INTRODUCTION
A believer in Jesus Christ must understand
from the scriptures that Jesus is a man.
The New Testament scriptures refer to him as, “the son of man” in nearly
100 verses.
For centuries it has been taught
in the Roman Catholic Church, and throughout Christendom, that Jesus is the
God-man. Theologians present a
confusing array of doctrines on Christ, stating that he is mysteriously fully
God and fully man. They teach that
Jesus has two natures; one nature as man, and another nature as God. Many call Jesus, “God the Son,” rather than
the scriptural term, “the son of God.”
“God the Son,” they say, “is the second person of the Triune Godhead
(i.e. the Trinity), and He is co-equally “God” along with the other two persons
of the Godhead (i.e. God the Father and the Holy Spirit).
According to popular Christology,
Jesus has a “dual nature.” Dual nature,
according to most theologians today, means that Jesus is both “God” and “man”
at the same time. It is an absurd
contradiction, and an oxymoron to say that Jesus can be both God and man at the
same time.
Many ministers and Christian
apologists take their Christology one step further. They assert that if a person does not believe that Jesus is
“God,” then that person is not truly a believer in Jesus Christ. There are even self-proclaimed heresy
hunters who use the medium of radio, books, television and the Internet to
attack the character of ANYONE who denies the Divinity of Jesus Christ. Some go so far as to say, “If someone claims
to be a Christian, and does not believe in the Deity of Christ, they are in a
cult.”
Part of the confusion about the
nature of the man Christ Jesus comes from the erroneous translation of
Bibles. Most translators have their own
preconceived doctrinal positions about the Deity of Christ. The translator bias interferes with the
objective translation of the scriptures.
Thus, in portions of scripture where the word Greek word “theos” has
been translated “God” or “gods,” it should have been translated as “magistrate”
when used in reference to Jesus.
Translators chose to use alternate
meanings for the Greek word “theos.”
Theos, and its derivatives, are the most common word used in the Greek
New Testament for “God.” However,
according to Strong’s Dictionary of New Testament words, theos can also be
translated as “magistrate” (i.e. judge).
If the context of a particular
passage of scripture warrants translating theos as “God,” then it is proper to
do so. However, if the context of a
passage of scripture warrants the use of “magistrate,” then theos should be
translated accordingly. Also, the
translation of theos in reference to Jesus must not contradict the overall
tenor of scripture. In other words,
since the overall tenor of scripture teaches that Jesus is a man, then it is
incorrect to translate it as “God” in reference to the person of Jesus.
A Question on the Internet
This study was initiated by a
question asked on the Internet. The
question is whether or not Jesus is “God.”
First the question, then an appropriate discussion will follow:
QUESTION: If Jesus wasn't God why did He
not correct Thomas when the man called Him God? (John 20:28) Instead, Jesus said "Finally you
believe." Why is the first chapter
of John so rich in expressing the deity of Jesus? Why is Isaiah 9:6 such a clear statement that Jesus is the Mighty
God and Everlasting Father?
Regarding the teaching of Jesus
being both man and God (i.e. - having two natures), the person asking the
question gave a reference from the book of John was given (John 20:28). If you study the context of John chapter 20,
you will find that that the verses preceding 20:28 indicate that Jesus speaks
as the son of God, not as the Almighty. To verify this, look at the
verses that follow 20:28:
John 20:1-31 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early
to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from
the tomb. And so she ran and came to
Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
"They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where
they have laid Him." Peter
therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they were going to the
tomb. And the two were running
together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter, and came to the tomb
first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but
he did not go in. Simon Peter therefore
also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen
wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth, which had been on His head, not
lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to
the tomb entered then also, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must
rise again from the dead. So the
disciples went away again to their own homes.
But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she
stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in white sitting,
one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been
lying. And they said to her,
"Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do
not know where they have laid Him."
When she had said this, she turned around, and beheld Jesus standing
there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said
to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid
Him, and I will take Him away."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means,
Teacher). Jesus said to her,
"Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to
My brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My
God and your God.'" Mary
Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord,"
and that He had said these things to her.
When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week,
and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, "Peace be with
you." And when He had said this,
He showed them both His hands and His side.
