to be (Heb 2:17).
I conclude that Scripture says God gave life to his Son, a unique entity—though not an angel—in preexistent time (John 1:1–3), and God granted him things like creative power (Heb 1:12ff), an eternal throne, and a present seat of honor next to him in heaven (Heb 1:5–13). God has also given to his Anointed authority (Matt 9:5–8; 28:18ff) to bear Yahweh’s name and titles; to forgive sins; to receive worship; and to perform miracles. Second-temple Jewish writings also see such marvels as being true of preexisting spiritual entities, who later became human. If “an Arian View” serves as a summary of these pre-Arian observations, then so be it.
Dustin R. Smith on the “Socinian” Label
Socinian Christology is the perspective which insists that the God revealed in Scripture is numerically one and that Jesus possessed no literal preexistence, having come into existence at his birth. This perspective is also known today as unitary monotheism or unitarianism (but not Unitarian Universalism).
“Socinian” is a label which is simultaneously helpful and anachronistic. The designation began to be used in the early 1600s to describe the views of the Sozzini family, namely Lelio and his nephew Fausto. As a product of the Radical Reformation, these men were convinced that the trinitarian dogmas were problematic and in need of considerable overhaul. They were similarly unsatisfied with the Arian perspective on Christ, which adhered to literal preexistence but observed that Jesus was subordinated to God in a variety of passages. Lelio and Fausto Sozzini argued instead that Jesus’ existence began in the womb of Mary, at the moment of the virginal conception. Their views spread into Poland, Holland, and England by the end of the 1600s. Socinian writings, such as the Racovian Catechism, were highly influential among such thinkers as John Locke, Isaac Newton, and John Milton. In sum, the designation “Socinian” appropriately describes the Christology of the Sozzini family. However, this term is anachronistic because those persuaded to embrace this Christology reckon that it was both held and taught by the historical Jesus, the twelve disciples, the Apostle Paul, etc. It is in this regard that the label “Socinian” is an anachronism. Nevertheless, for the sake of differentiating the Christology which I find within the Scriptures from those held by my dialogue partners, Socinian is an acceptable term.
English Versions of the Bible
Scripture quotations marked “ASV” are from the American Standard Version of the Bible, published in 1901 by Thomas Nelson & Sons. Public domain.
Scripture quotations marked “ESV” are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are from the King James (or Authorized) Version of the Bible, completed in 1611. Public domain.
Scripture quotations marked “NASB” are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked “NET Bible” are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996–2006 by Biblical Studies Press, LLC. http://netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “NIV” are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture quotations marked “NKJV” are from the New King James Version®, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “NRSV” are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “RSV” are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 (2nd edition, 1971) by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, Charles Lee Irons quotes Scripture from the ESV. Unless otherwise noted, Danny André Dixon quotes Scripture from the NIV (1984 edition). Unless otherwise noted, Dustin R. Smith quotes Scripture from the NASB (1995 edition).
Abbreviations
AB The Anchor Bible
ABD The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. D. N. Freedman
ABRL Anchor Bible Reference Library
ANTC Abingdon New Testament Commentaries
BDAG Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed.
BDB Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament
BNTC Black’s New Testament Commentary
BSac Bibliotheca Sacra
CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly
DJG IVP Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, ed. J. B. Green
DLNT IVP Dictionary of the Later New Testament, ed. R. P. Martin and P. H. Davids
DPL IVP Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, ed. G. F. Hawthorne and R. P. Martin
DSSR The Dead Sea Scrolls Reader, 6 vols., ed. D. W. Parry and E. Tov
ET English Translation
HBT Horizons in Biblical Theology
ICC International Critical Commentary
ISBE International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. J. Orr et al
JBL Journal of Biblical Studies
JSJ Journal for the Study of Judaism
JSJSup Journal for the Study of Judaism Supplement Series
JSNT Journal for the Study of the New Testament
JSP Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha
JTS Journal of Theological Studies
LXX Septuagint
NICNT New International Commentary on the New Testament
NIDB New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, ed. K. D. Sankefeld
NIDNTT New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, ed. C. Brown
NIDOTT New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology, ed. W. A. VanGemeren
NIGTC New International Greek Testament Commentary
NovT Novum Testamentum
NPNF2 Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series
NSBT New Studies in Biblical Theology
NTD
