Introduction

‘…Worship “Him who has made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea,” and the fountains of waters.’ (Revelation 14:7 [LITV])
The Old Testament is in no doubt that YHVH, the Father, created the heavens and the earth. The people of the New Testament times tell us the same thing. In today’s world misunderstandings have led to an alternative view, despite that fact that this new view introduces contradictions into the Bible. What does the scripture tell us about the identity of the creator, what is this new view and how does it introduce contradictions in the Bible?
[All Bible quotes are from Jay P. Green’s literal translation of the bible (LITV) unless otherwise indicated.]

Summary

I summarise here the points I intend to make. I will further expand on the points in later sections of this document. The Old Testament writings tell us that YHVH and He alone created the heavens and the earth. My point of focus will be the places in the bible where personal statements are actually made regarding the Creator’s identity, rather than third-party affirmations.
YHVH stated that He was the one who made the heavens and the earth (Exodus 20:11; Isaiah 45:12) with His own hands (Isaiah 45:12; Isaiah 48:13; Jeremiah 27:4-5; Job 38:4-11,12; Job 39:19,26) and alone (Isaiah 44:24).
In the New Testament, Jesus confirmed that YHVH is the creator when he talked about future events (Mark 13:19), and again when explaining about marriage (Matthew 19:4-6). Jesus also says that he was given life by his Father (John 6:57). Some cite Jesus as the creator of the world as part of a combined entity – the Trinity. However, the bible does not support this.  In the bible the creator of the world is identified as YHVH, and Jesus was very careful to distinguish himself, the Anointed One, from his Father, YHVH (Matthew 7:21, 10:32, 11:25, 16:27, 20:23, 22:41-45, 23:9, 23:39, 26:64; Mark 8:38, 10:40, 12:24-27, 12:29, 14:62; Luke 4:17-19, 9:48, 10:16, 10:21, 20:42, 23:46, 24:49; John 3:16, 4:23, 4:34, 5:19, 5:30, 6:27, 6:29, 6:32, 6:38, 6:44, 6:57, 6:65, 7:16, 7:18, 7:28, 8:16, 8:18, 8:28, 8:29, 8:38, 8:40, 8:42, 8:49, 8:54, 9:4, 10:29, 10:36, 11:41, 12:26, 12:28, 12:44, 12:49, 12:50, 13:20, 13:31, 14:16, 14:24, 14:28, 15:1, 15:9, 15:15, 15:16, 15:24, 15:26, 16:3, 16:10, 16:16, 16:23, 16:27, 16:28, 16:32, 17:1, 17:3, 20:17, 20:21).
We have the direct testimony of others in the New Testament about the authorship of creation. Peter and John tell us that YHVH is the Creator and Jesus His Messiah (Acts 4:24-27). Paul clearly distinguishes YHVH as the Creator and Jesus as the man He raised (Acts 17:22-31);YHVH as the one making things alive with Jesus as the one who testified to Pontius Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13). In Hebrews it tells us that YHVH built all things and that Jesus is the son over the house YHVH built (Hebrews 3:4-6). Furthermore, YHVH is identified as the Creator several times in Revelation (Revelation 4:11, 10:6, 14:7).
In the bible there are multiple affirmations of YHVH as the personal creator of heaven and earth, acting alone. These statements, which are discussed in greater detail below, are unequivocal. If there also exists within the Bible unequivocal statements that YHVH did not act alone or created through an agent, then this would present contradictory information that cannot be reconciled. The new view that has been in the Christian church for over seventeen hundred years is that Jesus was the creator, either as the active agent of YHVH, or, as before mentioned, as part of a combined entity – the trinity. I describe this a “new view” because it was not known by the people of the Bible, being introduced after their time. The suggestion that Jesus is the “Creator God” introduces contradictory information into the Bible. As Jesus is not YHVH, the supreme God, it then follows that Jesus did not create the heavens and the earth. Saying that he did suggests that YHVH is confused or a liar, which cannot be. There are certainly passages in the bible that suggest that Jesus is the creator, supporting the “new view”. If these are correct then the bible contradicts itself. However, it is shown that valid alternative understandings of these passages reconcile the contradictions in a way that the “new view” cannot.

YHVH’s Personal Claims

Just as there are many places where YHVH is called the creator, it is important to note that YHVH has also personally identified himself as the creator, and claimed to have done so alone. The very first verse in the Bible is:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; (Genesis 1:1).

