“That the Father Alone is God”                                          Christadelphians 23.5.06

Preliminaries

● 3 preliminaries before I address the question in terms of the identity of Jesus

1. Deity and the States of Christ

● 2 states of Christ, humiliation (birth to death) and exaltation

● state of humiliation is compatible with texts like “the only true God” (John 17:3) (False logic e.g. Jude 4 “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” doesn’t imply Father is not Master and Lord.”(When Deity is placed in opposition to idols or  creatures, the mention of one person does not exclude the others from being of the same substance in the Godhead (http://www.reclaimingwalther.org/articles/jmc00355.htm)  “the Father is greater than I” (John 14:28 cf. Gen 41:40 “Pharaoh is “greater than” Joseph); “no one is good but God alone” (Mark 10:18 cf. Heb 2:10; 5:9 “made perfect” through sufferings, and “good shepherd” John 10:11); “Son himself will also be subjected to him”(1 Cor 15:28 cf. Jesus’ submission to his parents Luke 2:51; evidently Jesus is currently not ‘under the subjection’ of the Father).These texts all concern Jesus in the state of humiliation and/or his work as Messiah under the sovereignty of his Father

2. What Sort of Father?

As in the scripture, “God is one” (Rom 3:30; Gal 3:20; Js 2:19; Deut 6:4), the word “is” means essence.  The statement, “The Father only is God”, means God is essentially Father.  However God cannot be essentially Father (eternally and immutably Father) unless there is an eternal Son.  Otherwise, God is not Father at all, , or God is able to change his essence to become whatever he wants to (contra Mal 3:6)and we are left with less than the biblical understanding of God is.

From the Son’s prayer “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5) we know God is eternally Father, therefore he was never alone, as the best text of John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.” (John 1:18) ESV text cf. http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=4

3. What Sort of Unity?

The topic for tonight, raises the question of the sort of unity that exists in God. Mathematical unity is impersonal and incompatible with internal plurality in God. Relational unity is personal, internal and can be plural.  (Analogically, two persons constitute the oneness of marriage (Gen 2:24).) It is love- unity that is shared by the Father and the Son, and it is their will to share it with us (John 17:11, 21- 23; 1 Cor 6:17; Phil 1:27).  Relational unity is known through relational rather than strictly intellectual evidences.

● examine the nature of the Christian’s relationship with Jesus in the New Testament

[● historical fact- earliest non- biblical evidences for Christian practice show Jesus as an object of worship e.g. Pliny the Younger 111-113 A.D. (Letters 10.96-97); satirist Lucian of Samosata (ca. 115-ca. 200) “they still worship, the man who was crucified in Palestine because he introduced this new cult into the world”.  http://www.mystae.com/restricted/reflections/messiah/beliefs.html

 

● Early Church references to Jesus’ deity (Polycarp, Justin, Ignatius, Clement, etc.) http://www.letusreason.org/Trin1.htm

● need to ask what sort of influences were responsible for this transition from the unitary monotheism of the Old Testament ]

4. Devotion to Jesus

1. Jesus is worshipped

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said” (Acts 13:2) “the Lord” used overwhelmingly of Jesus in Acts. Spirit speaks because he is the agent of Christ in distributing gifts (Acts 2:33; Eph 4:11). Expression “worshiping the LORD” is found in 2 Chron 20:18 for the worship of God.

(http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5379) The key term used for “worship” (proskuneo) in the N.T. has a range of meanings e.g. respect.  What distinguishes worship of God from deference to men is that “falling down” – and – worshipping ( proskuneo ) the Father (1 Cor 14:25, Rev 4:10, 5:14 “And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”, 7:11, 11:16; 19:4) is perfectly legitimate but in the case of men it is forbidden (Acts 10:25; Rev 19:10, 22:8).  proskuneo can be translated “to bow down” but, if a person is already down, the addition of proskuneo must indicate not respect but worship. For example, the words of the devil to Jesus (Matthew 4:9) ” ‘All these things I will give you, if you fall down and worship me.’” Then Jesus said to him, “Begone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”

With respect to Jesus, there are references where this type of worship, reserved only for God occurs,  Matthew 2: 11, ‘….And they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshiped him….” Matthew 28:9, ” And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped Him.” (Cf. Matthew 14:3; 28:17; John 9:38; Hebrews 1:6).’”

