Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8 – Thrice Holy

Revelation 4:8 – and the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes around about and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy is [Yahweh] God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

Isaiah 6:3 – One cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

These scriptures are sometimes cited as supporting the trinitarian dogma, since each uses the word “holy” three times.

This has to be Jehovah, the God of Jesus, referred to in Revelation 4:8, since this One is spoken of as one person in Revelation 5:1 as the One holding the scroll in His right hand. In Revelation 5:7 we find that the Lamb, Jesus, takes the scroll out of the hand of the one sitting on the throne. This shows that the one sitting on the throne, called “the Lord [Jehovah] God, The Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come” in Revelation 4:8 is indeed only one person, the God and Father of Jesus, and not Jesus himself.

The phrase “who was and who is and who is to come” is simply another way of saying the same thing as “from everlasting to everlasting” as found in Psalm 90:2. Only the God of Jesus is Almighty. Only the God of Jesus is “from everlasting to everlasting.” Jesus is not being made the “Almighty God” in the power and authority given him by the only true Almighty. (Matthew 28:18) It is evident that the power and authority given to Jesus is from One who is more powerful than the power and authority given. (1 Corinthians 15:27) If Jesus actually had been made the Almighty, this would mean that there are two Supreme Beings, but that only one of them had been Almighty from eternity past, since the other had to be made Almighty by the other. In reality, only Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus, is the Almighty. Jesus is, always has been and will always be, of a lesser glory in his bodily substance than Jehovah, his God. Jehovah is the only one who has the distinct glory as the Most High. — 1 Corinthians 15:40,41.

In Revelation 1:9,10, John refers to himself when he heard a loud voice, as of a trumpet, (verse 11) saying, “Write what you see…” This quote is from Jesus, not Jehovah, as described in the following verses. In verse 18 Jesus says: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” Jesus was actually dead and not alive anywhere, if this is to make any sense at all, for he contrasts his being dead with being alive forevermore. Now we know that God cannot die, so Jesus is thus by this verse proved to not be God Almighty.

What has to be added to, and read into Revelation 4:8 to have this support the trinitarian dogma, is that one of the words “holy” represents the God and Father of Jesus, while and another instance of the word “holy” represents the God-Son of the God and Father of Jesus, and that other instance of “holy” represents the holy spirit of the God and Father of Jesus. Since Revelation 4:8 also attributes all three usages of “holy” to the One who was and who is and who is to come, that is, the One who is depicted as sitting on the throne (Revelation 4:9), then the trinitarian has to add some explanation, and read whatever explanation they give into, the scriptures since the Lamb is depicted as taking the scroll from this One who was and who is and who is to come. (Revelation 5:6,7) Usually, however, we find no explanation given for the self-contradiction. Some simply explain the self-contradiction as one of the “mysteries” of the trinity.

In actuality, the Lamb who approaches the One who was and who is and who is to come in order to take the scroll from that One is not that One from whom he takes the scroll. Rather than proving the trinitarian dogma, Revelation 4:8,9 associated with Revelation 5:6,7 shows that the trinity dogma is not true. Only the One who is depicted as sitting on the throne, the One who was and who is and who is to come is the Almighty. Jesus is never depicted as the “Almighty” from whom Jesus, the Lamb, receives the scroll. This corresponds with Revelation 1:1, where we read that God gave to Jesus the revelation so that Jesus could give it to John.

Why, then, is the word “holy” repeated three times?

Some point out that the Sinaitic Manuscript and some others have holy eight times in this verse; if this was the way John originally received the revelation, then the word “holy” is used of the God and Father of Jesus eight times! Thus some point out the significance of the number eight as used in the Bible: The Jewish child was circumcised on the eighth day (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59; Philippians 3:5) signifying purification and holiness of heart (Exodus 6:12; Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Matthew 12:34); seven days a sheep was to be with its dam, and on the eighth given to Yahweh (Exodus 22:30); the eighth day after the seven days of Feast of Tabernacles was to be a holy convocation to Yahweh. (Leviticus 23:36,39) Eight signifies the day following the seven days of the week, the day of renewal, and thus many believe that eighth day signifies the 1,000 years to follow Christ’s millennial reign, for then all things will have been completely been made new, but not this only, but that all things will have been brought to full perfection. ( Revelation 21:1-5) Thus it is thought the eight instances of “holy” signify Jehovah’s actual perfect holiness, his absolute purity, which will be eventually be revealed in the ages to come.

However, the corresponding scripture in Isaiah 6:3 only has holy three times, not eight times, so we feel pronged to believe that in Revelation 4:8, the original also only had “holy” only three times.

Nevertheless, to many trinitarians, the “thrice holy” is thought in some vague manner to mean the trinity, as mentioned above.

There is no “and” in these three declarations that Jehovah is holy, neither in the Hebrew nor the Greek. For emphasis, Jehovah is “thrice” pronounced as holy, but it is not that Jehovah is “thrice holy”, or holy three times. It is similar to:

Ezekiel 21:27 – I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: this also shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it [him].

God is not saying that he will overturn the prince of Israel (evidently Zedekiah) three times; he is repeating the word for emphasis. It appears the usage of the word three times is used to designate the superlative degree, not to emphasize what is being spoken of as being three times. There is definitely no scriptural reason to think Jehovah would overturn prince of Israel one time as God the Father, and another time as the alleged God the Son, and another time as the alleged God the Holy Spirit.

Regarding Ezekiel 21:27:

The threefold repetition denotes the awful certainty of the event; not as ROSENMULLER explains, the overthrow of the three, Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah; for Zedekiah alone is referred to. -- Fausset, A. R., A.M. “Commentary on Ezekiel 21”. “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible”. 1871.

Likewise in Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8. There is no reason to add to Isaiah 6:3 that the seraphs were saying that Jehovah is three persons: Holy Father and Holy Son and Holy Spirit. Holy is repeated for emphasis.

Regardless, the thought of three persons being spoken of in Revelation 4:8 or Isaiah 6:3 has to be assumed, added to, and read into the three times that the word “holy” appears in those verses.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Riding the Clouds (working on)

The following scriptures are presented as an alleged proof that Jesus is Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: Deuteronomy 33:26, Psalm 18:9-10, Psalm 68:4, Psalm 104:3, Isaiah 19:1; Daniel 7:13,14; Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭64‬-‭65‬; Revelation 1:8. (Related scriptures: Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:31; Luke 21:27) Obviously, there is nothing in any of these scriptures that clearly identify Jesus as being Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who spoke through the prophets of old. -- Hebrews 1:1,2.

Evidently, it is being imagined and assumed that because Jesus is spoken of as coming in a cloud, that this means that Jesus is Jehovah who is spoken of riding the clouds in the Old Testament. This is like saying because the scriptures say that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, this means that Moses is Jehovah who is also said to have led the children of Israel out of Egypt. -- (need scriptures).

More will be added, later, God willing.

The following links contain material pertaining to Deuteronomy 33:26 we intend to respond to. This is for our own reference and we may respond to some things stated; we do not necessarily agree with what is presented by the authors:

https://spoiledmilks.com/2016/01/07/daniel-7-cloud-rider-unseen-realm-heiser/
https://streettheologian.medium.com/was-jesus-god-10-uncommon-considerations-4403ab56296f
https://www.facebook.com/HebrewRootsHeresy/photos/a.779266598755772/2461424033873345/?type=3
https://marshillapologetics.ca/jesusclaim


Friday, December 8, 2023

Eight Points Alleged to Prove the Trinity Doctrine (working on)

(This work is in progress; we will, God willing, be working on this a little at a time until it is finished. -- Ronald R. Day, Sr.)

We will be here addressing the claim of one who has presented a list of scriptures that are alleged to prove the trinity doctrine. We started this several years ago, and evidently never completed it. Evidently, the presentation to which we are responding is no longer on the internet, so we are responding solely to the notes we took. We will mostly be addressing the scriptures pertaining to God's Son. In many cases, we may only provide links to where the scriptures are discussed.

While God's Holy Spirit is never presented in the Bible as being a person of God, His Holy Spirit is likened to God's figurative finger and His figurative mouth. What is done by a person's finger is what is done by the person. What is said by one's mouth is what is said by the person to whom that mouth belongs. Likewise, with God and His Holy Spirit. While this does not necessarily prove that God's Holy Spirit is NOT a person, on the other hand, it does prove that the usage of such language regarding the Holy Spirit does not prove that God's Holy Spirit is a person, or that God's Holy Spirit is wholly and fully God as an alleged third person of God. Nevertheless, what is done to a person's finger is done to the person to whom that finger belongs. What is spoken back to the words of one's mouth is what is spoken back to the person to whom that mouth belongs to.

Point #1: Creation of the Universe 

This is presented as being one of the "strongest" proofs of the trinity. The idea apparently is to allegedly prove that God's Spirit, God and God's Son all created the universe, and, thus, because of this, we should imagine, assume, add to and read into the scriptures that God is more than one person, and that he is three persons, etc.

