The question, "Is Christ the literal Son of God?" is common when studying the Godhead. In the following Bible verses, inspired quotations and other writings, we explore the data on this important subject. Perhaps the most important finding is realizing that Christ is self-existent and eternal — of everlasting to everlasting duration, and therefor has always existed! Always existing, He never had a beginning in the far distant past. Hence, though He is referred to as the "Son of God," He is not a literal "Son." Be sure to read the page on the eternal existence of Christ. A link can be found at the end of this document and on the main page for Christ.
"Christ is declared in the Scriptures to be the Son of God. From all eternity He has sustained this relation to Jehovah."
Is Christ, the eternal, self-existent Deity, Member of the Godhead, and Divine/Human Saviour, the literal Son of God?
He is called the "Son," but He is not a literal Son.
This may surprise you, but read on to understand why Christ can be called the Son even if He is not a literal Son.
Because Christ is eternal — from everlasting to everlasting; self-existent — original, unborrowed and underived; preexistent with no beginning, to look for a birth in the distant past makes no sense, to say nothing of the fact that there is no mention of a mother Deity to make that birth possible.
The phrase "only begotten"of John 3:16 entered with the early Catholic Church Fathers and early English translations as a result of the influence of the Catholic Vulgate. A more accurate rendering would be "only, "unique," or "one of a kind."
There are examples in the Scriptures of individuals being called "son" or "father," which was common in the Hebrew culture. I found an excellent study on the subject by individuals who spend their time translating the Bible into other languages.
Attempts are often made to establish a birth in the far distant past on the basis of Proverbs 8. When quoting Proverbs 8, Ellen White always references the passages of Proverbs 8 dealing with the everlasting existence of Christ's life. As pointed out by Eugene Prewitt, the word prompting the idea of birth speaks of pain, which would apparently put such a birth, if that was what it was about, after the fall of man. A careful study by Dr. Richard Davidson suggests that Proverbs 8, which speaks of the wisdom of YHWH, co-creatorship of the earth, and the joy found in working with that creation, actually speaks of the installation of Christ into the new role of mediator. At the very least Proverbs 8 should not be used to say Christ was born at some point in the far distant past.
There are no quotes that speak of the essence of Christ's birth, apart from His conception at the time of the incarnation through the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit. That said, even that information is sparse. However, Ellen White clearly states that Christ has sustained the relationship of "Son" to the Father from all eternity — the key phrase being from all eternity! Such a statement negates the idea of a birth in the far distant past. She additionally states that the title "Son of God" took on new meaning at the time of the incarnation, since the Holy Spirit (Deity) came upon Mary (Human). So He was legitimately both the Son of God and the Son of Man. She also compares the significance of Christ's incarnational birth to the creation of the angels and the adoption of the sons of men. The latter statement is sometimes used in attempts to establish a birth in the far distant past, but context places it at the time of the incarnation.
Detailed information, Scriptures, quotations, and other research is discussed below. I have been praying about some of these things for some time and this is the first time it has all come together. Your comments will be appreciated!
As a member of the Godhead, Christ has the non-communicable attributes of Deity: eternal, self-existence, immutable, omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. If, as Deity, Christ's life is of eternal duration, there never could have been a time when He did not exist and there would have never could have been a birth or beginning of any kind.
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
*Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
*John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
*Hebrews 1:8 “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”
*Hebrews 7:1-3 “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.”
*Hebrews 7:15-16 “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.”
*1 John 1:1-2 (KJV) 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 handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”
1 John 2:13 “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.”
*Revelation 1:10-11 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.”
Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore. {RH April 5, 1906, par. 6}
Christ is declared in the Scriptures to be the Son of God. From all eternity He has sustained this relation to Jehovah. {Ms22-1905.4}
From all eternity Christ was united with the Father, and when He took upon Himself human nature, He was still one with God. He is the link that unites God with humanity. {ST August 2, 1905, par. 10}
The terms of this oneness between God and man in the great covenant of redemption were arranged with Christ from all eternity. … The covenant of grace is not a new truth, for it existed in the mind of God from all eternity. This is why it is called the everlasting covenant. {ST August 24, 1891, par. 10}
After His inauguration, the Spirit came and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had from all eternity with the Father. {ST May 17, 1899, par. 3}
Ellen White used phrases like “from all eternity,” “from eternity,” "existed from eternity,” “from eternal ages,” “from the beginning,” “never was a time,” “everliving,” “Eternal Presence,” “Eternal Word,” “Everlasting Father,” “Eternal Son of God,” “Eternal Godhead,” “Eternal Wisdom,” “eternal throne,” “everlasting throne,” “from everlasting,” “from everlasting to everlasting,” “set up from everlasting,” “A life unreckoned by human computation or measured by figures,” “never a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God,” “in the presence of the Father from the beginning,” “who from the beginning was equal with the Father,” “Never-ending life that existed before the worlds were made,” “familiarity and ease of eternal habitude,” “One of the eternal dignitaries” and “uncreated Lord” to establish the “everlasting to everlasting” limitless nature of His existence.