The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again,
"Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them,
and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven
them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." But Thomas, one of the twelve, called
Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore were saying to him, "We have
seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I shall see in His
hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails,
and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." And after eight days again His disciples
were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and
stood in their midst, and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here
your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side;
and be not unbelieving, but believing."
Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Because you have
seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are
they who did not see, and yet believed."
Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of
the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;
and that believing you may have life in His name. (NAS)
The question asked on the Internet
was, “Why Jesus didn't rebuke Thomas for calling him ‘God’?"
The answer to the Internet
question is obvious from the entire context of John chapter 20. To begin, let us make some observations
about this passage that clarify who Jesus is.
FACTS
FROM THE CONTEXT
·
"God"
- 2316 theos (theh'-os); of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with
3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a
magistrate;
by Hebraism, very: KJV-- X exceeding, God, god [-ly, -ward].
·
Acts 13:30-31 "But God raised Him from the dead; and for many
days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the
very ones who are now His witnesses to the people. (NAS)
·
Rom 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be
saved. (NAS)
·
Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not sent from men, nor through the agency
of man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from
the dead). (NAS)
Consider
that Jesus has been appointed by God the Father to be the "Judge":
·
Acts 17:30-31 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance,
God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will
judge the world in righteousness through a Man (Jesus) whom He has appointed,
having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." (NAS)
There are many other verses which
speak of Jesus as a Prince, or being at a judgment seat, or inheriting a
throne. The Father (Yahweh Elohim) is the Creator; he is the only
Sovereign Deity; He is the only “God” of mankind. Jesus is the son of
God, and he is the Prince of peace appointed by God to act as a mediator and as
a “magistrate.”
The application to of the
Greek word “theos” as a "magistrate" is appropriate whenever it
is in reference to Jesus There cannot be more than one Sovereign Deity,
or else we are talking polytheism (more than one God).
·
1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus. (NAS)
·
2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that
each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has
done, whether good or bad. (NAS)
·
Acts 10:40-42 "God raised
Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, not to all
the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us,
who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people,
and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by
God as Judge of the living and the dead.” (NAS)
·
2 Tim 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course,
I have kept the faith; in the future 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. (NAS)
These and more verses prove that
the son of God, the man Christ Jesus, has been appointed by God to act as a
Judge (i.e. Magistrate; theos). Ultimately God the Father is the Supreme
Deity, and He is the One Judge and Lawgiver (see James 4:12).
Nevertheless, the Father who gave the Law executes His righteous judgment through His son Jesus. With
this explanation you have no mystery, but a clear understanding of the roles of
each.
Regarding
John 1:1-2
Most every Christian believes that
John 1:1-2 refers to Jesus Christ as the “Word.” They blindly accept this because their
pastor, or some popular theologian has told them it is so. Few Christians have taken the time to study
the meaning of the original Greek language to determine what “Word” means in
John 1:1.
·
John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. The same was in
the beginning with God. (KJV)
John 1:1-2 never mentions Jesus Christ at all. It merely states that in the beginning was
the “Word.” The translators capitalized
“Word” to indicate that it is referring to the person of Jesus. This is a translator error. It has been done because of the doctrinal
bias of the Bible translators, who believe that the “Word” is the
“Pre-Incarnate Christ,” or the “Second Person of the eternal Triune
Godhead.” These theological terms are
found NOWHERE in the scriptures; they are the contrived fabrication of the Roman
Catholic church in the 2nd through 4th centuries
A.D. Catholicism has passed on this
kind of theological rhetoric to the Christian church, and it has rarely been
challenged.
John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. (KJV)
Most Christians quote these verses as “proof” that Jesus pre-existed at the beginning of creation. They say the “Word” here refers to Jesus, who was the second person of the Trinity (aka the Pre-Incarnate Christ). Let us examine this interpretation. There is no such term in scripture as, "the second person of the Trinity." This term originates with the Catholic Athanasian Creed, which uses many unscriptural terms such as: "one person of the Father, one person of the son, and another of the Holy Spirit; and yet they are not three persons, but one." Today Christians continue the Roman Catholic interpretation, saying that God is a Trinity, three persons who mysteriously co-exist in one eternal Godhead.
