The Creator

Did Jesus create the world?

Isaiah wrote:

I am the LORD, Who made all things, Who alone stretched out the heavens, Who by Myself spread out the earth; -- Isaiah 44:24 (NRSV)

Malachi wrote:

Have we not all one Father?
Has not one God created us?
Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

-- Malachi 2:10 (ESV)

And John wrote:

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

...

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

-- John 1:3,10 (NKJV)

And Paul wrote:

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

-- Colossians 1:3,13-17 (ESV)

And the author of Hebrews wrote:

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; -- Hebrews 1:1-2 (NKJV)

If one cherry-pick verses like these and assume "he" and "him" is Jesus, then Jesus has to be the God Almighty because Malachi wrote the Creator is God.

In addition, some also quote:

But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life... -- Acts 3:14-15 (ESV)

But before we make such a conclusion, let us have a look at the context of these scriptures.

Genesis 1

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock...” -- Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

To some, this proof that God looks like a human which validate a Jesus God.

According to Strong's Concordance, the word "image" or "likeness" could also mean: resemblance or model

Therefore, many interpretations of this verse exist of which some belief it means:

  • mankind was supposed to dominate and rule over creation like God does
  • mankind was supposed to represent or model God's character in the creation

John 1

People tend to confuse Jesus with God in John 1, because they assume Jesus is "the Word" and in most English translations God, the Word and Jesus are mixed up in John 1 so that it seems like they are all the same thing and that Jesus is also the Creator.

Acts 3

But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life... -- Acts 3:14-15 (ESV)

This is a convenient way to "proof" that Jesus is God, because only God can be "the Author" or "the Source" of life.

However, the word incorrectly translated as "Author" is actually, according to Strong's Concordance:

archégos          : founder, leader
Original Word     : ἀρχηγός, οῦ, ὁ
Part of Speech    : Noun, Masculine
Transliteration   : archégos
Phonetic Spelling : (ar-khay-gos')
Definition        : founder, leader
Usage             : originator, author, founder, prince, leader.

For example other Bible translators wrote:

And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. -- Acts 3:15 (KJV)

and killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. -- Acts 3:15 (ASB)

“And you killed him, The Ruler of Life, whom God raised from among the dead, and we are all his witnesses.” -- Acts 3:15 (Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

and you killed the one who leads people to life. But God raised him from death, and all of us can tell you what he has done. -- Acts 3:15 (CEV)

and killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. -- Acts 3:15 (ERV)

You killed the one who leads to life, but God raised him from death--and we are witnesses to this. -- Acts 3:15 (GNT)

and the Prince of life you killed, whom God raised out of the dead, of which we are witnesses; -- Acts 3:15 (LSV)

and the Prince of the life ye did kill, whom God did raise out of the dead, of which we are witnesses; -- Acts 3:15 (YLT)

and kylled the Lorde of lyfe whom God hath raysed from deeth of the which we are wytnesses. -- Acts 3:15 (Tyndale Bible of 1526)

"But you killed the Prince of life, whom Elohim raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses." -- Acts 3:15 (TS2009)

In the context of

God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. -- Acts 5:31 (ESV)

the author of Acts more likely meant "leader/ruler/lord of life".

Also, when you continue reading Acts 3:14-15 (NKJV):

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

Notice, God as another entity, raise "the Prince of life" from the dead, which mean that God is not "the Prince of life".

Colossians 1

He has delivered us from the power of darkness band conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence.

-- Colossians 1:13-18 (NKJV)

"image" is not the same as "origin". Adam was also created in the "image" of God:

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;

-- Genesis 2:26-27 (NKJV)

"firstborn" implies he had to be born, not the Almighty Creator of the universe.

Paul is writing specifically about "the Kingdom of the Son" (verse 13) or "the body, the church" (verse 18) and not about the entire universe.

Paul also does not say Jesus created the "heaven and earth", but instead "all things in heaven and on earth", which implies the heaven and earth already existed when Jesus started creating.

So what did Jesus create?

Paul does not list "rocks, water, plants and animals", but instead "thrones or dominions or principalities or powers" which is both "visible and invisible".

What about "by him all things were created"?

Jesus created all authority structures in his kingdom which affects all things.

In this context "all" is limited to Jesus abilities and his Kingdom. For example if my wife says my children ate all the cookies, she does not mean they ate all the cookies in the entire world, but simply they ate all the cookies we had access to.

