PRE-EXISTENCE OF JESUS
A Ralph Johnson
I. PRE-EXISTENCE CLAIMED
John 8:56-58 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. [egō eimi]
(The “explanation” given is that Jesus is sying “I am the one” = the Messiah who was to come. Note: 8:24, 28; 9:9 has egō eimi.)
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.
Matt. 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
John 1:1-2. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
(Explanation given—In the beginning Jesus was an idea or wisdom in the mind of God. Muslims represent the same idea.)
1Jn. 1:1. That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life 2 (and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal (life), which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us);
John 1: 14. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. (ASV)
John 17:5. And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 17:24. Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
II. CREATOR OF ALL THINGS
John 1:3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. (cf. John 1:10; Col. 1:16)
Col. 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
1Cor 8:6 …one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
John 1:10 He was in the world and the world was made by him.
Heb. 1:10. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands: (cf. Heb. 2:9-14)
Heb. 1:2 hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in (his) Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds;
Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
III. TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
John 1:15. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
John 1:30 “This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.”
IV. HE CAME DOWN OR INTO THE WORLD
John 1:9. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
John 3:31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh: he that cometh from heaven is above all. (ASV)
John 6:32. Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life unto the world.
38. For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
41 The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven.
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how doth he now say, I am come down out of heaven?
48 I am the bread of life.
50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live for ever.
62. What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
V. HE WAS “SENT” AND “CAME”
John 3:17. For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him
John 7:28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not come on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 I know him because I am from him and he sent me."
33 Jesus said, "I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me.
John 8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go.
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.
John 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all the things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God,
John 16:28. I came out from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father.
Gal. 4:4. but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law
Heb. 1:6. And again, when he brings in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him
Heb. 10:5. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me;
1Cor. 10:4, those in the wilderness did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ. (Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:11)
1 Cor 10:9 9Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Rev. 1:17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Rev. 22:12. Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to each man according as his work is. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
22:16 “I Jesus”....
Isa. 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. 13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. 14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. 16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord Jehovah, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
VI. SCRIPTURES OF POSITION
Phil. 2:6-8. who, existing in the form [morfē] of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form [morfē] of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient (even) unto death, yea, the death of the cross.
(Explanation given is that AFTER he was born Jesus took the form of a servant rather than seeking to be superior like God. The problem with this is that it says he was existing in the form of God but emptied himself.)
Heb. 2:9. But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, (even) Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every (man).
Heb. 2:14. Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
John 12:41. compared with Isa. 6:1-5.
John 12:41. These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; and he spake of him.
Isa. 6:1-5. 1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord [adony] sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God [Eloihim] created the heaven and the earth.
1:26 And God [Eloihim] said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
1. Eloihim is plural.
2. Eloihim was speaking to someone who would participate in creation. Men were never said to have been created by angels nor created in their image. Jesus, was the “word” before becoming flesh, and through him were all things created (John 1:3; Col. 1:16).
25For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
1 Peter 1:11
11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.