Because the Athanasian Creed states that all three "persons" of God are "co-eternal" (another non-scriptural term"), therefore Jesus existed from the beginning of creation, and was working with the other two persons of God to create the world. Ministers today use John 1:1-2 as their "proof" that Jesus was the creator, saying that Jesus is the "Word" (the Greek for "word" is "logos"). Ironically, the term “logos” or “word” is used in a variety of ways other than the creation.
If Jesus is the “Word” of John 1:1, and if this refers to his pre-Incarnate state as God the Son, then the verse would appropriately read as follows: “In the beginning was the God (Word), and the God was with the God, and the God was God.” This sounds ludicrous, but it is what most Christians believe! Of course most Christians do not do the in depth research of the original Greek because haven't been taught how to study Greek. It is not unusual therefore that they would quote what their pastor or minister has taught them about John 1:1.
· “in the beginning was the Word” – The Greek “logos” for “Word” means something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation. Logos is the “expression of thought”-- not the mere name of an object--(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words) (Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers) We conclude that what is being spoken of in John 1:1 is God’s thoughts expressed; or, His reasoning, or computation. Logos certainly does not indicate anything to do with Jesus Christ in John 1:1-2.
Strong’s Dictionary of the New Testament defines the Greek word for “with” in John 1:1 as follows:
· “the Word was with God” = 4314 pros (pros); a strengthened form of 4253; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated).
AMG Complete WordStudy
Bible and Reference CD says of “pros” in John 1:1:
(IV) Sometimes prós with the acc. is used after verbs which express simply rest, meaning at, by, in a place, the same as prós with the dat. However, in such instances, for the most part, the idea of a previous coming to or direction toward that place is either actually expressed or is implied in the context.
(A) Generally with the acc. of place (Mark 11:4; 14:54; Luke 22:56; John 20:11). With the acc. of person, meaning with, by, among (Matt. 26:18, 55; Mark 14:49; Acts 12:20; 13:31; 1 Cor. 16:7; 2 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 1:18; 2:5; 4:18; Phil. 1:26; 2 Thess. 2:5; Sept.: Is. 19:19). With the reflexive pron. heautón (1438), himself, meaning standing by himself or he prayed to or with himself (Luke 18:11). (B) Rarely, and only in later usage, is the idea of previous motion or direction completely dropped, and prós with the acc. is then the same as pará (3844), near, with the dat. (Matt. 13:56; Mark 2:2; 4:1; 6:3; John 1:1; Phile. 1:13).
(V) In composition prós implies:
(A) Motion, direction, reference, meaning toward, to, at, as proságoM (4317), to lead toward, to approach, bring near; proseggízoM (4331), to approach near; prosérchomai (4334), to come near; prosdokáoM (4328), to expect, wait for.
(B) Accession, addition, meaning thereto, over and above, moreover, further, as prosaitéoM (4319), to ask repeatedly; prosapeiléoM (4324), to threaten further. Used intensively as próspeinos (4361), intensely hungry; prosphilems (4375), friendly toward, acceptable, lovely, very dear.
(C) Nearness, a being or remaining near, at, by, as prosedreúoM (4332), to attend as a servant, wait on; prosménoM (4357), remain in a place, abide still.
Pros comes from a root Greek word “pro” which signifies the priority of something; something that is first in rank, or importance.
The “Word” is the Greek “logos” meaning a “thought expressed.” John 1:1 uses logos in its verb form, and therefore logos cannot refer to Jesus as the Pre-Incarnate Christ. If this verb referred to Jesus, it would have to be translated as follows: “In the beginning was the God thinking, and the God thinking was with God, and the God thinking was God.” Sounds New Age, doesn’t it?
Furthermore, when the phrase, “and the word was with God” is viewed in light of the correct meaning and application of the Greek preposition “with” (pros) it implies “nearness.” AMG states that in John 1:1 pros is used with the accusative means, “Nearness, a being or remaining near.” Thus we would translate this phrase, “and the thought expressed was near (and of highest priority) to God.”
In John 1:1 “and the Word was God” reads like this in the Greek, “and God continued with the thought expressed.”
