Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Is Jesus God and Did Jesus Claim to be God (Supreme Being)?

The post is in response to a post on Bruner's Chapel Blog. We will not be discussing each scripture or each assertion in length here, but will be giving links to where the scriptures and points have been discussed before.

By the word "God", we are assuming that the author of the post is referring to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and not to the usage of the words for "God" in a more general sense of mightiness by which it may be applied to others than the only true God.

See our study on
The Usage of the Titles for "God."

The author expresses amazement that so many do not "get it" that Jesus is God. One should actually be amazed that so many are being deluded into believing that Jesus is the only true God, but that Jesus is not the only true God who is his God, and that the only true God of Jesus is not Jesus, etc.

Eight Scriptures Alleged to Present Jesus as Theos

The Blog presents eight scriptures claimed to be scriptures where the Greek word THEOS is used of Jesus, and this is evidently offered as proof that Jesus is the only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As shown in the study linked to above, however, based on Biblical usage of forms of the Hebrew words EL and the Greek word THEOS, the usage of the words for deity as applied to others than Jehovah does not designate any others as being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the same principle applies in the very, very few cases where such words may be applied to the son of the Most High. (Luke 1:32) Such words applied to the son of the Most High does not designate the son of the Most High as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Nevertheless, some of the scriptures presented as having theos applied to Jesus are disputed, even among some trinitarian scholars.

The eight scriptures presented:

John 1:1-3; John 1:18; John 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20.

Regarding John 1:1-3,18; 20:28, click here to see links to studies,

Click below for other studies regarding the other scritpures:

Romans 9:5 – Who is Over All

Titus 2:13 – The Great God

Hebrews 1:8 – Why is Jesus called “Elohim” and “Theos”? Psalm 45:6,7

2 Peter 1:1 – Our God and Savior

1 John 5:20 – This is the True God

It is claimed that the New Testament affirms the deity of Jesus by calling him Yahweh (Jehovah). In reality, no New Testament scripture calls Jesus Yahweh  (Jehovah). It is evidently assumed that we are deny Jesus' diety. Actually, we accept the deity of Christ, as far as applying the Hebraic words for "deity" (forms of the words often transliterated as EL and THEOS) to Christ in harmony with the way that those words are used the Bible, but Christ's deity does not mean that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

It is further claimed that Old Testament prophecies concerning Yahweh (Jehovah) are quoted in the New Testament as being references to Jesus. Some scriptures are given to support this claim: Malachi 3:1 and Luke 1:76; Joel 2:32 and Romans 10:13; Isaiah 45:23 and Romans 14:10; Psalm 45:6 and Hebrews 1:8,9. In reality, none of these offer proof that Jesus is Yahweh.

See the following studies:

Isaiah 40:3 - Malachi 3:1 - The Sent Messenger and His Message

Romans 10:13 – Whoever Will Call On the Name of Yahweh

Hebrews 1:8 – Why is Jesus called “Elohim” and “Theos”? Psalm 45:6,7

It is stated that the angels worship Jesus, and that the angels refuse to receive worship, and yet Jesus willingly receives worship, evidently with the thought that this means that Jesus is Jehovah. The following scriptures are given: Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 19:10; Matthew 2:11, 14:33, 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38.

As we present in our studies, in both the Biblical Hebrew and the Greek the words for "worship" are used of many people; at the same time, there there is a form of worship -- worship in the highest sense -- that is only due to the Most High. Of course, an angel should refuse worship when he has reason to believe that such homage is being given as should only be given to his God. There is no evidence that in the scriptures cited that Jesus received the worship that belongs exclusively to the Most High. Indeed, if one actually reads what is happening in the scriptures, those who gave homage to Jesus did so for various reasons, none of which is said to recognize Jesus as the Most High God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

See the following studies concerning this:

Worship of Jesus (Links)

In reality, from Genesis to Revelation, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is never presented as more than one person, but is always presented as one person. In all of the scriptures claimed to present otherwise, the great spirit of human imagination has be consulted, and the resulting imaginations and assumptions have to added to, and read into, each and every scripture to get the added-on dogma appear to be supported by the scripture.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by means of his holy spirit, reveals through the scriptures that He Himself (Jehovah/Yahweh) is the only true God, the unipersonal God and Father of the Lord Jesus. Jesus has One who is the Supreme Being over him; Jesus is not his Supreme Being whom he worships, prays to, and who sent him, and whose will he carried out in willful obedience. (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Matthew 4:4 [Deuteronomy 8:3; Luke 4:4]; Matthew 4:7 [Deuteronomy 6:16]; Matthew 4:10 [Exodus 20:3-5; 34:14; Deuteronomy 6:13,14; 10:20; Luke 4:8]; Matthew 22:29-40; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 27:46; Mark 10:6 [Genesis 1:27; Genesis 2:7,20-23]; Mark 14:36; 15:34; Luke 22:42; John 4:3; 5:30; 6:38; 17:1,3; 20:17; Romans 15:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; Ephesians 1:3,17; Hebrews 1:9; 10:7; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 2:7; 3:2,12)

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by means of His holy spirit, reveals through the scriptures that Jesus is the firstborn creature, existing with his God and Father — whom he identifies as “the only true God”, before the world began. — John 1:1; 6:62; 17:1,3,5; Colossians 1:15; Revelaton 3:14.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by means of his holy spirit, reveals through the scriptures that Jesus was sent by Jehovah, Jesus speaks for Jehovah as being one person who is his God and Father, Jesus represents Jehovah, and Jesus was raised and glorified by one person who the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus never claimed to be, nor do the scriptures present Jesus as, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whom Jesus represents and speaks for. — Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Matthew 22:32; 23:39; Mark 11:9,10; 12:26; Luke 13:35; 20:37; John 3:2,17,32-35; 4:34; 5:19,30,36,43; 6:57; 7:16,28; 8:26,28,38; 10:25; 12:49,50; 14:10; 15:15; 17:8,26; 20:17; Acts 2:22,34-36; 3:13-26; 5:30; Romans 15:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 8:6; 11:31; Colossians 1:3,15; 2:9-12; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:1.

The default reasoning is that Jesus is NOT Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who sanctified and sent His son into the world of mankind. -- Isaiah 61:1; John 3:17; 5:36,37; 6:38,57; 8:42; 10:36; 17:1,3; Romans 8:3; Galatians 4:4; 1 John 4:9-14.