Austin Bible Class Fundamental Beliefs Church of God, a Worldwide Association The Divinity of Christ Handouts/Study Material 2011 Church of God, a Worldwide Association
The Divinity of Christ Mankind has struggled over the years to answer the question of the Divinity of Christ. Toward the end of the New Testament era, various heresies had begun to surface among the Christians. The Apostle John addresses some of these in his writings. Various doctrines were developed in an attempt to answer this fundamental question. The trinity is perhaps the most well known (and accepted) explanation of the Divinity of Christ. But it cannot be proven from scripture! What does the Bible say about the Divinity of Christ? Was Jesus Christ truly God in the flesh? This summary will review five of the most prevalent views on this subject. 1. The Trinitarian View Contrary to scripture. Cannot be supported from the Bible Idea developed in the fourth century because of a dispute with Arius. Karen Armstrong in her book A History of God, page 110: Christians were still confused; if there was only one God, how could the Logos be divine? Eventually three outstanding theologians of Cappadocia in eastern Turkey came up with a solution that satisfied the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Cappadocians employed a formula that Athanasius had used in his dispute with Arius: God had a single essence which remained incomprehensible to us but three expressions which made him known. This was the origin of the trinitarian view. The Holy Spirit is not a person, therefore, there is no trinity in the Godhead (2 Tim. 1:6-7). 2. The Unitarian View Basic reasoning: God is one, therefore, Christ cannot be God (Deut. 6:4). Based on this understanding, Christ must have been a created being or a clone of God who did not exist prior to His human birth. Webster s definition of Unitarian: A person who denies the doctrine of the Trinity, believing in the teachings, but rejecting the divinity of Jesus, and holding that God is a single being. This idea is based on a particular understanding of the oneness of God. Can God be one and still be more than one being? This requires that we understand the oneness of the Godhead. Adam and Eve were one and yet they were two separate beings (Genesis 2:24). The statement is made in Genesis 11:6 that the people is one. The word for one is echad. Christ declared that He and the Father are one, yet they are two separate beings (John 17:22). We are one. Christians are to be one with the Father and the Son, but they are separate beings (John 17:11). They may be one. 3. Christ as a Created Being This idea has been around for hundreds of years and today is the accepted teaching of the Jehovah s Witnesses. There are various twists on this teaching: Christ was created prior to the foundation of the earth; Christ was created at the time of Genesis; or Christ was created at the time of His human birth. Very similar to the Unitarian belief. This teaching denies the divinity of Christ and relegates Him to a created being, higher than an angel, but not on the same plane or of the same nature as God. This teaching originated with Arius, who lived 256-336 C.E. He taught that Christ was a created being, a perfected creature. Karen Armstrong s book, page 110: St. John made it clear that Jesus was the Logos; he also said that the Logos was God. Yet he was not God by nature, Arius insisted, but had been promoted by God to divine status. Page 1
The Divinity of Christ He was different from the rest of us, because God had created him directly but all other things through him. Scripture declares that Christ was God and therefore not created. Term alpha and omega is used in the NT. There are no letters before alpha and none after omega. Christ has eternally existed. Hebrews 13:8. What Christ is today, He was the same yesterday and forever. He has eternally existed. John 17:5. Christ (the Word) was with the Father before the beginning. Colossians 1:16-19. Christ created all things. Where is the statement about His creation? There is none in scripture. Colossians 2:9. In Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead. 4. Christ as the Angel of the LORD (YHWH) This view is based upon the references in scripture to the angel of the LORD. Who is this angel of the LORD? By accepting that Christ is an angelic being who has been promoted to be our savior, it is understood that He would be a created being. This teaching is an attempt to explain Christ s relationship with the Father prior to His human birth. He was one of the super angels, according to this teaching. Genesis 16:7-13. Hagar has an experience with the angel of the LORD and she refers to having heard from God. Jacob wrestles with a man and prevails. He saw God face to face (Gen. 32:30). In Hosea we are told that Jacob in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed (Hosea 12:3-4; NKJV). Hebrew word for angel and messenger is the same: mal ak. In the OT it is translated angel 111 times; messenger 98 times; and ambassador 4 times. Christ is called the messenger [mal ak] of the covenant in Malachi 3:1. It was up to the translators as to whether they selected the word angel or the word messenger. Christ is not an angel who was created, but He is the messenger of the LORD. The teaching that Christ is an angel denies His divinity and requires that He be a created being. Christ was a messenger, but not an angelic being. 5. Christ as God After reviewing the previous views and finding them unbiblical, we must ask does the Bible support the idea of the divinity of Christ? Is Christ (the Word) also God? Obstacles to this understanding go to the capacity of the human mind. Are we limiting our understanding by applying human definitions to the term God? Luke 1:37. Can we ever limit God? Can God be one and also two beings? Ultimately what the scriptures say and not human reasoning must define our beliefs. The secret things belong to God (Deut. 29:29). Scriptures that support the divinity of Christ: Plural references to God in the Old Testament (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:22; Genesis 11:6-7; Isaiah 6:8). Deuteronomy 6:4 The Hebrew word for one is echad. The word echad is often used for a composite unity more than one component. Echad in scripture: Gen. 2:24 Two become one Gen. 27:44 few days Ex. 24:3 with one voice Neh. 8:1 whole congregation as one man Neh. 7:66 whole congregation together (echad) Isa. 65:25 wolf and lamb together (echad) Page 2
