John, in His Gospel account, lays out for us a divinely-inspired expression of the Son in similar fashion of overlapping, defining description. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1–2). Try to develop a graphic that captures that. John takes the approach of reaching into the depths of eternity and the heights of glory to bring Jesus to us.

It is impossible for us to fathom the Son in eternal communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. On most topics of theology we can find words and phrases to get a hold on profound, even mysterious truth. But when it comes to the fellowship of the three Persons of the Godhead, words fail us.

The Nicene Creed, formulated at the Council of Nicea in 325 and expanded at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, helps us in our efforts. It speaks of “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten by His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.” The church fathers declare and qualify and emphasize as an expression of science and art to give us a sense of the eternal Son.

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