God in the Gospels and Acts by Bethany Reise

God in the Gospels and Acts by Bethany Reise

Both the Gospels and the book of Acts make a clear distinction between the Lord God, the Father, and His Son Jesus, the Lord Messiah. Luke makes this apparent in his birth narrative, by identifying two distinct persons, each identified by the title “Lord.”
He writes that Jesus, “the Lord’s Christ” [i.e. YAHWEH'S Christ] (Luke 2:26), “will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32). He would be begotten by the power of the Most High, and designated “Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). From this, it may be seen that by His power the Most High, the Lord God, created a human child in the womb of Mary who would be known as [both] the Lord’s Christ [YAHWEH'S Christ and] Christ the Lord [or the Lord Christ
cp. Col 3:24].

So why is it important that there are two clearly defined persons with the title “Lord” mentioned in the Gospels? It is significant, because only one of them can be the Almighty God, the Most High.
The monotheistic creed of Israel, which was affirmed by Jesus as the greatest commandment,
states that “The Lord our God is one Lord” (Mark 12:29). [YAHWEH our God, YAHWEH is one]
This excludes the possibility of there being multiple “Lords” in the “Godhead.”

This leads to another important question; if there are two Lords, which Lord is the Almighty God? Well, the answer to this question has already been answered by Luke in the aforementioned verses.
The Most High is identified as the Lord God, and Jesus is identified as the Son of the Most High, the Lord Messiah. If Jesus is the Son of the Most High, created by the power of the Most High, he is obviously not the Most High, and therefore not God.

This is further substantiated by Jesus’ own claims about his identity. Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, which was historically known by Jews to a claim to be God’s appointed agent, the anointed King, who would establish God’s everlasting kingdom on the earth and reign on the throne of David with righteousness and justice forever. Moses’ prophetic utterance in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 points towards this appointed agent, a prophet who would speak the words of God in His name and authority. Jesus is identified as this prophet in the book of Acts [3:20-23]. Thus, Jesus’ authority was not of his own derivation, it was given to him by the one who sent him. He himself acknowledged, “By myself I can do nothing…I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:30). Even the words that he spoke were not his own: “For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak” (John 12:49). Jesus was a man, sent and empowered by God to accomplish the works of God his Father, in His name.

It may be seen even more clearly in the book of Acts, that it was the initiative and power of the Lord God working in and through Jesus that made Jesus who he was and empowered him to accomplish his Father’s works. Paul says that it was God who brought a Savior to Israel, from the lineage of David, according to the promise (Acts13:23). Acts 2:22 identifies Jesus, the Savior, as “a man attested to you by God with miracles and signs and wonders that God performed through him.” His healings and exorcisms are attributed to the fact that “God was with him” and because “God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power” (Acts 10:38). He is identified as the servant of the God who was glorified by God in Acts 2:36. Several times in the book of Acts, God is identified as the one who raised Jesus from the dead (e.g. Acts 2:32). The Scriptures show that though there are two Lords - there is only one Lord who is God and that Lord is not Jesus, but his Father, the Most High God who supplied the power for all Jesus did.

The above article was taken from:

the Kingdom Ready Blog

Some editing has been done on this article.

SCRIPTURES SPEAK! - 2

What follows are some wonderful articles from the Scriptures Speak blog written by Jesavee :-