As a self-existent Deity, Christ did not depend on any other entity to exist. His life was original, unborrowed and underived. It goes without saying, there was no birth!
John 1:4 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
John 2:19 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
John 10:17-18 "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
John 11:25 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:”
"In Jesus is our life derived. In Him is life that is original, unborrowed, underived life. In us there is a streamlet from the fountain of life. In Him is the fountain of life. Our life is something that we receive, something that the Giver takes back again to Himself. If our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall, when Christ shall appear, also appear with Him in glory. And while in this world, we will give to God, in sanctified service, all the capabilities He has given us." {Lt309-1905.7}
"Then a personal, self-existing God breathed into that form the breath of life, and man became a living, breathing, intelligent being. All parts of the human machinery were put in motion. The heart, the arteries, the veins, the tongue, the hands, the feet, the perceptions of the mind, the senses, were placed under physical law. It was then that man became a living soul." {Ms117-1898.9}
"Christ is equal with God, infinite and omnipotent. He could pay the ransom for man’s freedom. He is the eternal, self-existing Son, on whom no yoke had come; and when God asked, “Whom shall I send?” he could reply, “Here am I; send me.” He could pledge himself to become man’s surety; for he could say that which the highest angel could not say,—I have power over my own life, “power to lay it down, and ... power to take it again.” {YI June 21, 1900, par. 2}
The same can be said for Christ’s preexistence. He has always existed. Therefore, speaking of a time when He was born makes no sense.
John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.”
Revelation 19:13 "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God."
John 1:29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”
Revelation 13:8 “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
John 17:5 “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
John 17:24 “ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”
Colossians 1:17 “And he is before all things….”
"Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God.... In speaking of his pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him." — The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1900. {Ev 615.2}
"When Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple, he was only an infant of a few weeks. But he was also the Ancient of days, whose goings forth have been from of old, even from everlasting. He was indeed the long-expected Messiah, of whom the Jews had read, “The Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple.” To the Pharisees Christ afterward declared, “Before Abraham was, I am.” He is the head of an unchangeable priesthood, the only true high priest over the house of God." {Ms104-1900.10}
"But while God’s Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding his pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with his Father. From everlasting he was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted him, were to be blessed. “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God."
"He is the faithful and true Witness, “the beginning of the creation of God,” whose throne is of old, from everlasting. Behold Him, the mighty, uncreated Lord, the all-glorious Redeemer. Behold Him! waiting for your answer! Will you let Him in? Father, mother, children, God calls for your whole family. He wants you all. He cannot spare one of you. Will you listen to His pleading voice? He asks you, “Will you give me your hearts?” “Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price.” And what a price! “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.” Will you open the door and let Jesus in? He wants the heart, the soul, the service of father, mother, children united. “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.” {Lt185-1901.9}
"But while God’s Word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding his pre-existence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with his Father. From everlasting he was the Mediator of the covenant, the one in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted him, were to be blessed. “The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God." {RH April 5, 1906, par. 5}
"The world was made by him, “and without him was not anything made that was made.” If Christ made all things, he existed before all things. The words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore." {RH April 5, 1906, par. 6}
"The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by him as his right. This was no robbery of God. “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,” he declares, “before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth.” {RH April 5, 1906, par. 7}
"There are light and glory in the truth that Christ was one with the Father before the foundation of the world was laid. This is the light shining in a dark place, making it resplendent with divine, original glory. This truth, infinitely mysterious in itself, explains other mysterious and otherwise unexplainable truths, while it is enshrined in light, unapproachable and incomprehensible." {RH April 5, 1906, par. 8}
"With solemn dignity Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.” {DA 469.4} Silence fell upon the vast assembly. The name of God, given to Moses to express the idea of the eternal presence, had been claimed as His own by this Galilean Rabbi. He had announced Himself to be the self-existent One, He who had been promised to Israel, 'whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.' Micah 5:2, margin." {DA 469.5}
The following quote regarding meetings being held in New Zealand affirms our denomination's beliefs in the preexistence of Christ.
