J. Dan Gill and Anthony Buzzard consider 10 more scriptures which are often pointed to by Trinitarians in an effort to "prove" the Doctrine of the Trinity.
Scriptures considered are, Titus 2.13, 2 Peter 1.1, Hebrews 1.8, John 20.28, John 1.18,
1 Timothy 3.16, 1 John 5.7, John 1.1, John 3.13, 1 John 5.20.
KJV
Indeed when our Saviour Jesus returns he will indeed return in the glory of the great God, his Father
See
- Matthew 16.27
For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels - Mark 8.38
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. - Luke 9:26
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
2) 2 Peter 1.1
In the very next verse Peter clearly shows that Jesus is distinct from the ONE GOD, the Father
2 Peter 1.2:
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord
As pointed out by Anthony Buzzard, 2 Thessalonians 1:12 has the very same sentence structure as 2 Peter 1:1; yet it is abundantly clear that most Trinitarian translation scholars simply do not believe Jesus is here being identified as "God."
- according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. KJV
- according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. ASV
- according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. NASB
- according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. RSV
- according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ ESV
- according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. NAB
- according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. NET Bible.
3) Hebrews 1.8
Hebrews 1.8-9 is a quotation of Psalm 45.6-7. Psalm 45 is addressed to an Israelite king (most probably Solomon) at the king's marriage ceremony.
Just in case anyone would think that the usage of elohim in Psalm 45.6 means that this king is deity, the very next verse, verse 7, reads
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
With the oil of gladness more than your companions.
This king has a God! Therefore, this king is not God Almighty! Similarly, although Moses is called elohim in Exodus 7.1 (compare 4.16), this does not make Moses, God Almighty, either!
This same principle applies to the judges in Psalm 82 (see verse 6). Jesus used this fact in John 10:34-36 to show that although to those to whom the word of God came could scripturally be called gods/elohim; Jesus however, was making the claim to be 'the Son of God'!
Therefore, if indeed Jesus is being referred to as elohim in Hebrews 1:8 just as the king is in Psalm 45:6; then in like manner, the very next verse, Hebrews 1:9, is identical to Psalm 45:7, therefore,
Jesus has a God!
Therefore, like the Israelite king, like Moses, Jesus is not God Almighty!
(I state if indeed Jesus is being referred to as elohim ...
because if the Hebrew/Greek of these verses are translated as a nominative, which is a legitimate and alternative way of translating these verses, then neither the Israelite king nor Jesus are called elohim.
For example, the NRSV footnote for Psalm 45:6 reads,
"Your throne is a throne of God" and the Hebrews 1:8 footnote reads, "God is your throne.")
4) John 20.28
Since there is solely one God, Thomas was referring to Jesus Christ's God when he said,
"my God."
In light of John 14:7-11, Thomas finally sees and recognises the One God, the Father, in Jesus.
So, Thomas acknowledges Jesus, when he said, "my Lord" and he acknowledges the God who resurrected Jesus, when he said, "my God".
What was it that Thomas finally believed in John 20:24-27? Answer: that God had raised Jesus from the dead! Hence, more blessed are believers who have not seen the resurrected Jesus however yet believe Jesus was indeed raised from the dead!
If we needed any further proof that Thomas was not calling Jesus, Almighty God, where is verse 28 located? Answer: In between verses 17 and 31. Which read:
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “ Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.’ ”
Jesus has a God! Who is the God of his brethren!
The One God is the Father!
John 20:30-31 - John's Mission Statement:
And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
John recorded his gospel so that readers would believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God!
5) John 1.18
KJV
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
ASV
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
RSV
No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.
6) 1 Timothy 3.16
RSV, ESV, CSB
He was manifested in the flesh, ...
NASB
He who was revealed in the flesh, ...
ASV
He who was manifested in the flesh, ...
NET
He was revealed in the flesh ...
7) 1 John 5.7
Now our bibles read for example:
ESV
7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.
NASB
7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
NET
7 For there are three that testify,the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement.
RSV
7 And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 8 There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree.
8) John 1.1
Two Amazing Facts:
- Did you know that before the KJV translation of 1611, English translations starting with Tyndale's of 1526 used it instead of him in John 1:3-4?
- Also did you know that word was not necessarily capitalized in John 1:1 in these translations?
These two facts made the English text align with John's intent that all things came into being by God's word. He spoke the word and it was done!"
Compare Psalm 3.6,9
6: By the word of YAHWEH the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
9: For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
Obviously, throughout scripture, especially, the Hebrew Bible, God's word is an it not a him!
