26
votes
When was Jesus rich? 2 Corinthian 8:9
Paul is very likely using a metaphor here. The word "rich" is often used in scripture without referring to earthly "wealth."
Consider Christ's divinity. Prior to coming to Earth, ...
- 371
17
votes
Accepted
“Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” - why did the Jews want to throw stones at Jesus for saying this?
A Blasphemy Which Requires Stoning
There are three points in the Fourth Gospel at which the Jews respond to something Jesus said by wanting to kill Him. The first is in Chapter 5; the second in ...
- 16.7k
13
votes
Accepted
In Colossians 1:15, what does “firstborn of every creature” mean?
The phrase in question is prōtotokos pasēs ktiseōs. But does this mean "firstborn of every creature" (distributive, as in the KJV), or "firstborn of all creation" (collective, as in ASV, RSV, NASB, ...
- 146
10
votes
“Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” - why did the Jews want to throw stones at Jesus for saying this?
The claim of Divinity
The people sought to stone Jesus for blasphemy - the statement that put them over the edge, and would serve as their justification for trying to stone him again later (see John ...
- 17.5k
10
votes
When was Jesus rich? 2 Corinthian 8:9
When was Jesus rich (2 Cor. 8:9)?
Answer: It is unlikely Jesus was ever wealthy.
There was probably never a time that Jesus had any earthly wealth. In fact, if anything, He relates His circumstances ...
- 9,228
8
votes
Accepted
Does "Jesus has come in the flesh" in 1 John 4:2 imply a fleshless pre-existence?
I don't have a problem with the idea that Jesus existed in spiritual form pre-mortally--I in fact believe this is supported by other passages (a few examples here and here)--but I don't think that is ...
- 17.5k
8
votes
Accepted
In what sense did Jesus descend/come from heaven? John 3:13 & 3:31
The NT certainly asserts, using the precedents of the OT that Jesus existed before His incarnation.
We see this many times in the Bible, especially in the Gospel of John, such as:
John 1:1-3 - In the ...
- 105k
7
votes
Accepted
Is there room for interpreting John 17:5 as Jesus having notional/ideal pre-existence in light of 2 Timothy 1:9?
The problem with the Unitarian position is that it attempts to create a special meta-narrative by which it then makes special pleadings for verses that are troublesome. Thus, any "theory" ...
- 105k
7
votes
Accepted
Is Jesus implying his preincarnate existence in John 17:5?
I struggle to see how John 17:5 can be understood in any other way but as a testimony to the pre-incarnate existence of Jesus. The same idea is also present in V24. We see this in numerous other ...
- 105k
6
votes
“Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” - why did the Jews want to throw stones at Jesus for saying this?
The statement "πριν αβρααμ γενεσθαι εγω ειμι" = "I am before Abraham came to be" here is a claim of pre-existence, not of identity with YHWH. According to John, Jesus consistently ...
- 486
6
votes
Is Jesus implying his preincarnate existence in John 17:5?
Jesus is not implying anything. He is simply stating the fact that he was with God prior to all things coming into existence.
John 1:
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was ...
- 1,798
5
votes
Accepted
What does it mean that Jesus is before all things (Colossians 1:17)?
The phrase, "He is before all things" (αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων) has been interpreted in two broad ways:
Christ exceeds all things in moral and authoritarian dignity
Christ temporally ...
- 105k
5
votes
Does Colossians 1:15, refer to the Genesis creation, or merely present Jesus as the beginning of those raised from the dead?
The text itself answers the question, although there is a question (or two) about which text is used. Fortunately, the translation that adds the word "other" to the passage five times (...
- 23.6k
4
votes
Is Jesus implying his preincarnate existence in John 17:5?
Jesus uses glory as the means to show He existed before His incarnation:
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son ...
- 16.7k
4
votes
Is Jesus implying his preincarnate existence in John 17:5?