"An effort was made to obtain the use of the hall at a village four miles from Hastings [New Zealand], where some of our workers proposed to present the gospel to the people; but they did not succeed in obtaining the hall, because a school-teacher there opposed the truth, and declared to the people that Seventh-day Adventists did not believe in the divinity of Christ. This man may not have known what our faith is on this point, but he was not left in ignorance. He was informed that there is not a people on earth who hold more firmly to the truth of Christ’s pre-existence than do Seventh-day Adventists. But the answer was given that they did not want that the doctrines of Seventh-day Adventists should be promulgated in that community. So the door was closed." {RH December 5, 1893, par. 5}
John 3:16 (NKJV) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
John 3:16 (NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16 (RSV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16 (NASB20) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life."
John 3:16 would be better translated, "God's unique Son" or God's "one of a kind Son." As is explained below, the word "begotten" originated with the early Fathers of the Catholic Church.
Notice the following from the SDA Bible Commentary:
“The only begotten. Gr. monogenēs, from two words meaning “only” and “kind,” and thus properly translated “unique,” “only,” “only one of a kind.” As with the title Logos (see on v. 1), only John uses the word monogenēs of Christ (see John 1:18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). Absence of the definite article in the Greek either makes monogenēs indefinite, “an only one,” or makes it an expression of quality, in which case John would be saying, “glory as of an only one [who had come] from beside the Father.” This seems evidently the sense here. See on Luke 7:12; 8:42, where monogenēs is translated “only.” In Heb. 11:17 monogenēs is used of Isaac, who was by no means Abraham’s “only begotten,” or even his first-born. But he was the son of the promise, and as such, the one destined to succeed his father as heir to the birthright (Gen. 25:1–6; Gal. 4:22, 23). “Similarly in respect to the five texts in John’s writings of Christ, the translation should be one of the following: ‘unique,’ ‘precious,’ ‘only,’ ‘sole,’ ‘the only one of his kind,’ but not ‘only begotten’” (Problems in Bible Translation, p. 198). The translation “only begotten,” here and elsewhere, apparently originated with the early Fathers of the Catholic Church, and entered early English translations of the Bible under the influence of the Latin Vulgate, the official Bible of the Catholic Church. Accurately reflecting the Greek, various Old Latin manuscripts which antedate the Vulgate read “only” rather than “only begotten.” ... The idea that Christ was “begotten” by the Father at some time in eternity past is altogether foreign to the Scriptures.… Properly understood of Christ’s unique status as the Son of God, the word monogenēs distinguishes between Him and all others who, through faith in Him, are given “power to become the sons of God” (v. 12), and who are specifically declared to be “born … of God” (v. 13). Christ is, and always has been, very “God” (see on v. 1), and by virtue of this fact we “become the sons of God” when we receive Christ and believe on His name.” — SDA Bible Commentary
The following additional explanation, authored by Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, was found on the Biblical Research Institute website:
"Christ as God’s Monogenēs: When the term is used to describe Jesus, it simply means “unique,” or “one and only.” It describes the uniqueness of His nature: “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,…full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, NIV). There is no other like Him in that He came from the Father and possesses the glory of the Father. John 1:18 is particularly difficult because the manuscripts provide .at least two different textual variants. Some argue that the original text reads “only Son” and others that the original is “only God.” If one accepts “only God,” then monogenēs could refer to the uniqueness of Christ as God and as God’s means of revelation (cf. verse 14). If we accept the reading “only Son,” His uniqueness as a revealer of the Father would be emphasized.
Monogenēs also identifies Jesus as the only and unique means of salvation. John wrote, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV). The relationship between Christ and the Father is unique: He is God’s one and only Son, and He is God’s only means of salvation. The same is found in 1 John 4:9, where John wrote that the Father loved us and sent “his one and only [monogenēs] Son into the world that we might live through him” (NIV). God gave us the most precious gift He had, His only and unique Son to redeem us. Based on the root meaning of the term and the context in which it is used, one could suggest that the most probable translation is “unique, one and only." — Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, "John 3:16," (https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/john-316/, accessed June 30, 2021).
Hebrew and other classical cultures use filial terms —Father, Son, daughter for example — for non-biological relationships. Examples of this are found in the following texts:
1 Samuel 3:6 "And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again."
1 Samuel 4:16 "And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?"
1 Samuel 24:16 "And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept."
2 Kings 2:12 "And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces."
2 Kings 13:14 "Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof."
Matthew 9:22 "But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour."
