came-down.html

"I CAME DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN"
Just as there are many African-Americans who have never seen the coast of Africa, nor tasted of the food thereof, nor yet fought the beasts therein, so also there are some of Scotch-Irish descent who have never tasted Scotland nor breathed Ireland. To present oneself as being African-American, is not to claim birth location, but rather it is a claim to nationality, or descent of lineage among men, or of citizenship, whether born therein, or by purchase thereof.

Citizenship could be bought, or inherited. Paul inherited his from his father, who may have bought his by virtue of his wealth. We can deduce this from the fact that Paul was a "free-born" citizen.
Acts 22:27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. 28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

Paul claimed his citizenship from Rome, a citizen of the city of Tarsus, though he does not claim that his father was Italian, or Roman. He does claim, however, that he followed the religion of his "fathers."
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. Acts 24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

Yet, says Paul, "I am a Jew."
Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

Paul's beginnings were among his own nation.
Acts 26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

Timothy's lineage included the Hebrew, through his mother; and the Greek, through his father. Acts 16:1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

So aslo did Jesus claim lineage with the Father when he said that he came down out of heaven. His father was never a citizen of earth, but his mother was. Jesus was of mixed lineage, and had the right to claim either, just as did Saul of Tarsus.

Jesus taught that he is not of this world, and he wasn't. But it was in the same sense that he said that his kingdom is not of this world. The men in the kingdom were born in the world, yet, being in the kingdom, makes them not of this world.
John 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Jesus uses an analogy, that of living bread, to teach the Jews about his purpose in being among them. We know that he is not saying that he was pre-existing in heaven, because flesh was not in heaven, yet he says that the bread which he will give them is his flesh. And it is the bread which, he says, came down from heaven.
John 6:41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

The "son of man" was not pre-existant in heaven. Jesus is alluding to the statement which follows, that he is the gift from his father to the sinful world.
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.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.

The only "descension" referenced in scriptures is in relation to Jesus' descent into the grave, and his visit with the spirits "in prison." Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9 Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

Jesus knew the reality of his dual citizenship, and spoke of it in the same manner as did Paul the apostle. And in the same manner in which he spoke of the kingdom, as being "not of this world."

Go to PART XI: BEING IN "THE FORM OF GOD"