BBI II-A: #15 The NAIL in the COFFIN of Socinian Unitarianism
For the last several lessons we have been looking at the language in John’s Gospel about the pre-human existence of God’s Son, which is a major theme running throughout the entire book. Socinian Unitarians, who deny the pre-human existence of the Son of God, use exegetical gymnastics to deny the literal understanding of all of these passages. Yet, in chapters 16 & 17 the writer made it perfectly clear that all of this preexistence language, Jesus’ coming down from heaven, being sent from beside the Father, and going back to the Father, was meant literally.
4 thoughts on “BBI II-A: #15 The NAIL in the COFFIN of Socinian Unitarianism”
Tim,
I was hoping you could help me understand the difference between the use of “exerchomai” in verse John 8:42 (issued forth out of God) and John 16:27 (came forth from God.) In 8:42 you explain that John is referring to His begetting and in 16:27 it refers to Him physically changing locations. When I compared the two verses online they seem to be the exact same word, Strong’s 1831. Is it the difference between the prepositions “ek” in verse 42 and “para” in verse 27?
David,
Yes, they are the same word. The word itself is a compound of the preposition “ek/ex” (which means “out of”) and “erchomai” which means to “go” or “come.” So literally, it means to “come out of” or “go out of.” Exactly what one goes “out of” depends on how it is qualified in the context. In John 8:42, Jesus said, “For I ek (out of) the God ex-erchomai (came out of). Again, ex-erchomai means to leave a place or thing which one was formerly within. Note that the preposition ek/ex is used twice, first independently in the clause “out of God” (which requires that He was WITHIN God first) and then again as a prefix to “erchomai” (ex-erchomai – “came out of”). Ex-erchomai does NOT itself indicate what or where one comes out from. It only describes the exit itself. It is the clause “out of God” that defines the thing or place from which He exited.
In John 16:27, Jesus said, “I para (from beside) God ex-erchomai (came out of). The preposition “para” (when its object is in the genitive case) simply means “from beside” (not “from within” as does ek/ex). So “ex-erchomai” (came out of) describes an exit from BESIDE (para) God, not an exit from WITHIN God as is indicated in Jn. 8:42.
Incidentally, in vs. 28 there is a textual variant. What is considered the oldest and arguably best manuscript (B) also has ek (out of God) in verse 28 (the same as John 8:42), while the majority have “para” (from beside God) as in verse 27. But either way, the main point must be that Jesus was in heaven and “came out of” (whether the Father’s Person (ek) or from the Father’s presence (para – beside). Either way He was in heaven before He came into the world.
Thank you for the thorough explanation. When you stated the word meant to change locations, I was getting hung up on the idea of this applying to His begetting since that is not how I look at a birth, that my son changed locations from the womb to out of the womb. Thank you!
No problem. 🙂