Pre-existence of Christ
The pre-existence of Christ asserts the existence of Christ prior to his incarnation as Jesus. One of the relevant Bible passages is John 1:1–18 where, in the Trinitarian interpretation, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis (substantive reality) called the Logos (Koine Greek for "word"). There are nontrinitarian views that question the aspect of personal pre-existence, the aspect of divinity, or both.
More particularly, John 1:15, 18 says:
This doctrine is supported in John 17:5 when Jesus refers to the glory that he had with the Father "before the world existed" during the Farewell Discourse.[2] John 17:24 also refers to the Father loving Jesus "before the foundation of the world".[2] Ephesians 1:4–5,[3] 2 Corinthians 8:9, Galatians 4:4 and Colossians 1:15–17 show that Paul knew the preexistence of Christ.[4]
The pre-existence of Christ is affirmed at the Beginning of the Nicene Creed.[5]
Manichaeism[edit]
A clear idea of Christ's pre-existence is given in Manichaean thought, where he is conferred the name Jesus the Splendour. Considered a divine being, he was believed to have been the entity to lead Adam into eating from the Tree of Knowledge instead of the Devil (AKA Prince of Darkness) who, according to Manichaeism, actually wanted humanity to stay away from it so they would remain trapped in matter and never find gnosis. Likewise, Manichaeans associated Christ with the Tree of Life and saw him as a holy emanation of the Father of Greatness.[16]
Denial of the doctrine[edit]
Throughout history there have been various groups and individuals believing that Jesus' existence began when he was conceived.[33] Those who consider themselves Christians while denying the pre-existence of Christ can be broadly divided into two streams.
First, there are those who nevertheless accept the virgin birth. This includes Socinians,[34] and early Unitarians such as John Biddle,[35] and Nathaniel Lardner.[36] Today the view is primarily held by Christadelphians.[37] These groups typically consider that Christ is prophesied and foreshadowed in the Old Testament, but did not exist prior to his birth.[38]
Second, there are those who also deny the virgin birth. This includes Ebionites and later Unitarians, such as Joseph Priestley,[39][40][41] and Thomas Jefferson.[42][43] This view is often described as adoptionism, and in the 19th century was also called psilanthropism. Samuel Taylor Coleridge described himself as having once been a psilanthropist, believing Jesus to be the "real son of Joseph."[44] Friedrich Schleiermacher, sometimes called "the father of liberal theology",[45] was one of many German theologians who departed from the idea of personal ontological pre-existence of Christ, teaching that "Christ was not God but was created as the ideal and perfect man whose sinlessness constituted his divinity."[45] Similarly, Albrecht Ritschl rejected the pre-existence of Christ, asserting that Christ was the "Son of God" only in the sense that "God had revealed himself in Christ"[45] and Christ "accomplished a religious and ethical work in us which only God could have done."[45] Later, Rudolf Bultmann described the pre-existence of Christ as "not only irrational but utterly meaningless."[46]