Look, you are taking the word out of context. Out of context, you have a point, but we (Orthodox and Catholics) do not see our faith out of context, but in context of the whole life of the Church. Within that context, no one believes that God the Word did not exist. Mary gave birth to a Person who is God even though He is also man. To say that she gave birth to man Jesus is just plain not true.
What was born was holy, as the angel said. The impossible became possible. The pre-existing and eternal God took on Mary's humanity, and became man, was carried for nine months in her womb and was born of a woman as a human Child.
Which word?
To say that she gave birth to man Jesus is just plain not true.
"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh . . ." (Rom. 1:3).
The Apostle Sha'ul (Paul) had no problem making the distinction between Yeshua's lineage "according to the flesh"--which is to say, according to His human nature--and His eternally existent Divine nature. Why do you find it troublesome that I make the same distinction?