2. Prayers and Invocations to Jesus

There are a number of these, such as:

2 Corinthians 12:8 “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.” and “all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:2 cf. Joel 2:32) See also, Acts 9:5ff; 1 Cor 16:22; 1 Thess 3:12; 2 Thess 3:5, 3:16; 2 Tim 1:16- 18.

 

Stephen’s prayer as he was dying needs special attention, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:59 – 60).  These words contain many repetitions of Jesus prayers in Luke 23:34&46 “Father forgive them” “calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

[ 59 Κύριε Ἰησοῦ, δέξαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου. 60 θεὶς δὲ τὰ γόνατα ἔκραξεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ, Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς ταύτην τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐκοιμήθη. Acts 7:59- 60

46 καὶ φωνήσας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου. τοῦτο δὲ εἰπὼν ἐξέπνευσεν.Luke 23:46]

The most important thing to notice is that Stephen prays to Jesus for those killing him and releases his spirit to Jesus in exactly the same way as Jesus did to the Father.  Jesus is therefore as much God to Stephen as the Father was to Jesus.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus encourages his followers that after his return to heaven (John 3:13; 6:62) they are to, “ask me anything in my name” (14:14) also to pray “in his name” (14:13; 15:16; 16:23 -24, 26).

3. Hymns to Jesus

(B.Witherington III, The Many Faces Of The Christ, N.Y. Crossroad, 1998.)

These are identified by rhythmical lilt, couplets, metre and rhetorical devices e.g. alliteration, chiasmus.  The fullest of these is Philippians 2:6 – 11 the ending of the hymn “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Cites Isaiah 45:23, where it is used of Yahweh, of Jesus.  Paul plainly understand the exaltation of Jesus as a manifestation of the previous two verses in Isaiah (45:22 – 23) “there is no other god besides me. 22 …For I am God, and there is no other.”

(cf., e.g., 1 Cor 8:5-6, John 17:11, 21, 23 and Mark 2:7 with Deut 6:4 [the Shema] where Jesus is included within the oneness of God.).

Other hymns are Col 1:15- 20; 1 Tim 3:16; Heb 1: 2b – 4.

4. Prophetic Witness of Jesus

The title of Jesus in Revelation 3:14, “‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness.” refer back to Isaiah 65:16 16 So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth (Elohe amen), and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; N.b. the Greek word for “true” witness in Revelation is the same as that in the L.X.X.  for “God of truth” (alethinos).  These are the only two places in the Bible where “Amen” is a name.  The witness of Jesus is identical to the witness of God. (Cf. “the faithful witness in heaven” Ps 88:38 LXX; Job 16:19 “my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high”)

 

“the word of the LORD/Yahweh” in the Old Testament has become “the word of the Lord (Jesus)” in the New Acts 8:25; 11:16; 13:44, 48; 15:35- 36; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess 1:8; 2 Thess 3:1; 1 Pet 1:25).  Jesus sends prophets (Matt 23:34; Luke 11:45; Eph 4:11).  Preaching is in Jesus name (Acts 3:6; 4:18; 5:40; 9:27). Jesus possesses  the authority of God in his Word, otherwise this is idolatry.

5. Dying for Jesus

There are many references in the NT to a readiness to suffer and die for Jesus, such as Acts 21:13, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”. See also Acts 5:40- 42; 7:52- 60; 14:3, 7, 19; Phil 1:20; 2 Cor 4:10; 2 Tim 2:3; Rev 1:9; 3:10; 12:11, 17; 20:4 etc.

6. Calling Jesus “God”

The most straightforward example of this is in John 20:28, where Thomas, a Jew and so a strict monotheist, encounters the risen Christ and exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:17, 28). ho kurios mou kai ho theos mou

What do these words mean? Firstly, they repeat Psalm 35:23 addressed to God, but in reverse order. Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! (Ps 35:23). Secondly, “my God (theos in singular)” is used in 12 other verses in NT [– used by Jesus four times (Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34; John 20:17; Rev 3:2, 12) and by Paul eight times (Rom 1:8; 1 Cor 1:4; 2 Cor 12:21; Phil 1:3; 4:19; Philemon 1:4)], it always means deity in fullest sense.  Thirdly, the expression is identical to the praise of God in Revelation 4:11, except “our” replaces “my”, “You are worthy, our Lord and God” (ho kurios kai ho theos hemon). John the apostle was the author of both the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation. Thus John 20:28 should be interpreted in a manner similar to Revelation 4:11.  Finally, just a few verses back, Jesus says to Mary, 17 “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”   John 20:28 therefore means that Jesus is as much God to Thomas as the Father is God to Jesus.

