Romans 11:36 - Is All of Jesus or God?

Romans 11:36

For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen. -- World English.

For of him, and by him, and in him be all things. To him be glory into worlds [of worlds]. Amen. -- Wycliffe.

This scripture is claimed by some to apply to Jesus, with the argument that Jesus is the Creator, the Almighty God. Nevertheless, the context shows that it is God who is being spoken of, not Jesus. Verse 2 (Romans 11:2) shows that this is referring to the God of Israel, whom Jesus spoke of as his Father. (Exodus 3:6,15,16; Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; John 8:54) Verse 34 (Romans 11:34) is an indirect quote from Isaiah 40:13, which reads: "Who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counselor has taught him?" All through Romans "God" is spoken of as both the Father of Jesus, and also as the God of Israel.

Taken in isolation, and with the rendering of the Greek words ta panta as "all things", and in comparing Colossians 1:16, one could think that Paul is saying that this is speaking of creation. However, "ta panta" does not necessarily refer to "all things" created. "Ta panta" literally means "the all," and what is included/excluded in this "all" is usually determined by context and common evidence. Of course, God is the source of all creation, but specifically Paul here attributes God as the source and provider of wisdom, knowledge and unsearchable judgments, as shown in the context by verses 33-36, although Paul is probably referring to all that is implied as related to these things, that is, God's entire plan of salvation from beginning to end, which results will be to the glory of God. The application of all this is from God, through God to Jesus now and the church reckonedly now, and actually in the age to come, and to the world after the glorification of the church, and all of this is to God, to his glory.

The Greek word "dia," however, can have slightly different applications, depending on context.

Thayer's Definition:

1. through

   a. of place

       1. with

       2. in

  b. of time

      1. throughout

      2. during

   c. of means

      1. by

      2. by the means of

2. through

   a. the ground or reason by which something is or is not done

      1. by reason of

      2. on account of

      3. because of for this reason

      4. therefore

      5. on this account

Strong's Definition:

A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or occasional). In composition it retains the same general import: - after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) . . . fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through (-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general import.

Mounce's Definition:

(gen.) through, by means of; (acc.) because of, for the sake of, therefore

https://www.studylight.org/lexicons/greek/1223.html

Thayer lists Romans 11:36 under the subheading:

1. of one who is the author of the action as well as its instrument, or of the efficient cause

https://biblehub.com/greek/1223.htm 

Therefore, the Greek word, dia, although often used in the sense of instrumentality, can also be used in the sense of "because of." If this sense is applied to its usage in Romans 11:36, we would have:

For of him, and because of him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.

This application actually fits the context better.


Colossians 1:16,17 and Romans 11:36

Some also claim that the same wording is used in Colossians 1:16,17, where is it applied to Jesus. There we read that "all have been created through him, and to him." The wording is not the actually the same as Romans 11:36, but it is similar. However, what is important is not the actual wording itself, but how it is being used.

Thayer does not place 1 Corinthians 1:16 under the same category as he does Romans 11:36, but he places it under:

III. of the Means or Instrument by which anything is effected; because what is done by means of person or thing seems to pass as it were through the same (cf. Winer's Grammar, 378 (354))....

2. of the instrument used to accomplish a thing, or of the instrumental cause in the stricter sense: — with the genitive of person by the service, the intervention of, anyone; with the genitive of thing, "by means of with the help of, anything; 

https://biblehub.com/greek/1223.htm 

Abbott states concerning "dia" in Colossians 1:16:

By him; by his agency or instrumentality.

https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/colossians-1.html#16

In the context of Colossians 1:16,17 we find that both God, Jesus and the church are being spoken in relationship to each other. The church is to increase in knowledge of God, be strengthened with all power, giving thanks to the Father, who made them fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who delivered them out of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son. (Verses 10-13) Then Paul gives attention to Jesus, and describes him as the image of the invisible God (spoken of in verses 10-13). So we have a relationship shown in these verses that indicates that God, by means of Jesus, created "the all" being spoken of , so all these things have been created through him, and to him. Thus, we believe this scripture is speaking of these relationships with respects to creation being spoken of, and is not speaking of the same thing as recorded in Romans 11:36, where God is spoken of, and in in the context of his wisdom, knowledge and judgments.

1 Corinthians 8:6 and Romans 11:36

It has been claimed that dia in 1 Corinthians 8:6 should be considered the same as dia in Romans 11:36.

It should be obvious that 1 Corinthians 8:6, dia, applied to Jesus, is with the meaning of "through", not "on account of," since Jesus is being contrasted with the Father, who is being presented as the first cause. With this Thayer agrees. Thayer places 1 Corinthians 8:6 under the subheadings:

III. of the Means or Instrument by which anything is effected; because what is done by means of person or thing seems to pass as it were through the same (cf. Winer's Grammar, 378 (354))....

2. of the instrument used to accomplish a thing, or of the instrumental cause in the stricter sense: — with the genitive of person by the service, the intervention of, anyone; with the genitive of thing, "by means of with the help of, anything; 

 He lists it this way:

in passages relating to the Logos: πάντα δἰ αὐτοῦ (i. e., through the Divine Logos (cf. Winer's Grammar, 379 (355))) ἐγένετο or ἐκτίσθη: John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6 (where he is expressly distinguished from the first cause: ἐξ αὐτοῦ (Winer's Grammar, 419 (391).

https://biblehub.com/greek/1223.htm