Evidently, the following scriptures are supposed to prove that God's Holy Spirit created the universe: Psalm 104:29,30; Job 33:4. It is evidently imagined and assumed that this means the God's Holy Spirit is a person of God, and thus the imagined and assumed third person of the alleged triune God. Nothing in these scriptures, however, mentions the creation of the "universe". 

Psalm 104:29,30

We do find the word "spirit" (Strong's 7307) mentioned in Psalm 104:29,30 in connection with the taking away of human life, and the returning of human life. The Hebrew word for spirit is used with various applications; it is not always referring to God's Holy Spirit.

While we are sure that God does make use of his Holy Spirit is the giving and the taking away of life, we do not find God's Holy Spirit mentioned in Psalm 104:29,30. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for "spirit", is used with different applications, and simply because we see a form of the Hebrew word often transliterated as "rûach" being used, it does not necessarily mean that God's Holy Spirit is being referred to.

There is nothing in Psalm 104:29,30 about the creation of the universe; it is actually speaking of man's death and his being restored to life.

See our studies:
Neshamah
The Spirit that Returns to God

Job 33:4
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 

Here, the Hebrew word often transliterated as "ruach" is evidently being used to designate God's Holy Spirit.

God surely made use of his Holy Spirit in creation; that does not mean that we need to imagine, assume, add to, and read into the scriptures that God is more than one person, and further imagine, assume, add to, and read into the scriptures that God's Holy Spirit is a separate and distinct person from Himself, etc.

What we do not find in any of the scriptures listed is any thought that God is more than one person, or that God's Holy Spirit is a separate and distinct person of Himself. All such has to be imagined beyond what is written, and then added to and read into what is written.

Acts 3:15

And the Prince of the life ye did kill, whom God did raise out of the dead, of which we are witnesses. -- Young's Literal.

This is one of the scriptures that is supposed to show that Jesus is the "Creator of the universe". Again, we find nothing about the creation of the universe in this verse, but we do find that many translations present Jesus as being "the prince of life", "the author of life," etc. Evidently, what is being imagined and assumed is that such an expression designates Jesus as being the ultimate source of life, and thus that Jesus is the ultimate source of the creation of the universe, etc.

The one who presented this, however, claims that the JWs' New World Translation supports that Jesus is the creator of the universe. While we are not with the JWs, we looked up how the New World Translation renders this:

Whereas you killed the Chief Agent of life. But God raised him up from the dead, of which fact we are witnesses.

The word rendered "prince" above in most translations is a compound word that roughly means chief or first leader. It can refer to chief source. It is used again in Acts 5:31 regarding how the one person who is God exalted Jesus. It is used again in Hebrews 2:10, designating Jesus as the first or chief over salvation. It is also used in Hebrews 12:2 in reference to Jesus as being the chief leader and perfecter of the faith of those who belong to Christ. In none of these instance, however, does the usage of this word of Jesus designate Jesus as being his God, Jehovah, or as being a person of his God, Jehovah.

Since Jesus proved his faithfulness and has been highly exalted by his God, Jehovah (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; Philippians 2:8,9), and since God has given to Jesus the authority and power to give life to others, then Jesus becomes the instrument of God as to give life to believers in this age as well as to all of redeemed mankind. -- Matthew 28:19; John 5:19-21,25; 11:25; 12:47,48; 14:6; 17:2; 20:31; Romans 5:12-19,21; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22,45; 1 John 2:2; 4:9. 

Jesus' being God's instrument in salvation, of course, does not remove Jesus' God (Micah 5:4: Ephesians 1:3) from being the ultimate source of all life. (1 Timothy 6:13; 1 John 5:11) It was Jesus' God, Jehovah (Micah 5:4), the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Acts 3:13), who raised Jesus from the dead, as reported not only in Acts 3:15, but also in Acts 2:24,32,26; 4:10; 10:40; 13:30,33,37; 17:31; Romans 4:24; 8:11; 10:9; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:15; Galatians 1:1; Colossians 2:11,12; 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10; 1 Peter 1:21; 3:18. Jehovah is, therefore, the source of Jesus' life, power and authority. **** needs editing


John 1:1-3

Two things are usually read into these verses so as to make them appear to be speaking of two persons of a tribune God. 1) It is claimed that the usage of the Greek word often transliterated as THEOS as applied to the Logos proves that Jesus is God Almighty, and it is claimed that verse 3 presents Jesus as being the Creator. Actually, since Jesus is not the "one God" from whom are all (1 Corinthians 8:6), the default reasoning should be, not to imagine and assume that THEOS as applied "the Word" means God Almighty, but rather that is a Hebraism referring to Jesus in more general sense of might, power, strength. Likewise, the Greek text does not designate Jesus as being the source of the creation of the world of mankind, but as the instrument used in the creation of the world of mankind. Since we have discussed this in detail in other studies, we will not repeat such here, but we invite to see our Links to studies related to John 1:1-3.



Colossians 1:15,16

Acts 3:15

In Acts 3:15, as well as throughout Acts 3, only one person is identified as being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Jesus is distinguished from being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob throughout. Jesus is the first or chief leader (archegos, Strong's #747) in life, being the first and the last firstborn from the dead. It is because of his faithfulness til death that the one person who his God exalted Jesus to the highest position in the universe, excluding the position of being the Most High himself 


- God (Gen 1:1-3; Isa 45:18; Acts 17:24-26)

2) Raised Jesus from the dead

- Christ (Jn 2:18-19; Jn 10:18)

- Spirit (Rom 8:11)

- God (1 Cor 6:14; Act 13:33-37)

3) Are Baptized into

- Trinity (Matt 28:19)

- Christ (Gal 3:27; Act 2:38; Rom 6:3)

- Spirit (Matt 3:11; Act 1:5, 8:16-17, 1 Cor 12:12-13)

4)Are the image from which man was created

- God’s Spirit (2 Cor 3:16-17)

- Jesus (Rom 8:29)

- God (Gen 1:27)

5)Is the Spirit that dwells in believers 

- Rom 8:9-11

6)The “alpha and omega,” the “first and the last”

- Jesus (Rev 1:17-18, 2:8, Rev 22:12-13,16) 

- God (Isa 44:6; Rev 1:8)

7)Above the angels

- God and Jesus (Heb 5-12 // Psalms 104:4, 45:6-7, and 102:25-27)

8)Birthed Jesus into the world

- Spirit (Matt 1:18)

- Jesus (Phil 2:7)

- God (Gal 4:4)



Friday, March 31, 2023

Deuteronomy 32:8,9 - Elyon, Jehovah, and the Trinity


Deuteronomy 32:8,9 is sometimes cited by trinitarians as an Old Testament reference to their triune God philosophy. Their thought apparently is that "Most High" [transliterated from the Masoretic text as ELYON] in verse 8 is supposed to refer to one person of their triune God, and "Jehovah" [transliterated from the Masoretic text] in verse 9 is evidently supposed to refer to another person of their triune God. 

Deuteronomy 32:8 - When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, When he separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:9 - For Jehovah's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
-- American Standard Version. 

Deuteronomy 32:8 - When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
Deuteronomy 32:9 - But [Jehovah*]'s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.
-- English Standard Version, *edited to present God's Holy Name as "Jehovah".

We should note that the manuscripts do show a slight disagreement in reading in verse 8. The Masoretic text reads "sons of Israel" while a reading from one of the Dead Sea Scrolls reads "sons of God". Some apparently claim that "the expression sons of God" refers to the angels or to all the descendants of Adam. Actually, the children of Israel are referred to as sons of Jehovah in Deuteronomy 14:1, thus, it is more than likely that "sons of God" in verse 8 and "his people" of verse 9 are both one and the same. We believe that to be the most logical reasoning related to this, and thus the default understanding.

Nevertheless, some appear to read into this that the "Most High" [Elyon] is used in reference to the "sons of Adam" while "Jehovah" is used only in reference to the children of Israel. From this, it appears that they further claim that "Most High" refers to their alleged "God the Father" -- the assumed "first person" of their imagined triune God -- while "Jehovah" is claimed to be the second person of their imagined and assumed triune God. Of course, the idea of a triune God is not actually there or anywhere else in the entire Bible. The idea has to be assumed beyond what is stated and other assumptions have to be created, and these have to be added to and read into what is stated in order to "see" their triune God in Deuteronomy 32:8,9.

Some wish to make it appear that "Jehovah" in Deuteronomy 32:9 is Jesus and claim that Jesus is the God of Israel, while another person of the triune God is the God of the other nations. This, in effect, would mean that God who spoke through the prophets of the Old Testament is Jesus, which should make one wonder who is the son of Jesus as spoken of in Hebrews 1:1,2. The reality is that Jehovah in the Old Testament is the God and Father of Jesus. It was the God and Father of Jesus (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3) who spoke through Moses and foretold that the Messiah was to be a prophet like Moses. (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Acts 3:13-26) Thus, Jesus is the "Son" through whom Jehovah now speaks. -- Deuteronomy 18:15-19; John 14:10,24; 17:1,8,24; Hebrews 1:1,2.

