when God spoke. It is not proposed that He was created by the word which God spoke, but that He is the Word which God spoke to bring the universe into existence. If so, this would be beyond human understanding. Another article discusses the meaning of the Only Begotten Son of God.
Other Available Articles
-
- Is Jesus God? – List of all articles
- The historical development of the Trinity doctrine – List of Articles
- All articles – List of all article series on this website