The Godhead and the Nature of Jesus
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Dt. 6:4). This verse is used by some to deny the Deity of Christ. It proves the very opposite! The word "God" is in plural form and the passage teaches that in the one Godhead, or Deity, there is a plurality of Beings, just as the plural pronouns in Genesis 1:26,27 indicate. The word one (echad) means a united one, not a numerical one (Hebrew and English Lexicon, Gesenius, p. 28). The same word is used in Gen. 2:24 - "they shall become one flesh" (see also Mt. 19:6; Eph. 5:31).
Jesus prayed that believers "may be one as We are" - a united one, not a numerical one (Jn. 17:11,20-23). In this unity, there is a plurality of personalities. Jesus said: "I and My Father are one" (Jn. 10:30). He also said they were two (Jn. 8:17,18). Both are true. They are separate Beings, but one Deity.
Isaiah prophesied: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (7:14). Matthew quotes this passage and adds: "which is translated God with us" (Mt. 1:23). Jesus is God, but He is not the Father.
Jn. 1:1-3 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (a distinct personality) and the Word was God (the same in nature). All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." Paul said: "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" (Col. 1:16). Everything that was created in heaven and on earth was created by Him. (The "New World Translation" of the Jehovah's Witnesses, inserts the word "other" five times in Col. 1:15-20. There is no Manuscript evidence for such an addition.)
Genesis confirms this. "In the beginning God (plural form) created the heavens and the earth" (1:1). "Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." (v. 29). "So God created man in His own image," (v. 27). "Then the Lord God said, Behold the man has become like one of Us to know good and evil..." (3:22). " Come, let Us go down..." (11:7). Who is - US? It is the Godhead.
Isaiah prophesied: "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (9:6). The same expression "Mighty God" is used in 10:21 - "The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God" (see also 1:24).
He is "everlasting Father" - not a created Being. The same expression is used of the Father (Isa. 40:28). God is "from everlasting" (Ps. 93:2). Micah, speaking of one to be born in Bethlehem, said: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, From everlasting" (Micah 5:2). Both Jesus and the Father are "from everlasting" - eternal Beings.
Isaiah 40:3 - "The voice of one crying in the wilderness; Prepare the way of the Lord (Jehovah) Make straight in the desert A highway for our God." For whom did John prepare the way? John wrote: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; Make straight the way of the Lord" (Jn. 1:23). Luke wrote: "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways" (Lk. 1:76). John wrote: "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, I have been sent before Him" (Jn. 3:28). The Holy Spirit said that Jesus was "the Lord" who was predicted by Isaiah.
We are to worship only God: "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Mt. 4:10). Idolaters "exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen" (Rom. 1:25). Peter refused to accept worship. When Cornelius tried to worship him, Peter said, "Stand up; I myself am also a man" (Acts 10:26). John was rebuked for trying to worship an angel - "Then he said to me, See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God" (Rev. 22:9).
Jesus received worship: The wise men said "we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him" (Mt. 2:2); "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him" (v. 11).
A leper "came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean" (Mt. 8:2).
A ruler "came and worshiped Him, saying, My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live" (Mt. 9:18).
The disciples, after Jesus calmed a storm, "came and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God" (Mt. 14:33).
A Canaanitish woman "came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord help me" (Mt. 15:25).
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw Jesus after His resurrection "And they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him" (Mt. 28:9).
Jesus did not rebuke any of these for worshiping Him.
Jesus was never an angel (a created being, Ps. 148:1-5). The writer of Hebrews said: "For to which of the angels did He ever say: You are My Son, Today I have begotten You? " (Heb. 1:5). (This is applied to the Lord's resurrection, not His birth, Acts 13:33.) The Father said: "Let all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. 1:6; Ps. 97:7).
Jesus said: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last..." (Rev. 1:11,17). Isaiah said of God: "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the First and the Last; Besides Me there is no God" (Is. 44:6). Are there two "firsts and lasts," or is what Jesus said true? "I and My Father are one" (Jn. 10:30). In the throne scene (Rev. 5), referring to the "Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" who "redeemed us to God by Your blood" - "And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever" (Rev. 5:5-14).