The scriptural conclusion is that Elyon and Jehovah are the same person. We find many scriptures in the Old Testament where ELYON is used as a title of Jehovah, the God of the Messiah (Isaiah 61:1,2; Micah 5:4). -- Numbers 2416; 1 Samuel 2.10; 2 Samuel 22.14; 23.1; Psalms 7.8, 10, 17; 9.2; 21.7; 46.4; 47.2; 50.14; 57.2; 73.11; 77.10; 78.17, 35, 56; 83.18; 87.5; 91.1,9; 92.1; 97.9; 107.11; Lamentations 3.35, 38; Daniel 3.26; 4.2, 17, 25, 32, 34; 5.18, 21; 7.18, 22, 25; Hosea 7.16.

There is no scriptural reason at all to think that ELYON in Deuteronomy 32:8 is not JEHOVAH of Deuteronomy 32:9. There is definitely nothing in either verse or anywhere else in the Bible that says that God is more than one person. 



Monday, March 27, 2023

Zechariah 14:4,5 -- Jehovah's Feet on the Mount of Olives

Zechariah 14:4-5 is sometimes presented as proof that Jesus is Jehovah as related to the doctrine of the trinity.

Zechariah 14:3 Then Jehovah will go out and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
Zechariah 14:4 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Zechariah 14:5 You shall flee by the valley of my mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Jehovah my God will come, and all the holy ones with you.
World English, edited to present God's Holy Name as "Jehovah".

This speaks, not only of Jehovah as coming, but also the holy ones, the saints, who will come. We find nothing directly about Jesus in the verses, and there is definitely nothing that presents Jehovah as being more than one person. The idea that Jehovah is more than one person, and that Jesus is a person of Jehovah, has to imagine and assumed beyond what is stated, and then what has been imagined and assumed has to be added to, and read into what is stated.

Zechariah 14:4 tells us of a time when Jehovah will place his feet on the Mount of Olives. (verse 3) The prophecy then speaks of the Mount of Olives as being split in two parts. We know that Jesus literally was on the Mount of Olives at his first advent. (Matthew 21:1; 24:3; 26:30; Mark 11:1; 13:3; 14:26; Luke 19:37; 22:39; John 8:1; Acts 1:11,12) Some conclude that Jehovah is Jesus is Zechariah 14:4, and from that, they would imagine and assume that Jehovah is more than one person and that Jesus is a person of Jehovah. 

Actually, Zechariah 14:4,5 is speaking figuratively. The Mount of Olives was not split at Jesus' feet during his first advent, so it should be apparent that it is not referring to Jesus' first advent. It is obviously referring to an event yet future. He whose "feet" are foretold to stand on the Mount of Olives is not Jesus, but rather Jehovah, the God of Jesus. (Micah 5:4) Jehovah, of course, does not have physical "feet", nor is it referring to the physical Mount of Olives being physically split into two parts.

Nevertheless, it certainly cannot be referring to the flesh of Jesus coming to standing on the Mount of Olives, for Jesus is no longer flesh, for he gave his body of flesh in sacrifice to his God for our sins. (John 6:51; Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18) Verse three speaks of Jehovah as coming to fight as he did in the days of old. However, as other prophecies show, Jehovah will glorify the place of his feet, that is, the planet earth with man in charge, as it was His original purpose, but which has not yet been fulfilled due to Adam’s sin. — Genesis 1:26,27; Psalm 8:4-8; Romans 5:12; Hebrews 2:5-7.

Some refer to Matthew 25:31, evidently to make it appear that "Jehovah" in Zechariah is referring to Jesus.

Matthew 25:31 – But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory.

Of course, the Son of the Man David will come and sit down on the throne of glory when he comes to judge the world. The Bible speaks, however, of Jehovah as coming to judge the world, and thus many imagine and assume that this means that Jesus is Jehovah, and/or that Jehovah is more than one person, etc. The reality is that Jehovah comes to judge through the person whom He has ordained. — Psalm 96:13; 98:9; Luke 1:32,35; John 5:22,23; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Romans 2:16; 1 Corinthians 4:5.

Nevertheless, Jehovah the Most High (Luke 1:32,35), having sent His Messiah, does all things through, by means of, Jesus, his son, the one whom He has ordained, appointed and anointed, and our salvation is from Jesus' God, through the son of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob , all to the glorification of the God of Jesus. — Psalm 2:6; 45:7; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:27; 28:18; Luke 10:22; John 1:17; 3:35; 13:3; 16:15; Acts 4:27; Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 15:27; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Ephesians 1:3,17,20-22; Philippians 2:11; Colossians 1:3,13,20; Hebrews 1:1,2; 1 Peter 4:11.

Nothing in any of this, however, means that we need to imagine and assume that Jesus is God Almighty, Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who is actually the God of Jesus. -- Isaiah 61:1,2; Micah 5:4; Acts 3:13-26; Ephesians 1:3.

While we may not agree with some of the details, one might study the following:

Jehovah's Footstool Made Glorious

Jehovah's Feet


Picture of Mount of Olives taken in 1849 is in the public domain. Colorized by pallette.fm.


Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Who Is Jesus? - Response

The discussions here are being moved to individual posts related to scripture(s) involved. God willing, once all has been moved elsewhere, this page will be removed. God willin, all scriptures presented will be included in the "Is Jesus God?" pages with links to related studies.

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We will be here addressing the list of Will Daniels found in his book, "Understanding the Trinity". Many trinitarians often offer Daniel's list as supposedly proof of the trinity. This list has been floating around on various blogs and forums on the internet, and has been posted to us in several groups and forums, so we decided to address the list here for reference.  Definitely, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is distinguished from being Jesus in Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Isaiah 61:1; Acts 3:13-21; Hebrews 1:1,2; Revelation 1:1. -- Ronald R. Day, Senior.

God's Holy Name is supplied as "Jehovah" as appropriate places regardless of which translation is being quoted.

IS JESUS THE ALMIGHTY?

It is claimed:
Genesis 17:1 (The Almighty is God) - Rev. 1:8 (Jesus is the Almighty)
It is not Jesus who is speaking in Revelation 1:8, but rather the Almighty in Revelation 1:8 is the same one who is stated be "God" in Revelation 1:1, the one who is, was and is to come of Revelation 1:4 and who is distinguished from Jesus Christ of Revelation 1:5. Revelation 1:1 harmonizes with 1 Corinthians 8:6; the God and Father of Jesus is the source; Jesus is the instrument. Being that only the God and Father of Jesus is the source of all might, only the God and Father of Jesus is the Almighty. Jesus is never presented in the Bible as being the Almighty. There is definitely nothing here that gives anyone a reason to think beyond what is written so as to imagine, assume, add to, and read into the scriptures that Jesus is his God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

JESUS AS FIRST AND LAST

It is claimed:
Isa, 44:6(The first and last is God) - Rev. 1:8, 22:13(Jesus is first and last)
It is Jehovah, the God of Jesus, who refers to Himself to as Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, in Revelation 22:13. In Revelation 1:8, the God of Jesus is speaking, not Jesus. It is possible that Revelation 1:8 was meant to be Revelation 2:8. "First and last" in Revelation 2:8 certainly refers to Jesus, but it cannot be referring to Jesus as being the Supreme Being, not unless one believes that the Supreme Being "was dead." .

See our studies related to "Alpha and Omega"
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/alpha-and-omega.html


IS JESUS THE I AM?

It is claimed:
Exodus 3:14 (The “I am” is God) – John 8:58 (Jesus is the “I am”)
Nowhere in John 8:58 does Jesus say that his name is EHJEH, or that he was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of Exodus 3:14,15, wherein the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob spoke to His prophet Moses. He who spoke to Moses is the Father of Jesus, as can be seen from Hebrews 1:1,2. However, the method that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob may have used to speak to Moses in Exodus 3:14,15, could have been by means of one of His angels, Peter identifies this God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not as being Jesus, but rather as having raised up Jesus as the prophet like Moses. (Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Acts 3:13-26) Nevertheless, Hebrews 1:1,2 lets us know that He who spoke to His prophet Moses was not Jesus, but rather the Father of Jesus.

In John 8:58, Jesus is speaking of his existence before Abraham. Any idea that he was claiming that his name is EHJEH of Exodus 3:14 has to be imagined, assumed, added to, and read into, what Jesus said.

