Pope Shenouda III
Of course, the fact that Christ created all things means that He WAS before all things. Thus St. John the Evangelist says: "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (Jn. 1: 3), and: "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him" (Jn. 1: 10). Since the world was made through Him, therefore, He WAS before the world and before all things.