The KJV says:
The NIV says:
The NLT says:
The Message says:
The NASB says:
If I'm reading the passages correctly (Big If) it seems that Christ is not an eternal being, but rather an everlasting being. So, does Christ have a definite beginning? Did He himself originate from the Father? If this has been discussed before, my apologies.
ATTN Theologians: Psalm 2:7
Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Ivon Denosovich, Jan 25, 2008.
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Jesus and the Father are one, they are inseparable in their being, their exsistance. God/Jesus/Holy Spirit have always existed ( as one), and will always exist.
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This verse comes up in the NT a few times. In one of Paul's sermons, he links the timing of this declaration with the Resurrection (Acts 13:33).
Some church fathers, like Cyril interpreted "today" in this text as eternal, before all the ages.
However, you're confusing issues by talking as if eternal and originate are mutually exclusive. The pro-Nicenes defended Christ's eternal generation from the Father with the Father as the cause of Christ. This causal relationship only applies to the Persons' modes of being (how they are) not essence (what they are), so they are equal. I could be reading too much in your usage of "originate" though. -
What I mean by "origin" is that God literally (at a specific point in time) created Christ as a separate being from himself. I don't see how the two are one.
ETA: How is it that "eternal" and "originate" are not mutually exclusive? -
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Verses from Acts 13:
Btw, the wording of Psalm 2:7 reminds me of John 3:16 in the sense that God is credited with Christ's existence. -
Hello again Ivon,
You're questions are reasonable and fine. I think if we compare what Paul writes in Romans 1:3 about this, then Paul is saying that Jesus was proclaimed as God's Son in power by the Resurrection. Some people, though, argue differently (I won't go into that here).
The orthodox view of eternal generation is that the Father is the cause of the Son by begetting Him. However, begotten is not the same as created or made (as the Nicene definition states). Thus, when the Bible says that "God" (using the word as a shorthand for the Father) is credited with Christ's existence, it is true. But this does not have to mean that there was a time when the Son was not. This also does not mean that the Son is inferior to the Father as to "whatness."
Here are two links you may find helpful:
This first is from Athanasius's defense of the Nicene definition that explains some of the terms (like "begotten not made")
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf204.xiv.ii.iii.html
The second is a famous letter from Gregory of Nyssa to Ablabius that explains the causal relationship between the divine Persons
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf205.viii.v.html
The eternal generation doctrine is difficult and some evangelicals today have wanted to discard it, but I think it is proper, biblical, and is almost an essential part of a proper doctrine of the Trinity. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.
Seminary can be helpful, but I am still a learner in many things. -
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The way I have understood this passage is that it speaks literally of David and is a typology of Christ.
Here's some Jewish perspectives of Ps 2:7:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/m.sion/ps2mesin.htm
Many times the choice remains with which rabbinic order to follow, but it seems they all end up at the same conclusion; The Messiah is here spoken about. -
Part of the confusion is over the term "begotten." As pointed out above, it does not necessarily mean created.
No orthodox theologian ever questioned whether Jesus was eternal, but some did question whether he was a "son" prior to being "begotten."
I take it begotten merely means to come from, but I haven't done a word study on it.