See some of our studies related to John 8:58:
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/scriptures-examined.html#john8-58


JESUS AS LORD OF LORDS

It is being claimed:

Deut. 10:17(The Lord of Lords is God) – Rev. 19:16 (Jesus is Lord of Lords)

We find nothing at all in Deuteronomy 10:17 or in Revelation 19:16 that means that we need to imagine, assume, add to, and read into the scriptures that Jesus is Jehovah. Anyone who is Lord over others who are also lords can be referred to as "Lord of lords." Jesus is certainly Lord over others who are also lords. So is his God; unlike Jesus, however, God needs no one to make him Lord over others who are Lords. (Psalm 45:7; Acts 2:36: Hebrews 1:9) The fact that the God and Father of Jesus had made Jesus such a Lord does not mean that we need to call upon the spirit of human imagination so as to assume and add to the scriptures that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
See our studies:
Lord of Lords and King of Kings
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2016/12/rev17-14.html
The Misuse of Similarities
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2017/06/similarities.html


JESUS AS THE ROCK

It is being claimed:

Psalms 18:31 (The Rock is God) – I Corinthians 10:4 (Jesus is the Rock)
1 Corinthians 10:4
kai pantes to auto pneumatikon epion poma
AND ALL (ONES) THE VERY SPIRITUAL THEY DRANK DRINK,
2532 3956 3588 0846_9 4152 4095 4188
0846_98
epinon gar ek pneumatikees akolouthousees
THEY WERE DRINKING FOR OUT OF SPIRITUAL FOLLOWING
4095 1063 1537 4152 0190
petras hee petra de een ho christos
ROCK MASS, THE ROCK MASS BUT WAS THE CHRIST;
4073 3588 4073 1161 1511_3 3588 5547

Now all these things happened to them by way of example (Strong’s #5179, type, figure*), and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. — 1 Corinthians 10:11.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/tupos.html

Again, we find nothing at all that says that Jesus is Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; again we find that one has to imagine beyond what is written in order to see such in what is actually written.

1 Corinthians 10:4 does not say “Jesus is the Rock”, but rather “the rock was Christ.” That rock that “was” IS not Jehovah God of Psalm 18:31, but rather it is the rock that Moses struck, which provided water for the children of Israel. That rock that Moses struck was, represented, the Anointed One, because it was a type, a figure, a representation of the coming Anointed One of Jehovah. Jesus used a form of the same verb in Matthew 11:14, saying, “If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.” In saying “this is Elijah”, he was not saying that John the Baptist was actually Elijah, but rather that Elijah was a type, a figure, of John the Baptist, in that they both did a similar work. Likewise, the Rock that provided water for the children of Israel is a type of the Christ, the Anointed One, who provides living water (from his God). — John 4:10,13; 7:16; 1 Corinthians 8:6.

See our study:
That Rock Was Christ
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2016/11/rock.html


REIGN FOREVER

It is being claimed:
Psalms 146:10 (God shall reign forever)- Luke 1:33 (Jesus will reign forever)
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by means of his holy spirit, reveals through the scriptures that Jesus receives his inheritance and dominion (power and authority to rule) from Jehovah. His power and authority is given to him by his God, who is the Supreme Being over Jesus. Jesus is not Jehovah [his God and Father] who gives him this dominion, all authority and power (with the evident exception of the position of being the Most High himself -- 1 Corinthians 15:27), yet the exercise of this power and authority by Jesus is all to the praise of Jehovah, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus. The Bible writers never claimed that Jesus is the ultimate "source" of his own power. -- Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalm 2:6-8; 45:7; 110:1,2; Isaiah 9:6,7; 11:2; 42:1; 61:1-3; Jeremiah 23:5; Ezekiel 34:23,24; 37:24; Daniel 7:13,14; Micah 5:4; Matthew 12:28; 28:18; Luke 1:32; 4:14,18; 5:17; John 3:34; 5:19,27,30; 10:18,36-38; Acts 2:22,36; 3:13-26; 10:38; Romans 1:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:27; 2 Corinthians 13:4; Colossians 1:15,16; 2:10; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:2,4,6,9; 1 Peter 3:22.

Yes, the God and Father of Jesus will indeed reign forever by means of His Son. Thus, the rulership that the God and Father of Jesus gives to Jesus will be forever. (Daniel 7:18) This does not mean that we need to imagine, assume, add to, and read into the scripture that God's Son is God Himself (oneness belief), or that His Son is a person of Himself (trinitarian).

All Things Through, By Means of, Jesus

The one individual who is most the Most High Jehovah (Luke 1:32,35), having sent His Messiah, does all things through, by means of, Jesus, his son, the one whom He has ordained, appointed and anointed, and our salvation is from the God of Jesus, through the son of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all to the glorification of the God and Father of Jesus. — Psalm 2:6; 45:7; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:27; 28:18; Luke 10:22; John 1:17; 3:35; 13:3; 16:15; Acts 4:27; Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 15:27; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Ephesians 1:3,17,20-22; Philippians 2:11; Colossians 1:3,13,20; Hebrews 1:1,2; 1 Peter 4:11.

The God and Father of Jesus comes to judge through — by means of — His son. — Psalm 96:13; 98:9; Luke 1:32,35; John 5:22,23; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Romans 2:16; 1 Corinthians 4:5.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob speaks and performs His works through His son. — Deuteronomy 18:18,19; John 3:34; 5:19; 6:38; 7:16,28,29; 8:28,38,40; 12:29; 14:10; 17:8; Acts 3:13-26; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:1,2.

Nothing in any of this means that we need to imagine and assume that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jaocb.


JESUS AS THE SHEPHERD

It is claimed:
Isaiah 40:11 (The Shepherd is God) – John 10:16 (Jesus is the Shepherd)
No one appoints Jehovah God as shepherd, and no one gives the sheep to Jehovah. Jehovah foretold, however, that he would “set up one shepherd” over his sheep. (Ezekiel 34:23) Jesus claimed to be that one genuine shepherd, as he claimed that his God and Father had given the sheep to him. — John 10:11,14,16,29.

There is nothing in any of this that means that we need to imagine, assume, add to, and read into the scriptures that Jesus is his God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

See:
The One Shepherd
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2016/11/good-shepherd.html


THE REDEEMER

It is claimed:
Isaiah 41:14 (The Redeemer is God) – Luke 1:68 (Jesus is the Redeemer)
Don’t be afraid, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel; I will help you, says Jehovah, and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. — Isaiah 41:14.

Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, For he has visited and worked redemption for his people; — Luke 1:68

Luke 1:68 is not speaking of Jesus, but rather Jehovah. The word “visit”, especially when in reference to Jehovah, is used in the sense of giving attention to. Jehovah often visited — gave his attention — his people for many different reasons in the Old Testament, and often He used someone as an instrument of his purpose for visiting His people. Likewise, Jehovah, in sending His son, Jesus, was visiting — giving attention to — his people for the purpose of redemption.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/search/?q=Jehovah+visit&c=&t=asv&ps=100&s=Bibles
http://www.biblestudytools.com/search/?q=Jehovah+visited&c=&t=asv&ps=100&s=Bibles

See our study:
God Visited His People
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2019/05/luk1-68.html

I AM HE

It is claimed:
Isaiah 43:10 (God said, “I am he”) – John 8:24 (Jesus said, “I am he”)
Again, one has to imagine and assume that since Jehovah said something in Hebrew in Isaiah 43:10 as related to Himself, and that since Jesus said something similar in John 8:24 (although he was speaking of something entirely different), that this means that Jesus is Jehovah of Isaiah 43:10.

In Isaiah 43:10, the Hebrew phrase is usually transliterated as “ANI HU”, which literally means “I – he”. The Hebrew does not have a copulative of “to be”, but such is thus supplied by translators with forms of the English “to be”; in the case of Isaiah 43:10, it becomes, “I am he”. In the LXX as we have it, we find the koine Greek form often transliterated as EIMI, making it EGO EIMI, which literally means “I am”, and the word “he” is left to be understood in the Koine Greek as being the object. It is from this that many trinitarians (and some others) make a connection between EGO EIMI of the LXX and with several other places where Jesus uses the Greek form EGO EIMI, when speaking of himself. In Isaiah 43:10, it is obvious that Jehovah was claiming to be Jehovah, the God of Israel, before whom none of the gods of heathen existed, and none of these idols will exist after him (since Jehovah will never cease to exist, but these idols gods will cease to exist).

It is often claimed that this phrase is never used by anyone but Jehovah. It is a phrase that would hardly ever be used by anyone, and while it may be true that the exact phrase is not used by anyone else as recorded in the Hebrew Old Testament, we find that David did use the two words of himself as recorded in 1 Chronicles 21:17, although the two words are separated by several words in between. Likewise, with the Greek expression, EGO EIMI; as used without an object, it would not often be used by anyone in the Bible. In John 9:9, we find that a blind man used it of himself, not with any thought that anyone would think that he was claiming to be Jehovah God, but rather that he was simply expressing that he was the one who had been healed by Jesus.

See also:
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/scriptures-examined.html#john8-24


THE SAVIOR

It is claimed:

Isaiah 43:10,11 (God is the Saviour) – Luke 2:11 (Jesus is the Saviour)
Isaiah 45:21 (The One Saviour is God) – Acts 4:12 (Jesus is the One Saviour)
Isaiah 43:10,11(God is the only Saviour)- Titus 1:4 (Jesus is the only Saviour)

Isaiah 43:10,11; 45:21 speaks of Jehovah as being the savior of Israel, which he did when he brought Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3:8; 6:6-8; 12:51; Deuteronomy 32:12; Isaiah 43:1,3; 45:11), and many times later. At the same time, we read that it was Moses who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10; Acts 7:36,40) Does this mean that Moses is Jehovah? No, but rather, the Psalmist says to Jehovah: “You led your people like a flock, By the hand of Moses and Aaron.”. (Psalm 77:20) Jehovah acted through His agent, Moses.

