in
Monreale, Sicily) depicts Christ, the
Logos, as the
creator of the world "Son of God" is used to refer to
Jesus in the
Gospel of Mark at the beginning in verse and at its end in . Max Botner wrote, "Indeed, if Mark 1:1 presents the "normative understanding" of Jesus' identity, then it makes a significant difference what the text includes". The
Logos or Word in
John 1:1 ("In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God), is often interpreted, especially by
Trinitarians, to identify the
pre-existent Jesus with this Word. The disputed
Comma Johanneum (
1 John ) includes the Son in the formula "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." Christians believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (
John 3:16). Jesus identified himself in New Testament canonical writings. "Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, . (), which some Trinitarians believe is a reference to Moses in his interaction with preincarnate God in the Old Testament: "And God said to Moses, '.' And he said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ' has sent me to you. (
Exodus 3:14).
A manuscript variant in John 1:18 (Θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε· μονογενὴς Θεὸς ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐκεῖνος ἐξηγήσατο) has led to translations including "God the One and Only" (
NIV, 1984) referring to the Son. Later theological use of this expression (compare Latin:
Deus Filius) reflects what came to be the standard interpretation of New Testament references, understood to imply Jesus' divinity, but with the distinction of his person from another person of the Trinity called the Father. As such, the title is associated more with the development of the doctrine of the Trinity. Trinitarians believe that a clear reference to the Trinity occurs in , "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." ==Dissenting views==