I read a helpful explanation on this, in the International Journal of Frontier Missiology, on translating familial terms in the Bible:
"The Bible often uses social familial terms for fathers and sons that do not specify whether their relationship is biological or not. In English, the relational noun son signifies a filial relation with someone of any kind, whether it is the result of biological procreation or not. So a person can become a “son” to someone on the basis of procreation, adoption, marriage, or upbringing (a so-called “son of the family”). ... It is important to realize that to express divine familial relationships, the Bible uses Greek and Hebrew social familial terms that do not necessarily demand biological meanings. It presents God’s fatherhood of us in terms of his inclusion of us in his family and in his paternal care for us as his loved ones rather than in terms of siring us as biological offspring. In regard to sonship to God, the New Testament uses four different Greek familial terms for Jesus, and two for believers, all of which are terms for social sonship, so none of them imply that sons of God must be his biological offspring. Instead the terms allow for the different kinds of generation presented in the Bible. ... Many speakers of English have little familiarity with linguistic diversity, and this leads them to mistakenly assume that their English words and phrases must have look-alike counterparts in other languages, with the same meanings and the same frequencies of usage; they then assume that if an expression looks different in another language it must have a different meaning from the English. As a result, when they see literal back-translations into English of expressions used in a language different from English, they are disturbed when these differ from the expressions in their English Bible. The fact, however, is that there are usually semantic mismatches between many of the words in any two languages, especially if they are from different language families and different cultures, and translators often have to use phrases in the target language to express the intended meaning of a single- word term in the Greek or Hebrew text."— Rick Brown, Leith Gray, Andrea Gray, “A New Look at Translating Familial Biblical Terms,” International Journal of Frontier Missiology, July-September, 2011, vol. 28:3, (Pasadena, CA: International Student Leaders Coalition for Frontier Missions), 105-120.
As demonstrated in the texts and explained above, though some individuals assume "begotten" refers to a literal biological relationship in the far distant past, John 3:16 is not only poorly translated — "unique" or "one of a kind" should have been used, it also reflects Hebrew culture that uses familial terms for non-biological relationships.
Proverbs 8 is often cited when establishing the "birth" of Christ in the far distant past. Studying carefully, however, how Ellen White quotes Proverbs 8, we discover she only quotes from those passages that speak of Christ’s forever existence. She also often quotes John 1:1, Micah 5:2 when quoting from Proverbs 8. Here are four times when she actually quotes Proverbs 8. I am not sure she quotes from Proverbs 8 many more times.
Notice the word “co-worker” in the the quote that follows. Notice as well that she references John 1:1, Micah 5:2 and Prov. 8 — all of which speak of the eternal existence of Christ. The "Proverbs" section is exactly as it was published, her choosing portions of verses that point to the eternal duration of the Father and Christ’s relationship.
"The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate—a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, in character, in purpose—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6. His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting.... When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” Proverbs 8:22-30." {PP 34.1}
Notice all the references here point to the eternal existence of Christ that are associated with her quoting portions of Prov. 8:22-30.
“Before Abraham was, I am.” Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God. The message He gave to Moses to give to the children of Israel was, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” The prophet Micah writes of Him, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, tho thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of Thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” {ST August 29, 1900, par. 13}
"Through Solomon Christ declared: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth.... When He gave to the sea His decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment; when He appointed the foundations of the earth; then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” {ST August 29, 1900, par. 14}
"In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him." {ST August 29, 1900, par. 15}
Here we find "from eternity," "set up from everlasting," "from the beginning."
"The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by him as his right. This was no robbery of God. “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way,” he declares, “before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth.” {RH April 5, 1906, par. 7}
In the next quotation, which comes from a manuscript dated 1898, she begins the article with a series of Bible verses on the eternal life of Christ. When she quotes from Proverbs 8, she again chooses the verses that speak of the eternal duration of Christ life: “In the beginning of His way,” “by Him,” “with Him.”
“Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” [Isaiah 9:6.] What is John’s testimony regarding Christ? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” [John 1:1-4, 14.] {Ms37-1898.1} … Who is this that was to come to our world and become incarnate? The only begotten Son of God. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death.” [Hebrews 2:14.] “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old,” Christ says. “When he gave to the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: Then was I by Him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” [Proverbs 8:22, 29, 30.] But Christ humbled Himself to come to this earth. This was the hiding of His glory." {Ms37-1898.13}
Eugene Prewitt wrote the following very helpful comments on Proverbs 8, especially pointing out the pain of birth could have only come after the fall! This is somewhat biographical but exceedingly helpful!
