Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Acts 7:55-59 - Stephen Saw God's Glory

Acts 7:55 - But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Acts 7:56 - and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
Acts 7:57 - But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
Acts 7:58 - They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 7:59 -They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"
  - World English.

It is sometimes claimed that in these verses, the alleged three persons of the alleged Trinity are seen.

 One states:

All three persons of the Trinity are present in this narrative, although God mainly functions as a reference point for Jesus. Jesus is shown as having divine standing, the ability to receive souls and forgive sins. The Holy Spirit reveals divine visions to those who are faithful.

The real truth is that throughout Acts 7, the word "God" refers to only one person. He is not presented as being three persons, nor is Jesus presented as being his God, Jehovah. No scripture presents Jesus' God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Isaiah 61:1,2; Micah 5:4; Acts 3:13-26; Ephesians 1:3), as being more than one person, nor does any scripture present Jesus as being his God, Jehovah.

The scripture does not say that Stephen actually saw God, since no man can see God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12), but he did, evidently by means of a vision or some other form of revelation, see the glory of God. 

Since Jesus is nowhere in the Bible depicted as being the "one God" of whom are all, and since Paul distinguishes Jesus from the "one God" of whom are all by telling us that Jesus is the "one Lord" through whom are all,  (1 Corinthians 8:6) the default reasoning should be that Jesus is not Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who is the "one God" of whom are all.

Jesus receives authority to forgive sins from his God, Jehovah. -- Micah 5:4; Matthew 9:8.

Jesus receives his divine standing in heaven from his God, Jehovah. -- Micah 5:4; Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:33; 5:31; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; Philippians 2:9-11.

Indeed, all that Jesus says and does is not of himself, but is from his God, Jehovah. The one person who is God in Acts 7:55 performs His work through Jesus. -- Isaiah 11:2,3; 61:1,2; Micah 5:4; Acts 17:22-30; 1 Corinthians 8:6, As Jesus said, "I can of myself do nothing." -- John 5:30.

Jesus' God is the source of life to us, but the only way we can be reconciled to Jesus' God is through Jesus and his sacrificial death. -- John 14:6; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Colossians 1:21,22.

As the instrument of his God, Jesus has given to us the words of life from his God and Father. -- Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Isaiah 61:1,2; Micah 5:4; John 1:18; 3:34; 5:19; 6:63; 7:16,28; 8:26,42; 12:44-50; 14:10,24; 17:2,3,6; Acts 3:13-26; 1 John 5:20.

As with all scriptures often presented to support the triune God concept, that concept has to be added to and read into what is actually stated in acts 7:55-59.

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