L30.⑴主自永恒就是耶和华。这一点从圣言可知，因为主对犹太人说：
我实实在在地告诉你们，还没有亚伯拉罕我就存在了。（约翰福音8:58）
祂在别处说：
父啊，现在求你用未有世界以先我和你同在时所享有的荣耀荣耀我。（约翰福音17:5）
这句话表示永恒的主，而不是永恒的儿子；因为“子”是从耶和华成孕并从童女马利亚在时间之中出生的祂的人身，如前所示。
永恒之主就是耶和华自己，这一点从圣言中的许多经文明显看出来，现仅从中引用这几处经文：
到那日，人必说，这是我们的神，我们素来等候祂，祂必拯救我们。这是耶和华，我们素来等候祂，我们必因祂的救恩欢喜快乐。（以赛亚书25:9）
从这些话明显可知，所等候的是耶和华神自己。同一先知书：
在旷野有人声呼喊着，你们要预备耶和华的路，在沙漠修直我们神的大道。耶和华的荣耀必然显现，凡有血气的必一同看见。看哪，主耶和华必以大能临到。（以赛亚书40:3，5，10；马太福音3:3；马可福音1:3；路加福音3:4）
此处，那将要到来的主被称为耶和华。
又：
我耶和华；使你作人民的约，作外邦人的光。我是耶和华，这是我的名。我必不将我的荣耀归给别人。（以赛亚书42:6，8）
“人民的约”和“外邦人的光”是指人身方面的主；由于这人身来自耶和华，并与耶和华为一，故经上说，我耶和华，这是我的名，我必不将我的荣耀归给别人，也就是说，只归给祂自己，不归给别人。归给荣耀是指荣耀，或与祂自己合一。
玛拉基书：
你们所寻求的主，必忽然进入祂的殿。（玛拉基书3:1）
“殿”表祂身体的殿（约翰福音2:19，21）。清晨的日光从高处眷顾我们（路加福音1:78）。高处的清晨日光也是指耶和华，或永恒之主。从这些经文明显可知，永恒之主表示祂的最初神性，在圣言中，这最初神性就是耶和华。然而，从下面所引用的经文将明显可知，主，也就是耶和华，在人身得了荣耀之后，表示在一起为一的神性和人性或人身；唯独子表示神性人身。
30. 1. The Lord from eternity is Jehovah. This we know from the Word, since the Lord said to the Jews,
Truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)
And again,
Glorify me, Father, with the glory I had with you before the world existed. (John 17:5)
This means the Lord from eternity and not the Son from eternity, because the Son is his human nature conceived by Jehovah the Father and born by the Virgin Mary in time, as explained above.
[2] We are assured by many passages in the Word that the Lord from eternity is Jehovah himself, a few of which passages may be cited now.
It will be said on that day, “This is our God; we have waited for him to free us. [This is] Jehovah; we have waited for him. Let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)
We can see from this that the speakers were waiting for Jehovah God himself.
A voice of someone in the wilderness crying out, “Prepare a pathway for Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God. The glory of Jehovah will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together. Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming in strength.” (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4)
Here too, the Lord, who is to come, is called Jehovah.
[3] I am Jehovah. I will make you a covenant for the people, a light for the nations. I am Jehovah. This is my name, and I will not give my glory to another. (Isaiah 42:6-8)
A covenant for the people and a light for the nations is the Lord in his human nature. Because this is from Jehovah and was made one with Jehovah, it says “I am Jehovah. This is my name, and I will not give my glory to another” - that is, to no one other than himself. To give glory is to glorify, or to unite with himself.
[4] The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his Temple. (Malachi 3:1)
The Temple means the temple of his body, as he says in John 2:19, 21.
The Dayspring from on high has visited us. (Luke 1:78)
The Dayspring from on high is Jehovah, or the Lord from eternity.
We can see from these passages that “the Lord from eternity” means his divine nature as the source, which is called Jehovah in the Word. We will see from passages to be cited below that after his human nature had been glorified, both “the Lord” and “Jehovah” mean the divine nature and the human nature together as one, and that “the Son” by itself means the divine human nature.
