Proverbs 8:22-31 Was Jesus created by God?

Question

The JWs claim that the person identified as " wisdom" in Proverbs 8:22-31 is Jesus. Since wisdom is said to be created ( v.24 ), this means Jesus was created being.

" He was very special person because he was created by God before all other things. ...For countless billions of years, before even physical universe was created, Jesus lived as a spirit person in heaven and enjoyed intimate fellowship with his Father, Jehovah God, the Grand Greator. - Proverbs 8:22" ( The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991,11 )

Answer 1

I won't attempt a detailed answer. The text you cite was used by the Arians as a proof-text that Jesus was not God. Arianism was a popular heresy in the fourth and fifth centuries (roughly 300-500 A.D.) that at times was held by a majority of Christians, I believe. I am not going to attempt here to trace the arguments and refute Arianism. Out of the struggle with Arianism came the Nicene Creed (325 and some refinements in 381). All Christian churches I am aware of, including Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox, accept the Nicene Creed in one of its forms. It states the basic Christian belief that God is the Trinity -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Arians denied this.

So this particular Jehovah's Witness claim appears to be a new instance of an old heresy. It is actually extremely hard to come up with a new heresy -- all the variations have been tried and argued out, centuries ago.

The passage you cite is important to Jews and Christians because it is one of several important Biblical places that talk about Wisdom. Wisdom literature was an important component of Hebrew scripture. The main cathedral in the capital of the Byzantine Empire was called "Holy Wisdom."

I have included below links to wikipedia articles on Arianism, the Nicene Creed, Wisdom, and Sophiology. Sophiology is an Eastern Orthodox theological movement or thread that focuses on "Sophia" or "wisdom" and the passage you gave is an important text in this study. I wrote an informal, almost silly article on the passage for my parish newsletter; I have added the URL below also.

So, to sum up: The passage cited by the Jehova's Witnesses is an important passage cited in the same way, with the same conclusions, by the Arians 1600 years ago. The dispute over the nature of Jesus led to the definitive statement of Christian belief, the Nicene Creed. The passage is also important because it talks about God's wisdom, which has been an important topic for both Jews and Christians.

Answer 2

PROVERBS 8:22: - 22 “Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago . The Hebrew word for produced/possessed (qanah – Strongs’ dictionary defines it as “erect, that is, create”.
Is the wisdom talked about in Prov 8 the LITERAL wisdom of God. No, because God has always wisdom. God’s wisdom has no beginning. If this is not the literal wisdom then it is the FIGURATIVE Wisdom. 1 Cor 1:24 states that “, Christ the power of God and the WISDOM of God.” So the Bible tells us that Jesus is the Wisdom of God, therefore we can relate that to Prov 8.
Prov 8:22 & 24 used the words produced/created (qanah) & brought forth/formed (chul See Deut 32:18) . These words describe that the figurative Wisdom of God (Christ) was CREATED/FORMED.
Well, one might say, the word “Wisdom” used in Prov 8 is in feminine form, therefore it can’t be Jesus. As I’ve said, the word “wisdom” in Prov 8 is figurative not the literal “wisdom” of God. 1 Pet 2:8 called Jesus the rock-mass (Greek petra which is also in feminine form), that doesn’t mean that Jesus is a woman.

Answer 3

GOD is the Creator, Jesus is the CREATION.

Isa Al Masih(Jesus the Messiah)(PBUH) said:"And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him Alone. That is the Straight Path"

Allah says: ‘And there is none of the people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians], but must believe in him (Jesus), son of Maryam [Mary], as ONLY a Messenger of Allah and a human being, before his (Jesus) or a Jew’s or a Christian’s death [at the time of the appearance of the angel of death]. And on the Day of Resurrection, he (Jesus) will be a witness AGAINST them’ (4:159)

The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Mary) was a Siddiqah (she believed in the Words of Allah, and His Books. They both used to eat food, as any other human being, while Allah does not eat). Look how We made the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away from the truth. (Ch 5:72-75 Quran) And Almighty Allah ordered: And say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has not begotten a son (nor an offspring), and Who has no partner in His Dominion, nor He is low to have a Wali (helper, protector, or supporter). And magnify Him with all the magnificence, (Allahu-Akbar, Allah is the Most Great)." (Ch 17:111 Quran)

Answer 4

Yes.

Jehovah's Witnesses have long recognized Jesus as "the master worker" who personifies Wisdom, as mentioned at Proverbs 8:30.

However, Jehovah's Witnesses certainly do not rely upon merely one single verse to understand that Jesus was created.

Answer 5

Of course he was created by God, Jesus is the Son of GOd he was already sitting on his Father's right hand when he created the earth. That means 2 spiritual beings

Answer 6

Not a JW here, but:

Rev 3:14 And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the

beginning of the creation of Yahweh: <<<< CREATED

Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible Yahweh, the firstborn of every

creature: <<<< a "CREATURE" is created.

There are plenty more.

Answer 7

I would think that wisdom, already being a characteristic of God, would have no need to be created. Did love have to be created also, or did God already possess that too.

Note also that in this same chapter in the first verse it says:

1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?

It says her voice, not his voice. I think we have to be very careful in interpreting scripture and understanding its full intent.

Answer 8

Jesus is God. It's all apart of the very advanced concept of the Blessed Trinity; Three Persons in One God- The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Even a lot of people in the Christian religion don't understand it.

Answer 9

I dunno where you got that from, but. In the bible, it says that god is jesus. jesus is the holy spirit. the holy spirit is god. and yea, its the trinity. It is also responsible for the bunch of annoying churches with different beliefs, such as one believing that there is god and just that, while others believe in the trinity.

Answer 10

See Biblical evidence for the deity of Christ at
http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/jdeity.html