5. The wrath bearer is God

This extraordinary outpouring of devotion to a human being has a single explanation within the New Testament. At the beginning of one of the most important passages on the atonement, 2 Corinthians 5:14 -15, Paul says “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God…For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him (Jesus) who for their sake died and was raised.” Paul says he lives for Jesus (cf. Gal 219- 20: “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”; Phil 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”)

These texts show that one lives for God (the Father) by living for Jesus.  Paul explains why this is so, “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor 5:19).  Jesus is treated as God because he bears the wrath of God, something only God can do. (Key texts on propitiation: Isa 53:4, 5, 10, 12; Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10.)

The passages that most strongly affirm the deity of Jesus in a doctrinal manner do so in the midst of a teaching on his atoning work because they are moved by (doxological) worship/hymnic concerns motivated by his sacrifice.

(Col 1:15- 20) “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

The person who created the cosmos has in himself all the essence of God and only as such is able to reconcile the whole universe to God by his death.

(Phil 2:6 -11) “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,  being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus is the “form” (morphe) of God, a word that signifies the outward form which truly and fully expresses the real being that underlies it.  Applied to Christ, it means that he manifested the very being and nature of God.  This is to be equated with the expression “equality with God” in the next line.  It is this person, who emptied himself and died on the cross for us, who has now been reinstated with “the name” i.e. the name of God, Yahweh (Ex 3:13- 15).

(Heb 1:3- 4) “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

Jesus radiates (apaugasma) the divine glory and bears the exact likeness (charakter) of God’s nature (hypostasis), his very being and essential reality.  In this capacity he carries the whole universe forward to its goal, something achievable only because the Son, in the unity of his being and action with God, could bring about the purification of sins through his death.

If God is infinite, his wrath is infinite,  “The sinners in Zion are afraid;
trembling has seized the godless:
“Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire?
Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?”” (Isa 33:14; cf. Deut 4:24; 9:3; Heb 12:29).  Only God himself could have the mercy capable of bearing his holy justice without being annihilated by the pain in the relationship between himself and humanity.  This is what happened on the cross. (Karl Barth  Church Dogmatics II 1:330)

The value of the atonement, in its impact both on God and us, depends entirely on the identity, glory and worth of the sacrifice offered.  The blood of animals cannot remove sin (Heb 10:4) because beasts cannot substitute their deaths for ours (Lev 1:4; 16:21-22 laying hands on sacrifice =  transfer of responsibility/sin/substitution Num 8:10; Lev 24:14), neither can they offer themselves freely.  But God gave us his Son freely (Rom 8:32).  This would be impossible if Jesus’ own will was not absolutely free, and it could not be absolutely free in relation to dying for others if he himself necessarily needed a sacrifice for his own state of sin.  The only way Jesus could be absolutely free in relation to his sacrifice of atonement is if he freely chose to be a human being.  This means an incarnation – God the Word becoming flesh (John 1:14).

C.S.Lewis once said that the claim that a particular human being was God, in the Jewish sense of the word, was the most shocking thing uttered by human lips.  I think this is true, and it is a claim receivable into the human heart where the conscience has been cleansed “by the blood of his own” (Acts 20:28) i.e. the blood of God.

6. Conclusion

The New Testament places no limit on the intensity of religious affections that can be directed to Jesus.  In exhorting the Corinthians Paul speaks of a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (1 Cor 11:3).  If you do not worship, pray, sing to, speak of and call Jesus “God”, then, according to the testimony of scripture, you do not have this devotion.  If you do not see God himself dealing with your sin in Christ, once and for all (Heb 7:27; 9:12, 26; 10:1,10), then you will never have peace of conscience – because Jesus is the essential self- communication, self- sacrifice and self – vindication of God. No one can understand the suffering of the church of the New Testament, and through the ages, for Jesus, who does not see him as the suffering God on the cross

 

 

 

 

Positive Texts

1. Where Deity is ascribed to Jesus

It is the resurrected and glorified Lord who is recognised expressly as divine, there is then no contradiction with the pre – resurrection texts to do with Jesus humiliation before he returns to the eternal glory of the Father.

1. John’s Gospel

18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:18)

This was not merely the unbelieving Jews saying this (as some will say), but the inspired writer John, commenting on something as he also understood it. John understood sonship to mean equality with.

