Proverbs 30:4
Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!
Aineo wrote:The Greeks of what period, the 1st century or the 4th century? Also since the foundation of Christianity is the apostles and the prophets who were Hebrews not Greeks appealing to how Greeks interpreted the Hebrew Scriptures is a logical fallacy since each culture had diametrically opposite philosophies. It is also a logical fallacy to appeal to a majority opinion. Also once again you are trying to obfuscate historical truth since the early heresies included those who denied Jesus came in the flesh and was an emanation from God, those who believed Jesus was a created being, those who believed God is 2 not 3, and etc.
Koine Greek was spoken in both centuries, and Hellenistic thought predated both by many centuries. Just because people are Greek, that doesn't mean that they are these abstract philosophers.
The Scriptures do not teach the preexistence of Jesus, men have interpreted various Scriptures in order to justify a man-made doctrine. Peter, John, and Paul agree with each other and the OT prophesies that tell us Jesus is God's anointed one who was born of a woman, God's Servant, God's chosen King, and etc.
Now since you want to see a correlation between vs. 15 and vs. 18 lets look at the Greek. In both verses the Greek translated first-born is proototokos. As the first-born from the dead Jesus has preeminence in God's kingdom. This preeminence was part of God's predetermined plan. So, maybe that is why you wanted to ignore verse 15 since verse 18 explain verse 15.
Jesus can be preeminent and preexistent, why should both be in conflict? That word is even used in verse 18. What about the other verses, Aineo?
Paul stated that Jesus was before all things, and in Him all things were made. Paul recognizes Jesus's preexistence.
The Nicaean Creed was an attempt to put the pieces together that are given in the Bible to form the overall picture of who the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are and describe them and their importance and relationship. It's a summary, basically.