John 1:2 say, “The same was in the beginning with God.” The impersonal pronoun “the same” refers back to the logos, or thought expressed. As in John 1:1, the Greek word for “with” is used is “pros” and it means “near to.” If the Pre-Incarnate Christ were in view here, a personal pronoun “he” would have been used. This verse simply indicates that the thoughts and reasonings of God, which had been expressed in the beginning, were near to Him (“with” = Greek “pros”) Him. The Concordant Literal New Testament translates John 1:2, “This was in the beginning toward the God.”
Our correct literal
translation of John 1:1-2 reads as follows:
·
In the beginning the thoughts were expressed, and
the thoughts expressed were near to, and of highest priority to God, and God
continued the thought expressed. The
same (thought expressed) was near to and of highest importance in the beginning
with God.
What does John 1:1 refer to then? The correct interpretation is linking John 1:1 with Genesis 1:1, since the contexts are nearly identical wording:
· Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (KJV)
In the beginning God created (verb = Hebrew “bara”) the heavens and the earth...in the beginning was the word (verb = Greek “logos”). In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, this creation involved His thoughts, reasonings, and computations. His thoughts, having been previously expressed by creating the world, were, of course, near to him, and of great importance to Him. This is the intended meaning of John 1:1-2. It’s that simple.
God’s thought was expressed (as a
verb; action) when He created the heavens and the earth. John 1:1-3 is referring to the
creation of the world by God; it is not referring to Jesus existing as “God
before creation” (as most Christian theologians and ministers assert).
It is true that God’s thought was
expressed when He conceived Jesus in the flesh. He overshadowed Mary, who later gave birth to Jesus. This is mentioned in John 1:14:
·
John 1:14 And the Word (Greek = logos; thought, reasoning) was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of
the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (KJV)
Note that when God expressed His
thought by conceiving Jesus in the flesh, He never called Jesus, “God.” Instead, as John 1:14 states, Jesus
is referred to as, “the only begotten of the Father.”
Regarding Isaiah
9:6-7:
·
Isa 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given
to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name
will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of
Peace. There will be no end to the
increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his
kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from
then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish
this. (NAS)
Notice that the prophecy in Isaiah
9:6 says, “A child will be born to us.” The everlasting Father was never a “child” nor can He ever be
“born,” as is proven by Num. 23:19:
·
Num 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a
son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has
He spoken, and will He not make it good?
(NKJ)
The words, “will be born”
in Is. 9:6 imply future action; that is, Jesus did not exist until he
was conceived in Mary’s womb, and born nine months later. The event of Jesus’ conception and birth
took place approximately 740 years after Isaiah’s prophecy.
This “child” in Is. 9:6 will be a
“son” upon whom “the government will rest on His shoulders.” This shows a man that the LORD
(Yahweh) would put in charge to rule the world government in
righteousness. We could fairly state
that such a man (Jesus) would act as a judge or magistrate as he led the
government.
Consider that the child’s “name”
shall be called, “Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, and everlasting
Father.” Why is this point significant?
Jesus was given the same name (in meaning) as his Father. We often
name our own children after the father (e.g. Mike (the father) might name his
son, “Mike Jr.” after himself).
The “name” Jesus means, “Yah
saves.” It is the same name as the Hebrew Joshua (Yeshua or Yahoshea,
also meaning “Yah Saves”). The name “Yah” is a shortened form of the
name, “Yahweh.” Yahweh is the name of
God the Father. Jesus acknowledged in
prayer that he was sharing his Father’s “name” in John chapter 17:
·
John 17:11 “And I am no more in the world; and {yet} they themselves
are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy
name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as
We are.” (NAS)
If the Father gave Jesus His own
name, the meaning of Isaiah 9:6 becomes clear. Jesus inherited the name
of his Father. Jesus was GIVEN a name, which is above every other name:
·
Phil 2:9-11 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and
on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father. (NAS)
·
Heb 1:3-5 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact
representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His
power. When He had made purification of
sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as
much better than the angels, as He
has inherited a more excellent name than they. For
to which of the angels did He ever say, “Thou art My Son, today I have begotten
Thee”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me”? (NAS)
All this makes us love the Father,
and His son Jesus even more. We love the Father because He was willing to
give His only begotten son Jesus. We love Jesus for his atoning
sacrifice, and for being the mediator between God and man. We love the
Father for bestowing His name (and authority) upon His son Jesus, and we love
Jesus for using that authority with compassion, righteousness, and love.