2. Revelation

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev 22:12- 13)’I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end… He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son.’ Rev 21:6-7

3. Hebrews

 

8 But of the Son he says,“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom.9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” (Heb 1:8- 9)

 

2.Son of God = God

 

Therefore, in any given usage of the phrase ‘son of God’, one would need to see what the literary context would indicate was the meaning/nuance thereof. For example, in the Gospel of John, some of Jesus’ statements of His sonship (and/or unity with the Father) were taken by his opponents explicitly as ‘equality statements’:

 

For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. (5.18) ["The Sabbath controversy was enough to cause them to hate Jesus, but the implication of His claim that God is His own Father was impossible for them to accept. To them, God has no equals. Jesus’ claim, in their thinking, was a monstrous blasphemy. To be equal with God suggested, they thought, two gods and therefore polytheism. To make oneself “equal with God” was a claim of arrogant independence. In the Talmud four persons were branded as haughty because they made themselves equal to God: pagan rulers Hiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and the Jewish King Joash., BKC, in.loc.]

 

I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God. (10.30ff)

 

But notice that the locals obviously understood some of His claims to sonship to be claims to full parity with the Father, and NOT claims to subordination (as might be assumed from the question here):

 

“His hearers might think of the relation between Israel and God, but Jesus’ wording about his unity with the Father is too explicit for that: instead he echoes the basic confession of Judaism that God is one (Deut 6:4). For Jesus to be one with the Father (albeit distinct from him) is tantamount to a claim to deity…as in the other instances, Jesus’ opponents understand his claim to deity, even if they do not catch all the ramifications. [BBC, John 10.30ff]

 

What this means for our study is that the claim to sonship does NOT automatically call up the notion of subordination at all; in some cases dealing with a unique sonship, it obviously brought up the notion of equality! But Jesus used the image in various ways, maintaining His explicit continuity with the Father’s benevolent will for His people, and yet sometimes emphasizing the continuity of the inner life of the Father and the Son…

 

1. The pre-incarnate Son is described as the LOGOS, ‘word’–an expression denoting reasoning, explication, internal-connection with the Father. [Almost like the 'mind of God, manifested']

 

2. The pre-incarnate Son in Hebrews 1 is called the “the exact imprint of God’s very being” (NRSV), a communication and representation-without-remainder notion.

 

3.  Both John and Hebrews call Jesus the ‘glory of the Father’, alluding to the Shekinah glory of the OT/Tanaak, which was the very presence of God in the tabernacle/temple (not just manifestation, btw, but real presence of YHWH somehow)

 

4. Paul refers to Jesus’  “being in the very form of God” and having “equality with God“. [a rather explicit 'denial' of pre-decision subordination, btw…the whole argument of self-denial only works if this action of Christ's was a free choice…]

 

5. Paul actually calls Christ  “God” in Romans 9.5, as does John in his gospel and probably his epistle (6.20)…As does Hebrews…And, according to Phil 2.5-11, so does YHWH!–when God gives the successful Son the ‘name which is above every other name‘, this is generally understood to be GOD’s OWN NAME, and for God to call a non-god by this name would be either ‘blasphemy’ or at least ‘heresy’–if said Son were not full-parity-deity…

 

6. Paul uses the pre-existent Wisdom motif (of the OT) also in places, connecting Jesus with God’s very mind. [Remember, the Holy Spirit is also portrayed as an 'internal element' within God.]

 

         Is the Father’s own intelligibility “subordinate” to Him?

         Is the Father’s own image or form “subordinate” to Him?

         Is the Father’s own wisdom “subordinate” to Him?

         Is the Father’s own intrinsic glory “subordinate” to Him?

         [Is the Father's own internal Spirit "subordinate" to Him? Cf. 1 Cor 2: The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

 

6. One additional piece of data might be found in John 1.18, in which the "only-begotten God" is said to be "existing in the bosom of the Father". The 'existing' is a present participle, generally indicating that the action is continuous, but it is the phrase 'bosom of the Father' that is striking.

 

Although this phrase could be alluding to the 'highest heaven, even above the bosom of Abraham', commentators normally take their cue from the exclusivity of the Son's knowledge of the Father to explain this in terms of intimacy, as when John reclines on the 'bosom' of Jesus at the Last Supper, but there may be more to it here, as applied to God and as it is lacking the 'reclining' verb.