"The antitrinitarian movement that has grown to such large proportions in the last decade, existed 30 years ago also. It was one Mr. Scott Stanley, who had formerly been one of my work supervisors in academy, who approached me in 1990, with his strain of the message. Scott explained that there had been two (from the first page of Patriarchs and Prophets) in the Godhead, the Father and the Son. He explained that an ambitious angel, a ministering spirit, aspired to join that two-some and to make a trinity. He gave me quite a Bible study on this as my young mind tried to wrap itself around the ideas he was presenting. A prominent passage in his Bible study was Proverbs 8. There, he showed me, was the record of Jesus being born to the Father before the creation of the world. These were the two key verses: Pro 8:24 '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.' My teacher showed me convincingly that this was speaking of Jesus. And he showed that the Hebrew word for “brought forth” means “to be born.” In the following verse it is rendered 'calve.' Job 39:1 'Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?' I left that study shaken up. I went home, prayed earnestly for light, and studied as earnestly as I had prayed. Here is what I found: (1) First, the Hebrew word 'khool' doesn’t mean 'give birth.' Rather, it means 'to twist or twirl' or to 'writhe.' It is the latter meaning that lends itself to the pain involved in child bearing. The word also has a figurative meaning, 'to wait.' And that is how it is used first in scripture. 'Khool' is rendered 'stayed' in the following verse. Gen 8:10 'And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;' (2) A little more study convinced me that writhing in pain could not describe any birth prior to the curse, for that is when pain became part of birth." — Eugene Prewitt (Bible Docs.org)
Dr. Davidson is a professor at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary.
Citing (1) Wisdom’s self-praise reserved for deity—in this case YHWH’s: Prov. 8:7,16-18 “My mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. … I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me, … I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment” and (2) the role of Co-Creator: Prov. 8:27 “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth … then I was beside him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him,....” (Also see Prov. 30:4 & Col. 1:15-16) Dr. Davidson points out that Proverbs 8:22-25 speaks of an installation — “I have been established/installed from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.” — into a new Sonship role of Mediator as described in Prov. 8:31: “Rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men.”
He concludes: "According to Prov. 8, at the beginning of creation, we find a situation of equal members of the Godhead as Co-creators. There is no reference to a time before which One of the Members of the Godhead did not exist, nor a reference to the eternal subordination of One Member of the Godhead to Another Member. Rather, there is described a time, before the creation of the universe, when, presumably by mutual consent, one Person of the Godhead is “installed” in a role of Mediator.” — Richard Davidson, “Proverbs 8 and the Place of Christ,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/1 (Spring 2006): 1-3. (Collegedale, TN: Adventist Theological Society, 2006), 33-54).
I found another more technical summary in a footnote of his paper on the Holy Spirit that I include to make sure I am not misrepresenting what he had to say on the subject:
“According to Prov 8, at the beginning of creation, we find a situation of equal members of the Godhead. Presumably by mutual consent, one Person of the Godhead is “installed” (nsk III) in a work of Mediator. While the Person we call the Father continued to represent the transcendent nature of the Godhead, the Person we know as the Son condescended to represent the immanent aspect of divinity, coming close to His creation, mediating between infinity and finitude, even before sin. This is not a subordination of the Son to the Father, but a voluntary condescension to be installed into a mediatorial work, representing the divine love in an immanent way to his inhabited universe.” We could extend this to the work of the Holy Spirit, representing divine love in (among other works) indwelling his creatures." — Davidson, "The Nature and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Pentateuch" (2016) https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/862. Faculty Publications. 862.
There are quotes that speak of His Sonship. Regarding how the title came to be used, we have few answers. Many Bible students believe it was an adopted incarnational title that instructs on the kind of relationship that God wants to have with us. Here are some key quotes.
We are not told how the title came to be, but we are assured He was from "all eternity."
