Saturday, January 12, 2019
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Remains the Same
Hebrews 13:8 is often cited as proof of the deity of Christ; by deity the thought is meant to say that Christ is the Most High Jehovah (some prefer Yahweh) Himself. We believe that Jesus is deity - mighty - but we do not believe that Jesus' deity means that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Obviously, since there is nothing in the verse that says that Jesus is Jehovah, what is expected is that one should read such a thought into the verse.
The question was asked concerning Hebrews 13:8, “How can Jesus be created, since he was the same yesterday?”
Additionally, Hebrews 13:8 is often quoted as proof that Jesus has what they claim is an immutable nature of God, possessing a nature (by which they mean the plan of existence as being God Almighty) which never changes. Is Hebrews 13:8 talking about an unchangeable “nature”, as that word is defined by trinitarians and many others? Has there been absolutely no change at all in Jesus as far as plane of existence is concerned? Could it mean that Jesus has always been and always will be of a “human nature” and a “God nature” (We speak in terms of those who believe that Jesus had two “natures” at once)? Although many sometimes use this scripture and speak of his having unchangeable “nature”, the scripture does not specify anything about such a matter.
Actually we have no reason to think that Paul is speaking of not having any change in plane of existence, as some seem to wish to have this verse say.
Paul, in context, is talking about imitating the faithfulness of the those taking the lead in faith. Jesus *is* our leader/master (Matthew 23:10), our pastor (shepherd -- Hebrews 13:20), the chief leader and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was always "faithful to him who appointed him" (Hebrews 3:2), he never failed in his service to his God, Jehovah. (Micah 5:2) Jesus, as an example of faith, is the same yesterday, today and forever. Of course, Jesus has proven himself unchangeable in doing the will of his God, and thus the good news is that he brought life and incorruptitibility to light. (2 Timothy 1:10) It is this quality which makes him so reliable and so completely trustworthy. His promises never fail, his word is steadfast, and his abiding assistance can always be counted on by his followers.
Hebrews 13:8, however, is not saying that Jesus did not leave the glory he had with his God and become flesh, which was indeed a “change” from the celestial, non-physical glory to that of the fleshly, terrestrial glory. (1 Corinthians 15:39-41;) Jesus, while in the days of his flesh, did not have his former heavenly glory, but he had the terrestrial, fleshly glory of a man, a little lower than the angels. (John 17:5; Hebrews 2:9; 5:7) God Almighty did not become flesh, as some have claimed, pointing to John 1:1,14. It was the son of God Almighty that became flesh, having the glory of the earthly body, a little lower than the angels. (John 10:36; Hebrews 2:7). John 1:14 does not say that the Logos "took on" flesh as many claim, but rather he became or was made flesh. The Logos of God, not God Almighty, did indeed become flesh. If God Almighty became flesh, that would mean that God Almighty became physical flesh, that Jesus’ body of flesh and blood itself was God Almighty, that therefore God Almighty has given God Almighty in sacrifice to God Almighty, and thus Almighty God was dead. — John 6:51; Ephesians 5:2.
One must take this verse in context. We know that Jesus did change, as far as plane of existence is concerned. He was “made” or “became” flesh — a little lower than the angels. (Hebrews 2:9) The contextual point the author of Hebrews is making here is that the teachings and faithfulness of Jesus Christ are now the same as when they were first taught, and will continue the same forever, and we most certainly should imitate his faith. Read verses 7-9 carefully. We are told to “Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.” Then, suddenly, we are reminded: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is a reminder of a greater exemplar than the ones just spoken of.
Yes, Jesus proved himself unchangeable, not only in his faithfulness to his God, but in full and total obedience to God in every detail. (Hebrews 3:2; 4:15) Jesus was not only faithful, however, as a human, but also before his becoming a human. (Proverbs 8:22-30) This does not mean that Jesus was/is his God to whom he was faithful.
Did not Jesus “change” from one glory to another glory so as to become a human? When he became a human, this was certainly a change, even if the change was in trinitarian terms where he supposedly added the “human nature” to his “God nature”, for he would have “changed” from one “nature” to two “natures”. Therefore, we have no reason to think that Paul is speaking of not having any change in plane of existence, as some seem to wish to have this verse say.