 

In the OT, it could be used of family and tender relations:

"A variety of abstract, figurative ideas are expressed by this term. Family intimacy may be emphasized (Deut 28:54; Mic 7:5). Tender care or concern may be expressed as in the poor man’s care for his only sheep (II Sam 12:3), the widow’s care for her sick son (I Kgs 17:19), and God’s carrying his people in his arms in his bosom (Isa 40:11) [TWOT]

“Bosom” is the word for ‘chest, breast’ and is frequently used to indicate the center of affections (similar to ‘heart’). In the OT it frequently was an intensive word:

 

The “bosom,” like other physical terms (e.g. “bones,” “kidneys,” and “heart”) may serve as an emphatic, intimate term for the person himself. Judgment “into the bosom” marks the object of judgment with special intimacy (Isa 65:6; cf. Jer 32:18, NASB) Anger lodging in the bosom of fools (Eccl 7:9), fire in the “bosom” (Prov 6:27), and prayer returning to the bosom of the one who prays (Ps 35:13; KJV, ASV) are other typical examples  of this motif (cf. also Ps 89:50 [H 51]; Job 19:27, lit. “my kidneys in my bosom are finished”) [TWOT, s.v. heq]

 

For example, it seems obvious to me that to be an Eternal Father requires a co-Eternal Son (duh!), and that the Father is just as dependent on the Son to allow Him to be called ‘Father’ as the Son is dependent on the Father for Him to be called “Son”. [I remind my kids on Father's Day every year that THEY made me a 'Father', not myself!]

 

The Father wouldn’t be a “Father” before the ‘begetting’ of the Son, and this is part of why any ‘begetting’ is perhaps best thought of as a relation and not an act/event. In the “odd” temporality of God, this almost has to be the case (”

 

–”When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him“. Oddly enough, this statement points out that the Son currently is NOT ‘subject’ to the Father, for it places this ‘subjection’ at some future point–when the enemies are all subdued. The Father is not subjected to the Son during this time (according to the passage), but if the Son will subject Himself later, this rather clearly shows that even the Redemptive post-resurrection Son is currently not ‘under the subjection’ of the Father, in some major sense.

 

This understanding is not a problem for someone who understands the passage to be referring to the in-history, redemptive-work arena, but could be a considerable problem to someone arguing that the Son was eternally-subordinate (and therefore inferior) to the Father….(smile)

 

Three. Actually, we do have an indication that the Son DID have this authority (or at least, shared this authority with the Father, and was not therefore ‘subordinate’) in his pre-incarnate state. [He would have relinquished it, in the act of taking on the form of a servant, phil 2, to regain it again at the Ascension.]

 

Hebrews 1.3 has a curious phrase: “he sustains all things by his powerful word“. This actually seems to be a statement of governance, as the WBC points out:

 

“although sustaining the universe by his powerful word.” The description of the Son in his pre-existence is followed logically by a clause descriptive of his relationship to the creation. The new clause ascribes to the Son the providential government of all created existence, which is the function of God himself. As the pre-creational Wisdom of God, the Son not only embodies God’s glory but also reveals this to the universe as he sustains all things and bears them to their appointed end by his omnipotent word. The ascription of cosmic dimensions to the work of the Son was prompted by the total estimate which the writer had formed of his transcendent dignity. One who revealed God as fully and ultimately as did the Son must share in the divine government of the world (cf. Williamson, Philo, 95–103).”

3. Jesus is the Source of Saving Grace

“But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:11) “the grace of that one man Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:15) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor 8:9) “and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 1:14) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Pet 3:18) “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. (Rom 1:7 cf. 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; etc. ) “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (Rom 16:20 cf. 1 Cor 16:23; 2 Cor 13:14 etc.) “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all” (Rev 22:1)

Yahweh sole Saviour

21 Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. 22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.23 By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return:‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’ (Isa 45:21- 23)

4 But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior. (Hos 13:4)

Jesus is the Saviour : John 4:42; Acts 5:31; 13:23; Eph 5:23; Phil 3:20; 2 Tim 1:10; Tit 1:4; 2:13; 3:6; Simeon[1] Peter, a servant[2] and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God andSaviourJesusChrist:(2Pet1:1);
2 Pet 1:11, 20; 3:2; 3:18; 1 John 4:14

4. Functional Equivalence

1.   Forgiveness comes from God (Colossians 2:13) or Christ (Colossians 3:13).

2. Gospel is God’s (Gal 3:8; 1 Thess 2:2, 6- 9) and Christ’s (Gal 1:7; 1 Thess 3:2).

3. The Word is God’s (Col 1:25; 1 Thess 2:13) or Christ’s (Col 3:16).

4.   Revelation is from God (Galatians 1:16) or Christ (Galatians 1:12).

5.   Churches are of God (Gal 1:13) or Christ (Romans 16:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:14).

6.   The judgement seat is of God or Christ (Romans 14:10-12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10).

7.   God purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28).

8.   In the book of Revelation the Lamb and the One on the throne are treated as one by the use of singular verbs, (7:9-10; 20:6; 21:22; 22:1-4).

