Where Was Jesus (before He was born in Bethlehem)
John 1:1-18; 8:58; 17:5
We continue our series considering who Jesus is. We will look at Him Biblically and historically. We will consider His natures, His words, His work on earth, where He is now, and today - where He was before He was born in Bethlehem. We will center our search in the gospel of John. John wrote his gospel, inspired by the Holy Spirit, after the other three gospels (“the synoptics”) with the expressed purpose of facilitating faith in Jesus as Messiah, Son of God, and eternal life-giver (John 20:31).
THE PROLOGUE AND THE CLAIM TO JESUS’ ETERNALITY
Ø The Word existed before He showed up on earth (actually before there was an earth) John 1:1a
Ø God the Son existed (before the face of) with God the Father – John 1:1b
Ø God the Son is completely God – John 1:1c - and equal to God the Father and God the Holy Spirit and there is only one God in three personal “subsistences”, coequal, coeternal, each having the full divine essence of God, the specific existence that belongs to God alone.
o Not Modalism – God appearing in three different roles (also called Sabellianism after Sabellius, an early proponent, and called patripassianism due to the view of God the Father being the One crucified).
construction 1) avoids modalism (i.e., the Word is not said to be completely co-extensive with theos) and 2) teaches that the Word has the same nature as God (a point that Paul will reiterate in Philippians).
Modalistic Monarchianism, also known as Modalism, is the view that God variously manifested Himself as the Father (primarily in the Old Testament), other times as the Son (primarily from Jesus’ conception to His ascension), and other times as the Holy Spirit (primarily after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven). God is not three Persons. Rather, Modalistic Monarchianism / Modalism teaches the God has simply revealed Himself in three different modes. Modalistic Monarchianism / Modalism is also known as Sabellianism, named after Sabellius, and influential early proponent of the view. Yet another aspect of Modalistic Monarchianism / Modalism / Sabellianism is Patripassianism, which is the view that it was God the Father who became incarnate, suffered, died, and was resurrected. Patripassianism essentially teaches that God the Father became His own Son.
o Not Dynamic Monarchianism – the idea that Jesus was not really God, rather He was “inhabited” by God.
Dynamic Monarchianism is the view that Jesus was not in His nature God. It is the view that God existed in Jesus, just as God exists in all of us – but that God existed in Jesus in a particularly powerful way. Jesus was God because God inhabited Him.
o Not Tri-theism – the idea that there are three gods who only seem to be one.
(more under the topic of Jesus’ Diety)
OTHER PLACES IN SCRIPTURE TELL OF
JESUS’ PRE-EXISTENCE
Ø The Prophets: Micah 5:2; 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Isaiah 9:6-7; 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Zechariah 2:10-11 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
11 And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
Ø Jesus Himself: (Jehovah Witnesses, among others, say that Jesus never claimed to be God) Consider:
o He said He came down from Heaven: John6:38, 41
o He said He was more than just a good man
Mark 10:17-18
o He said He is the Son of Man (80 times among all four gospels) re.Daniel 7:13-14 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
o He said He is God –Mark 14:61-64; John10:30-33 contrary to C.T. Russell, Mary Baker Eddy, Baha’I, Creflo Dollar, Dan Brown (DaVinci Code)…
o He did miracles - multiple scriptures
o He was sinless - John8:46
o He forgave sin – Luke 7:48; 5:20-21
o He said He pre-existed – John8:56-58; John17:4-5; Revelation 22:13
Ø The Apostles: 1John2:14; 1Corinthians 10:1-4;
2Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:16-17
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF JESUS
Ø He is Deity and was while He became man in the incarnation (His birth to Mary) He has never stopped being God [contradicting the heresies of Ebionites, Dynamic Monarchianists, Nestorians, Unitarians, Arians, Mormons, Apollinarians…]
o He was also man at the same time – John 1:14 Hypostatic Union – Council of Chalcedon 451AD
Trinity Hypostatic = Hypo-under static-standing =
The humanity and the deity of Jesus were on equal, solid, standing. And the humanity and deity of Jesus were perfectly united so that He was both God and human in nature.
o The significance of His being human is so He could be our example, proof of God’s extravagant love for us, our high priest … greatest of all – our atoning substitute on the cross
o His Deity makes Him worthy of our love and adoration John20:28
Ø He is Life John1:4
o Creator / Sustainer Colossians 1:16-17
o He is our hope of resurrection John 5:21,11:25
Ø He is Light John 1:4; 8:12
o In the world of darkness Ephesians 4:17-19
o Calling us to be children of light John 12:36
Since Jesus is / has always been God, you can trust His offer of life and light AND
He cannot be destroyed John 1:5 AND
He cannot be ignored John 3:19-20; Romans 8:7; 5:10;
Colossians 1:21
Benediction Rev.1:4-6
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
