Beginning of the Creation of God

by FutureAndAHope 1 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • FutureAndAHope
    FutureAndAHope

    Where talking of Jesus the King James version says:

    … the beginning of the creation of God Rev 3:14

    This can be confusing because it sounds like Jesus was the first created being. But as we will see this is not the case. The Greek word translated beginning is as follows (from Strongs):

    G746
    arche¯
    ar-khay'

    From G756; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concrete) chief (in various applications of order, time, place or rank): - beginning, corner, (at the, the) first (estate), magistrate, power, principality, principle, rule.

    You will notice the word has various meanings and we will discus some of them. Take

    “I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me” - Act 11:5

    The word corner in the verse above also uses the word arche¯, an arche¯ can be a corner. We will discuss why this is relevant latter. Also note

    “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him”: , Col 1:16

    The word arche¯ is used above for ruler, or power. Why, well lets discuss some English words, arch and archangel are English words that have their root in arche¯. But what is an arch, it is similar to a triangular shape, as is a corner in Acts 11:5. Why is ruler a valid expression from the word, well a ruler is the top most piece under which you find others, rulership is like a triangle too, the top point is the King, or supreme ruler, the lower you go in the triangle are princes, governors, then at the bottom the common man. So you see the word in revelation does not need to mean the first creation, it can mean “the ruler of the creation of God”, or the “Origin of the creation of God”, both translations fit perfectly with the view that Jesus is God, he both rules, and is the originator of creation, as Col 1:16 says “For by him were all things created”, and note they were created “for him”, and we know the creation was created for God.

  • Vidqun
    Vidqun

    The first cause, the beginning (philos. t.t. ODittrich, D. Systeme d. Moral I 1923, 360a, 369a;—Ael. Aristid. 43, 9 K.=1 p. 3 D.; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 190 God [contrast SIG 1125, 10f]) of Christ Rv 3:14; but the mng. beginning=‘first created’ is linguistically probable (s. above 1b and Job 40:19; also CBurney, Christ as the ’arkhei of Creation: JTS 27, 1926, 160-77). Cf. BDAG. It also means “beginning.” So, I am afraid this one can swing either way, depending on your understanding (of the rest of the Scriptures) and beliefs.

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