1. 7 eyes of the LORD = 7 eyes of the Lamb Zech 4:10b = Rev 5:6

2. Jesus is Judge 2 Tim 4:1, 8;  I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

3. Joel 2:32 “that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” = citation in Acts 2:21; Rom 10:13

The Lord is Jesus >  “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36)  Cf. Acts 22:16 the Lord is Jesus (22:8, 10)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom 10:9, 12, 13)

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 1 Cor 1:2

4. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:33 = For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. (Isa 44:3)

5. Jesus is the Reconciler

Mark 2:7; 2 Cor 5:19; Eph 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”

6. Testimony

 

The life of Jesus as the Word made flesh (John 1:14) i.e. spoken (Heb 1:2) is the/his testimony to the Father.  Nothing is excluded from this truth which is the person of Jesus (John 14:6; 18:37; Eph 4:21).  It was this Word who was spoken through the Old Testament prophets e.g. Luke 24:25-27, 44- 47; John 5:45 -47; 1 Pet 1:11.

 

The “coming” of the Word (“the Word of the LORD came to”) constitutes the reality of Old Testament prophecy – Gen 15:1; 1 Sam 15:10; 1 Ki 17:2; Isa 38:4; Jer 1:2; Ezek 1:1; Hos 1:1; Joel 1:1; Jon 1:1; Mic 1:1; Zeph 1:1; Hag 1:1; Zech 1:1.  The last example of this phenomenon seems to be John the Baptist (Luke 3:2).

 

The Word of the Lord never “came” to Jesus.  This is because the history of Jesus is the history of the Word in the world (John 1:9- 10).  Since Jesus is the utterance of the Word, the Father gives the Spirit to Jesus “without measure”.  34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. (John 3:34 -35 cf. John 17:2; Matt 28:18). The prophetic testimony of Jesus not a dimension of his life, it is its full expression.

When Jesus speaks, his “Truly, truly, I say unto you…” (John 1:51; 3:3, 5, 11, 5:19, 24; 6:26, 32, 47, 57; 8:34, 51, 58; 10:1, 7; 12:24; 13:16, 20, 21, 38, 14:12, 16:20, 23; 21:18) is equivalent to the Old Testament “thus says the LORD”.  This use, that is, of a double non – responsive “Amen” as an opening formula, is unique in all extant literature.

The title of Jesus in Revelation 3:14, “‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.” refers back to Isaiah 65:16 16 So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth (Elohe amen), and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes. N.b. the Greek word for “true” witness is the same as that in the L.X.X.  for “God of truth” (alethinos).  These are the only two places in the Bible where “Amen” is a title.  (Cf. “the faithful witness in heaven” Ps 88:38 LXX; Job 16:19 “my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high”)

 

This means Jesus words are fully God’s words.

 

5. OT APPLIED TO JESUS

The Tanakh/OT YHWH passages: There are many OT passages referring to YHWH, which are applied to Jesus in the New Testament.
“Whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord” (Romans 10.13 with Joel 2.32) “Every tongue shall confess”-the Judgement Seat of Christ (Romans 9.10-11 with Is 45.23)  “Prepare the way for YHWH” (Matt 3.3 with Is 40.3)  “Stone of stumbling” (1 Peter 2.7,8 with Is 8.13.14) “Look on Me whom they have pierced” (John 19.37 with Zech 12.10) “Isaiah saw his glory…” (John 12.41 with Is 6.5)

6. The Self-Awareness of Jesus

The “I am” passages
John 8.58: Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

John 8.28: Jesus therefore said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

The Garden scene (John 18.5): They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am.” And Judas also who was betraying Him, was standing with them. 6 When therefore He said to them, “I am,” they drew back, and fell to the ground. 7 Again therefore He asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am; if therefore you seek Me, let these go their way,”