Additionally, we read that when Israel came to later be in need of deliverance. Jehovah himself did not come and personally deliver them, but He sent saviors to deliver them. (Nehemiah 9:27) Judges 2:16 tells us: “Jehovah raised up judges, who saved [yasha`] them out of the hand of those who despoiled them.” And Nehemiah 9:27: “Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors [Hebrew, Yasha`] who saved [Hebrew, Yasha`] them out of the hand of their adversaries.” Some of the saviors sent by Jehovah included: Othniel – Judges 3:9; Gideon – Judges 6:13,14; 8:22; Gideon’s 700: Judges 7:7; Samson – Judges 13:5; David – 2 Samuel 3:18. Jehovah sent these saviors who acted in his name and with his power and authority. Additionally, of the coming kingdom age, we read that ” "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be Jehovah’s.” (Obadiah 1:21) Such saviors were/will not be “besides (apart from)” (Isaiah 43:11) Jehovah, since they were sent by Jehovah, and thus Jehovah was working through, by means of, these servants whom he sent.

The scriptures abound with cases where Jehovah uses various servants but is given the credit for their actions, since He was the directing force. — Exodus 3:10,12; 12:17; 18:10; Numbers 16:28; Judges 2:6,18; 3:9,10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:24,25; 14:6,19; 15:14,18; 16:20,28-30, 2 Kings 4:27; Isaiah 43:11, 45:1-6; etc.

Likewise, we read concerning Jesus, “God has sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9) “God … sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:10) “God was, by means of Christ. reconciling the world to himself.” (2 Corithians 5:19) God who sent His Messiah is definitely one person who is "Jehovah" in Isaiah 61:1, and Jesus is excluded from being Jehovah who anointed and sent Jesus. This agrees with what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8:6, that all is of God, through Jesus.

There is nothing in any of these scriptures, however, that say that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; such an assumption, if applied consistently in other scriptures, would mean that all those whom Jehovah sent as saviors must also be Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

See:
No Savior Besides Jehovah
https://notrinity.blogspot.com/2011/07/yah-savior.html

THE HOLY ONE

It is claimed:

Isaiah 43:15 (The Holy One is God) – Acts 3:14 (Jesus is the Holy One)

Acts 3:14 – But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you.

Contrary to what some have imagined and assumed, Acts 3:14 DOES NOT proclaim Jesus as being the Holy One of Israel of Isaiah 43:15, but rather that he is the Holy and Righteous One. He was sanctified, made holy, by his God, and sent into the world of mankind. (John 10:36) His God gave him a body of flesh that was uncontaminated with the taint of sin through Adam. (Matthew 1:20; Romans 5:12-19; Hebrews 2:9; 10:5) Thus, Jesus, in becoming flesh, was upright — straight, righteous — as was Adam before Adam sinned. (Ecclesiastes 7:29) Unlike Adam, Jesus never fell short of the glory of God due to sin. (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5) Thus, Jesus was indeed the one made Holy by his God, and he was indeed “the righteous one” — the only man in history who remained sinless (obedient to God) all of his life even until he died. — Philippians 2:8.

Again, what we find is that one has to call upon the spirit of human imagination so as to read into Acts 3:14 something that it does not say, for it certainly does not say that Jesus is Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And if Peter was indeed making Jesus out to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, then it was not the man Jesus who was killed, but it was God Almighty Himself who was killed (Acts 3:15). In reality, Acts 3:13 and Acts 3:15 distinguish the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob from being Jesus, showing the Jesus was the foretold prophet whom the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was to raise up, and that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob also raised Jesus from the dead. — Deuteronomy 18:15-20.

See our study:
Is Jesus the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2019/05/god-of-abraham.html

KING OF ISRAEL

It is claimed:
Isaiah 43:15(God is King of Israel) – Matt. 27:37(Jesus is King of Israel)
Isa. 44:6 (The King of Israel is God) – John 1:49 (Jesus is King of Israel)
There is again nothing in the title “King of Israel”, that designates Jesus as being Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. One has to imagine and assume that this title is being applied both to Jehovah and to Jehovah’s anointed in some way so as to mean that Jehovah’s anointed is Jehovah who anointed him. To get “trinity” into this, one then has to further imagine and add to the scripture that this means that Jesus is a person of Jehovah, etc.

Actually, it is Jehovah who makes Jesus to rule on David’s throne; David also, by the way, was also spoken of in the Bible as “king of Israel” and “king over Israel.” Should we think that David is Jehovah?  — 2 Samuel 5:3,17; 6:2; 1 Chronicles 14:2,8; 2 Chronicles 29:27; 30:26; 35:4; Ezra 3:10; Proverbs 1:1.

David, nonetheless, acknowledged his God as also King. — Psalm 145:1.

Additionally, there are many who have been designated “king of Israel”.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/search/?q=%22king+of+israel%22&c=&t=web&ps=100&s=Bibles

Jehovah, however, is King of Israel due to His being the former of Israel (Isaiah 43:1; 44:2), and due to the covenant that was made with Israel. (Exodus 34:27) Jehovah, who spoke to and through his prophet, Moses, was not Jesus, but rather the God and Father of Jesus. -- Hebrews 1:1,2.


EVERY KNEE MUST BOW

It is claimed:
Isa. 45:23 - (Every knee must bow-God) – Phil. 2:10-11 (Every knee must bow-Jesus)
By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. — Isaiah 45:23.

In Isaiah 45:23, it is foretold that every knee must bow to Jehovah.

Philippians 2:10-11:

That at the name of Jesus every knee would bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father. -- World English.

In Philippians 2:10,11, we do not find it stated that the people actually bow to Jesus, but that they bow “at/in the name of Jesus” to the glory of God, the Father — the only true God (John 17:5). “God” is being identified as one person or individual, and Jesus is distinguished from that One who is identified as being “God”. This agrees with Jesus’ statement in John 17:1,3, where Jesus refers to his God and Father as the “only true God”. It also agrees with Paul’s statement that there is to the believers in Christ only one God, who is the Father, of whom is “the all”. (1 Corinthians 8:6) The only true God does “all” through the one whom He has made “lord”, and thus, all must confess Jesus as being the “lord” anointed by Jehovah. — Isaiah 61:1; Ezekiel 37:24,25; Micah 5:2-4; Matthew 28:19; John 3:35; 5:22-29; Acts 2:33,36; 4:11; 5:31; 10:42; Romans 14:9; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; Philippians 2:9.

See our study:
Jesus' Exaltation to a Name Above All Names

ONE HUSBAND

It is claimed:
Jeremiah 31:32 (God, the One Husband) – II Cor. 11:2 (Jesus-The One Husband)
Jeremiah 31:32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Jehovah.

This is speaking of Jehovah as being figuratively a husband to the children of Israel under the old Law Covenant.

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you [as] a pure virgin to Christ.

It is evidently being imagined and assumed that no one can be accounted as being a figurative husband except Jehovah? I know of no scripture that says such.

In reality, 2 Corinthians 11:2 does not speak of Jehovah as being a husband to Israel under the Law Covenant, but Paul is speaking of Jesus with whom Jehovah has made a covenant for Kingdom through Abraham. (Genesis 22:18; Luke 22:29; Galatians 3:26) Jesus, in turn, offers that covenant to his followers (Luke 22:29; Galatians 3:26-29), by which Jesus, not Jehovah, becomes figuratively a husband to those who become his bride (Revelation 21:9) through the Abrahamic covenant, which was made with Abraham 430 years before the Law Covenant. — Galatians 3:17,18.

There is nothing in any of this that means that Jesus is Jehovah.

See our study:
New Covenant Vs. Covenant for a Kingdom


THE ONE PIERCED

This has been moved to:
https://reslight.boards.net/post/2482/thread


GOD COMES, JESUS COMES -- Zechariah 14:4-5 and Matthew 25:31

It is claimed:

Zechariah 14:4-5 (God is coming) – Matthew 25:31 (Jesus is coming)
“Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” “And I will make the place [footstool] of my feet glorious.” “And his [Jehovah’s] feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives.” Isa. 60:13; 66:1; Zech. 14:4; Matt. 5:35; Acts 7:49

See: Jehovah's Feet on the Mount of Olives

MASTER

It is claimed:
Malachi 1:6 (The One Master is God) – Matthew 23:8 (Jesus is the One Master)
A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My fear? says Jehovah of Hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, In what have we despised Your name? — Malachi 1:6, Green’s Literal.

But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. — Matthew 23:8, World English.

The Hebrew word translated as “master’ in Malachi 1:6 is a form of the word often transliterated as adon (Strong’s Hebrew #410). Forms of ADON (usually given in the Masoretic text in a form often transliterated as ADONAI or ADONAY -- plural intensive when it is thought to apply to Jehovah) are used of Jehovah many times in the Old Testament, usually in connection with his Holy Name, often rendered as "Lord Jehovah." The word is not given as ADONAI in Malachi 1:6; indeed it is not directly applied to Jehovah, but Jehovah is stating a general principle.

