“I and My Father Are One.” So this is quite the claim right? Who can literally say they and their father are one. In Greek the word for “one” -in this verse- is “heis” from the root word “hen,” which is translated as literally meaning “one.” But it is one in essence, not one in person. My conclusion then, through the study I have done, is that the Godhead exists in three essences/beings, but there is only one God. I’ll give my reasons for this conclusion in this blog. I’ve had a few wonderful debates on the “I Am” post and have learned even more through those debates, but I beg any of the debaters to first negate the statements -such as the one above- and THEN move on to prove your point. I am here to learn more about the Word of God and also to help others in their understanding -pursuit of knowledge-, so I don’t want to hear other verses that you think somehow negate the ones I’m using. One scripture verse doesn’t negate another. It simply means that one of us is misunderstanding and looking at the issue from the wrong perspective, so we then filter everything through that wrong perspective to come to the wrong conclusion. If I am wrong on the one God existing in three persons (essences) point I first need someone to prove the following verses do not mean what I think they mean. That is the first step to proving your point. SO, that being said, I’m going to state my claims based on my own understanding. If you want to prove you are right, and you disagree with me, don’t start out with “well what about such and such and such and such.” Start out with, “you said this, but THIS is what it really means.” Ok, here we go….
If Jesus wasn’t “God with us” (Immanuel) he was a straight up nutcase/lunatic based on his claims in the Bible, the claims of others in the Bible, and notes from historical record. Starting with “I and My Father are One” in John 10:25-33 and carrying on in John 14, ” if you had known me, you would have known my Father also,” and “whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” and “I am in the Father and the Father is in me,” and “the Father who dwells in me does his works.” I know for me personally I could never say, “if you know me then you know my dad,” because my dad and I are two totally different people. We are like minded in some ways, but not all ways. So this is a pretty strong claim that Jesus and the Father ARE indeed ONE. You see that they are obviously separate entities in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit because each has a unique purpose/role, but it’s the fact that Jesus calls them one is where the “trinity” or “triune God” concept comes into play. It is simply a way to try and understand two tensions. Obviously Jesus separates himself from the Father in verses like John 14:28 where He says, “I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I,” but then says “He and the Father are one,” so there is obviously a tension there. It isn’t just one or the other. This is why the arguments like “well your wrong because it says the Father is greater than the son, so therefor it’s simple and you just don’t get it” really only answer half the question. We have to look at the scripture as a whole and try to understand it. So, if your view point is that they are separate entities, then how do you explain the other verses in John that point to their oneness and unity (John 1:1, John 10:30, and all of John 14)?
Then there is more! In John 5:23, 24 Jesus says to honor Him as they honor the Father. This follows true as Jesus accepted worship from men. “And behold a leper came and worshiped Him,” “worshipped him saying:’Of a truth though art the Son of God,” and finally Thomas calling Jesus, “My Lord and My God,” in John 20:27-29. NOBODY but God should be worshiped! Not even angels should be worshiped as we see in Revelation 19: 10. Lets go back to John 20:27-29 though when Thomas answered, “My Lord and My God” and look at that. When you look up the Greek “Lord” and the Greek “God” you find “Lord” is “Kyrios” and “God” is “Theos.” I assume the more liberal scholars would say “Kyrios” means master and could be any master, but then you look down to the usages of the word and you find verses like, “For the Son of man is Lord G2962 even of the sabbath day” in Matthew 12:8 in which Jesus is literally taking ownership of the sabbath. Other verses like Matthew 1:20, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord G2962appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” Well Jesus wasn’t born, so this angel of the “Lord” must be speaking of the Father God right? My point is that it’s the same word used interchangeably of God the Father and God the Son.Then we look at “God” or “Theos” and we see in Matthew 3:9, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God G2316 is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” This verse is speaking of the God of Abraham! This verse is speaking of the Father. The creator of the lineage of Abraham. THE GOD. So, just because one of the definitions of “Theos” is “a god” lets not leave out the rest that says it means deity. We don’t have multiple Gods in Christianity, so you fill in the blanks as to how one can call himself one with a deity in yet somehow be “son of God” but not ALSO “God.” Did that make sense? To put it another way how could someone be worshiped if he wasn’t a deity (when the God of the OT says not to worship other gods)? I have had people at my door tell me Jesus wasn’t a deity but simply/only one of the sons of God. Well then why was he being worshiped? Why does he say he is one with God?
Ok, there is more and I’ll try to be quick on these last points.
1.Jesus forgave sin in Mark 2:5-7. John Stott made a great point in his book Basic Christianity, “We may forgive the injuries which others do to us; but the sins we commit against God only God himself can.”
2. Jesus was given authority to be judge. In the OT it was clear the God was judge, but in the NT Jesus was given the authority; “And He (God) gave Him (Jesus) authority to execute judgement, because He (Jesus) is the Son of Man” (John 5:27). Tisk tisk to those who say Jesus never judged or will judge anyone… oh boy… This is of course another argument but um, have you read Revelation 19:11-21? Yea, doesn’t look like the same “flip flop wearing” Jesus you make him out to be…Anyway, moving on.
3. Called himself “Son of God” which made him equal with God according to John 5:18, “but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” He was claiming deity here. Yes, in the OT ‘sons of God’ is used, but this is different because Jesus is claiming to be the one and only begotten SON (not plural) of God.
4. Colossians 1:15-17 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible,whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” – Well folks that sums up a whole lot! Jesus existed from the beginning, He created ALL things, and He is the image of the invisible God. Someone debated me saying nobody has ever seen God. God is invisible that’s why but Jesus was a physical image of Him. And don’t bring the argument, “well we are all made IN THE IMAGE” because that is different than BEING THE IMAGE. Oh and He was the creator, not created.
5. Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” This ties in with Jesus being the image of the invisible God. God dwelt in Jesus.
6. John 1:1,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” This shows a clear distinction from the Father but also a ‘oneness’ in essence. The best I can imagine this is in marriage, “the two are no longer two” concept. The two have separate roles, one is to be in submission to the other, but one is not “better” than the other.
7. Jesus was since the beginning. I’ve already pointed out the “before Abraham, I AM,” but we also see in Hebrews 1: 10 the author clearly states, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” BTW, this was addressed to the son. If you read up to verse 8 it says, “But of the Son he says.” Also, if you read up further to vs 6 all the angels are supposed to worship the Son. Again, only God is worthy of worship. Then of course there is John 1:1 speaking of Jesus as the Word (from the beginning). There is also Jesus again claiming to have been working with the Father prior to coming to earth in John 5: 17,18, and of course the verse I used previously, Colossians 1:15-17.
And I’ll end here for now. That is a WHOLE lot of information to consider, especially if you research further in Greek. Was Jesus claiming to be God or not? I think He most definitely was, and apparently the Jews did as well as they crucified Him for blasphemy. Jesus put it to the Jews like this, ” You are from below; I am from above, You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (John 8:23-24) This is a pretty strong claim. If you believe Jesus was JUST a man then how do you explain this last verse (or all of the above really)?
girloutofthebox 