Op asks,
But are there any known instances of someone arguing John 1:1's beginning is a new beginning (not Genesis or even a pre-Genesis beginning) before 1562?
Here are some interesting things that pertain to beginnings.
As God always was, there is no absolute beginning right before us in the Scriptures. Both here in John 1:1 "The" article Is lacking in the originals, showing that it refers to the commencement of the subject in hand. In Genesis it is the beginning. Here it is the beginning of revelation. Concordant commentary
The Definition Article
What Are Articles? (with Examples) The articles are the words "a," "an," and "the." They define whether something is specific or unspecific. There are two types of article: (1) The Definite Article (The). "The" is called the definite article.
It may be surprising to many to know that the larger portion of the passage reading
"In the beginning" have no article in the original. Many go to Genesis 1:1 for "the" beginning, yet the definite article
"the" is not found in the original here, therefore it most
certainly does not refer to the beginning in the absolute.
Others will quote John 1:1 as a reference to "the" beginning,
yet we find no article in the original. In both instances, the
"beginning" is simply in reference to the commencement or beginning of the subject that is being considered.
Genesis 1:1 is the
"beginning of the physical universe, while John 1:1 speaks of the beginning of revelation, yet, in neither instance is there reference to "the" beginning of the absolute, but simply "a" beginning of the subject under consideration.
Many Beginnings
There are many "beginnings" recorded in God's Word. John 1:1, Genesis 1:1, Mat.24:21; Mk14:18; 2Peter3:4; Mk 10:6; Mark 1:1; Mat 24:8; Mark 13:8.
One will observe that in all these instances of "beginning", not one of them refers to "the" beginning in the absolute. In each case, it means only "a" beginning or "in" beginning of the subject at hand.
By observing the fact of the absence the definite article "the" in these Scriptures, one can see the truth of the real beginning of the creation of God......
What was the "original" or "beginning". of God's creation?
In the Unveiling (Revelation) Of Jesus Christ 3:14 It is written:
Now this He is saying, Who is The Amen, The faithful, and True Wltness, And God's creative original.
The underlying original and a literal sublinear of the latter part of the verse, "God's creative Original," reads Hee archee tees ktiseoos tou Theou, THE ORIGINAL OF-THE CREATION OF-THE God. Five times in the Unveiling we are expressly told that Jesus Christ is "the Alpha," "the First," "the Origin," "the Beginning of the creation of the God" (Rev.1:8,18; 3:14; 21: 6; 22:13).
Nowhere else in all the sacred original writings do we find the definite article "the" used in connection with "beginning" except in these references which point exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ.
This should settle the question of "the Beginning of the creation of the God." The faithful and True Witness, Jesus christ, Himself, is "God's creative Original." Adlai Loudy
It's amazing that definite article "the" makes all the difference when using the word beginning. Every other time it has to do with beginnings of something that is shown in the context it is used.
