Comments on: FOUNDATIONS: The Apprehension of Truth

By: Joseph Herrin

Joseph Herrin — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 21:23:11 +0000

Hello Mark,

One point that I stressed in the recent series "Yahweh's Book" is that not only our Bibles, but the Bible study resources available for Christians, are to a very great degree influenced by the doctrinal beliefs of the men who produced them. I believe James Strong was a man of integrity, but he was also influenced by his doctrinal upbringing.

James Strong was a Methodist who attended college at Wesleyan University which was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church. He eventually earned a Doctor of Divinity degree from this Methodist Episcopal Institution. James Strong later served as a professor at a Methodist school (Drew University).

I believe it is reasonable to conclude that the influence of Methodist and Episcopal beliefs had an influence on his doctrinal beliefs and are reflected in his Bible study resources.

By: mark.st

mark.st — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 20:46:04 +0000

Hi Joseph. Thanks again for another educating post but yet again it has left me in awe and with more questions. Concerning the term 1st-Born (Col 1:15). I did a Strongs analysis of the word for 1st-born which is the greek word prototokos.

However Strong in his commentary adds that this does not indicate that Christ is the 1st to be born, but rather it means his superiority over all creation. Strong then links to exodus 4:22, where God calls Israel his firstborn(1060) and likens the relation to a first born child which inherits a x2 portion. I think Strong is trying to say that Christ like the 1st-born of a family (creation).

Do you think Strong had a hard time accepting the notion that Jesus had a beginning?

By: Brisr

Brisr — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 22:19:49 +0000

I also looked at this Scripture from Heb 1:3 "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person,…". That word express means an exact copy or representation in the Greek (Strong's #5481). So Christ was born, is an exact representation of the Father. Jesus said in John 14:9 ".. he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;…". So Christ has a distinct beginning.
However, the problem lies with Christ's nature and Spirit being that of the Father which is eternal. Christ is exact. DNA testing would show no difference at all (if one could do such a thing). So even though His Sonship has a distinct beginning, nothing else is different. It's like Christ and even the Holy Spirit are an extension of the Father. Equal but distinct in identity.
So there could be a debate on the existence of Christ before His first birth. But to be honest, it would end up being a mess, and become rather unfruitful. I'm sure every generation that has been able, has debated this to death.

God Bless brother.