Is Jesus created? Yes | God's Wisdom, Beginning of creation & Firstborn of creation (NWT)

Is Jesus a created being? What does the Bible and other evidence say? This video defends the New World Translation printed by Jehovah's Witnesses, which shows clearly that Jesus was created and had a beginning. This video presentation examines Jesus being God's Wisdom (Proverbs 8:22), Jesus being the Beginning of the Creation (Revelation 3:14) and the Firstborn of Creation (Colossians 1:15). Included are defences of common objections as well as explanations of John 1:3 and Micah 5:2 and commentaries from the early church Fathers.

For links and references please see the pinned comment below.

This defends the position that Jesus was created against a view of the Trinity that says Jesus was eternal.

Contents:
0:00 - Introduction
01:16 - God's Wisdom
04:41 - Early Church Fathers on God's Wisdom
09:09 - Beginning of the creation
13:10 - Firstborn of all creation
20:12 - Firstborn vs first created
22:37 - Jesus' role in creation
24:08 - John 1:3
28:15 - Other evidence for Jesus' creation

[nwtdefended]

LINKS AND SOURCES




Additional Reading:

Image credits:
LXX manuscripts:

[lyricaltraveller]

All things came into existence "through him". This fits in line with what Proverbs states about Jesus being wisdom personified, when later it has Jesus stating that "I was a MASTER WORKER, I being glad before him (Jehovah) all the time."

[faithreasons]

It takes a lot of time and effort to produce these videos. Thank you for your hard work in doing the research and sharing it in the form of these videos. May Jehovah bless your efforts, may you remain humble and true to the faith. 🙏🙂

[lyricaltraveller]

When the bible says that David is the firstborn over all the other kings, it is referring to him being the first in the line of Davidic Kings ending with Jesus, who was a descendant of his and who becomes King of God's Kingdom that Jehovah sets on the thrown just as he did David.

[STROND]

In all the writings of John you will find that he never uses arkhe (arch) to mean "ruler" but, more properly, always uses arkhon (arcwn). If you will check the New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1981), you will find that even the very trinitarian New American Standard Bible (NASB) never translates John's uses of arkhe as "ruler" but does translate arkhon for "ruler" eight times: John 3:1; 7:26; 7:48; 12:31; 12:42; 14:30; 16:11; and Rev. 1:5. Not only is this word (arkhon) always used with the meaning of "ruler" by John, but it is the only word he uses for "ruler"!

Notice that the only use of "ruler" in Revelation by John, is, of course, arkhon: "from Jesus Christ, ... the first-born of the dead, and the ruler [arkhon] of the kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5, NASB, cf. ASV, JB, NEB, NAB, NIV, GNB (TEV), ETRV, and Barclay's translation). And it is highly significant that it is applied to Jesus in a way that most likely would have been duplicated at Rev. 3:14 if he had also meant "ruler" to describe himself there.

THE NWT RENDERING OF REV. 3:14
Certain anti-Watchtower writers have condemned the NWT rendering of the genitive noun theou (qeou) at Rev. 3:14 ("the creation by God"). This genitive noun, like most genitives, can be (and usually is) translated with the word "of" preceding it. Therefore, theou is usually translated "of God."

So, at Rev. 3:14, most translations read: "the beginning of the creation of God." Certainly this is a grammatically correct translation, but it does allow a possible ambiguity. Grammatically, "the creation of God" could mean: "the creation belonging to (possessive) God, " or "everything created by God, " or even, "God Himself being created"!

For example, notice how the genitive noun at Acts 1:22 causes difficulties with its usual rendering of "baptism of John." This rendering could lead some readers to believe that John's own baptism (by some other baptizer) is being spoken of here. Instead, many (if not all) Bible scholars believe the intended meaning here is a baptism performed by John![10]

Therefore, some respected trinitarian translations have used the equally honest (and much clearer, in this case) rendering of "baptism by John" (or its clear equivalent): Living Bible, Jerusalem Bible, NJB, Phillips, REB, CBW, NLV, and Rotherham.

Also notice that the genitive form of "Jesus Christ" at Rev. 1:1 can be properly rendered as "by Jesus Christ" (rather than "of Jesus Christ"): Mo; AT; Beck's New Testament in the Language of Today, 1964; NLV. Also see p. 236 in Zondervan's So Many Versions?, 1983 ed.