John 8:58

John 8:58

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

No, Jesus didn't mean that he lived before Abraham or that he is God or an angel.
The God that sent Moses in Exodus 3:14-15 is the very same God who glorified his servant Jesus in Acts 3:13-15. Jesus is a man, and his God is Yahweh
(1 Timothy 2:5; Acts 2:22; Hebrews 7:24-28). Jesus said in verse 56 of John 8 that Abraham saw his day and rejoiced to see it and was glad. It means that before Abraham, Jesus was the Messiah, the son of man (John 4:25-26; Micah 5:2-5). However, Jesus was made of a woman in due time (Galatians 4:4; Luke 1:30-35).  Earlier in the same chapter Jesus tells them in verse 24, "if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins", and then a few verses down he let them know that they would know who he is with certainty by saying, "When you have lifted up the son of man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father has taught me I speak these things". Jesus does nothing of himself and only seeks the Father's will and not his own will, for Jesus is the son of the one who is God (John 5:18,30,43; John 7:15-17;
2 John 1:3; Ephesians 1:3,17). In John 8, Jesus refers to himself as a man who told them the truth, which he heard from God (John 8:40). So all that Jesus said in John 8 must be considered in interpreting John 8:58. Jesus was foreordained before the foundation of the world, and was even said to be slain from the foundation the world. No one would imagine that when Jesus was crucified it was from the foundation of the world literally (Revelation 13:8), just as no one would imagine that we existed before we were actually conceived, since God has chosen us in Jesus before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 13:8; Ephesians 1:4).

We must take into account the Hebrew culture. Whatever God says will come to pass or happen, we can speak as though it has already happened. Even though it has not literally happened yet. God himself said that his word will not return to him void (Isaiah 55:11). For example in John 17:5 Jesus was in prayer to his Father, which is the only true God, and Jesus said, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." Well Jesus had glory with the Father before the world was because God had already purposed it, yet in emphasis, Jesus was made of a woman in due time (Galatians 4:4; Luke 1:30-35). If you read on in the context of John 17 you will see that Jesus says that the same glory that God has given him, he has given it to his disciples so that they may be one as Jesus and his Father are one. It is so that they may be one in Jesus and his Father, being all made perfect in one (John 17:20-23). Then if you read in the Acts of the Apostles you will learn exactly when Jesus actually received this honor and glory from God and it was not before Jesus was actually born (2 Peter 1:17). Because of Jesus, now can we be called the sons of God, crying Abba Father (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). We can be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
God is not ever described as an heir in the scriptures, because God IS God. 

So indeed Abraham saw Jesus' day, but by faith, not literally.
Even David, a man after God's own heart, is both dead and buried and has not ascended to heaven, but it is said that David was seeing it before and spoke of the resurrection (Acts 2:29-36; Acts 13:22). According to Hebrews 11,  Abraham and many others all died in faith having not received the promises, "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." This is in reference to the resurrection in which all those that sleep (are dead) in Christ shall be raised together in the first resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4). You can read about this in Revelation 20 and also about the second death. There is a resurrection of life and a resurrection of damnation
(John 5:29).

There were many prophecies concerning Jesus our Lord, which God spoke by the prophets (Matthew 2:23; Acts 3:20-23; Acts 13:23; Luke 1:68-70; Isaiah 53; Isaiah 11; Romans 15:12). So indeed the prophets and others knew of Jesus, God's anointed, before Jesus was even born (John 5:43-47; Acts 10:38-42; Acts 4:27). Jesus even opened up their understanding of the scriptures and expounded to them of the things concerning himself in them, after his resurrection in Luke 24: 25-27, 44-48.

Indeed, Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus' day and he saw it.

By Jesavee

The Kingdom of God

God created the earth to be inhabited, and the earth abides forever (Isaiah 45:18; Ecclesiastes 1:4). The Lord God gave Jesus, his Son, the throne of his father David (Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:30-35; Luke 22:28-30). The throne of David [was] on the earth ... [in] Jerusalem. There is never any indication that David's throne moved, or that David was on the throne in heaven at any time. The city of David, is Jerusalem, which is Zion, and it is on the earth (Psalms 48:2; Isaiah 52:1; 2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Chronicles 11:5; 2 Samuel 3:9-10; 1 Kings 2:12,24; 1 Kings 2:33,45; 1 Kings 3:6; Psalms 132:11;
Jeremiah 17:25; Luke 1:32).
Mount Zion cannot be removed and abides forever (Psalms 125:1; Joel 3:20).