With Thomas, we should say of Jesus - "My Lord and my God" (Jn. 20:28).
Jesus prayed that believers "may be one as We are" - a united one, not a numerical one (Jn. 17:11,20-23). In this unity, there is a plurality of personalities. Jesus said: "I and My Father are one" (Jn. 10:30). He also said they were two (Jn. 8:17,18). Both are true. They are separate Beings, but one Deity.
Isaiah prophesied: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (7:14). Matthew quotes this passage and adds: "which is translated God with us" (Mt. 1:23). Jesus is God, but He is not the Father.
Jn. 1:1-3 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (a distinct personality) and the Word was God (the same in nature). All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." Paul said: "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" (Col. 1:16). Everything that was created in heaven and on earth was created by Him. (The "New World Translation" of the Jehovah's Witnesses, inserts the word "other" five times in Col. 1:15-20. There is no Manuscript evidence for such an addition.)
Genesis confirms this. "In the beginning God (plural form) created the heavens and the earth" (1:1). "Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." (v. 29). "So God created man in His own image," (v. 27). "Then the Lord God said, Behold the man has become like one of Us to know good and evil..." (3:22). " Come, let Us go down..." (11:7). Who is - US? It is the Godhead.
Isaiah prophesied: "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (9:6). The same expression "Mighty God" is used in 10:21 - "The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, To the Mighty God" (see also 1:24).
He is "everlasting Father" - not a created Being. The same expression is used of the Father (Isa. 40:28). God is "from everlasting" (Ps. 93:2). Micah, speaking of one to be born in Bethlehem, said: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, From everlasting" (Micah 5:2). Both Jesus and the Father are "from everlasting" - eternal Beings.
Isaiah 40:3 - "The voice of one crying in the wilderness; Prepare the way of the Lord (Jehovah) Make straight in the desert A highway for our God." For whom did John prepare the way? John wrote: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; Make straight the way of the Lord" (Jn. 1:23). Luke wrote: "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways" (Lk. 1:76). John wrote: "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, I have been sent before Him" (Jn. 3:28). The Holy Spirit said that Jesus was "the Lord" who was predicted by Isaiah.
We are to worship only God: "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Mt. 4:10). Idolaters "exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen" (Rom. 1:25). Peter refused to accept worship. When Cornelius tried to worship him, Peter said, "Stand up; I myself am also a man" (Acts 10:26). John was rebuked for trying to worship an angel - "Then he said to me, See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God" (Rev. 22:9).
Jesus received worship: The wise men said "we have seen His star in the East, and have come to worship Him" (Mt. 2:2); "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him" (v. 11).
A leper "came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean" (Mt. 8:2).
A ruler "came and worshiped Him, saying, My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live" (Mt. 9:18).
The disciples, after Jesus calmed a storm, "came and worshiped Him, saying, Truly You are the Son of God" (Mt. 14:33).
A Canaanitish woman "came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord help me" (Mt. 15:25).
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw Jesus after His resurrection "And they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him" (Mt. 28:9).
Jesus did not rebuke any of these for worshiping Him.
Jesus was never an angel (a created being, Ps. 148:1-5). The writer of Hebrews said: "For to which of the angels did He ever say: You are My Son, Today I have begotten You? " (Heb. 1:5). (This is applied to the Lord's resurrection, not His birth, Acts 13:33.) The Father said: "Let all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. 1:6; Ps. 97:7).
Jesus said: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last..." (Rev. 1:11,17). Isaiah said of God: "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the First and the Last; Besides Me there is no God" (Is. 44:6). Are there two "firsts and lasts," or is what Jesus said true? "I and My Father are one" (Jn. 10:30). In the throne scene (Rev. 5), referring to the "Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" who "redeemed us to God by Your blood" - "And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever" (Rev. 5:5-14).
With Thomas, we should say of Jesus - "My Lord and my God" (Jn. 20:28).