The Greek word that corresponds to this is often transliterated as “KURIOS” (Strong’s Greek #2962)

No form of KURIOS appears in Matthew 23:8.

Nevertheless, Jesus is the “one lord” that the Lord Jehovah has anointed and made lord over the church, as well as the dead and living. (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 2:36; Romans 14:9; 1 Corinthians 8:6) This does not mean that the Lord Jehovah made Jesus to be the Lord Jehovah. Jesus is not the Lord Jehovah who made Jesus to be one Lord, nor is the Lord Jehovah the Lord whom the Lord Jehovah has made to be “Lord”.

There is definitely nothing in these scriptures that means we need to imagine and assume that the Lord Jesus is the Lord Jehovah.

For links to some of our related studies:
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/one-lord.html


JESUS IS THE FATHER?

It is being claimed:

Malachi 2:10 (God is the Father) – John 14:5-9, Isaiah 9:6, (Jesus is the Father)

In Malachi 2:20; John 14:5-9 and Isaiah 9:6, it is the God and Father of Jesus (Acts 3:13-26; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3; Hebrews 1:1,2) who is designated as being the Father. Jesus does not claim to be the Father at any time or any place, although, in a sense, he does become father to the human race in the regeneration of the human race. This, however, does not mean that he becomes his God and Father.

Names applied to individuals and places in the Bible often describe God, not the person or thing to which the name is given. Likewise, the meaning of the name given to the Son in Isaiah 9:6 should be understood as being applied to Jehovah of Hosts (Isaiah 9:7), the God and Father of the Son given, no to the Son himself.

CLICK HERE for studies related to Isaiah 9:6:

Rather than showing that Jesus is the Father, John 14:6 shows that Jesus is the way to the Father. One can only be reconciled to the Father by means of Jesus if one recognizes the works of the only true God in Jesus. The Jewish leaders “saw” Jesus’ flesh, but they did not “see” the Father in him, for they did not believe that Jesus came from God.

See our study:
Seeing the Father in Jesus


THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ONE GOD

It is being claimed:
You should know the truth about ONE GOD!!!
The truth, as revealed in the Bible, is that the “one God” — the one Supreme Being — is identified, not as Jesus, but rather as the God and Father of Jesus. — 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3; 4:16; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; 1 Peter 1:3.

CLICK HERE for links to some related studies.


GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH

It is being claimed:
GOD was manifest (not God the son) in the flesh 1Tim.3:16…
This evidently is claiming that God the Son was not being spoken of in 1 Timothy 3:16 as being manifested in the flesh, but rather that it was God the Father who is being spoken in this verse as being manifested in the flesh. We are not sure why this idea would be thought to mean that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The fact is that there are variant readings of this verse. It appears that later manuscripts were altered to read “God”. Nevertheless, the topic of 1 Timothy 3:16 is the mystery of godliness, of the Christian’s piety toward God, which is related to the rest of the sentence following “mystery of godliness”. There is definitely nothing there that says that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

See:
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/1-timothy.html#1tim3-16


KNOWING THE ONE GOD

It is being claimed:

You should know the truth of ONE GOD 2Tes.1:8.
2 Thessalonians 1:8 -  giving vengeance to those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. -- World English

Evidently this verse is cited in an effort to condemn anyone who does not believe that Jesus is God. It is not clear how this is supposed to support the idea that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The scripture is speaking of the vengeance to be given in the age to come. Those of that age who, after having been taught who God is, and having been given every opportunity to know Jehovah, but who refuse to know Him will suffer the final vengeance of eternal destruction.

"God" in 2 Thessalonians 1:8 refers to only one person. the same one person who is "God" in 2 Thesslonians 1:1,2,12.

Nothing here says that Jesus is the “one God” of believers; in fact, it distinguishes “God” from “our Lord Jesus”.

FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD

The following is given:
Colossians 2:8-11 KJV
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Colossians 2:8
blepete mee tis humas estai ho
BE YOU LOOKING AT NOT SOMEONE YOU WILL BE THE (ONE)
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sulagwgwn dia tees philosophias kai kenees
LEADING AS BOOTY THROUGH THE PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY
4812 1223 3588 5385 2532 2756
apatees kata teen paradosin twn anthrwpwn
SEDUCTION ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF THE MEN,
0539 2596 3588 3862 3588 0444
kata ta stoicheia tou kosmou kai ou
ACCORDING TO THE ELEMENTARY THINGS OF THE WORLD AND NOT
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kata christon
ACCORDING TO CHRIST;
2596 5547
Colossians 2:9
hoti en autw katoikei pan to pleerwma tees
BECAUSE IN HIM IS DWELLING DOWN ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE
3754 1722 0846_5 2730 3956 3588 4138 3588
theoteetos swmatikws
GODSHIP BODILY,
2320 4985
Colossians 2:10
kai este en autw pepleerwmenoi hos estin hee
AND YOU ARE IN HIM (ONES) HAVING BEEN FILLED, WHO IS THE
2532 1510_4 1722 0846_5 4137 3739 1510_2 3588
kephalee pasees archees kai exousias
HEAD OF ALL GOVERNMENT AND OF AUTHORITY,
2776 3956 0746 2532 1849 — Westcott & Hort Interlinear

We assume that these verses are presented as being proof that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The word transliterated above as “pleerwma” means plenitude, full amount, abundance, as related to what is being spoken of.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/pleroma.html

The word transliterated above as theoteetos is an abstract form theos, which therefore refers to the quality of theos, that is, the quality of deity based on Hebrew EL (Strong's 410), mightiness.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/theotes.html
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/theos.html
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/el.html

See also our study:
The Hebraic Usage of the Titles for “God”

The word bodily does not refer the fleshly, physical, terrestrial body of Jesus, for he was put to death in flesh, but made alive in the spirit. He now has a spiritual body, a body of “celestial”, not terrestrial glory. — 1 Corinthians 15:39-41; 1 Peter 3:18.

See our studies related to: Jesus' Resurrection Body

Conclusion: Jesus now has the plentitude of mightiness in his present body that is needed for him to be “the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:10) This headship is that which has been given to him by the only true Supreme Being, his being given such mightiness excludes him from being the Supreme Being who exalted him. — Ephesians 1:3,17-23; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Philippians 2:9.

See links to more studies related to Colossians 2:9:
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/scriptures-examined.html#col2-9


IS JESUS THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB?

Matthew 22:32 and John 8:58 are presented as proof that Jesus claimed to be God.


I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. — Matthew 22:32, King James Version

While we are not sure what in this verse is thought to present Jesus as being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we assume that it is being thought that Jesus was speaking of himself as being the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. If this is the thought, no, Jesus was not in this verse claiming to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Let us place the verse in the context of what Jesus had just stated:

Matthew 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
Matthew 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. — King James Version.

Jesus is not here proclaiming himself to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but he quotes what the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob said, as recorded at Exodus 3:6. He who spoke to Moses was not Jesus, but the God and Father of Jesus. (Hebrews 1:1,2) However, it is possible that Jehovah may have used Jesus in his prehuman existence as a means of communication, although no scriptures presents such a thought.

John 8:58 KJV
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Here Jesus expresses his existence before Abraham; he was not claiming to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus had just declared that he had come forth from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (John 8:42), in agreement with his words stated at John 17:1,3, where he says that his Father is the only true Supreme Being. It also agrees with Peter’s words in Acts 3:13-26.

See our studies related to EHJEH and "I am", John 8:58, etc.
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/ehjeh-and-i-am.html

The claim is made that Jesus thought he was God; in reality, it is man that claims that Jesus is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; there is no indication anywhere in the Bible that Jesus ever thought that he was or is the God of the Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Since the scriptures always present Jesus as being sent by, speaking the words for, acting on behalf of, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 3:14,15), the default reasoning is that Jesus is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. — Deuteronomy 18:15-22; 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.

See my study:
Is Jesus the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/2019/05/god-of-abraham.html


DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE THE SUPREME BEING?

John 8:24; 8:56-59 (Exodus 3:14); John 10:30-33 and John 14:8-9 are given as scriptures which are asserted to be instances where Jesus claimed to be God, evidently with the meaning of "God" as the Supreme Being.

John 8:24

John 8:24 - I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Here Jesus is saying that unless one believes that he is who he says he is, they will not be justified, and will thus die in their sins. Jesus does not say that he is the Supreme Being, but he claimed to be sent from Jehovah, his God and Father. -- Isaiah 61:1; Micah 5:4;  John 8:12,14,16,18,23: 17:1,3.

See our examination of the verse in our study:
John 8:58 and  Other "I am" Statements of Jesus 

John 8:58 (Exodus 3:14)

Many falsely claim  that Jesus was identifying himself as being Ehjeh of Exodus 3:14. Jesus was actually responding the question related to his age, stating his existence before Abraham. Jesus' existence before Abraham does not mean that we need to imagine and assume that Jesus was claimint to be his God, Jehovah. -- Micah 5:4.

