Howdy and thanks,
A bit more of my waffle, which if you can make sense of, shows the Rock for which I stand upon.
I totally get what you say on how much effort some have put in and hence as I said why I was mystified as some areas, (not ref to the Thomas) are so so clear and yet most don't see it.
Just on the creation event alone, their are numerous verses and GOD alone created and the alone word is used and other verses by clear implication show likewise. I mean there are literally heaps of them.
So naturally that has to guide and flow to the NT and Jesus himself says - Do you not know HE created them male and female and when you look in Gen, "In HIS image, created He him etc (God's).
(Moses was referred to as Elohim = plural and yet we know how many Moses's there were ha).
Now putting aside the opener in John, we only have 3 verses that hint of Jesus's involvement.
Some of them are, or along the lines of, "by" Jesus God created and when you look at this Greek word from where the "by" is placed, The "by" word is NOT even an option of around 4-5 options to chose from.
And the theme of ALL these is, on account of, by reason of, for the sake of, because of, through, Jesus God and God alone created for him and He is above all things, sounds a rather familiar line as in, we are in the image of and we try to do the same for our kids.
So in the beginning of God's plans, the Future one was slain Rev 13:8, in the plan, the future one was the beginning of the creation of God as in, he is the center, key focus, reason and all for him Rev 3:14 and the firstborn, thought wise of creation.
The Architect's design ideas etc within him are part of his creation.
And ALL this is wrapped and part of the meaning of the first two verses in John, God, and His inner word, design, architect, and expressed out by the third verse but not Jesus Yet.
Mal 3:1 makes it very clear that John was to clear the path, make the way clear as God was about to send His Son.
So John's first 13 verses is all about God, what was, how it is from OT perspective (recapping) and how THAT was about to change. The Word, God was about to come to the New Temple not made with hands = His Son Jesus, and Jesus tells us around 4 times in John of exactly this = The word of life, the words of eternal life that was Within, with the Father 1 John.
Now people come at the likes of, see, see, the God, the Lord in OT must be Jesus because the likes of,,,,,God says he will not share his glory with anyone, hmmmm.... amazing what you can conjure with half truths.
The likes of Isa 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
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