Jesus is our Advocate; he is the one whom God has chosen to come alongside us
in time of need. He is there to offer
comfort, direction, and mercy. Jesus is
our brother.
·
Heb 2:9-13 But we do see Him who has been made for a little while
lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned
with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for
everyone. For it was fitting for Him,
for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons
to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are
sanctified are all from one Father
for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying,
"I will proclaim Thy name to My brethren, in the midst of the
congregation I will sing Thy praise."
And again, "I will put My trust in Him." And again,
"Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me." (NAS)
“You are
gods” (John 10:24-39)
John 10:24-39 The Jews therefore gathered around Him, and were saying to
Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell
us plainly." Jesus answered them,
"I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's
name, these bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not
of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I
give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch
them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than
all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the
Father are one." The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus
answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of
them are you stoning Me?" 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." Jesus answered them, "Has it not been
written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods' (theos)? "If he called
them gods (theos), to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture
cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into
the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If
I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though
you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that
the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." Therefore they were seeking
again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.
(NAS)
Jesus never calls himself
“God.” Jesus never calls himself
“Yahweh.” The Jews wanted to know if
Jesus was the “Christ” (the anointed one sent by God). Jesus replied to them saying, “I and the
Father are one.” This infuriated the
Jews, who believed Jesus was claiming to be God Himself.
The Jews assumed that Jesus was
using the greatest commandment they had (Deu. 6:4) to assert his
position as the “Christ.” The Jews were
monotheistic, and to them, a person claiming to be “one” with Yahweh was a
perversion of Deu. 6:4. Jesus never
quoted Deu. 6:4, but the Jews assumed that this is what Christ was alluding to
when he said, “I and the Father are one.”
We will quote Deu. 6:4 later.
The Jews knew the Messiah (i.e.
the Christ) would be a man because of the numerous prophecies concerning him:
·
Isa 9:6 For a child will
be born to us, a son will be given to us;
and the government will rest on His shoulders…(NAS)
·
Micah 5:2 "But
as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from
you One will go forth for me to be ruler in Israel…(NAS)
·
Isa 7:13-16 Then he said, "Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the
patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you
a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call
His name Immanuel. He will eat curds
and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. For before the boy will know enough to
refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be
forsaken.” (NAS)
·
Dan 9:25-27 "So
you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and
rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and
sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times
of distress. Then after the
sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the
people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.
And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war;
desolations are determined. And he
will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the
week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of
abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete
destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes
desolate." (NAS)
There are over 300 prophecies of
the Israel’s Messiah, or Christ, who would be born, and be their ruler and
judge. Why then should it have come as
a surprise to the Jews when Jesus was claiming to be “one” with the
Father? Because of their jealousy and
love for power, the Jews were blinded and deceived. In their minds, Jesus was somehow claiming to be the
Almighty. Here is the verse that the
Jews were familiar with in relationship to Yahweh being “one.”
·
Deut 6:4-6 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD (Yahweh) our God,
the LORD (Yahweh) is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with
all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” (NKJ)
Jesus was not claiming to be “God”
because he had just told the Jews, “the works that I do in My Father's name,
these bear witness of Me,” and, “My Father, who has given them to Me, is
greater than all.” Jesus even asked
the Jews, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which
of them are you stoning Me?" If
the Jews, who were familiar with the OT prophets, had been honest, they would
have known that the “Father” referred to Yahweh.”