However, this is a third-party statement saying that YHVH is the Creator. The very first personal creator-ship claim from YHVH does not occur until He talks to all the people of Israel. Before we move on to that, it would be a good idea to first show who YHVH is, and this he told to Moses too.  YHVH first identified himself to Moses as the God involved from times past:

And He said, I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob…(Exodus 3:6)

He then goes on to say what he wants to be called when Moses asked for his name:

And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM; and He said, you shall say this to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. And God said to Moses again, You shall say this to the sons of Israel, YHVH the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial from generation to generation. (Exodus 3:14-15).

So God wants to be known as YHVH (JHVH), and this is the name that I will use throughout my writing, with respect to His wishes.
Now that we have established who YHVH is we can come to where He first identifies himself as the creator of heaven and earth. This occurs when he talks to the people of Israel from Mount Sinai giving them the Ten Commandments.  Hitherto YHVH had only talked to Moses, and this is the first and only time that He addressed all the people at once. (They were too frightened by this to have it happen again – Exodus 20:18-21) YHVH’s claim to being the creator comes in the issuing of the fourth commandment:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy; six days you shall labor and do all your work; and the seventh day is a sabbath to YHVH your God; you shall not do any work, you, and your son, and your daughter, your male slave and your slave-girl, and your livestock, and your stranger who is in your gates. For in six days YHVH made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all which is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; on account of this YHVH blessed the sabbath day and sanctified it. (Exodus 20:8-11).

Here YHVH established the seven-day week based on His creation schedule. Hitherto, YHVH had already introduced the seven-day week for the people of Israel using the distribution of Manna,the bread that he provided to sustain them while in the desert (Exodus 16:4-31). It is only when YHVH gives the fourth commandment that He explains that He made the seventh day special because after creation He rested on that day. There are two points to note here. The first is that we should realise that this is the one and only origin of the seven-day week, and the second is that it is the memorial to YHVH’s creation of the world. Here YHVH says that He created the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them. At this point He does not say that He did it alone nor did He say that it was done by His own hand, this was stated later. The point about the seven-day week is important because it reminds us that YHVH is the creator: The year is defined by how long it takes for the earth to revolve around the sun. The months are defined by how long it takes for the moon to revolve around the earth.  There is no such phenomena to explain the seven-day week other than that it was set up by YHVH to remind us that He created the world.
The next personal claim from YHVH that He is the creator is found in the writings of the prophet Isaiah. This particular claim is also important because YHVH is giving Isaiah information about the coming Messiah, and it makes a clear distinction between the Messiah and YHVH. After talking about His servant – Jesus (Isaiah 42:1-4) – YHVH gives His credentials, or curriculum vitae (CV):

So says Jehovah God, creating the heavens and stretching them out; spreading out the earth and its offspring, giving breath to the people on it, and spirit to those walking in it. (Isaiah 42:5)

In this statement YHVH tells us that He was personally active in creation. He stretched out the heavens and spread out the earth and its offspring. It was He who gave the breath of life to the people.
YHVH provides us with more concrete affirmations that he created us personally, with His own hands. The first of these references is again found in the words given to Isaiah. It is at one of the, unfortunately, many moments in time when the people of Judah have wandered from YHVH, and He has allowed them to be subdued by the Chaldeans. He tells them that He is going to save them, not for their sake, but for the sake of His name, and that credit be properly assigned to Him (Isaiah 48:11).  YHVH again presents his credentials:

Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel My called: I am He; I am the first; I surely am the last. My hand surely founded earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; I called to them, they stood up together. (Isaiah 48:12-13).

YHVH is saying plainly that He created with His own hands. He identifies himself as the God that called Israel, their one and only God, who created the heavens and the earth. There is a similar circumstance in the words given to Jeremiah:

And command them to go to their masters, saying, So says YHVH of Hosts, the God of Israel: So you shall say to your masters, I have made the earth, the man, and the animals on the face of the earth, by My great power, and by My outstretched arm; and I have given it to whom it seemed right in My eyes. (Jeremiah 27:4-5)

Here YHVH points out that as the creator having used His power, and His own arms, He has the right to set as its ruler whomever He so wishes. At this time YHVH gives authority to Nebuchadnezzar and to two generations of his descendants (Jeremiah 26:6).
In the book of Job after he has suffered and was counselled by his associates, YHVH finally answered Job, pointing out his ignorance (Job 38:1-41). After challenging Job to answer His questions YHVH asks:

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare if you know understanding. Who has set its measurements, for you know? Or who has stretched a line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who cast its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it burst out; it came forth from the womb? 9 When I made the clouds to clothe it, and darkness its navel-band; and I broke My limit on it, and set bars and doors; and I said, You shall come to here, but no further; and here your proud waves shall be set? (Job 38:4-11)

So YHVH says here that it was He who laid the foundations of the earth, set its measurements, set the boundaries for the sea and made the clouds. He is claiming that he was actively involved in creation, and not just a supervisor. In verse 12 YHVH says:

Have you commanded the morning from your days, and caused the dawn to know its place, (Job 38:12)

Here I believe YHVH is saying that it was He who created days, but there is no doubt that He states that it was He who defined the dawn. This whole chapter of Job provides us with an understanding of just how intimately involved YHVH is with his creation and nothing seems too insignificant for His attention. More such details are given in the next chapter, Job 39. A detail that has a bearing specifically on creation if given in verse 19:

Have you given the horse its strength: have you clothed its neck with a mane. (Job 39:19)

and verse 26:

Does the hawk soar from your understanding? Will he spread his wings toward the south? (Job 39:26).

Here YHVH is saying that He gave the horse its strength, and designed the hawk’s soaring ability.
For the last point in this section we return to Isaiah where YHVH has just been talking about the stupidity of making idols to worship (Isaiah 44:9-20). Admonishing Israel to remember Him, YHVH ends again by stating His credentials:

So says Jehovah, your Redeemer and your Former from the womb; I am Jehovah who makes all things; stretching out the heavens; I alone, spreading out the earth. Who was with Me, (Isaiah 44:24)

Thus we see that YHVH claims to have actively created all things Himself. Surely YHVH would know if somebody else had actually carried out the creation as His agent, but by asking the rhetorical statement, “Who was with Me?”  YHVH is making it clear that nobody was with him.
YHVH has consistently claimed that He was the one who created the heavens and the earth, on His own and with His own hands. To suggest that it was otherwise is not only blasphemous, but also in direct contravention of YHVH’s insistence that He expects to receive His due credit:

I am Jehovah; that is My name; and I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to engraved images. (Isaiah 42:8)

Statements from Jesus

After YHVH himself, the most important biblical witness about the identity of the creator is His son, Jesus. Jesus’ earthly ministry was to the people of Israel (Matthew 15:24). These people worshipped YHVH and knew that He was the creator, so it is natural that Jesus did not spend a lot of time talking about this. Nonetheless, Jesus did mention this fact in passing. When the disciples questioned Jesus about the future one of the things he told them was:

for there will be affliction in those days, such as has not been the like from the beginning of creation which God created until now, and never will be. (Mark 13:19)

When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about divorce Jesus replied:

But answering, He said to them, Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning “created them male and female”? (Matthew 19:4)

In both these cases Jesus is talking about the creator.  In the former instance he names “God” as the creator, while in the latter no specific name is given, only the pronoun, “He”. Is it possible that Jesus is implicitly including himself as part of a compound deity, as is believed by some? Jesus certainly did speak about himself in the third person, when referring to himself as the “Son of Man”. (Communicating in the first person involves “I”, “Me” or “We” statements; the second person involves “You” statements as when speaking to or addressing somebody; the third person involves “He”, “She”, “Him”, “They” or proper names – you can speak about yourself in the third person if you use your name or title rather than “I” or “Me”.)
Jesus answers the question of whether he is part of a compound deity by consistently distinguishing himself from YHVH, whom he most often calls his Father. The Greek scriptures have him addressing Him as “ho ho Theos” or literally “The God,” commonly translated as “God.” Jesus always spoke in a way that ensured that people knew that he and his Father, YHVH, were different beings and since YHVH tells us that He is the creator that means that Jesus cannot be. In all I have found seventy-six passages where Jesus’ words show that he and his Father, YHVH, are separate individuals. (A list of these passages can be found here). Some of the more important instances are discussed below.
The first passage is from Matthew’s Gospel when the authorities had been trying to catch Jesus out with trick questions:

But the Pharisees having been gathered, Jesus questioned them, saying, What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He? They say to Him, David’s. He said to them, Then how does David in Spirit call Him Lord, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on My right until I place Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet?” Then if David calls Him Lord, how is He his son? And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day to question Him any more.(Matthew 22:41-45).