The apostle John, therefore, did not differ. The context of the prologue of the gospel of John is about God's word, which in the fullness of time, expressed itself bodily in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, the Son of God.
Here are some examples of the above Two Amazing Facts:
WILLIAM TYNDALE - 1526
WILLIAM TYNDALE BIBLE, 1534
1:1 In the beginnynge was the worde and the worde was with God: and the worde was God.
1:2 The same was in the beginnynge with God.
1:3 All thinges were made by it and with out it was made nothinge that was made.
1:4 In it was lyfe and the lyfe was ye lyght of men
MATTHEW'S BIBLE, 1537
1:1 In the begynnynge was the worde, and the word was with God, & the worde was God.
1:2 The same was in the begynnynge wyth God.
1:3 All thynges were made by it and without it was made nothynge that was made.
1:4 In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men,
THE GREAT BIBLE, 1539
1:1 In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was wyth God: and God was the worde.
1:2 The same was in the begynnyng wyth God.
1:3 All thinges were made by it, & wythout it, was made nothynge that was made.
1:4 In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men,
Then capitalizing of ‘word’ began with the Geneva Bible yet the correct pronoun it remained!
GENEVA BIBLE, 1560/1599
1:1 In the beginning was that Word, and that Word was with God, and that Word was God.
1:2 This same was in the beginning with God.
1:3 All things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made.
1:4 In it was life, and that life was the light of men.
BISHOPS' BIBLE, 1568
1:1 In the begynnyng was the worde, & the worde was with God: and that worde was God.
1:2 The same was in the begynnyng with God.
1:3 All thynges were made by it: and without it, was made nothyng that was made.
1:4 In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men,
"In the begynnynge was the worde, and the word was with God, and the worde was God. The same was in the begynnynge wyth God. All thynges were made by it and without it was made nothynge that was made. In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men, and the lyght shyneth in the darknes, but the darknes comprehended it not" (Matthews’ Bible, The Byble, that is to saye, all the holy Scripture: in whych are contayned the olde and new Testamente, truly and purely translated into English, and nowe lately with greate industry and diligence recognised. London: John Daye and William Seres, 1537).
"In the begynnyng was the worde, and the word was with God, and God was the worde. The same was in the begynnyng with God. All thynges were made by it, and wythoute it was made nothynge that was made. In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men, and the lyght shyneth in darkenes, and the darkenes comprehended it not" (Richard Taverner, The Epistles and Gospelles with a brief Postyl upon the same. London: Richard Bankes, 1540).
"In the beginning was the word, and the worde was with God, and that worde was God. The same was in the begynnyng with God. Althinges were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkeness, and the darknes comprehended it not" (William Whittingham, The Newe Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Conferred Diligently with the Greke, and Best Approved Translation, Geneva: Conrad Badius, 1557).
“In the beginning was that Word, and that Word was with God, and that Word was God. This same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. In it was life, and that life was the light of men. And that light shineth in the darknes, and the darknesse comprehended it not” (Lawrence Tomson, The New Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Translated out of Greeke by Theod. Beza, London: Robert Barker, 1607).
SOURCE where further examples can be viewed.
9) John 3.13
The context is Deuteronomy 30:11-14,
11 For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.
12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’
13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’
14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
Please read the following article, John 3:13 and 6:62
10) 1 John 5.20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Using blue for the only true God, the Father (John 17.3) and red for Jesus His Son (10.36):
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
In John 17.3, Jesus the Christ tells us that eternal life is to know God the Father, the only True God (see also 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).
At 1 John 5:20, John is telling us the same thing - that the Son has come so that we might know the True God.
When John uses the word "This" he is referring to the True God and Eternal Life that Jesus makes known to us. The only True God is the Father as Jesus declared at John 17:3 and Eternal Life is to know the Father.
The "This" refers back to what Jesus has given us understanding and knowledge of:
That the Father, the only True God.
Unfortunately, Trinitarians twist this point and state that the nearest aforementioned person is always the most likely antecedent to the word "This". (An antecedent is a noun or noun phrase to which the word "this" is referring to.)
However, in the case of the epistles of John, this cannot necessarily be the case. The following two examples demonstrate this:
A)
1 John 2:22:
Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
B)
2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Is anyone going to suggest that since Jesus is the nearest aforementioned person in these verses, therefore he is the antecedent to the word "This" in these two verses?
I think not! Context is king. Obviously, in both examples, the antecedent is the denier who denies either that Jesus is the Christ or that Jesus came in the flesh i.e. that Jesus was a bonafide, genuine human being.
In like manner, the "This" in 1 John 5:20 is not referring to Jesus Christ. It is rather referring to the only true God, the Father.
