Thank you for the question, “Can you explain the “He was begotten son of the father from eternity”
The deity and humanity of Jesus Christ has been debated by Christians and is still debated by Christians today. The Council of Nicea discussed the divinity of Jesus Christ and the eternality of Jesus Christ, as a created being or God himself.
The view expressed by me is my understanding of the Biblical text. I do not represent any other Christians or any churches. Thus one may agree or not agree with me. Do consider other views, the pros and cons on this critical subject.
Here are some Bible text relevant to this topic. I cite from the NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and English. Here are the text and my thoughts on it.
A. Colossians 1:15–16
“who is an image of the God the invisible, firstborn of all creation, because in him were created-all things in the heavens and on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities; all things through him and for him have been created…”
B. Colossians 1:18
“…and he is the head of the body the church; who is beginning, firstborn from (out) of the dead, in order that may be in all things he holding the first place,…”
As I read the context of Colossians 1, here are some thoughts for one’s consideration:
- The word, firstborn, in the Greek is prostotokos. This word is used twice in the same noun form in verse 15 and in verse 18.
- The word, firstborn (prostotokos, refers to of all creation and from or out of the dead (people).
- The word, firstborn, in context refers to preeminence or before everything else.
As I thought about this passage, if one argues that Jesus is the first created being from nothing to something before he created the heavens and the earth, then it seems logically that one has to argue that Jesus is the first created being from nothing to something from out of the dead people. However that doesn’t make sense in my opinion. Jesus is not the first person who died for he came out among the dead people. Did God created Jesus from nothing so that he is the first created being from among the dead? Jesus is the first one who resurrected from the dead that triumph over sin and death. In other words, if one argues that the term, prostotokos, is created then he has to apply that same interpretation to both verses. Did God create Jesus twice: once from nothing to an elevated “divine” being and again when he created Jesus out from among the dead? My answer is no. God resurrected Jesus. He didn’t create the resurrected Jesus from nothing to become a “divine” being.
The context of Colossians 1 fits better in my opinion of his preeminence over the formation of creation and over fallen creation in his redemption of mankind to life.
In John 1:1–2, the Apostle John argues that Jesus is not a created being. If John wanted to say that Jesus was a created being, he could have said this, “and the Logos BECAME God or divine. This would clearly show that the Logs had a beginning since the word became would imply an origin or a beginning. John doesn’t say that He says that the logos is God (theos). He makes it very clear that the Logs is not the same being as God. What do I mean by that? If John added the definite article, the, before God, he would be saying this, “and the Logs was the God.” It would imply that the Logs and God were the same person, except that he had two “masks” or names. The Logos is a separate being within the Godhead.
C. Revelations 1:5
“and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn (prostotokos) from/out of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To loving us and having loosed us out of the sins of us by the blood of him…”
The Apostle John uses the same word of the Apostle Paul, prostotokos, He is the first of its kind to rise out of the dead and remained victorious over sin and death. Jesus was not again created from nothing and as a created being he was elevated to a divine state above the angels but less than God himself.
Jesus declares that if they have seen him, they have seen the Father. Jesus asserts that whatever the Father is doing, he does the same thing. In the Book of Revelation, the angelic beings worship the Lamb of God and God himself. If Jesus was a created divine being, I do not believe that he can be worshipped since the Law prohibited the worship of any other being other than God himself. If he is God himself, he can be worshipped.
The biblical text states that the Second Person of the Godhead condescended and was incarnated as man. The angel said this to Mary in Luke 1, “The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
As the God-Man, the angel declared that this child who is be born to Mary will be called the Son of the Most High. That is his title and name because of his willingness to condescend among the sons of God who are made in the image and likeness of God. This particular Son of the Most High is unlike any created or born human. God honors the Son even in his baptism when the Father commended his Beloved Son on the way that he lived on earth.
Thus in one sense the Logos is eternal being with the Father from all eternity and yet he came to earth to redeem mankind. Without his condescension as man, all humanity will be forever lost and condemned, separated from God. As the God-Man, he had a “beginning” as he was born of Mary, but even here he took the appearance of man. The Apostle Paul recognizes the deity and the humanity of Jesus in the Philippians 2:5–11.
I know that there will be others who disagree with me since I have had comments in the past. If you wish to post your own reply to the question, please feel free to do so. This way the reader can consider the various views.
SUMMARY: The Eternal Second Person of the Godhead became the God-Man on earth. The Eternal Second Person of the Godhead is NOT a created being. He always self-existed from eternity.
For more perspectives:
https://www.quora.com/Can-you-explain-the-He-was-begotten-son-of-the-father-from-eternity