·
Jer 3:18-19 "In those days the house of Judah will walk with the
house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the
land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance." Then I said, 'How I would set you among My
sons, and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of the
nations!' And I said, 'You shall call me, My Father, and not turn away
from following me.' (NAS)
·
Mal 2:10 "Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against
his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? (NAS)
When Jesus said, “ I and the
Father are one,” he meant that they were in agreement. That is, Jesus did only the things that
pleased the Father; he did only the works (i.e. miracles) that the Father
wanted him to do, and gave him the authority to do:
·
John 5:30 "I
can do nothing on My own initiative. As
I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me. (NAS)
·
John 8:28-29 Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of
Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative,
but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I
always do the things that are pleasing to Him." (NAS)
Note from the above verses that
Jesus never sought to do his own will, but the will of Yahweh, his
Father. Jesus said, “As I hear, I
judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will
of Him who sent Me.” Jesus could
act in judgment of these self-righteous Jews because he was speaking on behalf
of the Father, having been given authority by Him to do so. Also note that Jesus said, “and I do
nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.”
Jesus was not claiming to be the
Almighty (i.e. God), because of his statements about the Father, and his
submissive role to the Father (who alone was “God”).
Jesus replied to the accusations
of the Jews by quoting the Psalms saying, “Has it not been written in your
Law, 'I said, you are gods'? If he
called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be
broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world,
'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?.” Jesus claim that he was “one” with the
Father was his way of telling the Jews that he was “the son of God.” These verses PROVE this! Jesus never told the Jews that he was
Yahweh.
Jesus did not call himself, “the
God.” Jesus called himself “the son of
God” and thus revealed that he was the “Christ.” Christ means, “anointed one.”
Christ is a term applied to Israel’s Messiah. Later in Psalms 82:6, you will see clearly that Jesus refers to
Israel’s leaders as men who were supposed to make righteous judgments amongst
the people; they were supposed to be righteous magistrates (i.e. judges).
Jesus told the Jews that they were
called “gods” in the 82nd chapter of Psalms. The Greek word “gods” that Jesus used in John
10:34, 36 (for quoting Psalms 82:6) is the same as the Greek word
for “God” in John 10:33. This
Greek word is defined by Strong’s Dictionary as follows:
·
“gods” = 2316 theos (theh'-os);of uncertain affinity; a
deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a
magistrate; by Hebraism, very: KJV-- X exceeding, God, god [-ly, -ward].
To the Jews, the “Christ” was a
man who would be sent by Yahweh to rule them, and overthrow the Gentile
rulers. The Jews had asked Jesus to
tell them “plainly” whether or not he was the Christ (John 10:24). Jesus told them that his “works” declared he
was from the Father (Yahweh), and that his sheep heard his voice. He told the Jews they did not believe the
works, and were therefore not his sheep (John 10:25-26). It was THEN that Jesus told the Jews, “I and
the Father (Yahweh) are one.”
At this point the Jews were ready
to stone Jesus, because they knew that his miraculous works verified his
claim to be the son of God. The Jews
were enraged and jealous, and feared that Jesus would usurp their position as
the leaders and judges of Israel. The
proof for this is seen in other texts where Jesus rebukes the multitudes of Jews
for being unjust judges:
·
Luke 12:54-59 And He was also saying to the multitudes, "When you
see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and
so it turns out. And when you see a
south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that
way. You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of
the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time? And why do you not even on your own
initiative judge what is right? For
while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your
way there make an effort to settle with him, in order that he may not drag you
before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the constable, and the
constable throw you into prison. I
say to you, you shall not get out of there until you have paid the very last
cent." (NAS)
The Jews falsely accused Jesus of
claiming to be “God,” though they knew Jesus was only a man. Jesus refutes the Jews and their false
accusation by giving them quotes from Psalms 82:6. The context of Psalms 82 shows that Yahweh was chastising and
rebuking the leaders of Israel for being unjust rulers, or magistrates:
PSALMS CHAPTER 82
Psalms 82:1-8 God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges
in the midst of the rulers. How long will you judge unjustly, and show
partiality to the wicked? Selah. Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do
justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver
them out of the hand of the wicked. They do not know nor do they understand;
they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I
said, "You are gods (elohim), and all of you are sons of the Most
High. Nevertheless you will die like men, and fall like any one of the
princes.” Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is Thou who dost possess
all the nations. (NAS)
In Psalms chapter 82, God is
clearly speaking to Israel’s leaders as “magistrates,” or “judges.” Israel’s judges were wicked judges (just as
the Jews that Jesus was rebuking in John chapter ten). Yahweh said to them, “How long will you
judge unjustly…?” and “do justice.”
