But in the phrasiology that he uses in the Greek verb existen he is giving to us a word which means sending out from a previous state. He was sent out from a previous state. And what Paul is doing here in a very unworkedout way is making sure that those who read his letter understand that the life of Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem.

That Jesus did not all of a sudden come into existence when he was born as a baby. thereby making him different from anyone else. When our children ask us where was I before I was born, the answer is you did not exist before you were born. But for someone to ask that question of Jesus would demand a different answer, wouldn’t it? You have that actually when Jesus is being interrogated by Pilate in John chapter 19 and and Pilate says to him, “Where did you come from?” You remember that? And it says, John says,

“And Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate could never have got his head around it. He could never have understood it. He would never have grasped it. It would have taken so long to address.” So this phrase here is speaking to the fact that without ceasing to be what he was, namely God, he became what he was not, namely man.

Now you can cross reference it in multiple places but John chapter 1 is as good as any. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the logos and he was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made. He was the creator. Without him nothing was made that has been made.

Therefore he himself was not created. He was unccreated. So what we have is the pre-existent son. You have the father and the son and the holy spirit together in eternity entering into a covenant with one another and determining that the son will fulfill the obligations laid upon him by the father and he will do so when the fullness of time has come.