Before the Ages of All Ages

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The Glorious Feast of the Holy Nativity commemorates the birth of the Infant Child, Jesus, who was in existence before all the ages. His being before all beginnings verifies the Lord Jesus Christ's omniscience, His perpetual "I am" from everlasting to everlasting. Micah the prophet proclaimed:

"'But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.'" (Micah 5:2).

It is important to understand that the Glorious Nativity ushered to our world, Christ the Child who existed before all the creations and all the ages; before the sun, moon, and stars were created.

Justin Martyr (C. 160) explains before the ages of all ages means that the Lord Jesus Christ existed from the beginning of all things. "The Lord created me the beginning of His ways for His works. From everlasting He established me in the beginning; before He formed the earth...You perceive that the Scripture has declared that this Offspring was begotten by the Father before all things created. Now, everyone will admit that He who is begotten is numerically distinct from Him who begets."

It is worthy to note in the Holy Old Testament Book of Genesis that God used the plural form of the words, "let Us", not "let Me" when speaking concerning creation.

"For with Him were always present the Word and Wisdom, the Son and the Spirit, by whom and in whom, freely and spontaneously, He made all things. He speaks to this one, saying "Let US make man after OUR image and likeness..." (Irenaeus c. 180). I have largely demonstrated that the Word, namely the Son, was always with the Father.

St. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195) confirms this by simply stating, "Solomon also says that before the heavens, earth, and all existences, Wisdom had arisen in the Almighty."

The Lord Jesus Christ was before the patriarch Abraham. St. John in his Holy Gospel (8:58) confirms this by quoting a declaration from the Lord Himself...

"Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.'" (John 8:58).

"I AM" is a name of God inspirationally written in the Old Testament, first revealed to Moses at the burning bush. St. John used this same reference to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ as God.

Our Savior is also the "Light of the world." He not only is associated with the creation of light, but is the "Light of life". God is the source of this uncreated life-giving light. It is written in the Holy Gospel of St. John (8:12)...

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'"(John 8:12).

St. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195) succinctly states, "God the Word Incarnate is intellectual Light."

The birth of our Lord did not herald the birth of a male Jewish heir; but it gave forth a timeless, Creator, in co-existence with God the Father. The Word, the Logos was in the Father and of the essence of the Father. Just as it is important to understand the virginal conception of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is also important to understand the essence of who was born on the glorious night of the Holy Nativity.

Alexander of Alexandria wrote:

"How can He be made of things that are not, when the Father says, 'My heart belched forth a good Word?' And, 'from the womb, before the morning, I have begotten you? Or how can He be unlike the substance of the Father—He who is the perfect image and brightness of the Father and who says, 'He that has seen Me has seen the Father?'' Furthermore, if the Son is the Word, Wisdom, and Reason of God, how can there be a time when He was not? It is the same as if they said there was a time when God was without reason and wisdom" (Alexander of Alexandria c. 324).

This time of the Nativity is the time for all of those who recite the Nicene Creed, to understand and reflect upon the true meaning of the phrase "the Son is begotten of the Father".

"We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of the God, Begotten of the Father, before all ages, Light of Light, True God or True God, Begotten not created..." (Nicene Creed).

It is important to remember that the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ was a glorious revelation of Him as God, Co creator, the Everlasting, and the Great I AM victorious, triumphant and Master over death. The baby in the manger co-existed with and was of substance with God the Father. The Son of St. Mary was the Wisdom, the Word, and the Reason with the Father.

Truly the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father.

During this Glorious Feast of the Nativity may we all be ever mindful of the Honored Birth of the Son of God and His eternal relationship with the Father,

Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States