On its own this passage can be confusing, due to the New Testament writers’ failure to use YHVH’s name; there are altogether too many “Lords” in the passage. However, because Jesus is quoting from Psalms 110:1 we can turn to the Old Testament to see what Jesus actually quoted:

A Psalm of David. A statement of Jehovah to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I place Your enemies as Your footstool. (Psalms 110:1)

We can see here that Jesus referred to King David’s prophecy concerning YHVH talking to the Lord (the Christ). A clear distinction is made here in that, firstly, YHVH is talking to another individual, not to Himself and, secondly, that that individual is to sit at YHVH’s right hand – the place of privilege next to the higher authority. In itself this verse from the Old Testament provides us with an understanding of the relationship between YHVH and the Messiah; the Messiah cannot be YHVH, as one talked to the other and they sat next to each other. The words are King David’s by YHVH’s holy spirit, but because Jesus quotes them, he admits his understanding of their truth. He is the Messiah, and YHVH’s message is for him.
The next passage is similar to the last in that it is about Jesus once more quoting from the Old Testament:

And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him. And unrolling the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. Because of this He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me” to heal the brokenhearted, “to preach remission to captives and new sight to the blind,” to send away the ones having been crushed in deliverance, “to preach an acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:17-19)

We can again compare the words ascribed to Jesus by looking at the passage of text in the Old Testament:

The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on Me, because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and complete opening to the bound ones; 2 to proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; (Isaiah 61:1-2)

Jesus told the people then, and us now, that it is him that is talked about in that passage in Isaiah.  He is the one anointed by YHVH and in whom is YHVH’s Spirit.   Isaiah’s prophecy is clear that the one being talked about was anointed by YHVH.  This, therefore, means that the anointed one is not Jehovah.  Jesus has again confirmed that he is not YHVH by quoting this passage.
I have discussed only two of the seventy-six passages where Jesus’ words show us that he and YHVH are distinct individuals.  The two I chose are where Jesus quotes Old Testament passages that confirm that the writers then understood that the Messiah and YHVH would be different beings.  Thus it can safely be said that, as Jesus is not YHVH, and YHVH told us that He, with His own hands, created the heavens, the earth and the things in and on them, then Jesus did not do so.  Therefore, to call Jesus the creator dishonours him and dishonours his Father, YHVH.

Statements from New Testament Writers

The New Testament authors came from a society where the majority of the people believed in YHVH as the creator.  They are all from the Jewish nation, and such a belief was accepted without question.  This is why, similar to Jesus’ case, that it is natural that this topic was not one upon which they dwelt.  There are, however, places where there are clear statements that YHVH was the creator.
Peter and John met a forty year-old man, lame from birth, whom Peter then healed.  Peter and John used the excitement of the people over this miracle as an opportunity to witness to them about Jesus.  The Jewish authorities had them arrested for this, but being afraid of the many people who had seen the miracle and accepted the apostles’ message, they let them go after trying to threaten them to silence.  When the apostles returned and told their people about what had happened:

And hearing they with one passion lifted voice to God and said, Master, You are “the God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all things in them,” who through the mouth of Your servant David said, “Why did the nations rage, and the people meditated foolish things.  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were assembled on the same day against the Lord, yea, against His Christ.”  For truly both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the nations and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together against Your holy child Jesus, whom You anointed, to do whatever Your hand and Your counsel before-determined to be done.  And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings and give to Your slaves to speak Your Word with all boldness, (Acts 4:24-29)

The purpose of this prayer was to give praise to YHVH, and ask for continued courage and deliverance.  An immediate response of encouragement was granted to them (Acts 4:31).  The people addressed their prayer to YHVH (The God)  and identified Him as the creator, quoting Exodus 20:11:

…Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all which is in them…(Exodus 20:11)

They also mention Jesus as YHVH’s anointed, making a clear distinction between YHVH as the creator, and Jesus as His anointed one.  This indicates the clear understanding of the this early Christian group, that should be the same that we have now.
The Apostle Paul was the most prolific of the New Testament authors, and was particularly responsible for preaching the gospel to those not of the Jewish nation – the gentiles, like me.  There was one particular occasion when Paul preached to the Athenians:

