The Nature of Preexistence in the New Testament [12 pages]
by Anthony Buzzard rated at 2.0 (7 votes so far)
The so-called "preexistence" of Jesus in John refers to his "existence" in the Plan of God. The church has been plagued by the introduction of non-biblical language. There is a perfectly good word for "real" preexistence in the Greek language (pro-uparchon). It is very significant that it appears nowhere in Scripture, but it does in the writings of Greek church fathers of the second century. These Greek commentators on Scripture failed to understand the Hebrew categories of thought in which the New Testament is written.
books
These books, written by people from diverse backgrounds, express the simple truth that God is one. Some of them are more scholary while others are more autobiographical. In addition, a few of them are available to read online. If you would like more in depth treatment of christian monotheism, these books are the next step to take. Note: if you know of other books, not listed here, please leave us feedback.
featured item
Who is Jesus? (Booklet)
by Anthony Buzzard [25 pages]
rated at 3.9 (out of 20 votes)
It is a striking fact that Jesus never referred to himself as "God." Equally remarkable is the New Testament's use of the word "God"--in Greek ho theos--to refer to the Father alone, some 1325 times. In sharp contrast, Jesus is called "god" in a handful of texts only--perhaps no more than two. Why this impressive difference in New Testament usage, when so many seem to think that Jesus is no less "God" than his Father?