When Jesus comes back he will sit on the throne of his glory, which is on the earth, that God gave to him (Zechariah 6:12-13; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 25:31). Jesus must reign a thousand years and when the last enemy is destroyed, which is death, Jesus will put down all rule, and all authority, and power, and deliver the kingdom to God, his Father, so that God will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:23-28; Revelation 20: 4-15; Revelation 3:11-12; Revelation 21:1- 7).
It will be manifest that Jesus is subject to God, who did put all things under him
(1 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Corinthians 11:31; John 14:28). Of course God did not put himself under Jesus, so he is an exception (1 Corinthians 15:27-28). The meek will inherit the earth (Psalms 37:11; Matthew 5:5). The righteous will never be removed from the earth (Psalms 37:29; Proverbs 10:30). The wicked will be destroyed and cut off from the earth (Psalms 37:9, 20, 28, 34, 38). 

Those who are dead in Christ at the time of Jesus' coming will be a part of the first resurrection, and some in Christ will still be alive at the time of Jesus' coming, and will be caught up to meet the Lord Jesus in the air with the others
(Revelation 20:4-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
Jesus will raise the dead up in the last day by the power of God (John 6:39-40,44,54;
1 Corinthians 6:14; John 5:20-30). They of the first resurrection and all those in Christ, will reign with Jesus during his thousand year reign, and will not be hurt of the second death (Revelation 20:4,6). There is a resurrection of life, and a resurrection of damnation (John 5:29; Acts 24:15). 

The rest of the dead, who are not in Christ are resurrected to [judgment], after the thousand years. The second death is when the wicked are destroyed together in the lake of fire, being cut off from the earth (Psalms 37:20,38; Rev 20:12-15; Matthew 13:41-43, 49-50). To perish, means to be destroyed, and to not live anymore (Numbers 17:12; Genesis 7:23). The second death is "death", and there is no life when you are dead, you do not know anything or feel anything (Ecclesiastes 9: 3-6; 1 Kings 21:15).
["We are Souls" therefore:] Souls are not immortal and do die, and have died, the dead cannot praise God (Psalms 88:10-12; Psalms 115:17; Joshua 10:28,35,37,39;
Acts 3:23; Ezekiel 18:4; Revelation 16:3). The dead can live again in the resurrection, we have hope in that Jesus our Lord, the first begotten of the dead, was raised from the dead by God (Hebrews 5:8-10; John 11:25; Acts 2:22-36, 10:38-42, 17:31, 24:15; 1 Peter 1:3,19-21; 1 Corinthians 15:12-23; Philippians 3:7-12; Revelation 20:4-6). Those who believe in God's only begotten Son and are obedient to the will of God will have everlasting life (John 3:16; Matthew 5:20, 7:21, 12:20, 18:3, 19:21-30; 1 John 5:11;
1 John 2:17; Romans 6; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:16-26).

The city of Jesus' God, is called New Jerusalem, and in the future, it will come down out of heaven from Jesus' God, like a bride prepared for her husband (Revelation 3:11-12). All things will be made new, all the old things would have passed away. There will be peace on earth (Psalms 37:11). God himself will tabernacle among his people. The wicked, who were in the second death will have already been destroyed in the lake of fire, and cut off from the earth, so they will not see this kingdom (Revelation 21:1-7;
John 3:3-7). 

Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom, for he said, "I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent" (Luke 4:43; Luke 8:1; Matthew 4:23, 9:35; Mark 1:14). Jesus sent his disciples to preach the kingdom of God (Luke 9:1-2, 59-62; Luke 16:16). They preached the kingdom of God in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 8:12; Acts 20:25; Acts 28:30-31). In the instruction of the manner of prayer, Jesus mentions the kingdom saying, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:5-13)." The kingdom of God will come.

By Jesavee 

However some editing has been done on this article.