For several of our studies related to John 8:58
https://jesusnotyhwh.blogspot.com/p/john.html#john8-58

John 10:30-33

Jesus claimed that he and his God and Father, Jehovah (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3) are one. Jesus was not saying that he and his God and Father are "one God," nor was he saying that he and his God and Father are one being, one substance, etc., nor was Jesus saying that he was equal to this God and Father. Jesus prayed that his followers have this same oneness with him and with his Father. Was Jesus praying that his followers become the same one Supreme Being with him and the only true Supreme Being who sent Jesus? -- John 17:1,3, 11,21-23.

There is certainly nothing written in John 10:30-33 that records Jesus as saying that he is Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

For links to studies related to John 10:30-33.


John 14:8,9

There is definitely nothing in John 14:8,9 that presents Jesus as being the God of Abraham, Isaac and if one is a trinitarian, there is certainly nothing that presents the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as being more than one person or individual. Jesus was certainly not saying that he was his God and Father. One can certainly see the God and Father of Jesus in Jesus as Jesus came to declare his God and Father. Thus, in Jesus' work and words, one can certainly see his God and Father. Jesus was definitely not saying that everyone who saw his body of flesh was seeing his Father, for he stated to the Jewish leaders concerning his God and Father: "You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form." (John 5;37) Those leaders had certainly seen Jesus' flesh, thus in John 14:8,9, Jesus was speaking of seeing in the sense of recognition of whom he is, the Son of the Most High, who came to declare his God and Father. The world in general did not recognize Jesus. -- John 1:10-14; 18.

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Sunday, March 5, 2023

John 8:24 - You Will Die in Your Sins

It is often claimed that if one does not accept the trinity, that the Bible says that he will die in his sins.

Actually, Jesus did say to the Jewish religious leaders who opposed him:

John 8:21 - Jesus said therefore again to them, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and will die in your sins. Where I go, you can't come."

John 8:24 - I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins."

Jesus was certainly declaring that if they did not accept him as who he claimed to be, they would die in their sins. Who was he claiming to be? In the context, he was claiming to have been sent by his Father, and he differentiates himself from his God and Father. (John 8:18) Jesus identified his Father as being the only true God who had sent him. (John 17:1,3) This means that he was claiming to be the one whom the Lord Jehovah sent, as recorded in Isaiah 61:1, hence, the promised Messiah. Nothing in any of this means that he was claiming to be his Father, nor that he was a person of the only true God who sent him.

Why do non-believers die in their sins? As Paul later explains, all mankind has been made sinners as a result of Adam's sin; all are condemned in one man, so that only one man would be needed to deliver mankind out of the condemnation in Adam. (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6) In this age, the only way one can be reckoned as justified, and thus, without sin, is through faith in Jesus, the one whom the only true God sent, based on the sacrifice he gave for sin. (John 14:6; 17:1,3; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:21-26; 4:5; 5:1,9,12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Hebrews 10:10) All others remain condemned in Adam, and will have to face judgment in the last day. -- Matthew 10:15; 11:22-24; 12:36; Mark 6:11; John 3:18,36; 12:47,48; 1 John 2:2; 2 Peter 2:9.

To not accept Jesus as being the promised one "from above" (John 8:23) -- the one sent by the only true God (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; John 6:29; 8:15,42; 10:36;17:1,3; 16:27; Acts 3:13-26; Galatians 4:4; 1 John 4:9,10) -- would mean that such a person is not reckoned as justified in the blood of Christ, and thus that such a person is counted as remaining in his sins, remaining under the wrath of God in the condemnation of death through Adam of which he has already been condemned. -- John 3:18,36; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22.

There is nothing, however, in John 8:24, that means that Jesus was saying that if one does not accept the triune God and himself as being a person of that triune God, they one would die in their sins. In John 8:24 all Jesus was saying is he was the one sent by his Father from above as the light of the world (John 8:12) -- the Son of God -- the Messiah. (John 8:12,14,16,18,23) Unless one believes in him as the one he claimed to be one will not be justified and will die in his sins, and will thus be raised in the resurrection of the unjust rather than the resurrection of the just. -- Acts 24:15.

Please note that the phrase often transliterated as EGO EIMI in John 8:12 is not referring to eternal existence from eternal past to eternal future, nor is there any thought that Jesus used EGO EIMI as the name EHJEH, as found in Exodus 3:14. This verse is referring to Jesus' claims regarding himself, much of which is related to while he in days of his flesh, while was in the world that did not recognize him. (John 1:10; 9:5; Hebrews 5:7) There is definitely nothing in John 8:24 that presents the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as being more than one person, or that Jesus is a person of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.


Tuesday, February 21, 2023

1x1x1 and the Trinity Doctrine

The image presented is evidently directed to Muslims. This site is not owned by a Muslim, but by a Christian who does not believe in adding the trinity doctrine to the Bible.

Nevertheless, many professed Christians have accepted the added-on trinity doctrine, and under the guise of orthodoxy, they claim that the trinity doctrine is the central essential doctrine of Christianity, despite the fact that no such concept is anywhere to be found in the Holy Bible. T

Nevertheless, trinitarians have been disclaiming that 1+1+1=1 applies to their added-on trinitarian concept, and would have one believe that the trinity is actually represented as 1x1x1=1.

Does 1x1x1-1 actually represent what is claimed for the trinity doctrine? And even if it did, does this mean that the trinity doctrine is true?

We first wish to note that while we believe the trinity doctrine is illogical, that is not the basic reason for rejecting that doctrine. The Christian who believes in the Bible should reject that doctrine because no such concept is even once found anywhere in the "faith once delivered to the saints". The concept has to be formulated beyond what is actually found in the Bible and then many supporting extra-Biblical assumptions have also to be formulated to allow one to "see" the triune God concept in the Bible. 

The Bible consistently presents the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as being only one person. The Bible never once presents the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as being more than one person.

The trinitarian often states that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament. Thus they would claim that Jehovah of the Old Testament is Jesus. Since this does not harmonize with many scriptures in the Old Testament they have to call upon their imagined assumption that Jehovah is more than one person, and thus they would imagine, assume, add to and read into many of the scriptures, that Jehovah is being presented as being only one person who is the God and Father of the Jesus, but that in most other places it is referring only one person who is the Son of the God and Father of Jesus. The influence of indoctrination, however, often blinds the trinitarian to the fact that he is actually adding all these assumptions to the Bible in order to accommodate a concept that is not once presented in the Bible. 

The default scriptural reasoning should be that Jehovah is only one person who is the God and Father of the Messiah. -- Isaiah 61:1,2; Micah 5:4; John 17:1,3; Ephesians 1:3.

Nevertheless, we believe the mathematical formula of 1x1x1=1 to be a mathematical deception that does not actually apply to what is claimed for the trinity doctrine.

However, the terminology that trinitarians use in presenting their triune God concept would not be described as multiplication, it would be with an addition equation 1 person + 1 person + 1 person = 1 God. Mathematically this would make each person 1/3 of God, not each wholly and fully the one God as is claimed by the trinitarians. Thus, the trinitarian has come up with the mathematical deception that 1 person x 1 person x 1 person = 1 God. 

Some scriptures are presented in the image.

Although 1 John 5:7 as it reads in the Masoretic Text is probably not what John wrote, still there is nothing even in the Textus Receptus of this verse that presents any concept that the "one God" of whom are all (1 Corinthians 8:6) is more than one person. See our links to studies related to 1 John 5:7.

Likewise, in Matthew 28:18-20, we find nothing about God being three persons.

The "one God" from whom are all, being the source of all, has certainly given to his Son all authority (as well as all power). This does not mean that we need to imagine and assume that God's Son became God Almighty because God Almighty gave to him this authority and power. -- 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:3,17-23. See our study: "All Power".

The name, probably referring to authority or purpose, is distributed in three applications in Matthew 28:19. We definitely find nothing in Matthew 28:19 that presents the God of Abraham, Isaac as being more than one person, or as three persons etc. See our links to studies related to Matthew 28:19.

Jesus, standing in the might of his God (Isaiah 11:1-3; Micah 5:4), certainly has received from his God the power to be present in more than one place at the same time.



Monday, February 6, 2023

John 14:19 - The World Will See Me No More — John 14:19


John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live [referring to his resurrection], you will live also [reckonedly made alive in this age, and actually in the resurrection].

In John 14:19, although Jesus’ words are directly to Philip, Jesus is evidently speaking to his apostles in general, when he said: “you [plural] will behold me.” When Jesus said “you”, the pronoun in the Greek is plural, signifying that he was not simply addressing Philip (John 14:9), but all of the eleven apostles. All of the eleven apostles will be members of the joint-heirs with Christ, receiving spiritual bodies in the resurrection as Jesus now has, and thus will be able to see, or behold, Jesus’ own glorious spiritual body. The world will never have that ability.

Nevertheless,  Jesus made many appearances to his 11 faithful apostles (as well as to other disciples) before his ascension (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:4-8), but the world never saw him again after his death and burial, and will never physically see him again.