After correcting them for their impartiality, Yahweh tells the leaders
of Israel, “I said, "You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most
High. Nevertheless you will die like
men, and fall like any one of the princes." This proves they were mere men!
As Yahweh’s ambassadors, the leaders should have been righteous
magistrates!
Jesus addressed the Jews from
Psalms chapter 82 because they were guilty of the same thing as their
ancestors. The Jews were not
vindicating the weak and fatherless, nor were they doing justice to the
afflicted and destitute. They were
greedy, power hungry, self-righteous hypocrites. The Jews never rescued the weak and needy. Instead, they plundered them, and took
advantage of them, charging exorbitant temple taxes and the like. Like Israel’s ancient magistrates, the Jews
had no spiritual understanding, and walked about in darkness.
The Hebrew word for “gods” in
Psalms 82:6 is also defined as “magistrates” to correspond with the Greek word,
“theos”:
·
“gods” = 430 'elohiym (el-o-heem'); plural of 433; gods
in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially
with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of
deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: KJV-- angels, X
exceeding, God (gods)- dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty. (Strong’s
Electronic Dictionary)
Psalms 82:6 says that “elohim” refers to men who are “sons of God.”
·
Ps 82:6 I said, "You are gods (elohim, meaning
“magistrates), and all of you are sons of the Most High. (NAS)
It is very clear that Jesus
declared himself to be the “Christ” and “the son of God.” Jesus used the miraculous works he performed
as proof that Yahweh (the Father) was with him, and that his works testified
that he was the son of God. What
becomes confusing is the manner in which the translators chose to use the word
“gods” where they rightly should have used “magistrates” or “judges”
respectively.
What is very apparent in this, and
in other scenarios where Jesus confronted the Jews is the fact that Jesus spoke
on behalf of his Father (Yahweh God), and often his words were used to judge the
self-righteous behavior of the Jewish leaders, (including the scribes, lawyers,
Pharisees, and the Sanhedrin).
Therefore God the Father used Jesus to “judge” the Jews, just as a
magistrate presides over a court of law, and makes legal and moral decisions.
PART I :Yahweh
(the Father) Is the Ultimate Judge
This section will list many
scriptures that reveal Yahweh as the supreme Judge of all mankind. Even Jesus himself is subject to Yahweh,
because Yahweh is the only true God. It
is imperative to understand this principle teaching of scripture before one can
see Jesus’ role as a judge, appointed by Yahweh, to act on His behalf.
·
1 Cor 15:27-28 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything"
has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself,
who put everything under Christ. When
he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put
everything under him, so that God may be all in all. (NIV)
Yahweh (meaning “He is”) alone is
Deity. Yahweh is the third person
singular form of the Hebrew word, “ehyeh.”
The Hebrew word ehyeh is what God calls Himself in Ex. 3:14;
ehyeh means “I Am.” Moses asked what
God’s name was, and here is how God replied to him:
·
Exod 3:13-15 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the
sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me
to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What
is His name?' What shall I say to
them?" And God said to Moses,
"I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of
Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
And God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the
sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all
generations. (NAS)
There are not three persons of
Yahweh. Yahweh did not say to Moses,
“We are.” God is not “three-in-one” as
Trinitarian theologians have asserted.
Yahweh is the same as Elohim (as Elohim is used for the Supreme
Deity). As the one and only God, Yahweh
is the Creator and the Judge of all mankind.
Jesus cannot be “God” while Yahweh is God. That would make two Gods, and would be polytheism (more than one
God).
We must establish that Yahweh is
the supreme Judge of all mankind first, in order to determine what Jesus’ role,
as a “magistrate” will be. While it is
true that Jesus will act in judgment of mankind, the church, and the wicked,
yet he only does so on behalf of Yahweh his Father.
From the beginning we see that
Yahweh was recognized as the Judge of men.
The Old Testament is replete with examples of His judgment on both the
righteous and the wicked. Judgment must
not always invoke a negative connotation.