SCRIPTURES SPEAK! - 1

What follows are some wonderful articles from the Scriptures Speak blog written by Jesavee :-

Who is Jesus?

Jesus is the Christ/Messiah, which means he is the anointed and chosen one of God (John 20:31; Acts 10:38-42). He is the prophet that God told Moses he would raise up (Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Acts 3; John 7:15-17).

John 4 (Luke 23:35; 1 Peter 2:4-6)

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Jesus was "made" (genomenon- to come into existence, begin to be, receive being) of a woman (Galatians 4:4). He is the firstborn from the dead, and is alive forever more (Revelation 1:4-6,18; Colossians 1:17-20; 1 Corinthians 15:21-28).
See also: Matthew 1; Acts 13:22-23; Romans 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:8; Galatians 3:16;
Acts 3:25-26; Luke 1:68-70

Adam, a man, who was the son of God, was made of the dust of the earth, and was disobedient to God (Genesis 2:7; Luke 3:38; Romans 5:19). Jesus, a man, who is the son of God (John 20:31), was made of a woman (Galatians 4:4) by the power and spirit of our God, and he was and is obedient to God (Luke 1:30-35; Matthew 1:20; John 8:28-29;
John 15:10; Romans 5). The first man is earthly, the second man is our Lord Jesus from heaven (James 1:17; John 6:32,51; 1 Corinthians 15:45,47). By man came death and by man came the resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:21-23). Jesus redeemed us to God (Revelation 5:9; 1 Corinthians 15:21,23; Romans chapter 5).
He is alive (Luke 24:39; Ephesians 1).

The man Jesus is our High Priest, and is the mediator between the one God and men (Romans 5:14; 1 Timothy 2:5). God made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin
(Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:19-25; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Hebrews 7:24-28; Hebrews 9). Jesus was tempted on all points just like we are yet without sin (Hebrews 4:14-15; James 1:14). Jesus willingly gave himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor (Ephesians 5:2,25; Luke 24:44-48; Acts 5:30-32; Acts 4:10-12; Acts 2:22-39).
The true and living God, who is the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, raised him from the dead (Ephesians 1; Romans 10:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10).

God cannot be tempted of evil like we are tempted, neither does God tempt anyone to do evil (James 1:13-14). God is not a man, and God doesn't change (Hosea 11:9). The scriptures do not tell us that God "cannot" become a man, but the scriptures tell us what he "won't do". God said, "I change not..." (Malachi 3:6). God is not a man, nor is he the son of man, and he "never" changed. God "cannot" lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2).

The God of our Lord Jesus is our God and Father
(John 20:17; John 14:28; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Peter 1:3; 2 John 1:3; Malachi 2:10).

By Jesavee

Jesus Was and Is a Man

Jesus is a man (1 Timothy 2:5; Galatians 3:20). When Jesus died he was a man
(Mark 15:39). When God resurrected Jesus and showed him openly, Jesus was a man (Luke 24:39; Acts 10:38-42). Jesus is a man that continues always making intercession for us, and he is able to save all those fully that come to God by him (Hebrews 7:24-28).
Jesus is the only way to the Father, who is God (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:18).

God made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin, so that we may be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). By his stripes we are healed
(Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:21-25). In Romans 5 it is explained that by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, and by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous. By man came death, and by man came the resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:21). Jesus is the first man to be raised to eternal life, he is the
first begotten/firstborn from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:23; Revelation 1:4-6,18). Jesus gave himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2). Jesus redeemed us to God (Revelations 5:9).

God is not a man, for God said, "I am God and not man", in Hosea 11:9. God does not change, for God said, "I change not..." in Malachi 3:6. Numbers 23:19 confirms that God is not a man, nor is he the son of man. It should be easy to believe God rather than a lie.

According to Jesus, God is the one who sent him, and he came from God. Jesus did not come from himself, nor did he send himself (John 8:42).
Jesus referred to himself as a man who told them the truth which he heard from God (John 8:40). Jesus can do nothing of himself (John 5:30,43; John 8:24,26,28). Jesus spoke only what his Father taught him and commanded him, and he kept his Father's commandments (John 12:49-50; John 15:10; John 7:15-17).