And standing in the middle of the Areopagus, Paul said, Men, Athenians, I see how you in everything are fearful of gods; for passing through and looking up at the objects of your worship, I also found an altar on which had been written, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Not knowing, then, whom you worship, I make Him known to you.  The God who made the world and all things in it, this One being Lord of Heaven and of earth, does not dwell in handmade temples,  nor is served by hands of men, as having need of anything. For He is giving life and breath and all things to all.  And He made every nation of men of one blood, to live on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling,  to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us.  For in Him we live and move and exist, as also some of the poets among you have said, For we are also His offspring.  Then being offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, engraved by art and the imagination of man.  Truly, then, God overlooking the times of ignorance, now strictly commands all men everywhere to repent,  because He set a day in which “He is going to judge the habitable world in righteousness,” by a Man whom He appointed; having given proof to all by raising Him from the dead. (Acts 17:22-31)

In this case, Paul is not speaking to the Jewish Nation, so he has to spell out that he is talking about YHVH who made the world and all things in it.  He uses the altar, “To An Unknown God” as a device by which he can introduce them to YHVH.  He describes YHVH in great detail as the creator.  He ends his discourse by talking about Jesus, describing him as the man whom YHVH appointed and raised from the dead.  What we have here is an unequivocal statement from Paul showing that he understands that YHVH is the creator, and that Jesus was sent by him.  It is important to note, therefore, that any attempt at translating any of Paul’s writings as saying otherwise will be in contradiction to this foundational statement.
Paul again affirms his understanding that YHVH was the creator in his letter to the Romans.  In the first chapter he recounts the foolish behaviour of the people who knew about YHVH and yet chose not to worship him:

Because knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful. But they became vain in their reasonings, and their undiscerning heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became foolish and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into a likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.  Because of this, God gave them up to impurity in the lusts of their hearts, their bodies to be dishonored among themselves, who changed the truth of God into the lie, and worshiped and served the created thing more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.. (Romans 1:21-25)

Prior to this passage Paul had already ensured that Jesus and YHVH (God) were distinguished as different individuals. Paul is saying here that these people had decided to worship what YHVH had created, rather than worship Him.

Why think Jesus is the Creator? – The “New View”

Orthodox denominations of the Christian church today, call Jesus, “The Creator God.” The idea is that Jesus, having created the world, then came to save it when it fell.  I call this doctrine the “New View” because it is not something that was conceived of by the people of the bible.  It is a concept which came into being several centuries after the death of Jesus. The idea that the creator sacrificed Himself for us is a heart warming romantic notion, but what is the support for this new view of the creator’s identity?  The passages that are used to support Jesus as the creator of the world can only be found in the New Testament, and there are only four: John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:1-2 and Ephesians 3:9.  At this point it is important to remember that if any of these passages are unequivocal then the Bible will contain contradictory information, because YHVH has already told us that He alone was the creator.  I show below how each of these passages can be interpreted in a way that maintains the integrity of the Bible.

John 1:1-3

The passage found in John 1:1-3 is one of the most popular passages used to support the idea that Jesus is the creator:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:1-3).

The popular understanding of this passage has the ultimate effect of supplanting the phrase, “The Word” with the name “Jesus”, i.e.

In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:1-3 – Orthodox understanding).

Let us for the moment ignore the confusing paradox of the first sentence in this revised passage.  We must also note that wherever we see the word “God” used this is a translation from the Greek phrase “hoho Theos” or “The God,” which is used in the Greek scriptures as a replacement for the name, “YHVH.”  So now we see that the orthodox or new view is that Jesus was in the beginning with YHVH and that creation was performed through Jesus’ sole agency.  This cannot be right since YHVH Himself told us numerous times that He was the creator,  He did it with His own hands and nobody else was with Him. (See “YHVH’s personal claims” section above.)  In addition, to forestall claims that Jesus is YHVH, we have also seen that Jesus himself consistently said that he and YHVH are distinct individuals (See section “Statements from Jesus” above).
There is a way that we can reconcile John 1:1-3 with the rest of the Bible that tells us that YHVH is the creator.  We must remember that John, the author, was a Jew and would thus used Jewish figures of speech. In Hebrew speech assign personal pronouns such as “He” or “She” are sometimes assigned to non-persons.  This figure of speech is also still used in languages today, e.g. a ship is called “She” and many languages assign non-persons with feminine or masculine identities.
We can strip away the figure of speech entirely by using the word “It” instead of “He” and “Him” – the masculine personal pronoun  – which most bible translators have used.  The word, “It” is also a valid translation of the Greek word “Autos”.  When this is done the passage becomes :

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with Jehovah, and the word was Jehovah.  It was in the beginning with Jehovah. All things came into being through Him (YHVH), and without Him (YHVH) not even one thing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:1-3 – an alternative version).

