Christ's “family of origin”

Posted Dec 09, 2011 by Jeff Wilson in The Son of God

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If a true-hearted Trinity believer were to pick a text from Scripture to back up the claim that Christ is co-eternal and without beginning then Micah 5:2 would likely be one such text. Yet interestingly when this text is examined it actually does not infer Christ’s supposedly selforiginating Co-eternal nature.

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. - Micah 5:2

Firstly, consider the words “goings forth” and their Hebrew meaning. In the Strong’s concordance the original Hebrew word is # 4163 “Mowtsaah” Which is in the feminine gender and means a family decent. So the word has a parental quality! It speaks more in favor of the inherent relational dynamic between the Father and the Son than an indivisible Trinity. This is reflected in no less than 10 different Bible translations. Here are 3 examples

But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times. - Micah 5:2 CJB Complete Jewish Bible

The Lord says, "Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.- Micah 5:2 GNT Good News Translation

You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah's cities. Yet, from you Israel's future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago - Micah 5:2 GW

The RSV renders the words “goings forth . . . from the days of eternity”: “ancient days” The NLT; “from distant past” NIV; “from ancient times” NIRV; “family line . . . .way back to days long ago” NCV; “very old times” CJB; “origins are far in the past, back in ancient times” the CSB says; - “His origin is antiquity” And the MSG says; - “family tree”