OneoftheclearesttextsprovingatrinityisInthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswith God,andtheWordwasGod. Howdoyouexplainthis?

Answer:
Thistextismuchmisunderstoodandhasbeenmisusedtosupportateachingthattotallyopposes whatthetextactuallysays.LetusexaminethetextbrieflyintheoriginalGreek: 1722 746 2258 3588 oo3056 2532 o3588oo3056 InbeginningwastheWordandtheWord 2258 o4314 ton3588o2316 2532 o2316 waswiththeGodandGod 2258 o3588oo3056 wastheWord AverycasuallookattheoriginaltexttellsusthatthetwowordstranslatedasGodinthattextare notidentical.Thefirstoneisanoun(o)referringto theFather,andtheotherisanadjective (o)whichreferstoJesus.Youcantellthedifferencebetweenthetwobylookingatthelastletter ofthetwowords. Itisforthisreasonthatmanytranslationsrendertheverseinawaythatrecognizesthisfact.For example,translationsbyJamesMoffatt,HughJ.SchonfieldandEdgarGoodspeedrenderit:"...and theWordwasdivine." Othervariationsalsoexist.Today'sEnglishVersionreads:"...andhewas thesameasGod." TheRevisedEnglishBiblereads:"...andwhatGodwas,theWordwas." Asyoucansee,differenttranslationsgiveitameaninginharmonywiththeoriginal.Thusthistext istellingusisthattheWord,Christ,isdivinejustliketheFather(possessingthe"Godnature").It doesnottellusthatChristisGodtheFather,oneandthesameperson. However,thequestionthatweneedtoaddressiswhatbeginningisthistexttalkingabout?Was thisthebeginningofearth?Wasitthebeginningofcreation?TheanswerisNo.Thereasonbeing thatcreationisnotmentionedintheverseatall.Thatcomesinv.3Allthingsweremadebyhim; andwithouthimwasnotanythingmadethatwasmade Thus,ifallthingsweremadebyhim(ChristtheWord)thenthebeginninginv.1mustbebefore creation.OurparalleltextisfoundinProverbs8:2230. Thispassageisdividedin2parts.ThefirstparttalksaboutthebirthofChristinheavenbefore anythingwascreated.WhilethesecondparttellsuswhowaswithGodduringthecreation: TheLORDpossessedmeinthebeginningofhisway,beforehisworksofold.Iwassetupfrom everlasting,fromthebeginning,orevertheearthwas.Whentherewerenodepths,Iwasbrought forth;whentherewerenofountainsaboundingwithwater.Beforethemountainsweresettled, beforethehillswasIbroughtforth:Whileasyethehadnotmadetheearth,northefields,northe highestpartofthedustoftheworld.2226 Christwaspossessed/setup/broughtforthinthebeginningofGod'sways.Colossians1:15putsit thiswayWhoistheimageoftheinvisibleGod,thefirstbornofeverycreature: Thisbeginningwasbeforehisworksofold,beforetheearthwas,whentherewasnodepths, whentherewerenofountains,beforethemountainsweresettled,beforethehills,Whileasyet hehadnotmadetheearthetcChristissayingthatHewasbroughtforthinthebeginningbefore thesecreativeacts.

