The Preincarnate Son: Begotten Personality and Divine Origin

Proverbs 8

1 Does not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

2 She stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

3 She cries at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

4 To you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

5 O you simple, understand wisdom: and, you fools, be you of an understanding heart.

6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing fraudulent or perverse in them.

9 They are all plain to him that understands, and right to them that find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the fraudulent mouth, do I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

18 Riches and honor are with me; yes, durable riches and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of judgment:

21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass on the face of the depth:

28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

32 Now therefore listen to me, O you children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

34 Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoever finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD.

36 But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

The divine personality of Jesus Christ, the preincarnate Son of God, was brought forth or begotten of the Father’s own substance at an epoch so incredibly remote that it is essentially eternity to the finite human mindPTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7+1. While His divine nature is immortal and of the very essence of Deity, the scriptures and historical testimonies establish that His individual personality as the Son began when He proceeded from the bosom of the Father prior to the existence of any created thingATO 125.2+1.

The "Bringing Forth" of Wisdom in Proverbs 8

The eighth chapter of Proverbs provides a profound look into the origins of the Son of God under the figure of Wisdom13LtMs, Ms 37, 1898, par. 13.

• Possession in the Beginning: The Lord possessed Christ in the beginning of His way, before His works of old Proverbs 8:2213LtMs, Ms 37, 1898, par. 13.

• The Act of Begetting: Christ declares that when there were no depths and no fountains abounding with water, He was "brought forth" Proverbs 8:24PTUK October 12, 1899, page 641.4.

• Priority to Creation: Before the mountains were settled or the hills existed, the Son was already brought forth into existence Proverbs 8:25PTUK October 12, 1899, page 641.4.

• The Divine Associate: During the entire process of creation, the Son was by the Father's side as one "brought up with Him," serving as the Father's daily delight Proverbs 8:3013LtMs, Ms 37, 1898, par. 13.

• Hebrew Significance: The Hebrew word for "brought forth" used in these verses signifies to be born or to be travailed, indicating a literal begetting rather than a creation Proverbs 8:24-25PTUK October 12, 1899, page 641.4.

Distinction Between Begetting and Creation

It is vital to distinguish between the begetting of the Son and the creation of the universePTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7+1.

• Begotten, Not Created: Christ is the only begotten Son of God, meaning He was not created like the angels or humanity, but was born of the Father's substancePTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7+1.

• Agent of Creation: As the Son, He is the "beginning" or the efficient cause of the creation of God, meaning the work of creation began through Him Revelation 3:14DAR 371.2.

• Inherited Name: He did not receive the name of God as a title for some achievement, but He obtained a more excellent name than the angels by right of inheritance Hebrews 1:4CHR 11.3+1.

• Fullness of the Godhead: Because He is the Son of God by birth, it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell, even the fullness of the Godhead bodily Colossians 1:19+1PTUK December 18, 1890, page 409.4.

The Eternity of His Sonship

Although the Son had an origin in the order of nature, His pre-existence is described as being from the "days of eternity" Micah 5:2PTUK January 9, 1896, page 18.7.

• Eternal Ages: Christ was with the Father from eternal ages as the only begotten SonFE 381.2.

• One with the Father: He was one with the eternal Father in nature, character, and purpose, being the only being capable of entering into all God’s counsels7ABC 437.1.

• The Word: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God John 1:1.

• Pre-mundane Existence: This divine Word had an intelligent existence before the first act of creative power was ever put forthATO 130.1.

• Self-Existence: While He is the "eternal self-existing Son," this title highlights that His life is not borrowed or derived from creation, but resides inherently in Him because He is of the Father’s substance5BC 1136.12+1.

Pioneer Perspectives on His Divine Origin

The early writers maintained that the relationship of Father and Son necessitates a priority of existenceATO 125.2.

• Priority of the Father: In the order of nature, the Father must have existed before the Son, though they have existed together for all of recorded and unrecorded timeATO 125.2.

• Firstborn of Every Creature: The Son is the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of every creature, meaning His birth was antecedent to all worlds and orders of intelligences Colossians 1:15ATO 125.2.

• The Only Supreme Ruler: The Father is the "only Potentate" in the sense that He is the Supreme Ruler and the Source from whom the Son proceeded 1 Timothy 6:16ATO 130.1.

• Divine Personality: Christ is the express image of His Father’s person, and by thinking and talking of Him, we become charmed with His characterSSW November 1, 1895, par. 1+1.

The plan of salvation, devised in the councils of heaven, was wrought out by this "only Begotten of the Father," who voluntarily divested Himself of His glory to become our substituteATO 153.1+1. By beholding the Son, who has declared the Father to us, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory John 1:18+1YI November 8, 1894, par. 2.