Paul, in context, is talking about imitating the faithfulness of the those taking the lead in faith. Jesus is the one whom we are become like in faith; his example of faith is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Of course, Jesus has proven himself unchangeable in doing the will of his God. It is this quality which makes him so reliable and so completely trustworthy. His promises never fail, his word is steadfast, and his abiding assistance can always be counted on by his followers.
Hebrews 13:8, however, is not saying that Jesus did not leave the glory he had with his God and become flesh, which was indeed a “change” from one glory to another glory. (1 Corinthians 15:40) If God Almighty became flesh, that would mean that Jesus’ flesh itself was God Almighty, and that therefore God Almighty has given God Almighty to God Almighty, and thus Almighty God was dead. — John 6:51; Ephesians 5:2.
This verse is not saying that Jesus never changed from spiritual body to physical body and then again to spiritual body; we know that he did go through those changes. While he was in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7), Jesus did not possess the glory of the spiritual body that he had when he was with his God and Father before the world of mankind was made through him. (John 1:1,10; 17:1,3,5; 1 Corinthians 15:40) While in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7); he did have the bodily glory of a sinless human being who never once sinned. (John 1:14; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:9; 10:5; 1 Peter 2:21,22) Since he sacrificed his glory as a human for sin, he is no longer a human being, a little lower than the angels, but now possesses he bodily glory that is above the angels. — Colossians 2:9,10; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; Hebrews 1:4; 1 Peter 3:22.
We know that Jesus did change, as far as plane of existence is concerned. He was “made” or “became” flesh — a little lower than the angels. The point the author of Hebrews is making here is that the teachings of Jesus Christ are now the same as when they were first taught, and will continue the same forever, and we most certainly should imitate his faith. Read verses 7-9 carefully. We are told to “Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.” Then, suddenly, we are reminded: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is a reminder of a greater exemplar than the ones just spoken of.
Yes, Jesus proved himself unchangeable, not only in his faithfulness to his God, but in full and total obedience to God in every detail. (Hebrews 3:2; 4:15) Jesus was not only faithful, however, as a human, but also before his becoming a human. (Proverbs 8:22-30) This does not mean that Jesus was/is his God to whom he was faithful.
What about the claim that the expression “the same yesterday, today, and forever” means that Jesus was not created, that he was “begotten in eternity”? The word ‘yesterday” actually contradicts the idea of duration without beginning, or existence outside of time. A yesterday simply reflects a day before the present day. But a day has a beginning; so has a yesterday. A day, in the Bible as well in everyday speech, does not always mean a 24-hour day based on the rotation of the earth. The word “day” sometimes signifies an indefinite time, or a set period of time. (Genesis 2:4; Isaiah 22:5; 2 Corinthians 6:2; Hebrews 3:8, etc.) The yesterday, and today spoken of in the verse are periods of time.
The Greek word translated “forever” literally means “to the ages” (Young’s Literal Translation). This latter expression relates to all ages to come, and does express future eternity in that sense. But in relation to the ages to come, “today” would refer to the Gospel age, the age we are now in, the day of salvation for the church. (2 Corinthians 6:2) Earlier in the book of Hebrews Paul contrasts the present “day” with that of the Israelites. (Hebrews 3:7,13; 4:7) Thus “yesterday” in this context would refer to the Jewish Age. (Isaiah 65:2; Romans 10:21; Hebrews 4:7-10) Whether this application is correct or not, there is nothing in the word “yesterday” that means an eternal past. Indeed, many trinitarian scholars reach similar conclusions regarding Hebrews 13:8.
Jesus never changed in his faithful obedience toward his God, and this is what is being discussed in context. Jesus is our greatest exemplar of faith, since he never once disobeyed God, and he always was faithful to his God and Father, the only true God, even more so than was Moses, who is listed amongst the men of faith that we are to imitate in faith. — Hebrews 3:2; 11:4-12:3; 13:7-9.
What we do not find is anything in Hebrews 13:8 that designates Jesus as being uncreated; we certainly find nothing that designates Jesus as being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or that Jesus is a person of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob exists as more than one person, etc. Indeed, such ideas have to be added to, and read into, what is stated.
Ronald R. Day, Sr.
Restoration Light Bible Study Services
(RLBible, ResLight)
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