ThesecondpartofthepassageinProverbs8says:Whenhepreparedtheheavens,Iwasthere: whenhesetacompassuponthefaceofthedepth:Whenheestablishedthecloudsabove:whenhe strengthenedthefountainsofthedeep:Whenhegavetotheseahisdecree,thatthewatersshould notpasshiscommandment:whenheappointedthefoundationsoftheearth:ThenIwasbyhim,as onebroughtupwithhim:andIwasdailyhisdelight,rejoicingalwaysbeforehim;v.2730 ThissectiontellsusthatChrist,theWord,waswithGodduringthecreation.TheRSVrendersv.30 thiswaythenIwasbesidehim,likeamasterworkman;andIwasdailyhisdelight,rejoicingbefore himalways,whichbringsoutthepointthatJesuswasaworkmaninthecreationoftheworld,oras John1:3putsitAllthingsweremadebyhim;andwithouthimwasnotanythingmadethatwas made Colossians1:16,17saysthesamethingForbyhimwereallthingscreated,thatareinheaven,and thatareinearth,visibleandinvisible,whethertheybethrones,ordominions,orprincipalities,or powers:allthingswerecreatedbyhim,andforhim:Andheisbeforeallthings,andbyhimall thingsconsist Herearethethreereferencessidebyside: John1:13 Inthebeginning wastheWord, andtheWord wasGod.1 Allthingswere madebyhim; andwithouthim wasnotany thingmadethat wasmade.3 Colossians1:1517 Whoistheimageofthe invisibleGod,thefirstborn ofeverycreature: Forbyhimwereallthings created,thatareinheaven, andthatareinearth, visibleandinvisible, whethertheybethrones, ordominions,orprincipalities, orpowers:allthingswere createdbyhim,andforhim: 17Andheisbeforeall things,andbyhimallthings consist. Proverbs8:2230 TheLORDpossessedme Iwassetupfrom everlasting,Iwas broughtforth;.2226 Whenhepreparedthe heavens,Iwasthere: whenheappointedthe foundationsoftheearth: thenIwasbesidehim, likeamasterworkman; andIwasdailyhisdelight, rejoicingbeforehim always;2730

Thus,John1:13notonlydoesnotsupportthetrinity,butproperlyunderstood,teachesand supportsthedivinesonshipofChrist. SpiritofProphecy:Inadditiontothat,hereiswhatE.G.Whitehadtosay: Christshowsthemthat,althoughtheymightreckonHislifetobelessthanfiftyyears,yetHis divinelifecouldnotbereckonedbyhumancomputation.TheexistenceofChristbeforeHis incarnationisnotmeasuredbyfigures.{SignsoftheTimes,May3,1899} AngelsofGodlookedwithamazementuponChrist,whotookuponHimselftheformofmanand humblyunitedHisdivinitywithhumanityinorderthatHemightministertofallenman.Itisa marvelamongtheheavenlyangels.GodhastoldusthatHediddoit,andwearetoaccepttheWord ofGodjustasitreads.AndalthoughwemaytrytoreasoninregardtoourCreator,howlongHehas hadexistence,whereevilfirstenteredintoourworld,andallthesethings,wemayreasonabout themuntilwefalldownfaintandexhaustedwiththeresearchwhenthereisyetaninfinitybeyond. {7BC919.5} TheLordJesusChrist,thedivineSonofGod,existedfrometernity,adistinct person,yetonewiththeFather.Hewasthesurpassinggloryofheaven.HewastheCommanderof

theheavenlyintelligences,andtheadoringhomageoftheangelswasreceivedbyHimasHisright. ThiswasnorobberyofGod."TheLordpossessedmeinthebeginningofhisway,"Hedeclares, "beforehisworksofold.Iwassetupfromeverlasting,fromthebeginning,orevertheearthwas. Whentherewerenodepths,Iwasbroughtforth;whentherewerenofountainsaboundingwith water.Beforethemountainsweresettled,beforethehillswasIbroughtforth;whileasyethehad notmadetheearth,northefields,northehighestpartofthedustoftheworld.Whenheprepared theheavens,Iwasthere:whenhesetacompassuponthefaceofthedepth." {RH,April5,1906par.7} TheSovereignoftheuniversewasnotaloneinHisworkofbeneficence.Hehadanassociatea coworkerwhocouldappreciateHispurposes,andcouldshareHisjoyingivinghappinesstocreated beings."InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod.The samewasinthebeginningwithGod."John1:1,2.Christ,theWord,theonlybegottenofGod,was onewiththeeternalFatheroneinnature,incharacter,inpurposetheonlybeingthatcouldenter intoallthecounselsandpurposesofGod.{PP34.1} HerearetwostatementsfromE.J.WaggonerandUriahSmiththatconfirmto uswhatwehaveseen:"Thewordwas"inthebeginning."Themindofman cannotgrasptheagesthatarespannedinthisphrase.Itisnotgiventomentoknowwhenorhow theSonwasbegottenE.J.Waggoner,ChristandHisRighteousness,p.9 "Godaloneiswithoutbeginning,attheearliestepochwhenabeginningcould be,aperiodsoremotethattofinitemindsitisessentiallyeternity,appearedtheWord"Inthe beginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod."John1:1"Uriah Smith,LookingUntoJesus1898,p.10