By Jesavee

God Did Not Become a Man

God is not a man, nor is he the son of man (Numbers 23:19).
God said, "I am God and not man" in Hosea 11:9. God said, "I change not" in Malachi 3:6. It is our choice to believe God, who cannot lie or be tempted of evil like we can be tempted (Titus 1:2; James 1:13-14).

Jesus is a man conceived (made of a woman) by the power of God. The angel told Mary why Jesus would be called the son of God in Luke 1:30-35 (Galatians 4:4).
Jesus is not a demigod or a godman. Jesus the man is the mediator between the one God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). God is not the mediator. God is one (Galatians 3:20). Jesus referred to himself as a man who told them the truth, which he heard from God (John 8:24,26,28,40).
Jesus referred to his Father as his God and our God (John 20:17). Jesus referred to his Father as the only true God, and referred to himself as the one that the only true God sent (John 17:1,3). If anyone is a follower of Jesus, they should believe his words which are true. For Jesus is without sin, undefiled, and separate from sinners
(Hebrews 7:24-28). Jesus gave us understanding that his Father is greater than him and is his God. Indeed, Jesus is the son of the Highest. Jesus' Father is greater than all, and no one is greater than the Highest.

The word "became" flesh. God created with his word, the breath of his mouth
(Psalms 33:6). Whatever God says or said always comes to pass no matter what. This is apparent starting in Genesis chapter one, God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. God's word will not return to him void (Isaiah 55:11). God did speak by many prophets concerning Jesus our Lord, and God did tell Moses that he would raise up a prophet like Moses and the prophet would speak all that was commanded of him by God in God's name (Deuteronomy 18:18-19; John 5:43; John 7:15-17; Luke 1:69-70; Acts 3:20-23; Isaiah 53). Indeed, the word "became" flesh. John 1:14 does not tell us that God became flesh, to conclude such would be adding to the text something that is not there, and would contradict the very claim of God. God's word is true (2 Samuel 7:28).

God is the one who anointed our Lord Jesus with holy spirit and power, and God was with Jesus (Acts 10:38-42; Acts 2:22; John 3).
The apostles recognized the Father of our Lord Jesus, as our Lord Jesus' God (Ephesians 1:3,17; 2 Corinthians 11:31; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 2 John 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3; Romans 15:6).

By Jesavee

Did Thomas Call Jesus “My God” in John 20.28? by Kermit Zarley

Did Thomas Call Jesus “My God” in John 20.28? by Kermit Zarley
(AKA Servetus the Evangelical)

When the risen Jesus appeared to his gathered disciples [after his resurrection],

the Apostle Thomas was not present (John 20.19-24). The disciples later told him they

had seen Jesus. Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw Jesus for himself (v. 25).

One week later the risen Jesus appeared again to his gathered disciples, with Thomas

present. Jesus spoke to him, and Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God” (John 20.28).

Most Christians have believed that Thomas then called Jesus “God.” And most New

Testament (NT) scholars claim it is the strongest biblical evidence that Jesus is God.

On the contrary, no other NT character calls Jesus “God,” which would depart from

Jewish monotheism. Plus, John records two occasions when Jesus’ antagonists accused

him of making himself out to be God, which he then denied (John 5.18-47; 10.30-37).

Thus, Christians have exceedingly misunderstood Thomas’ words “my God.” Their

interpretation of them ignores this gospel’s context, which unlocks their meaning.

First, John records that the risen Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene a week prior to

the Thomas incident. He told her, “go to my brethren, and say to them,
‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God’” (John 20.17).
So, the risen Jesus called the Father “My God.”
The question arises: How can Jesus be God if he has a God?