This question is wrongheadedly put from the outset, for it affirms that it is even possible to interpret this passage in a sense that Jesus is “implying” something when in reality He is plainly, ...
- 10.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Was the Angel of the Lord the Preincarnate Christ?
Does Angel of the Lord = Preincarnate Christ?
Allow me to clarify something at the outset. I think there is a huge disparity between the terms “an angel of the LORD" and "the Angel of the ...
- 9,228
4
votes
Accepted
John 1:9 - has one Person been the 'light of the world' since the world's inception?
Your question causes me to ask, “What is the definition of ‘light’ with regard to the person of Jesus Christ? Has this to do with physical, visible light, or light that cannot be seen by the naked ...
- 23.6k
4
votes
When was Jesus rich? 2 Corinthian 8:9
"That you, by his poverty, might become rich"
The clue is in the words, "that you, by his poverty, might become rich." By what kind of poverty of Jesus were Christians made rich? ...
- 9,638
3
votes
Accepted
David said "the LORD is my shepherd", yet Jesus said "I am the good shepherd" - was Jesus David's shepherd?
This question is part of a far more general pattern between the OT and NT that takes the titles and unique attributes of Jehovah in the OT and applies them to Jesus in the NT.
Unique Attribute
OT ...
- 105k
3
votes
In Colossians 1:15, what does “firstborn of every creature” mean?
JESUS: The firstborn [prōtotokos] of all creation.
What is the Bibles view of [prōtotokos]
Paul wrote to the congregation of Colossae,
Colossians 1:15-18 (NRSV)
The Supremacy of Christ
15 He ...
- 13.8k
3
votes
“Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” - why did the Jews want to throw stones at Jesus for saying this?
In the Gospels we have a number of incidents where the local Jewish leadership accused Jesus of blaspheming because He claimed equality with God. While some modern theologians might argue about these ...
- 105k
3
votes
What does it mean that Jesus is before all things (Colossians 1:17)?
What does it mean that Jesus is before all things (Colossians 1:17)?
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
[ESV]
1/ Rewarded with the gift of immortality
The first one ...
- 13.8k
3
votes
What does it mean that Jesus is before all things (Colossians 1:17)?
Colossians 1:17 is referencing, or rather stating exactly what we see in John ....
JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning ...
- 8,100
3
votes
In what sense did Jesus descend/come from heaven? John 3:13 & 3:31
Passages about Jesus as God's right shows he is now in heaven, but does come from heaven and from the Father mean he was literally in heaven before he was born?
This Jesus God raised up, and of that ...
- 20.3k
3
votes
When was Jesus rich? 2 Corinthian 8:9
Here rich means divine, and poor means human.
According to the orthodox study bible,
8:9 What was Christ's poverty? He emptied Himself (Php 2:5--8) of His heavenly glory to join our humanity to His ...
2
votes
“Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” - why did the Jews want to throw stones at Jesus for saying this?
This and surrounding passages were puzzling to me, but now they make sense. There are a few keys to make the pieces fall into place.
The purpose of John's Gospel is not to show that Jesus is God. ...
- 3,450
2
votes
In Genesis 16 is the angel that comes to Hagar the Lord in angel form or a different angel?
If I read the question right, 2 questions are asked. 1 & 3 below, but I have added 2 as important;
Did an angel or God appear to Hagar
Problems with Genesis story
Is God extending his blessing ...
- 2,152
2
votes
In Genesis 16 is the angel that comes to Hagar the Lord in angel form or a different angel?
I'm convinced that the angel of the Lord is the preincarnate Jesus Christ and as some have said the word "malak" does refer to actual angels,or messengers/humans like at Malachi 3:1 and to Jesus ...
- 21
2
votes
Is Jesus implying his preincarnate existence in John 17:5?
John 1:1-2 says ‘IN THE beginning there WAS THE Word, and the Word WAS WITH God, and the Word WAS God. He WAS IN THE beginning WITH God.’ Given a double reference, the emphasis of this text is about ‘...
- 1,118
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