This greatly simplifies the meaning that John was trying to convey.  Just as YHVH spoke into existence the world, from His infinite understanding and creativity and it came into being, so too He spoke about His plan for redemption from the beginning and in Jesus His plan became flesh.
A principal example of  the figure of speech where abstract concepts are given personal pronouns is found in Proverbs 8 where the personal pronoun, “She” is given to the abstract concept, “Wisdom”.  There are, in fact, significant similarities between John 1:1-4 and Proverbs 8.  At this point it would be a good idea for you to go through Proverbs 8 so that you can better follow the following comparison:

John 1:1

•  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
• Jehovah possessed me in the beginning … (Proverbs 8:22) …from everlasting… (Proverbs 8:23)…I was at His side, …(Proverbs 8:30).

John 1:2

• He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:2)
• Jehovah possessed me in the beginning…. (Proverbs 8:22)

John 1:3

•  All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:3)
• .. heavens, … ; …circle on the face of the deep, (Proverbs 8:27) … clouds above, … strong fountains of the deep, (Proverbs 8:28)…sea its limit, … foundations of the earth, (Proverbs 8:29) ….I was at His side, like a master workman (Proverbs 8:30)…world, His earth; …sons of men. (Proverbs 8:31)

John 1:4

• In Him was life, and the life was the light of men; (John 1:4)
• For whoever finds me finds life, and he shall obtain favor from Jehovah. (Proverbs 8:35)

There is a strong correspondence between the structure and phraseology of Proverbs 8 and John 1:1-4.  In John 1:1-4 an analogy is made to define Jesus, where he is described as an expression of YHVH’s wisdom:

And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, glory as of an only begotten from the Father, full of grace and of truth. (John 1:14)

The alternative understanding of John 1:1-3 just described is in keeping with valid biblical interpretation.  Using this a basis for understanding what John is saying to us we see that John 1:1-3 describes YHVH, John 1:4-13 describes YHVH’s wisdom with a parenthetical introduction of  John the Baptist.  Jesus is not mentioned until John 1:14 where YHVH’s wisdom was made flesh, YHVH’s son.  This alternative understanding completely avoids introducing concepts which are in direct conflict with foundational passages in other parts of the Bible, and thus maintains the integrity of the Scriptures.

Colossians 1:16

This text from the apostle Paul has particular significance as it needs to reconcile two points in the Bible.  The first and most important is the same as that mentioned previously:  If it is really saying that Jesus and not YHVH was the creator, then it contradicts statements from YHVH Himself, Jesus and other people from the New Testament.  The second point is particular to this passage purely because it is made by Paul.  Above we have seen that Paul has twice expressly identified YHVH as the creator and distinguished Jesus as YHVH’s anointed one.  If Paul is found to be saying that it was Jesus who was the creator, he would not only be contradicting the Bible, but he would also be going against his other statements.  Would it be wise to follow the teachings and words of one who contradicts himself, especially on so important a point?  Yet people do consider Paul’s writings important, but if they fail to read them and understand them correctly they do both him and themselves an injustice.  The passage is from Paul’s letter to the  Colossians:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16 – KJV).

The subject of this text is Jesus, and many have taken it to mean that Jesus created all things in the heavens and on the earth.  The text given above is from the KJV, as it contains the more common translation of this verse and perhaps explains how those not reading carefully can misunderstand Paul as saying, “By Jesus were all things created….”  – the implication being that Jesus took part in creation.  However, this text should not be used to implicate Jesus in the existence or creation of the universe and its contents, because such things are not mentioned in these verses.
The term “All things” which is used in Colossians 1:16 must always be defined by context.  For instance, my wife sometimes comes to me with the question or rather accusation, “Did you eat all of the pears?”.  Greedy as I can be she does not mean that all humanity will now have to go without pears because of me.  In fact she does not even mean to suggest that, were I to go down to the supermarket, I would not be able to get more pears (which is what I will often have to do).  What she means is that the house no longer contains any pears because of me. Our immediate home is the implied context of her statement.
In Colossians 1:16 the term “All things” is indeed given a clear context, it does not even need to be implied. The context given is, thrones, lordships, rulers or authorities, in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible.  Stars, trees, animals etc. are never mentioned, and it is therefore incorrect to apply this text to such things.
Paul uses a similar phrase a few verses later, in Colossians 1:23:

if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and settled and not being moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard proclaimed in all the creation under Heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1:23)

He first talks about “all the creation under heaven” which encompasses aardvarks, goats, chickens, ants and so on as well as humans, but then goes on to provide the limiting context of those to whom he ministers. Of course he only ministered to the humans.
This understanding of Colossians 1:16 is not an alternative understanding of this text in the sense as that given for John 1:1-3.  Language structure dictates that this is the correct understanding.  When considered with the contradictions the orthodox understanding produces with regard to YHVH’s claims and Paul’s other statements it is evident that this text does not identify Jesus as being active in the creation of the universe and its contents.