God’s judgment can be rewarding to those who heed His voice, and obey
His commands. On the other hand, His
judgment can be retribution to those who are openly His enemies.
There are a variety of ways in
which God executes His judgment. Sometimes
He uses humans as instruments of judgment (e.g. Israel defeating Jericho). Sometimes He uses angelic beings to judge
humans, or entire cities, as in the case of Sodom and Gomorra.
Most often, God’s judgment is
allowing the laws of sowing and reaping to take their natural course. For example, if a person insists on drinking
alcoholic beverages on a regular basis, the likelihood is he will become an
alcoholic. Being an alcoholic, he may
destroy his liver, and die of cirrhosis of the liver. This is a judgment from God, because God commands us not to get
drunk with alcohol, and His command is in our own best interest.
God commanded Israel to rest on
the seventh day. This day was set aside
to honor their Creator, but also to give their bodies rest. Today, we don’t observe the Sabbath
ordinances under the Law of Moses, because the Sabbath rest is fulfilled in
Christ (i.e. ceasing from our own “works” to attain salvation). However, it is still a scriptural principle
to give our bodies a day of rest from labor.
Those who are workaholics, laboring seven days a week without allowing
their body to rebuild itself risk a number of maladies, such as stress, heart
attack, stroke, strained back and muscles, fatigue, etc. This is also God’s judgment, because they
dishonor the Lord by neglecting His command to rest.
There will be an eternal judgment
for every person born. Those who know
God, and His son Jesus, and serve Him faithfully, will attain eternal
life. They will be judged according to
their deeds, and their transgressions will be passed over for judgment because
of the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
Yahweh is Judge of all the earth
·
Gen 18:25 "Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the
righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated
alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal
justly?" (NAS)
Yahweh the Judge, judges between the righteous and
unrighteous nations
·
Judges 11:27 'I
therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war
against me; may the LORD, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel
and the sons of Ammon.'" (NAS)
The Judge Yahweh judges our words and reasonings when we
contend with Him
·
Job 23:4-7 "I
would present my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn the words which He would
answer, and perceive what He would say to me.
Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power? No, surely He
would pay attention to me. There the
upright would reason with Him; and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.” (NAS)
Yahweh is the Judge of the proud and the humble alike
·
Ps 75:4-7 "I
said to the boastful, 'Do not boast,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up the
horn; do not lift up your horn on high, do not speak with insolent pride.' For not from the east, nor from the west,
nor from the desert comes exaltation; but God is the Judge; He puts down
one, and exalts another.” (NAS)
Yahweh the Judge is the God of vengeance, recompensing the
proud
·
Ps 94:1-2 O LORD, God of vengeance; God of vengeance, shine
forth! Rise up, O Judge of the
earth; render recompense to the proud.
(NAS)
Yahweh is the Judge of those who oppress the righteous
·
Lam 3:59-61 O LORD, Thou
hast seen my oppression; Judge my case.
Thou hast seen all their vengeance,
all their schemes against me. Thou hast
heard their reproach, O LORD, all their schemes against me. (NAS)
Yahweh is the Judge of all, whereas Jesus is the mediator
of a new covenant
·
Heb 12:22-24 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general
assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to
God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and
to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood,
which speaks better than {the blood} of Abel.
(NAS)
Yahweh (the Father God) is the one Judge and Lawgiver who
is able to save and destroy
·
James 4:12 There is {only}
one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor? (NAS)
The Father God (Yahweh) will judge those who reject His son
Jesus
·
John 3:17-21 "For God did not send the Son into the world to
judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who
does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the
name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men
loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light,
and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the
light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in
God." (NAS)
Yahweh will judge the Jews as those who have been given the
Law
·
Rom 3:1-7 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect.
First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then?
If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the
faithfulness of God, will it? May it
never be! Rather, let God be found
true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, "That Thou
mightest be justified in Thy words, and mightest prevail when Thou art judged." But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the
righteousness of God, what shall we say?
The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking
in human terms.) May it never be! For otherwise how will God judge the world? But if through my lie the truth of God
abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? (NAS)
Yahweh will judge those who take pleasure in wickedness,
and who don’t believe the truth by sending them a deluding influence