7. Worship

Acceptance of worship and theos:
John 20.28: Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” John 9.35ff: Jesus heard that they had put him out; and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.
http://www.christian-thinktank.com/theoudelphia.html

Jesus said to proskuneo no one but the Father. This is in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, We also see the angel in Revelation 19:10 and 22:9 saying, ” proskuneo no one but the Father.” Second point, there are 22 references citing the Father receiving proskuneo . Third point, we also see that Jesus received proskuneo (14 references).  Fourth point, 14 additional references indicate improper proskuneo of the devil, demons, idols or the beast of Revelation. In other words, people worshipping the devil, demons, idols, falling down before them, that was not right and it was clear from the context that it wasn’t right. And there are three other cases where men or angels are proskuneoed , worshipped. Cornelius fell down in Acts 10:25 and the Apostle John–surprisingly the beloved apostle himself–fell down before the angel of Revelation in 19:10, 22:8 and he was corrected for doing this.

The fifth fact is that we also see men receiving proskuneo , the point my caller was bringing up. One time the action was forced by God (Rev 3:9). The only other time was in Matthew’s Gospel (8:26), “The slave therefore falling down, prostrated himself [ proskuneo ] before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you everything.’” This was the story Jesus told of the man who owed much and then was forgiven that debt after being threatened with being hauled off and thrown into the debtors’ prison.

The most important things about what I’ve done so far is that these five observations bring us to one simple conclusion and raise one simple question. The simple conclusion is that there is a type of proskuneo that is worship reserved to God alone, and there is a type of proskuneo that can be done with men–a bowing down, a courtesy, a sign of deference and respect, a tipping-the-hat, so to speak. In other words, sometimes it’s okay and sometimes it isn’t. What’s the difference?

Both Cornelius and John were seriously reprimanded. Why? The reason they were reprimanded is that proskuneo is generally translated to bow down but–listen closely–if a person is already down, the addition of proskuneo must indicate worship. Cornelius didn’t fall at Peter’s feet and then bow down, he was already down. John didn’t fall down at the angel’s feet and then bow down, he was already down. They both fell down and worshipped. Ergo the strong words of correction: “Worship God, not me.”

Remember the words of the devil in the temptation in Matthew 4:9? “And he said to Him, ‘All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.’” No possibility of mistaking that. Then Jesus said to him, “Begone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”

There are six different references that include the phrase “falling down” with the worship of God. In fact, the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures in Revelation were always keeling over at the foot of the throne and worshipping ( proskuneo ) the Father (1 Cor 14:25, Rev 4:10, 5:14, 7:11, 11:16 and 19:4).

Now to the point of our study: what kind of proskuneo was given to Jesus? The word proskuneo is used fourteen times of Jesus. There are six different times proskuneo is used of Jesus where it seems clear from the context that courtesy, respect or deference is in view. …Nothing in the context indicates that anything other than deference or respect is going on. There are two cases that are not clear.

But what of the other eight references of proskuneo to Jesus? Matthew 2:2, 8, 11, “‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.’….[Herod says,] ‘Go and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him.’….And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother and they fell down and worshiped Him….” Matthew 28:9, “And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” They are falling down and worshipping Jesus Christ.

What of the other cases? Matthew 14:3, Peter gets out of the boat and walks on the water. Peter starts to sink, Jesus reaches out and saves him. And when they got into the boat the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshipped Him saying, ” You are certainly God’s Son!” In Matthew 28:17 it says, “And when they saw Him, [the risen Jesus Christ whom they knew had been dead and was now alive] they worshipped Him.” And then in John 9:38 the man blind from birth is healed. He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. Hebrews 1:6, “And when He again brings the first-born into the world He says, ‘And let all the angels of God worship Him.’”

These verses show much more than mere respect, much more than deference, much more than courtesy. Jesus is being worshipped.  Jesus, clearly, received worship. If He did, then we’ve proven His deity.

1 Cor 16:22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!

1 Thess 3:12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you

2 Thess 3:5 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Difficult Texts

3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

a. prayer of a man

b. absence of  God before the name “Jesus” does not imply he is not God cf. “the/our Father” occurs without the word “God” attached cf. Rom 6.4; Eph 2.18, 3.4; Col 1.12; Heb 12.9; Jas 1.12; I Pet 1.17; I John 1.2, 2.1, 2.13-24; 4.14; 2 John 4

Replies to Counter replies

“god” John 20:28 use of the plural word elohim (from the singular el) can be somewhat ambiguous. For example, the word elohim is used in a number of ways to include God, angels, men, rulers, goddesses, etc. theos however in the singular can only mean the one true God.2 Corinthians 4:4 states:  Notice that Satan is the god of this world in this passage. When Thomas calls Jesus “the God” in John 20:28, he calls Jesus, “the God of me [Thomas]“. Thomas was a Jew. His God was Jehovah God.