Likewise,

  • "all the men of Israel" agreed (2 Samuel 17:14) is impossible because not all the men of Israel were present
  • “all the people” seized Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:8) refers to only those who were present, because later other people who were not originally present, released him
  • “ye know all things” (1 John 2:20), while no person could have has knowledge of everything

Hebrews 1

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; -- Hebrews 1:1-2 (NKJV)

The Greek Interlinear Bible reveals that "worlds" are the incorrect translation. The original Greek word is aión.

Strong's Concordance
Original Word αἰών, ῶνος, ὁ
Part of Speech Noun, Masculine
Transliteration aión
Phonetic Spelling (ahee-ohn')
Definition a space of time, an age

Another problem is that the author of Hebrews clearly stated "in these last days", which implies that previously God did not "spoke" through His Son which would then contradicts Genesis 1 where God spoke creation into existence.

If "the Son" was God, it would be pointless to appoint Himself to be an "heir of all things" since He would have already owned everything.

Martin Luther, the founder of the Lutheran Church, a Trinitarians who believed Jesus is God, considered the Book of Hebrews an unreliable source because it contains errors.

Revelation 10:5-6

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring... And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land... Who lives forever and ever, Who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay. -- Revelation 10:1-3,5-6 (ESV)

Some scholars quote this passage with many descriptions of this "mighty angel" matching Jesus to imply that Jesus as "the angel of the LORD", created the world.

However, they tend to omit the words "the angel... raised his right hand to heaven and swore by Him Who lives forever and ever..." which changes the subject from the angel to God "Who lives forever". Therefore, John did not state that it was the angel who created the world.

Co-operative creators?

Some attempt to explain that the Father authorized creation, and Jesus did the creation work, with a translation like:

For us,

  1. There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live.
  2. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

-- 1 Corinthians 8:6 (NLT)

They argue that the Father, Who had an architect role, enabled Jesus to do the actual work. What is causing this confusion is that the word "created", which added by some translators, is absent from the original Greek manuscripts as seen in the Interlinear Bible:

English Greek Lexicon Strong's Description
YET all Conjunction But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.
FOR US hēmin Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.
[there is but]
ONE heis Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.
GOD theos Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.
THE ho Article - Nominative Masculine Singular The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
FATHER patēr Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.
FROM ex Preposition From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.
WHOM hou Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular Who, which, what, that.
ALL panta Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.
THINGS ta Article - Nominative Neuter Plural The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the
[created] - - Added by translator!
AND kai Conjunction And, even, also, namely.
FOR eis Preposition A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.
[whom] auton Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
WE hēmeis Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.
[exist] - - Added by translator!
AND kai Conjunction And, even, also, namely.
[there is but]
ONE heis Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.
LORD Kyrios Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.
JESUS Iēsous Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.
CHRIST Christos Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.
THROUGH di’ Preposition A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.
WHOM hou Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular Who, which, what, that.
ALL panta Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.
THINGS ta Article - Nominative Neuter Plural The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the
[created] - - Added by translator!
AND kai Conjunction And, even, also, namely.
THROUGH di’ Preposition A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.
[whom] auton Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
WE hēmeis Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.
[exist] - - Added by translator!

Compare the same verse with the NKJV version which seems to be written a bit more like the original Greek:

For us there is:

  1. one God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we for Him; and
  2. one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we [live].

-- 1 Corinthians 8:6 (NKJV)

This verse should be read in context. Paul was not writing a creation teaching. In 1 Corinthians 8 Paul contrast God's ownership and purpose with those of the idols. Paul could have meant that the phrases "through whom are all things" and "through whom we live" could mean we have access to God through Jesus' blood sacrifice which grant us access to eternal life or give us purpose to live.

This make also sense if you consider that Paul was writing about laws in 1 Corinthians 7:39 and 1 Corinthians 8:7-13. This means the context was about laws and what his followers were allowed to do and not to do. Paul was addressing the issue of food offered to idols and how that may become "a stumbling block to those who are weak" (1 Corinthians 8:9) and his concern was that "weak" believers should not get lost because of small matters like these. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 8:6 written in the middle of this concern, is more likely addressing salvation than creation.

This scripture which was also written by Paul indicates what he was more likely intending to say:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. -- Ephesians 1:3-6 (ESV)

Conclusion

Jesus himself says that God is the creator and does not give credit to himself:

And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you... For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. -- Mark 13:5,19 (NKJV)