30. The Lord from eternity is Jehovah. People know this from the Word. For the Lord said to the Jews:
Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)
And in another place:
Glorify Me, Father..., with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (John 17:5)
In both places the Lord from eternity is meant, and not a Son from eternity, for the Son is the Lord’s humanity, conceived of Jehovah as Father and born of the virgin Mary in time, as we showed above.
[2] That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah Himself is clear from many passages in the Word, of which we will cite these few for the present:
It will be said in that day: “...this is our God for whom we have waited to save us. ...Jehovah for whom have waited; we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:9)
It is apparent from this that they waited for Jehovah God Himself.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of Jehovah; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.... The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together....”
Behold, the Lord Jehovih shall come in strength.... (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10, cf. Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4)
Here, too, the Lord is called Jehovah, who is to come.
[3] I, Jehovah..., will give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the gentiles.... I am Jehovah, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.... (Isaiah 42:6-8)
A covenant to the people and a light to the gentiles is the Lord in respect to His humanity. Because this originated from Jehovah and became one with Jehovah, He says “I am Jehovah, that is My name, and My glory I will not give to another, ” that is, to someone other than Himself. To give glory is to glorify or unite to Himself.
[4] ...the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple.... (Malachi 3:1)
The temple means the temple of His body, as in John 2:19, 21.
...the Dayspring from on high has visited us. (Luke 1:78)
The Dayspring from on high is Jehovah, or the Lord from eternity.
It is apparent from these passages that the Lord from eternity is the Divine in the Lord from which all else originates, which in the Word is Jehovah.
Moreover, from passages to be presented below, it will be apparent that, after His humanity was glorified, the Lord, and also Jehovah, means the Divine and the human together as one, and that the Son alone means His Divine humanity.
30. 1. THE LORD FROM ETERNITY IS JEHOVAH.
This is known from the Word, for the Lord said to the Jews,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was I am. John 8:58; and elsewhere,
O Father, glorify thou me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. John 17:5.
By this is meant the Lord from eternity, and not a Son from eternity; for the Son is His Human, conceived of Jehovah the Father and born of the Virgin Mary in time, as was shown above.
[2] That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah Himself appears from many passages in the Word, of which only these few will be adduced at present:
It shall be said in that day, This is our God; we have waited for Him that He may save us. This is Jehovah; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. Isaiah 25:9.
From these words it is evident that God Himself, even Jehovah, was waited for.
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
Behold, the Lord Jehovih will come with strong hand. Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4.
Here also the Lord who was to come is called Jehovah.
[3] I, Jehovah.... will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the Gentiles ...
I am Jehovah; that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another. Isaiah 42:6-8.
The covenant to the people, and the light of the Gentiles is the Lord as to the Human. Because this is from Jehovah, and was made one with Jehovah, it is said, I am Jehovah; that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another; that is, to no other than to Himself. To give glory is to glorify, or to unite to Himself.
[4] The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple. Malachi 3:1.
By the temple is meant the temple of His body, as in John 2:19, 21.
The Dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke 1:78.
The Dayspring from on high, also, is Jehovah, or the Lord from eternity.
From these passages it is evident that by the Lord from eternity is meant His originating Divine (Divinum a quo), which in the Word is Jehovah. However, from the passages which will be quoted below, it will be evident that by the Lord, and also by Jehovah after His Human was glorified, is meant the Divine and the Human together, as one (unum); and that by the Son alone is meant the Divine Human.
30. i. That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah, is known from the Word; for the Lord said to the Jews,
Verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am (John 8:58).
And He says in another place,
Glorify Thou Me, O Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was (John 17:5).
By this is meant the Lord from eternity, and not a Son from eternity; for "the Son" is His Human that was conceived of Jehovah the Father, and born of the virgin Mary, in time, as has been shown above.
[2] That the Lord from eternity is Jehovah Himself, is evident from many passages in the Word, of which at present there shall be adduced only these few:
It shall be said in that day, THIS IS OUR GOD; we have waited for Him that He may deliver us; THIS IS JEHOVAH, we have waited for Him; we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation (Isaiah 25:9).