The Divinity of Christ 2 Chron. 5:13 trumpets and singers were as one The Hebrew yachid (Strongs # 3173) is the strongest word for singleness. It is translated as only, only child, only son, desolate, and solitary. If the intent is singleness, then this word would convey the idea better than echad. Genesis 22:2 Take now thy son, thine only [yachid] son... No one has seen the Father nor heard His voice (John 1:18; John 5:37; 1 John 4:12). Who is doing the speaking and appearing as LORD (YHWH) in the OT? Christ as LORD (YHWH) Isa. 40:3; Matthew 3:3 The Branch, our Righteousness. Jeremiah 23:5-6; 1 Cor. 1:30 First and Last. Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:17; Isa. 48:12-16; Rev. 22:13 Shepherd. Isa. 40:10-11; Heb. 13:20. His reward is with Him. Isa. 40:10; Rev. 22:12 The mighty God and everlasting Father. Isa. 9:6 The Word is God. John 1:1 Emmanuel, God with us. Isa. 7:14; Matthew 1:23 Lord of lords. Deut. 10:17; Rev. 1:5; Rev. 17:14 Lord of the Sabbath. Gen. 2:3; Mat. 12:8 Christ is Lord of all. Acts 10:36; Romans 10:11-13 One with the Father. John 10:30, 38; 12:45; 14:7-10; 17:10 Equal honor. John 5:23 Creator of all things. Isa. 40:28; John 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2 Fullness of the Godhead. Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3 Eternal. Isa. 9:6; Micah 5:2; John 1:1; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:8-10; Rev. 1:8 Omnipresent. Matthew 18:20; 28:20 Christ is all knowing. John 16:30; John 21:17 Unchangeable. Mal. 3:6; Heb. 1:12; Heb. 13:8 Only God can forgive sins. Col. 3:13; Mark 2:7, 10 Husband to the Church. Isa. 54:5; Eph. 5:25-32; Rev. 21:2, 9 Stephen calling upon God (Jesus Christ). Acts 7:59 Paul prayed and besought the Lord. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 Angels worship Christ. Hebrews 1:6 Only God is to be worshipped. Rev. 19:10; Mat. 4:10. Christ is worshipped. Rev. 1:17; Mat. 15:25 Thomas calls Christ my Lord and my God. John 20:28 The great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13 Jesus Christ is called the true God, and eternal life. 1 John 5:20 Christ is the Rock that followed Israel. Psalm 28:1; Deut. 32:3-4; 1 Corinthians 10:4; Matthew 16:18 David refers to His Lord (Messiah, Christ). Psalm 110:1-3, 5; Mat. 22:41-46; Acts 2:34 Christ existed before Abraham. John 8:58. He saw Satan cast down. Luke 10:18 Christ was in glory with the Father prior to human life. John 17:5 Christ is over all, God. Rom. 9:5 Christ has equality with God. Phil. 2:5-8 Christ was God... manifest in the flesh. 1 Tim. 3:16 Page 3
Study of Scriptures Which Refer to Jesus as God Probability Text Date Translation Certain John 1:1 90s And the Word was God John 20:28 30s My Lord and my God Romans 9:5 ca. 57 came Christ who is supreme over all as God Very Probable Titus 2:13 ca. 63 our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ Hebrews 1:8 60s Your throne O God 2 Peter 1:1 ca. 65 of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ Probable John 1:18 90s The only Son, who is God
MEA I G OF WORD WITH I JOH 1:1 1 64.17 prov" q : a marker of that which is compared to something else - with, in comparison with, to be compared to. oujk a[xia ta; paqhvmata tou` nuǹ kairou` pro;" th;n mevllousan dovxan the sufferings of this time are not really (or are not worthy ) to be compared with the future glory Ro 8.18. 83.24 prov" c : a position near another location or object, often with the implication of facing toward - at, by. oj de; Pevtro" eijsthvkei pro;" th/` quvra/ e[xw Peter stayed outside at the gate Jn 18.16; h\n o{lh hj povli" ejpisunhgmevnh pro;" th;n quvran all the people gathered at the door Mk 1.33; e[qayan pro;" to;n a[ndra aujth`" they buried her beside her husband Ac 5.10. 89.7 prov" n : a marker of a relation involving potential interaction - with regard to, with, between and. h] tiv" koinwniva fwti; pro;" skovto"é or what kind of fellowship can there be between light and darkness? 2 Cor 6.14; oij de; ei\pan, Tiv pro;" hjma`"é and they said, What does that have to do with us? Mt 27.4. 89.112 prov" g : a marker of association, often with the implication of interrelationships - with, before. eijrhvnhn e[comen pro;" to;n qeovn we have peace with God Ro 5.1; kai; oj lovgo" h\n pro;" to;n qeovn the Word was with God Jn 1.1. 1 Louw, Johannes P. and Nida, Eugene A., Greek-English Lexicon of the ew Testament based on Semantic Domains, (New York: United Bible Societies) 1988, 1989.
REVIEW OF FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST 1. Who was Arius and what did he teach about the divinity of Christ? 2. Explain the theory that Christ was the Angel of the LORD. 3. List the primary verses in the New Testament which prove that Christ is God and has existed for all eternity. 4. What is a Unitarian? 5. What is the meaning of John 1:1? Is this literally or only symbolic? 6. Explain John 1:18. What are the two family of manuscripts that translate this verse differently? 7. Who is the YHWH sitting next YHWH in Psalm 110? How do we explain this odd statement?