Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (KJV)
Look at the “fulness” concept from another angle or perspective.
If Jesus is the “Bodily fullness” and yet The Father is greater, it means that the Father cannot be limited to a body, because He is a Spirit.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)
Joh 14:28 ¶ Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Think of the mountain and stone in Daniel 2:34.
Dan 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
- Jesus was with God and was God, Jn 1:1.
John 1:1 ¶In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- A body was prepared for Him, Heb 10:5.
Heb 10:5 ¶Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
- He made our redemption possible John 1:12.
John 1:12 KJV — But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- Then He went back to the situation He existed in before, and He was glorified with the same Glory He had with the Father before the world was, Jn 17:5.
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
- A portion of God the Father had became man, who was during His earthly ministry still joined to God the Father by the Holy Spirit. Then the stone again became a part of the mountain and assumed His former Glory.
We can now be joined to God while we are in our fleshly bodies just as Jesus was during His earthly ministry, through the Holy Spirit, John 17:21.
Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The Father is the person who “Begets” (Strong’s 1080) , 1 Jn 5:1.
1Jo 5:1 ¶ Whosoever <pas> believeth <pisteuo> that <hoti> Jesus <Iesous> is <esti> the Christ <Christos> is born <gennao> of <ek> God: <theos> and <kai> every one <pas> that loveth <agapao> him that begat <gennao> loveth <agapao> him also <kai> that is begotten <gennao> of <ek> him. <autos>
The Strong’s word # 1080 <gennao> from 1 John 5:1 is derived from the word #1085 which is derived from #1096 which means “To Be”. This brings to mind Exodus 3:14.
Ex 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (KJV)
In 1 Jo 5:1 the Strong’s Concordance Greek word#1080 is modified by two different different Voice’s.
Voice is the property of the verb that indicates how the subject is related to the action (or state) expressed by the verb. In general, the voice of the verb may indicate that the subject is doing the action (active), receiving the action (passive), or both doing and receiving (at least the results of) the action (middle).
The Father Beget’s –
Tense-Aorist, no past, present or future See 5777
Voice-Active, subject as Doer of action See 5784
Mood – Participle, “ing” or “ed” word ending See 5796
Jesus is Begotton –
5772 Tense-Perfect, past completed action, See 5778
Voice-Passive, recipient of the action, See 5786
Mood – Participle, “ing” or “ed” word ending, See 5796
Contrasting 1 Jn 5:1 with Daniel 2:34.
Da 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
It becomes clear that the Father separated a portion of Himself, Dan 2:34.
While still connected to The Father by the Spirit, this portion of the Father (called Eternal Life in Jn 1:2) was manifested to people on earth.
1Jo 1:1 ¶ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jo 1:2 (For the/that life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us
Before “The First and the last” came to earth He made this statement in Isaiah 44:6.
Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
“The first and the Last then said in Rev 1:17-18 that He had been dead.
Re 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Re 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
The “First and the Last” can only say that He was “Dead” if, when a portion of Himself was on Earth He did not cease from being the only true God as mentioned in Isaiah 44:6.