What does "from the beginning" in 1 John 1:1 imply about Jesus' existence? Text of 1 John 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” Framing the Question The phrase “from the beginning” (ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ap’ archēs) appears eight times in Johannine writings (John 8:44; 1 John 2:7, 13, 14, 24; 3:8; 2 John 1:5, 6). In 1 John 1:1 it functions as the time–marker for the Word’s existence before any created reality or historical moment. The clause therefore anchors Jesus’ being in absolute pre-temporal eternity and simultaneously in the first creative instant of Genesis 1:1. Johannine Parallels John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word… All things were made through Him.” 1 John 2:13: “You have known Him who is from the beginning.” Revelation 1:17: “I am the First and the Last.” The same author employs identical vocabulary to establish Christ’s timeless pre-existence. Genesis Echoes Genesis 1:1 (LXX): Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός. John deliberately echoes Moses to identify Jesus as the Creator Who existed when “beginning” itself began. “From the beginning” thus means “before time yet acting within time.” Pre-Existence elsewhere in the NT • Colossians 1:17: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” • Hebrews 1:2-3: the Son made the ages. • Micah 5:2: Messiah’s “origins are from of old, from the days of eternity.” • Philippians 2:6-7: existing in God-form prior to incarnation. Apostolic Eyewitness Testimony John binds metaphysical eternity to tactile history: “heard… seen… touched.” The infinite stepped into sense-experience. The resurrection appearances (Luke 24:39; John 20:27) supply the “hands… touched” referent. Gary Habermas’ minimal-facts data set confirms the disciples’ sincere conviction of this tangible risen Christ. Patristic Consensus Ignatius (AD 110, Eph. 7) calls Jesus “from eternity with the Father.” Irenaeus (AD 180, Adv. Haer. 3.16.6) cites 1 John 1:1 to prove Christ’s uncreated status. The universe’s Maker cannot be part of what He makes. Theological Implications 1. Eternality: “Was” (ἦν) denotes continuous existence, not point-in-time beginning. 2. Uncreated Nature: Only God precedes “beginning.” Ergo Jesus shares God’s essence. 3. Trinity: The verse distinguishes yet unites the Logos with the Father who sends Him and the Spirit who testifies (1 John 5:7-8). 4. Incarnation: The eternal Word became audible, visible, and palpable; the Creator enters His six-day creation (John 1:14). Practical Application Knowing Christ predates and outlasts the universe grounds personal security (John 10:28) and moral obligation (1 John 2:6). Life’s chief purpose is to glorify the One who precedes all beginnings and will consummate all endings (Revelation 22:13). Summary “From the beginning” in 1 John 1:1 declares Jesus’ timeless, uncreated, co-eternal existence with the Father, identifies Him as active Agent in the Genesis creation, secures the reality of the incarnation, and underwrites the certainty of salvation. The phrase compresses eternity past into a single point: the ever-living Word who steps into history, is touched by eyewitnesses, and offers eternal fellowship today. |
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