“only begotten” in Jn. 3:16,18 and 1 Jn. 4:9 in regards to Christ is also used in Heb. 11:17 in regards to Isaac. Was Isaac the FIRST child of Abraham? No! See Gen. 16:15,16. Was Isaac the ONLY child of Abraham? No! See Gen. 16:15,16; 25:1,2. Was Isaac the UNIQUE ONE-OF-A-KIND son of Abraham? Yes! http://www.christian-thinktank.com/trin03a.html

absence of the word “God” Pushback: But, glenn, when you cite co-ordinate phrases like “God the Father and our Lord”, doesn’t the very presence of the word “God” in describing the Father–without the same ‘God’ designator being applied to the Lord–PROVE that the Lord is NOT ‘God’?

Response:Probably not. The PRESENCE of the word “God” MEANS something positive, but the absence of the word “God” CANNOT be construed as positive data for the opposite. Take for example, the phrase “God our Father” or “God the Father”–would the occurrence of the simple phrase “our Father” or “The Father” PROVE that the Father was not God? Certainly not–it could not be construed as a PROOF. [Indeed, "the/our Father" occurs VERY OFTEN without the word "God" attached--in the Epistles alone a score of times--cf. Rom 6.4; Eph 2.18, 3.4; Col 1.12; Heb 12.9; Jas 1.12; I Pet 1.17; I John 1.2, 2.1, 2.13-24; 4.14; 2 John 4.] [There ARE passages in which the Son is specifically called 'God'--other than the ones we have seen so far--but they fall outside of the scope of THIS piece on church formulas.]  http://www.christian-thinktank.com/cw4hx.html

SUBMISSION # INFERIORITY of nature e.g. not so in human relations

A third reason is a major one–all of these ‘subordinate statements’ were consequences of His initial free choice to do so. He was NOT ‘coerced’ by the Father in any way, to take this step into submission. This is the awesomeness of His love for us–to choose a path of servanthood for our welfare; and the awesomeness of the love of the Father for us–to allow His beloved to make that choice…

The scripture represents this aspect of Christ’s choice in a couple of passages, the most famous of which is Philippians 2.5-11. his ‘equality with God’ found its truest expression when ‘he emptied himself’.”

2 Corinthians 8.8-9 specifically contrasts Christ’s deliberate self-humiliation with being ‘commanded to’:

 

Carson makes this point in his discussion (Commentary on John, Eerdmans) of John 14.28, where Jesus says “the Father is greater than I”:

 

“In the clause before us, The Father is greater than I cannot be taken to mean that Jesus is not God, or that he is a lesser God: the historical context of Jewish monotheism forbids the latter, and the immediate literary context renders the former irrelevant. If the writer of this commentary were to say, ‘Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second is greater than I’, no-one would take this to mean that she is more of human being than I. The greater than category cannot legitimately be presumed to refer to ontology, apart from the controls imposed by context. The Queen is greater than I in wealth, authority, majesty, influence, renown and doubtless many more ways: only the surrounding discussion could clarify just what type of greatness may be in view…”

 

Accordingly, there is (1) no actual data in scripture that teaches that the Son was ‘subordinate’ to the Father before time began, and there is (2) evidence that His subordination to the Father was a mutual choice/pact, that began when the plan of redemption began moving forward in history. Accordingly, we don’t really have enough data about the ‘authority relations’ in the pre-temporal or essential Trinity to believe a ‘problem’ exists.

2 Thess 3:16 peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— 18 may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. (2 Tim 1:16 -18)

C.S. Lewis, “Among the Jews there suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He were God. He claims to forgive sins. He says He has always existed. He says He is coming to judge the world at the end of time. Now let us get this clear. Among pantheists, like the Hindus of India, anyone might say that he is part of god or one with god. There would be nothing very odd about that. But this man, since He was a Jew, could not mean that kind of God. God in their language meant the Being outside of the world who had made it and was infinitely different than anything else. And when you have grasped that concept you will see that what this man said was quite simply, the most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.” www.evangelicaloutreach.org/deity.htm