Indeed, John would not have meant that Thomas called Jesus “my God” when this author

had just recorded that Jesus called the Father “My God.”

Then, one verse after Thomas’ words John concludes his gospel by writing, “Many

other signs therefore Jesus also performed … but these have been written that you may

believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20.30-31). This statement would

be anti-climactic following Thomas’ words if he indeed called Jesus “God.” And calling

Jesus “the Son of God” is not synonymous with “God.”

Moreover, John records a conversation that Jesus had with the apostles Thomas and

Philip at the Last Supper, only ten days prior to Thomas’ Confession. Jesus told them he

would soon go to “my Father’s house” (John 14.2), referring to his heavenly ascension to

soon follow his death and resurrection. Then John adds,

4 “And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own initiative; but the Father abiding in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.”

Jesus’ words, “the Father is in Me,” must have left a strong impression on Thomas.

Indeed, they are the key to correctly understand what doubting Thomas later meant when

he said to Jesus, “my God.” That is, Thomas acknowledged what Jesus had taught ten

days prior, that God the Father is in Jesus.

Jesus had taught the same thing many days earlier. He had said, “I and the Father are

one” (John 10.30). His Jewish opponents misunderstood him and were about to stone

him. They accused him of “blasphemy,” saying, “You, being a man, make yourself out to

be God” (v. 33). Jesus implicitly denied this and explained the oneness as “the Father is

in Me, and I in the Father” (v. 38). Scholars call this the Mutual Indwelling.

...

Once when he attended a feast at Jerusalem, “Jesus cried out and said,
‘He who believes in me does not believe in me, but in Him who sent me.
And he who beholds me beholds the One who sent me’”

(John 12.44-45). Again, Jesus was talking about God the Father. In fact, the Father

sending the Son is the most prominent theme in the Gospel of John, occurring 40 times.

This indwelling of God in Christ, and God sending Christ, reflects the concept of

agency. In antiquity, especially in the business world and among Jews, a principal would

select someone to represent him as his agent. It was common knowledge that a man’s son

usually proved to be the best candidate as his agent. So, with the son as agent, dealing

with a man’s son was akin to dealing with the man himself, as if the father was in his son.

The Johannine Jesus taught this concept of agency in various ways. He often said the

Father had given him his words and deeds (John 12.49; 14.10, 24; 17.8). And he said of

the Father, “My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me. If anyone is willing to do His

will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from myself”

(7.16-17). Notice he distinguishes himself from God. Another time he said, “I have come

in my Father’s name,” and he then called the Father “the one and only God” (5.43-44).

To rightly understand Jesus in the Gospel of John, Agent Christology can hardly be

over-emphasized. It is the corrective to misinterpreting several Johannine texts in which

Jesus is wrongly identified as God, claiming to be God, or God becoming a man.

Moreover, in this gospel Agent Christology, also called Sending Christology, is the

primary focus of saving faith for believers (John 16.27-30; 17.8). As God’s supreme
agent, the Johannine Jesus functioned as God without actually being God.

In my book, The Restitution of Jesus Christ (2008), I devote 17 pages to Thomas’

words “my God” in John 20.28 and cite 38 scholars in doing so. In using John 14.9, 11 as

key to understanding Thomas, I regard this as the pinnacle of my research in this book. It

is a God-in-Christ interpretation as opposed to the traditional Christ-is-God interpretation.

The above article was taken from:

Did Thomas Call Jesus “My God” in John 20.28?

Some editing has been done on each article.

Did Jesus Claim to Be God in John 10.30? by Kermit Zarley

Did Jesus Claim to Be God in John 10.30? by Kermit Zarley
(AKA Servetus the Evangelical)

Ask most Christians who know the Bible, “Where does the Bible say Jesus claimed

to be God?” and they’ll likely answer, “He said in John 10.30, ‘I and the Father are one.”

But that is a far cry from saying, “I am God,” or the like. One is struck with the thought,

“Is that the best evidence Christians can provide that Jesus claimed to be God? If so,

perhaps he never made such a claim.”