[djmaydraws]

A lot of the second century theologians like Martyr, Novatian and Tertullian comment extensively on Jesus being created as the beginning of God’s works. They also liberally refer to him as Angel.

[STROND]

Also remember that the apostle Paul said about Jesus that "he is the wisdom of God"

[MrMrTyree]

@1:40 the response to the first objection doesn't suffice IMO. So I hope you can clarify, because it's a point I struggle with. If Wisdom is Jesus, and Wisdom was created, then God at some point had no Wisdom. Your response is that there is no biblical evidence to suggest God lacked wisdom, and then you share Job 36:4. This doesn't really address the issue though, it's a what aboutism.

For the sake of sound reason, you would have to agree that with one of these propositions:

1. Wisdom is Jesus
2. Wisdom was created
3. God at some point had no Wisdom

OR

1. Wisdom is Jesus
2. Wisdom is eternal
3. God always has Wisdom

Thanks in advance brother, the video is really well done too!

[thambone]

In John Patrick's works about Clement of Alexandria ( c. 150 – c. 215 AD) he wrote:

“Clement repeatedly identifies the Word with the Wisdom of God, and yet he refers to Wisdom as the first-created of God; while in one passage he attaches the epithet ‘First-created, ’ and in another ‘First-begotten, ’ to the Word. But this seems to be rather a question of language than a question of doctrine. At a later date a sharp distinction was drawn between ‘first-created’ and ‘first-born’ or ‘first-begotten, ’ but no such distinction was drawn in the time of Clement.” (Clement of Alexandria), p. 103

[Tinkeringwithaistories]

You are definitely well school and all that I have seen is very enlightening. An article on the 2 resurrections would be most appreciated

[MathewThomasFET]

How would you explain Rev. 1:8 and Rev. 22:13? Who is speaking in both these verses ❓

[gustavmahler]

The Lord by WISDOM hath founded the earth Proverbs 3:19 KJV

[firehose]

Please explain Revelation 1:17, 18 and Revelation 22:13. These verses are speaking of Jesus as the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last.

[wapperjaw]

TU on the video! Watched all 3 you have posted and look forward to more. Got to watch-out for those Trinitarians, LOL … I remember a time a few tried to trick … it went like this ...

*Trinitarian:* prototokos does not mean firstborn of creation.
*JW (me):* I said, “you got to be kidding me, right?
*Trinitarian:* He said what do you mean and repeated, (pro·toʹto·kos) does not mean firstborn of creation.
*JW (me):* I asked him are you trying to confuse me, or are you confused as to the meaning of prototokos?
*Trinitarian:* He said, “I know what it prototokos means.”
*JW (me):* I said, “OK, if you know what it means then it appears you're trying to trick me, and using trickery of words is unscriptural, and just plain wrong.”
*Trinitarian:* Claims he’s not trying to use trickery.
*JW (me):* I said, “you are correct, prototokos does not mean firstborn of creation … it simply means firstborn.”
*Trinitarian:* Looks somewhat confused but at the same time smiled, thinking he made his point.
*JW (me):* But then I said, “it’s the Greek word ktisis that means creature or creation, thus it's the context that tell us Jesus is firstborn of creation.

[Jlmapologist]

Great Explanation Brother ! Really Good also If you have any other social media we can get in contact that would be amazing ! Im also a Jw Apologist and its rare to find many Jw Apologist who are into Theology and Of course apologetics

[TheVelvetteButterfly]

If Jesus is wisdom then who is prudence? Wisdom dwells with prudence.

[MrZeuqsav]

Col, 1:15-18, lets name the things that are on earth, and the things that are visible, lordship, /governments/authorities, these mentioned things were created by him (Jesus) and for him (Jesus) according to trinitarians, now, what government in this earth really for him(Jesus)? And what are these things that exclusively for him Jesus only, ?

[BadHistory-gijw]

Revelation 22 verse I forgot "I am alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beggining and the end" that was also sais in Revelation 1 but I sisnt want to use it as it said "said Jehova God" which can show inconsistency in NWT.And Inspiring Philosophy responded to arguments you used years ago.Also for some of your arguments we need to assume that nwt is right.May God bless you.Amen.

[JasonJacksonJames]

Thank you for the video. I found your channel from a blog by a certain "Elijah Daniels" who also defends the JW faith, I don't know if you are the same brother but anyways great research !

[r.e.]

Very BEAUTIFUL DEEP research!!!! Thank you and PLEASE KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!😇👍