"Christ is declared in the Scriptures to be the Son of God. From all eternity He has sustained this relation to Jehovah. Before the foundations of the world were laid, He, the only begotten Son of God, pledged Himself to become the Redeemer of the human race should men sin. Adam fell, and He, who was partaker of the Father’s glory before the world was, laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and stepped down from His high authority to become a babe in Bethlehem, that He might redeem fallen human beings by passing over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell. He subjected Himself to the temptations that Satan brings against men and women, and not all the assaults of the enemy could make Him swerve from His loyalty to the Father. By a sinless life, He testified that every son and daughter of Adam can resist the temptations of the one who first brought sin into the world." {Ms22-1905.4}
"Christ brought men and women power to overcome. He came to this world in human form, to live a man among men. He assumed the liabilities of human nature, to be proved and tried. In His humanity He was a partaker of the divine nature. In His incarnation he gained in a new sense the title of the Son of God. Said the angel to Mary, “The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” [Luke 1:35.] While the son of a human being, Christ became the Son of God in a new sense. Thus He stood in our world—the Son of God, yet allying Himself by birth to the human race." {Ms22-1905.5}]
"A complete offering has been made; for “God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,”—not a son by creation, as were the angels, nor a son by adoption, as is the forgiven sinner, but a Son begotten in the express image of the Father’s person, and in all the brightness of his majesty and glory, one equal with God in authority, dignity, and divine perfection. In him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." {ST May 30, 1895, par. 3} John said, “We have seen, and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” The Son of God took upon him human nature,—“the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” “God was manifest in the flesh.” The union of divinity with humanity brings to the fallen race a value which we scarcely comprehend. The human and the divine were united in Christ, in order that he might represent those who should believe in him. He took our nature, and passed through our experiences, and as our representative he assumed our responsibilities. ..." {ST May 30, 1895, par. 4}
The description of Chris's work that follows "Son begotten," describes Christ's incarnational mission to perfectly represent the Father. That birth, described as "Son begotten," is the very real birth that took place with Mary through the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit, and gained Christ the title "Son of God" in a new sense, as expressed in an earlier quote in this section. This quote does not speak of a birth that took place in the far distant past.
The work of Christ was not a divided heart service. Christ came not to do His own will but the will of Him that sent Him. Jesus says, Step in the footprints of my Sonship in all obedience. I obey as in partnership with the great firm. You are to obey as in co-partnership with the Son of God. Often you will not see the path clearly; then ask of God, and He will give you wisdom and courage and faith to move forward, leaving all issues with Him. {Lt69-1897.28}
Divine sonship is not something that we may gain of ourselves. Only to those who receive Christ as their Saviour is given the power to become sons and daughters of God. The sinner can not, by any power of his own, rid himself of sin. For the accomplishment of this result, he must look to a higher Power. John exclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Christ alone has power to cleanse the heart. He who is seeking for forgiveness and acceptance can say only, {RH September 3, 1903, par. 4}
The Lord Jesus is teaching every soul to step in the sonship of His obedience in humanity, not as a hard duty, but as sons of God, in oneness with the Son in the Father. This obedience in oneness with Christ will make the path of obedience pleasant, for we shall be walking in Christ’s foot prints. We shall follow where our Saviour leads the way. We may not always see a clear path for our feet, but we can follow in His footsteps, knowing that His example is right. We can leave all the issues with Him. And in this close following, we help others by our example. {Lt48-1898.6}
When Christ wanted to encourage the disciples in the waning days of His ministry, He encouraged them to pray to the Father. Later Christ spoke to Mary Magdalene about His Father and her Father. The use of these familial terms were not coincidental. They spoke to the desires of the three Heavenly Dignitaries to create Humankind in their image so that there could be a close intimate relationship between the Sovereigns and the Redeemed! Had Christ described His Father as the Sovereign of the Universe, or the Ancient of Days, they may well have been intimidated. We are invited to enjoy the same close relationship with God in our day.
Matthew 6:9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."
John 20:16-18 "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
Romans 8:15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
Ty looks at the Godhead in the broader context!
As the eternal, self-existent Deity and Divine Saviour, Christ has existed from all eternity. There has never been a time when He did not exist and life resided in Himself. Therefore a birth in the far distant past has never been possible.
The "begotten" of John should have been translated as "only unique" or "only one-of-a-kind." It has nothing to do with birth.
Proverbs 8 though often misunderstood, individuals attempting to establish Christ's birth, refers to the wisdom of YHWH, co-creatorship, joy in serving and installation into a mediatorial role. The word denoting birth speaks of a painful birth and would have accordingly come after the fall. Beyond that Ellen White always quoted the "eternal" sections of Proverbs 8.
Non-biological relationships were often described with filial terms.
The instructive specific quotes dealing with His being the Son of God refer to His incarnational birth.
Though Christ is described as a "Son," there is incontrovertible evidence He is not a literal son.
Be sure to read the study on the Eternal Existence of Christ!