This is a very important issue for Christians. Most of them assert that a person must

believe that Jesus is God in order to be a genuine Christian and thus possess salvation and

the hope of eternal life. That’s what the institutional church has always insisted. But

interpreting Jesus’ saying in John 10.30 as a claim to be God ignores its context.

Jesus was attending the Feast of Dedication at the temple in Jerusalem. We read,

“The Jews therefore gathered around him, and were saying to him, ‘How long will You

keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’” (John 10.24). Jesus

responded by mentioning his marvelous works that he had been doing and how they

testify to his intimate relationship with God (vv. 25-29).

So, when Jesus then said that he and God the Father were “one,” he meant that they

were unified, being in complete harmony regarding Jesus’ mission of doing good works

and drawing disciples to himself. This is confirmed by Jesus’ so-called “high priestly

prayer” he made the night he was betrayed and arrested. It, too, is recorded only in the

Gospel of John. In anticipation of his crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension,

Jesus prayed to the Father concerning his eleven apostles, “Holy Father, keep them in

Your name, the name which You have given me, that they may be one even as we are”

(John 17.11). And he soon added, “The glory which You have given me I have given to

them, that they may be one, just as we are one; I in them and You in me, that they may

be perfected in unity” (vv. 22-23). So, Jesus asked the Father for the same oneness for

himself and his apostles that he said, in John 10.30, he and the Father had. To say that

“one,” there, means Jesus is God requires that it means the same here, which is ludicrous.

Yet Jesus’ antagonistic listeners thought like many Christians later have, that he

claimed to be God when he said he and the Father were “one.” When Jesus asked them

why they were picking up stones to stone him to death (John 10.31), they replied, “For a

good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy; and because you, being a man, make

yourself out to be God” (v. 33). That is, they thought Jesus was claiming to be God by

declaring that he was “one” with God.

...

Jesus then asked his interrogators, “do you say of him, whom the Father sanctified

and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?”

(John 10.36). John A.T. Robinson insists that Jesus here made the following important

points:
(1) he implicitly denies the Jews’ allegation that he said he was God,
(2) he distinguishes himself from God, and
(3) he affirms his true identity as Son of God.

Now, Jesus never went about declaring publicly that he was the Son of God. But he

often implied it by calling God his “Father.” Until then, Jews had recognized their God

Yahweh corporately as the father of the Jewish nation; yet individual Jews rarely or

never had identified God personally as their father, as Jesus regularly did.

Then Jesus clarified what he meant by him and the Father being one. He declared,

“the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” (John 10.38). Later, Jesus affirmed it again by

telling his apostles, “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me” (14.11).

Scholars call this concept “the Mutual Indwelling.” It clearly represents a disavowal

that being one with God means that Jesus claims to be God. Rather, Jesus here affirms

God-in-Christ Christology as contrasted with the traditional, incarnational, Christ-is-God

Christology that Christians later developed. The Apostle Paul explained half of this

concept, “that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5.19).

Jesus’ opponents seem to have accepted this clarification about being one with the

Father, in which he denied claiming to be God, because they never brought this charge

against him during the interrogation of him by the Jewish Sanhedrin (Council).

In sum, when Jesus said, “I and the Father are one,” he did not mean that he and God

the Father were one in essence, making himself God, but one relationally, resulting in a

functional unity. If this brief saying of Jesus in John 10.30 is the best that traditionalists

can muster to support their assertion that Jesus claimed to God, we can be pretty sure that

Jesus never made such a claim.

In my extensive book, The Restitution of Jesus Christ (2008), I devote ten pages to

explaining what Jesus meant in John 10.30 when he said, “I and the Father are one.” And

in doing so, I cite forty-four scholars and four church fathers.

The above article was taken from:

Did Jesus Claim to Be God in John 10.30?

Some editing has been done on each article.