Begin
The Absolute Beginning: Creation and God as Source
The foundational biblical beginning is God's creation of the cosmos: 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth' (Genesis 1:1). This opening declaration establishes God as the uncreated First Cause, existing before and independent of the created order. The Gospel of John echoes this cosmic beginning, identifying the pre-existent Word who was 'in the beginning with God' (John 1:1-2). These passages present beginning not merely as a temporal marker but as a theological statement about God's sovereignty and the derivative nature of creation.
Relative Beginnings: Divine Initiatives in History
Scripture frequently records beginnings of significant movements within God's redemptive plan. Moses' call at the burning bush marked the beginning of Israel's liberation from Egypt (Exodus 3:1-15). Jesus' public ministry began with his baptism and the declaration: 'From that time on Jesus began to preach' (Matthew 4:17). The early church had its beginning at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), and Paul noted the Philippian church as the first in Macedonia where his ministry 'had its beginning' (Philippians 4:15). These relative beginnings represent strategic transitions where God's purposes become manifest in history.
The Grammatical Function: Narrative Emphasis
New Testament writers often use 'begin' (Greek: archomai) to introduce significant speeches or actions, creating narrative emphasis rather than merely indicating sequence. When Luke notes that Jesus 'began to speak' (Luke 4:21) or 'began to teach' (Luke 5:3), the construction highlights the importance of what follows. This usage appears approximately 80 times in the Gospels alone, suggesting a deliberate stylistic choice to mark pivotal moments in Jesus' ministry and the disciples' experiences.
Theological Dimensions in Johannine Literature
The writings of John develop particularly rich theological dimensions of 'beginning' (Greek: archē). In Revelation, Jesus identifies himself as 'the Beginning and the End' (Revelation 21:6) and 'the Beginning of God's creation' (Revelation 3:14), claiming cosmic primacy and eternal existence. First John references 'the beginning' as both the historical starting point of the apostolic witness (1 John 1:1) and the moral standard from which some believers had strayed (1 John 2:7, 24). These uses connect beginning with ontological reality, historical revelation, and ethical continuity.
Eschatological New Beginnings
The biblical narrative culminates with promises of ultimate new beginnings. Isaiah prophesied about God doing 'a new thing' that would spring forth (Isaiah 43:19). Paul declared that anyone in Christ is part of 'a new creation' (2 Corinthians 5:17). Revelation concludes with God making 'all things new' (Revelation 21:5), suggesting that the final state represents not merely restoration but a qualitatively new beginning that surpasses the original creation. This eschatological dimension connects all temporal beginnings to their ultimate fulfillment in God's eternal purposes.
Biblical Context
The concept appears throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Key appearances include the creation narrative (Genesis 1:1), the beginning of Israel's covenant history (Exodus), the start of Jesus' ministry (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:1; Luke 3:23), the origin of the Church (Acts 1:1; 11:15), and eschatological new beginnings (Revelation 21-22). The term functions both as a temporal marker and a theological concept, often signaling divine initiatives or significant transitions in salvation history.
Theological Significance
Biblical beginnings reveal God as the uncreated Source of all existence and the initiator of redemptive history. They demonstrate that salvation proceeds according to God's purposeful timing, with each new beginning building toward ultimate fulfillment. The concept underscores God's sovereignty in history while also highlighting human responsiveness to divine initiatives. Particularly in Christological passages, beginning language affirms Jesus' eternal existence and divine nature, countering creationist heresies that would subordinate him to the Father.
Historical Background
Ancient Near Eastern creation accounts typically depicted beginnings as emerging from pre-existing chaotic matter or divine conflict. In contrast, the biblical creation narrative presents a beginning ex nihilo (from nothing) by the sovereign word of one God. Greek philosophical traditions, particularly Platonic thought, distinguished between temporal beginnings and eternal archetypes. New Testament writers, especially John, engaged these concepts while transforming them within a monotheistic framework. The Gospel writers' frequent use of 'began to' constructions reflects common Koine Greek narrative techniques for emphasizing significant speech or action.