Hebrews 1:1-2

This text is perhaps the simplest of the texts to reconcile with the rest of the Bible which identifies YHVH as the lone creator of the universe and its contents:

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1-2 – KJV)

Note that the KJV version is used here, because it uses an incorrect translation of the text which is the cause of much misunderstanding.  The Greek word “aion” translated as “worlds” or “universe” in Hebrews 1:2 in some translations actually means ages, as used in the LITV:

In many parts and in many ways of old, God spoke to the fathers in the prophets; in these last days He spoke to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all; through whom He indeed made the ages; (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Compare the word “aion” with “cosmos” used in Acts 17:24 which is correctly translated as “the world”. Thus Hebrews 1:2 is talking about YHVH using Jesus to define the ages or temporal periods.  If you look at other places where “aion” is used, such a meaning easily fits into the text.  So the problem with this text is not that it is misunderstood, but that an error in the translation of many versions has altered its meaning.

Ephesians 3:9

In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul is once more talking primarily to non-Jewish people.  It is no surprise, therefore that he should include the passage:

and to bring to light all, what is the fellowship of the mystery having been hidden from eternity in God, the One creating all things through Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 3:9)

Paul talks here about YHVH who created all things, which would not be something that he would need to mention to Jewish people who are taught this from an early age.  What Paul’s word seem to say here though is that YHVH created things through Jesus, but this does not reconcile with YHVH’s claim that He created with His own hands.
This particular text almost didn’t warrant a mention, as the phrase “Through Jesus Christ” only appears in a few of the manuscripts used to produce the New testament (the Textus Receptus).  The Early Church Fathers, such as John Chrysostom (347 AD – AD 407) quote this text correctly as:

“To preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see
what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from all ages hath been hid in God, who
created all things, to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the
heavenly places, might be made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God.” (Chrysostom’s Homily VII on Ephesians – highlighting is mine).

This tells us that the manuscripts which they used did not contain the extra words, “through Jesus Christ”.  Actually the judicious placing of a comma after the word “things” in the LITV version, as found in the Chrysostom’s quote, would make sure that the text is read with the understanding that is in keeping with the rest of the Bible:

and to bring to light all, what is the fellowship of the mystery having been hidden from eternity in God, the One creating all things, through Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 3:9 – revised)

This revised version has Jesus as the medium through which YHVH, the creator of all things, has brought light to the world. The text, therefore, is a confirmation that YHVH is the creator, rather than suggesting that YHVH created through an agent.  This alternative understanding also does not contradict YHVH’s claims to being personally active in creation.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible there are many statements where the identity of the creator of the universe and its contents is given. This is the Father, YHVH.  In this document, rather than go through all the passages giving YHVH the credit I have focussed only on personal statements, by YHVH, his son Jesus and New testament writers.  YHVH, whose claim is supreme, said that He created the world by Himself with his own hands.  Jesus confirmed this, while also ensuring that people understood that he and his Father are individual beings. I mention this point to make it clear that Jesus did not take part in creation as part of some composite deity: YHVH was the creator and Jesus is not, was not and will never be YHVH.  The apostles confirmed YHVH’s claim, especially Paul who also distinguished the Creator from Jesus.  By contrast there are only four passages that are used to claim that Jesus was active in creation, introducing a new view of the creator.  If these claims were true than they would be in direct contradiction to foundational statements in the rest of the Bible, making YHVH, Jesus and the New Testament writers liars or confused – if that could ever be.  These passages can only be found in the New Testament, which is why the personal statements from the New Testament writers were chosen.  Paul’s writings in particular have been used by some to claim that Jesus was active in creation, despite the fact that Paul’s writings also contain direct statements that this is not so.  I have shown how each of the four passages can be understood in a way that does not make Jesus active in creation, and thus reconciles their meaning with the rest of the Bible.