Additionally, the remaining 11 apostles will live again in the last day (John 6:39,40,44,54), and will further see Jesus then, not as a human being, but in his exalted glory of a heavenly, spirit being, the glory of a celestial (heavenly), spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:40,45), and this is what we believe that Jesus is specifically referencing. The world, being raised to life on the earthly, physical plane, will never ever physically see or behold Jesus’ magnificent glory, although they will see his glory as represented in the kingdom physical manifestations all over the earth.

Also, the believers in this age are allowed to spiritually “see” Jesus with varying degrees of understanding, while the present evil world (Galatians 1:4) cannot appreciably see Jesus at all due to the blinding influence of Satan. (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9) In the age to come, however, the blinding influence and the covering vail of darkness will have been removed when the mountain of God’s kingdom fills the earth (Isaiah 2:2-4; 25:7; 29:18; Revelation 20:1-3), so that those who in this age do not believe will, in that last day of judgment be able “see” Jesus, not literally, but with the symbolic “eyes” of understanding that will no longer be symbolically blinded. — Isaiah 2:2-4; 26:9; John 12:47,48.

Now, however, neither the world nor the church will ever again see Jesus in the flesh. Why not? Because he sacrificed his flesh once for all time. He never takes it back, nor does he have any reason to take it back. If he should take that flesh back, then the sacrifice would become void, for in order to completely fulfill the condemnation upon Adam, Jesus’ humanity has to be dead forever. The very purpose of Jesus’ becoming flesh was to sacrifice that flesh for the sin of the world. Having presented that flesh, his body, in sacrifice after his ascension, he has no need to ever again become flesh.

The apostle Paul calls attention to the difference between heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, and declares that they have different glories. (1 Corinthians 15:40) He tells us that the first Adam was made a living soul, a human being, but that our redeemer, he who came from heaven, who humbled himself, and took the earthly nature — “for the suffering of death” (Hebrews 2:9) — being foreshadowed by sinless Adam (Romans 5:14), and being crowned with the earthly glory as was sinless Adam (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:9). Jesus’ body of was prepared by his God, without the taint of sin or condemnation in Adam. (Hebrews 10:5) But Jesus did not remain flesh, for he offered his earthly glory, his flesh, his body, in sacrifice for the church and the world. (John 6:51; Hebrews 10:10; 1 John 2:2) What we need to remember is what Jesus sacrificed, what he offered to his God, was human life and all that pertains to it. Jesus did not die for spirit beings; he died for human beings, the “all” that are dying in Adam. — 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Romans 5:12- 19.

John tells us of Jesus that “in him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) What does this mean, that in Jesus, as a human “was life”? John 9:5 and 2 Timothy 1:10 give us a clue. Since Jesus, unlike Adam, was totally obedient, his sinless human life offered light to the dying race of mankind. Thus Jesus said: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5, New King James version) The good news is that Jesus came with a sinless human life that he could offer in sacrifice to his God on man’s behalf in order to atone for the sin of the world. Thus Jesus, while a man, possessed life, and by his continued obedience brought life and incorruption to light. (2 Timothy 1:10) Jesus condemned sin in the flesh by showing that a sinless, incorrupt human can obey God’s laws. — Romans 8:3; 2 Timothy 1:10.
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See: How God’s Son Condemned Sin the Flesh

Jesus, as a human, as most know the scriptures say, was without sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peterr 2:22-24; 1 John 3:5) Unlike dying mankind, while Jesus was in the days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7), Jesus had life, thus in him was life! (John 1:4) How thankful we can be that the great Logos, the Word of God, the only direct living creation of God, the one through whom all life was made, when the offer was made, and the “joy set before him,” said to his God, “Lo I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, 0 God.” (John 1:1-3, Diaglott Literal; Hebrews 10:7; 12:2; Revelation 3:14). The life and personality of the Logos was then transferred and he became the babe of Bethlehem. “He was made flesh and being found in fashion [likeness] as a man [sinful flesh –Romans 8:3] he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross [stauros].” – John 1:14; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 2:14.

Jesus’ human body was not prepared from sinful human stock, but Jesus says of his God: “But a body did you prepare for me.” (Hebrews 10:5) It is thus this sinless human body, having sinless life, that Jesus willingly offered in sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:10) Yes, in Jesus was life — human life, crowned with the glory of a sinless man, who by remaining obedient to his God (Philippians 2:8) never fell short of the glory of God. — Romans 3:23; Hebrews 2:9.

Thus seen, what did Jesus sacrifice?

He gave his humanity — including his body of flesh — as an offsetting price, which sacrifice he formally presented to his God as priest after his ascension. – – Hebrews 8:4; 9:24-26; 10:10.

1) Jesus gave his blood in sacrifice.

Matthew 26:28 – for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.

Mark 14:24 – He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.

Luke 22:20 – He took the cup in like manner after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, that which is poured out for you.

Acts 20:28 – Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God which he obtained with the blood of his own Son. – Revised Standard Version.

Romans 5:9 – Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him.

Ephesians 1:7 – in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.

However, what does blood represent? Jesus’ human soul, which he also gave in sacrifice.

Leviticus 17:11 – For the life [Hebrew, nephesh – soul] of the flesh is in the blood.

Deuteronomy 12:23 – The blood is the life [Hebrew, nephesh – soul].

The human soul consists of the body made from the dust of the ground and the neshamah, representing the activation of the body by spirit of life as received from God. — Genesis 2:7.

2) Yes, Jesus did sacrifice his human body: He thus was not raised as a human, but as a spirit being, with a spiritual body.

Hebrews 10:10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:11 Every priest indeed stands day by day ministering and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,
Hebrews 10:12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Hebrews 10:13 henceforth expecting until his enemies to be made the footstool of his feet.
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

Luke 22:19 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is *my body which is given [as an offering in sacrifice to God – Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:14] for you*. Do this in memory of me.”

3) Jesus sacrificed his flesh:

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.

4) Jesus sacrificed his human soul:

Matthew 20:28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life [soul] as a ransom [price to offset] for many.

Isaiah 53:12 He *poured out his soul* to death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

He died; he was totally dead, ceased to be sentient, else there has been no ransom. His body was given in sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:10; Luke 22:19) Jesus’ soul — his human sentiency — was given in sacrifice (Ecclesiastes 9:5) and went into sheol, where there is no work, device, knowledge or wisdom, and wherein one cannot give thanks to, or praise to, Yahweh. (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalm 6:5; Isaiah 38:18) Jesus’ human blood — which represents his human soul/being (Leviticus 17:11; Deuteronomy 12:23) — was given in sacrifice. (Mark 14:24; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 9:14) Thus his soul — his being — as raised, made alive, from the oblivious condition of sheol was no longer human, but spirit, with a spiritual, not a physical, body.

Once we realize that the human soul consists of the body of flesh activated by the neshamah, or spirit of life from God (Genesis 2:7), we can see how Jesus gave his entire humanity in sacrifice; he is no longer in the days of his flesh, and the world will never again literally see Jesus, either in the flesh, or in his heavenly glory. — Hebrews 5:7.

What, then, about Revelation 1:7?

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

“Every eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7) is widely accepted as proof that Christ will return visibly. The book of Revelation however, is full of symbology, and we believe that “eye” and “see” here is speaking symbolically. We know Jesus said , “The world seeth me NO MORE” (John 14:19). The Bible does not contradict itself! Any reasoning student of the Bible will admit that the book of Revelation is a book of symbols. It cannot be literally interpreted. Why should a person then insist that this one verse must be?

The “eye” in Revelation 1:7 is symbolical and refers to mental perception or the “eye” of understanding (Job 42:5). At first Christ appears only as clouds of darkness, trouble, suffering, tribulation, as a roaring of the sea. (Isaiah 5:30; Zephaniah 1:15; Luke 21:25) The world symbolically sees the clouds of darkness, but the people in general do not understand the import behind the clouds until the clouds are removed, and God through Christ says, Peace! Be Still! — Psalm 107:29; Mark 4:39.

While it could be the clouds of darkness that produce a mournful feeling in men, many scriptures indicate that when all flesh sees the glory of Yahweh (Isaiah 40:5) as being revealed through Jesus and the saints, the world will be mournful. (Isaiah 35:5-10) The judgments of that day will prove to be more tolerable for some than for others. — Matthew 10:15; 11:22,24; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:12,14.

The verse tells us that those that pierced Jesus will be there, which provides further indication that this has its full fulfillment in the resurrection day, the “last day” when the unbelieving world is to blessed with another day of judgment. — John 12:47,48.

Repentance is also associated with mournfulness (Joel 2:12), so the mournfulness being spoken of in Revelation 1:7 could be regarding repentance upon realization of the truths being revealed at that time. The next age will then be in full operation, the great deceiver abyssed, and mankind will then be enabled to understand. — Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14; Joel 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Isaiah 25:7; 29:24; Revelation 12:9; 20:1-4.


Originally published on September 9, 2009; updated and republished on April 22, 2014.