As I said, no words of Jesus's pre the cross -> I go back to the Father.
Now now Mr G, are you serious with your quotes and not to mention, some without the whole truth.
John ch 3 - If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? Now the heavenly example, Prophesy to come -> No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.
That is yet to take place after the cross (heavenly message), which he elaborates on, Interprets next -> And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
After the cross he went up for a very short space of time and came back for around 40 days, pay attention to the order, not down then up. ------------- John 6:38 - For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Are you paying attention to who is speaking here = THE MAN Jesus in the here and now and he is speaking about himself in the man context of coming down. How did that eventuate -> The words of Yehowah expressed forth to the angel obviously, who then expressed them forth to Mary, coupled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was born. So, it was the plan, word and power of God that came down and Made him, which means he is heavenly, not made of dust, earthly. Jesus at least 3 times in John says he come forth from the Father and was then sent into the world.
The sending is after his Baptism John 17:18 for example and came forth is OUT of the mouth of God like Isa 55:10,11. ----------- 6:62 - Then what if you should see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?
Again, the man Jesus in the here and now speaking, so where does the Bible say he was before, as there are many passages.
Isa 7:14 - Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.
So naturally, where he was before was in the mind and plans of God, for one to be in the future, as Clearly shown above. ------------- Are you serious with this next one hmm 8:23 - And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
Did you pay attention as to who he was speaking to = non believing Jews, the following people are believing ones. John 17:16 - They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
They, the ones God gave Jesus, like Jesus in your quote are deemed as from above, of God, of heaven and not of the world. And they like Jesus, didn't come floating down from heaven ------------------- John 8:42 - Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
Came from, sent me = after being raised by God Deu 18:18 and after his Baptism. John 17:18 - As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
As Jesus was taught and sent, likewise he taught them and sent them into the world. John the Baptist was sent by God, he didn't come floating down from heaven either.
The forth as per the following; Isa 55:10, 11 - For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosperin the thing whereto I sent it.
To the Angel and to Mary and bit like let there be light, let there be Jesus. -------------- 8:58 - Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. = (I was).
Again, this is the MAN Jesus speaking of himself, and we know the man Jesus only come about from his birth from Mary.
So what does the Bible tells us, or demand what the context of Jesus words mean.
Gen 3:15 - And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Rev 13:8 - And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Hence in that context, before Abraham I am, I was.
This is all in reference for the future one to be and this one to be was the firstborn of creation, the beginning of the creation of God, in the mind and plans of God, right where all our creations and foundations for all we do begin. Col 1:15, Rev 3:14. Hence with all that in mind or context, he was -> Col 1:17 - And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. = (for this reason).
Col 1:18 - And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; so that in allthings he might have the preeminence.
So if he literally pre-existed Mr G, where and how did he lose preeminence??????? While at it, as he grew in favor with God Luke 2:52, where and how was a pre-existing one, not ever in favor, especially if he elected to come down and die on the cross??????
Are you getting the picture, Mr G, there are some serious questions that you need to stand back and consider.