From these words it is evident that Jehovah God Himself was awaited.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of JEHOVAH, make plain in the solitude a path for OUR GOD. The glory of JEHOVAH shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Beheld, THE LORD JEHOVAH shall come in strength (Isaiah 40:3, 5, 10; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4).
Here, too, the Lord is called Jehovah, who should come.
[3]
I Jehovah will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations. I Jehovah, this is My name and My glory will I not give to another (Isaiah 42:6-8).
"A covenant to the people," and "a light of the nations," is the Lord as to the Human; and as this is from Jehovah, and has become one with Jehovah, it is said, I Jehovah, this is My name, and My glory will I give to another, that is, not to another than Himself. To give glory, means to glorify, or to unite to Himself.
[4]
THE LORD whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple (Malachi 3:1).
By the "temple" is meant the temple of His body (John 2:19, 21).
THE DAY-SPRING FROM ON HIGH hath visited us (Luke 1:78).
"The day-spring from on high" also is Jehovah, or the Lord from eternity.
From what has been said it is evident that by the Lord from eternity is meant His Divine a Quo, 1which in the Word is "Jehovah." But from the passages to be quoted below, it will be evident that by Lord, and also by Jehovah, after His Human was glorified, is meant the Divine and the Human together, as a one; and that by the Son, alone, is meant the Divine Human.
Footnotes:
1. Literally, the Divine from which; that is, the Divine which is the source. [Tr.]
30. (i.) Quod Dominus ab aeterno, sit Jehovah, notum est ex Verbo; nam Dominus dixit Judaeis,
"Amen dico vobis, priusquam Abrahamus fuit, Ego sum" (Johannem 8:58).
Et alibi,
"Glorifica Me, Tu Pater, gloria quam habui, antequam mundus esset, apud Te" (Johannem 17:5):
Per quae intelligitur Dominus ab aeterno, et non Filius ab aeterno; nam Filius est Humanum Ipsius conceptum a Jehovah Patre et natum a Maria virgine in tempore, ut supra ostensum est.
[2] Quod Dominus ab aeterno, sit Ipse Jehovah, constat a multis locis in Verbo; ex quibus haec pauca in praesenti adducentur:-
"Dicetur in die illo,... Deus noster Hic, quem exspectavimus, ut liberet nos:... Jehovah, quem exspectavimus: exsultemus et laetemur in salute Ipsius" (Esaiam 25:9 1):
Ex quibus patet quod Ipse Deus Jehovah exspectatus sit.
"Vox clamantis in deserto, Parate viam Jehovae; complanate in solitudine semitam Deo nostro. ...Revelabitur gloria Jehovae: et videbit omnis caro simul... Ecce, Dominus Jehovih in forti venit" (Esaiam 40:3, 5, 10; Matthaeum 3:3; Marcus 1:3; Lucam 3:4):
Hic etiam Dominus dicitur Jehovah, qui venturus est.
[3] "Ego Jehovah... dabo Te in foedus populo, in lucem gentium: Ego Jehovah hoc nomen meum; et gloriam meam non alteri dabo" cap. 42.
"foedus populo, et lux gentium," est Dominus quoad Humanum; quia hoc est a Jehovah, ac factum unum cum Jehovah, dicitur "Ego Jehovah, hoc nomen meum, et gloriam meam non alteri dabo," hoc est, non alteri quam Sibi Ipsi; "gloriam dare" est glorificare seu unire Sibi [NCBSP: Esaiam 42:6-8].
[4] "Subito veniet ad Templum suum Dominus, quem vos quaeritis" (Malachiam 3:1):
Per "Templum" intelligitur "Templum Corporis Ipsius" (ut Johannem 2:19, 21).
"Visitavit nos ortus ab alto" (Lucas 1:78):
"ortus ab alto" etiam est Jehovah, seu Dominus ab aeterno. Ex his patet quod per Dominum ab aeterno, intelligatur Divinum Ipsius a Quo, quod in verbo est Jehovah. Ex locis autem infra afferendis patebit, quod per "Dominum" et quoque per "Jehovam," postquam glorificatum est Humanum Ipsius, intelligatur Divinum et Humanum simul, ut unum; et quod per "Filium" solum intelligatur Divinum Humanum.
Footnotes: