Apologetics
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How Could Jesus Not Be God?
It is not good enough to simply tell someone that is what the church believes when they ask how can Jesus can be God when there is only one God. We must give answers in today's world. The world has changed from the days when people would accept that simple answer of because we told you so. There is proof directly from the apostle Peter himself. " You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead." (Acts 3:15) There is much more evidence and testimony from the apostles and those the apostles mentored. Those who were mentored by the apostles certainly give the most recent information from the life of Jesus and they received that information from those who knew Jesus personally. While quotes I use come from sources that aren't in the bible they are just as accurate as any other history book. There are also explanations how there are certain words in Greek and Hebrew that don't have an exact translation into English. It would also be good that we reveal the real Jesus and his true nature to those who need to know. There is even testimony from a fallen angel in the bible that testifies to Jesus' deity. That same fallen angel testifies that Jesus at an appointed time will destroy those fallen angels. You will read that verse later.
Is Jesus Christ God in the flesh? When I was visiting my mother in a personal care home I heard a man and several women who were all residents of the personal care home speaking. I overheard the man say to the women how can Jesus be God when there is only one God? Most Christians have no idea how to answer this question. The Devil knows this and as long as we can't answer that question he will keep stealing souls. This is why the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons are in neighborhoods knocking on doors. They are successful in taking quite a few away souls from Christianity into their cults. If only they had known they would have slammed the door in their face. At one time I had a sales route and on a visit to a customer I found two Jehovah Witnesses. I asked my customer if they got to the part where they tell her Jesus is Michael the Archangel. They got angry and left. Of course they never tell those people in training until they are indoctrinated. Of course the cults also take some who have no religion also. In this paper I believe, with the help of the Holy Ghost, I have clearly answered that question. I believe there is enough information in this paper to make someone say how could Jesus not be God?
First of all, this verse doesn't refer to how many gods there are at all. Deuteronomy 6:4 states, "The Lord our God, the Lord is one." Satan never misses a chance to confuse Christians and lead them into heresy. This verse in the Bible is correct in saying there is only one God. This verse was made for those Israelites practicing two religions at once. For instance today in Haiti many practice Catholicism and paganism at the same time. After the death of Joshua the Israelites started practicing paganism with the Canaanites. This is why verse Deuteronomy6:4 is in the bible.
Now here is the explanation of how Jesus is God when there is only one God. The Old Testament is written in Hebrew. The Hebrew language has two different words for one. If you have one shoe the word in Hebrew you would use is "yaclid." If you have one pair of shoes the word you would use is the Hebrew word "echad." The word "yaclid" is a singular one and the word echad can be a composite one. As you can see a pair of shoes is composed of two distinct parts being the left shoe and the right shoe. In Deuteronomy 6:4 "echad" is used for one. Interestingly, the Jewish Bible now uses the word "yaclid" for one. Also the United States is one country comprised of 50 distinct parts. The word for one in this case would be "echad." As we know God had three distinct parts-The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. When a man and woman get married they become one. If Jesus isn’t one of the distinct persons in this composite one then I would challenge anyone teaching another gospel to tell us who the other(s) are.
In addition the word for Lord is Elohim is plural. Elohim is the plural of El, Eli or possibly Eloi. The use of this word allows us to interpret this as a plural God that we refer to as the Trinity. As is frequently the case many times when you translate from one language to another the exact word cannot be found being translated. Look at Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Note Jesus did not all out to Elohim but he called out for His Father only by using the singular Eli. I used the New Oxford Annotated Bible Revised Standard Version. The Book of Matthew was originally written in Aramaic. This Bible is translated from Aramaic into English. Other Bibles use Greek to English. Eli, Eli is Jesus calling out to his God the Father. Now you will hear from the cults that he called out to God and not His Father. Again, the cults are wrong. The following paragraph clearly shows that Jesus refers to his Father also as his God.
In Chapter 45:7 of the Book of Psalms the writer says, “Therefore God your God has set you above your companions.” The writer's God has a God. There is more than one god when the writer's God has a God. Remember there was enmity between God the Father and man at this time. This also shows there is a hierarchy. The God the writer addresses is under another higher (in authority) who obviously is God the Father. They are not equal in rank. You can look at Hebrews 1:9 where it says, “Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Here is yet another clear sample of a composite God showing a hierarchy. Yet another early church father could not have said it more clearly about the hierarchy of God. Justin Martyr said, “Our teacher of these things is Jesus Christ, --- and holding Him (Jesus) in the second place (of the Godhead), and the prophetic in the third.” Martyr further says, “the only proper Son who was begotten Word of God, is even God. The Father of the universe has a Son; who also, being the first begotten Word of God, is even God.” Justin Martyr not only declares the deity of Jesus Christ but also clearly declares the deity of the Holy Spirit stating there are clearly three persons in the Godhead. There is yet another evidence of the deity of Christ and the fact there is a hierarchy. There was an early church father whom was taught directly by the apostle John named Polycarp. He said, “to all under heaven who shall believe in our Lord and God Jesus Christ and in his Father who raised him from the dead.” I believe this is compelling evidence of the deity of Christ and the hierarchy of God.
There is yet another statement from an Early Church Father. A plea Regarding Christians by Anthenogoras, the Athenian a Philosopher and a Christian written To the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Aurelius Commandus, conquerors of Armenia and Sarmatia, and-what is more important -philosophers. "who admit God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and who teach in their unity in power and their distinction in rank." Athenagoras (Greek: ca. 133 – 190) was a Father of the Church, an Ante-Nicene Christian apologist who lived during the second half of the 2nd century of whom little is known for certain, besides that he was Athenian (though possibly not originally from Athens), a philosopher, and a convert to Christianity. In his writings he styles himself as "Athenagoras, the Athenian, Philosopher, and Christian". There is some evidence that he was a Platonist before his conversion, but this is not certain. Athenagoras' feast day is observed on 24 July in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Jesus never publicly said he was God because it had to be hidden until after his death. The following is Matthew 16:17-20. 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be] loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Before Jesus died he did pray to his Father as written in John 17:24-25, 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me." (NIV) Here Jesus reveals he was with His Father God before any creation.
This event starts in Luke where Jesus is teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. It was said the congregation was astonished as he (Jesus) was teaching with power. There happened to be a man with a spirit of an unclean devil. Now a startling event happens. In Chapter 4:34,35 this spirit cries out, “Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” Can anyone say Jesus was a mere man after this? You can see Jesus immediately told the evil spirit to be quiet because this evil spirit of the unclean devil was revealing who Jesus really was. He was God the Son. Note this devil (fallen angel) knew that eventually Jesus would defeat them. The spirit also gives testimony that Jesus comes from above and that Jesus has power greater than spirit of the unclean devil. This evil spirit knew Jesus could destroy him. In another instance recorded in Matthew 8:28-29 two demon possessed men met Jesus coming out of a tomb. In this instance people were afraid to even pass by the tomb these men were so violent. The two violent men say to Jesus, “What do you want with us Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” In addition all other men inherited from birth the damaged nature of Adam. Being that Jesus’ Father is God, he did not inherit the damaged nature of Adam. Certainly, Jesus is not a mere man. He, however, certainly is God clothed in flesh.
This probably will come as quite a surprise to many Christians. Let me now refer to the First Apology of Justin, the Martyr. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia Justin was from Flavia, Neapolis and born 100 A. D. He converted to Christianity about A. D. 130. He taught and defended the Christian religion in Asia Minor and at Rome, where he suffered martyrdom about the year 165 A. D. Starting in verse 76 "So the Jews, continuing to think the Father of the universe had spoken to Moses, when it was the Son of God who is called both Angel and Apostle, who spoke to him, were rightly censured both by the prophetic Spirit and by Christ himself, since they knew neither the Father nor the Son. For those who identify the Son and the Father are condemned, as neither knowing the Father nor recognizing that the Father of the universe has a Son, who being the Word and the First Begotten of God is also divine. Formerly he (Jesus) in the form of fire and the image of a bodiless man to Moses and other prophets. But now in the time of your dominion he was, as I have said, made man of a virgin according to his will of the Father for our salvation of those who believe in him, and endured contempt and suffering so that by dying and rising again he might conquer death. What was said out of the bush to Moses, I AM he who is, the God of Abraham and the God Of Isaac and the God of Jacob and the god of your fathers."
Here are two occasions that the Jews specifically knew Jesus was declaring himself to be God 1. In a time years before Moses went to the Holy Mountain and the Lord appeared as a burning bush. The Lord told Moses to tell the people that ‘I AM’ sent him. In the New Testament in the book of John Jesus declares, “I tell you the truth before Abraham was I AM!” (See previous paragraph) Clearly Jesus was declaring himself to be God. He and the One speaking from the burning bush are the one in the same. 2. In the history Book of Luke Jesus states, “Friends your sins are forgiven.” This is certainly one of the most arrogant statements ever made unless you were God. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves. “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone? The Jews knew only God can forgive sins and clearly Jesus forgave this man’s sins. When Jesus forgave this man’s sins Jesus declared himself to be God and furthermore Jesus was Jewish and never declared himself not to be Jewish. The Jews who knew the Law knew exactly what Jesus just declared. These Jews were very well educated. They knew Jesus just made the most audacious statement in Jewish history. There is no evidence of Jesus trying to correct them. Jesus knew what they were thinking and he never corrected them that he was God. Being God, Jesus couldn’t lie to them and say he wasn’t for his own physical protection. In each of these three occasions Jesus declared himself to be God and didn’t refute those to be in error when they accused him of declaring himself to be God.
Here is another example of not having an exact word to translate from Greek to English. The cults also use this in their distortion of the gospel. Before I go to my next topic I would like to discuss the word firstborn in the next example. The word can have several meanings from the original Greek text, of which the New Testament was written. Here are two separate words for the Greek word firstborn. If a child was born as what we would consider normal childbirth the Greek word protokisis is used. Another Greek word protokos used for translated into English as firstborn is the Greek word protokos. This means begotten and has nothing to do with childbirth. You can see the extreme difference in these two Greek words. In the Old Testament the firstborn had the dignity and superiority over other siblings. The firstborn had a favored hierarchy of inheritance. In the following text you will see the Apostle Paul uses the term firstborn as having special inheritance gifts.
In the first chapter of the Book of Colossians the Apostle Paul writes, ”He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God the first born overall creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities: all things were created for him and by him.” If you would have read the above paragraph you could have been misled into believing that Christ’s first existence was when he was born. One of the leading Christian cult’s arguments is that Jesus was born, hoping that you didn’t read the above definitions of the two different Greek words for born. I believe both the Mormons and Jehovah Witness use this misconception. Knowing this you can know understand that Jesus existence is eternal in that He existed before his Virgin Birth. As explained in the previous paragraph Jesus was begotten. Here is another argument that the cults to use that Jesus in a mere man and not God in the flesh. Jesus is not a creature like the rest of us. You will also find Satan leading them in their charge against Jesus being God clothed in the flesh.
The Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers. Does this even deserve an argument? Anyway, I would ask if Mary was also the mother of Satan. I understand the Mormons require that a man must sponsor a woman for her to get baptized. Interestingly a dead person can be baptized. They believe that God the Father has a physical body. They also believe the Garden of Eden is in Missouri. Missouri will also be the location of New Jerusalem. That ends that cult argument.
Let me continue by stating that Christianity comes from the Jewish religion. I want to give you an example. The main argument of the Jehovah Witnesses is I Thessalonians 4:16 where Paul says, “For the Lord himself descends from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.” The Jehovah Witnesses teach that this proves Jesus is Michael the Archangel. This verse is actually a representation of a Jewish wedding. As usual this ‘christian cult’ has it all wrong. The Jehovah Witnesses cultists want you to believe that this is the voice of the Jesus and he is an archangel. The cultists totally disregard the Jewish culture of the Christian religion. I'm sure this is done unknowingly by the individual Jehovah Witness's themselves. The shame is many people attending Christian churches leave to attend the Jehovah Witness Temple.
Let me explain their very serious error. In the days of Jesus in the Jewish culture a couple got betrothed. The betrothal is a mutual promise or contract for a future marriage. It is much more binding than that what we know as an engagement. A change of intentions by one party could lead to penalty by fine. The man giving a woman a certificate of divorce could only dissolve a betrothal. We all know that Joseph was prepared to give Mary this certificate of divorce when he found she was pregnant. This was while they were still betrothed and not yet married.
After the betrothal legal contract the groom would then make a speech that included declaring that he would now go prepare a place for the bride. The groom would then go back to his father’s house and either build a separate building attached to his father’s house or decorate a room already in his father’s house. In John 14:2-4 Jesus says, “In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” Of course his bride is the church. This clearly shows that Jesus is the groom preparing a place for his bride the church. It is clearly from the Jewish culture of the time when Jesus lived.
This preparation would usually take about a year. In the meantime the bride and her wedding party would always be ready every night hoping that it would be the night the groom and his wedding party would come. In order for the bride to have some time to react there would be a shout from the groom and his wedding party as they approach the home of the bride. As you might guess it is NOT the groom that makes the shout. It is a member of the wedding party. It is not Jesus that makes the shout, it is a member of the wedding party Michael the Archangel. It is never the groom who makes the shout. It's like at a modern wedding the groom making a toast to himself. Let’s go back to that bible verse I Thessalonians 4:16 where the Jehovah Witnesses state that Jesus is Michael the Archangel. Certainly it would surprise no one that Michael the Archangel would be a member of the wedding party. It should also be no surprise that Michael the Archangel would have the honor of doing the shout. This would happen shortly after God the father approves the place that Jesus has prepared for us. Incidentally, this is also the reason that Jesus says that only the Father knows the day and hour because His Father approves the place Jesus prepares for his bride the church.
I would also like to point out that the Jehovah Witnesses also teach that there is no hell. I believe their teaching is that if you are not one of the 144,000 selected Jehovah Witnesses your spirit will simply cease to exist. Of course the 144,000 in the bible are all Israelites. The Jehovah Witnesses have so many strange teachings it's hard to remember them all. Let me interject that the Jehovah Witnesses believe their bible is the word of God. BUT, they claim to have had to make 10,000 changes that many bible translators have mistakenly translated. Are the Jehovah Witnesses better bible translators? There was a tribunal held in Scotland for a Jehovah Witness so-called expert bible translator. Not only couldn’t the Jehovah Witness expert translate one verse into English he didn’t know they handed him the Greek text upside down. Now, back to the question is there a hell and is it eternal, or do we just cease to exist. Here is the answer. Addressing the greedy Jesus says in Matthew 25:41, “Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the "eternal" fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” In Isaiah 66:24 we read, “And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men that have rebelled against me; for their worm shall NOT die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” By reading these two verses you can clearly see that damnation is eternal. It might sound good that there is no eternal damnation and it might ‘itch’ some people's ear, but it isn’t what God said. The Jehovah Witnesses believe their teaching is that if you are not one of the 144,000 selected Jehovah Witnesses your spirit will simply cease to exist.
1. The consequences of knowing the truth and then denying the deity of Jesus are catastrophic. There are three examples in the bible in leaving the true gospel The Apostle Paul was appointed by Jesus Christ to bring the gospel to the gentiles. This apostle addressed the Galatians in Galatians 1:6-8, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to another gospel-which is really no gospel at all. Evidently after all some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.”
2. Paul later addresses the Corinthians as we read I Corinthians 15:1 “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, (only) IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”
3. Even more explicit is that Jesus himself says in John 15:5-6. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. IF a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. IF anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown in the fire and burned.”
We certainly can go back to the beginning of creation showing that god is a composite one. In the first Chapter of Genesis God says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” Shortly thereafter in the 3rd Chapter of Genesis God says, “The man has now become like one of us.” In both versus God clearly addresses his statements as representing the one ‘composite’ God. The Hebrew word for god is Elohim. This happens to be a plural noun, when used with a singular verb and appears to be used to indicate a ‘composite’ one.
Here a few verses that make sense to me until I did some research. The first bible verse is 1 John 4:1-3 which states, "“Test the spirits to see whether they are from God---every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, but every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God.”The other verse is 1 John 2:22 which states, ", “Who is the liar? It is the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist.” To find a more definitive explanation we read in II John verse 7, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh: such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Then I was surprised to find out that a cult developed that denied that Jesus was not crucified in the flesh. He only appeared to be in the flesh but was actually only in spirit and felt no pain. At that point everyone knew he was God so they had to deny he wasn't in the flesh. In a letter to the Smyrnaeans Ignatius wrote that Jesus came to Peter and his friends and said, “Take hold of me, touch me and see that I am not a bodiless ghost.” This statement certainly confirms Jesus was in the flesh and thus, he did feel pain. This can be further strengthened in Luke 24:39 where Jesus says, “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have.” There is even more evidence from Jesus himself when he says to Thomas in the 20th chapter of John where he says, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; “ Note that Jesus says see and then put your finger in my side. You can see he differentiates between seeing and touching. There has to be flesh in order to touch his side. At that point Thomas acknowledged Jesus was God.
This "heathen" gospel, denying Christ in the flesh, was started by a man named Marcion. When a famous early church father Polycarp met with Marcion he said, “I know you; I know the first-born of Satan.” There are even other serious consequences in the belittling of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. This would totally negate John 6 when Jesus requires that we eat his flesh for eternal life. If Jesus did not die in the flesh we could not have eternal life if you deny Jesus came in the flesh. This is the reason why Marcion would not partake in Holy Communion. Another famous church father Ignatius wrote several letters concerning this false gospel – leading Marcion and his followers to the horrible, unimaginable and unthinkable eternal fire of hell. Paul clearly stated in Galatians 1:9, “As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.” You can also read Jesus says in Chapter 15 of John, “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit: apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers: such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” That is a very good explanation of what Paul meant of being accursed. If a man denies the flesh of Christ and that is the spirit of antichrist, then certainly denying the deity of Christ is also the spirit of Antichrist. If you were accursed in the first century of denying the man and God nature of Christ why would anyone think they wouldn’t be accursed in the 21st century? The rules have not changed. This is what the Jehovah Witnesses proclaim in their false gospel.
Here is a very important quote from Barnabas. The Epistle of Barnabas did not make it into the Bible but it had significant support. The Epistle of Barnabas was cited by very notable early Christians. They were Clemens, Alexandrinus, Origen, Eusebius, Jerome and other early Christian fathers. In the Epistle of Barnabas 12:10 Barnabas says, "Behold again it is Jesus, not a son of man, but the Son of God, and He was revealed in the flesh in a figure."
There was a Gospel of Nicodemus published in The Lost Books of the Bible. There is little support that Nicodemus actually wrote this. What this writing does is further establish that the early Christians knew Jesus was God in the flesh. The statement I refer to is Nicodemus 15:6. "But if he be so powerful in his human nature I affirm thee to truth, that he almighty in his divine nature, and no man can resist, and no man can resist his power.
At the baptism of Jesus all three persons of the Trinity was present since God the Father and the Holy Spirit has to be an individual since the Holy Spirit came down as a dove while God the Father was speaking from Heaven. This is proof that The Holy Spirit is separate from God the Father. God the Father spoke from heaven while the Holy Spirit was on earth in the form of a dove.
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36) This is the statement that allowed the Jews to demand Pilate execute Jesus. Of course Jesus was declaring himself to be God. This statement was a challenge to the deity of Caesar according to Roman Law. There was no death penalty in Jewish Law.
Proverbs 30:4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name and the name of his SON? Tell me if you know. Proverbs 30:4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I meant when I said, "A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me." I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might revealed to Israel. (John 1:29-30)
First of all true believers (Apostolic Christians) agree Jesus is 100% man. Jesus isn't half man half God like the ancient Roman and Greek gods were believed. Jesus is fully God and fully man. The cults tell Jesus isn't God today. Remember at first the cultists said Jesus wasn't fully man. That is because Jesus is fully man and fully God and even though He became clothed in flesh the fullness of the deity remained in Him. An Apostolic Christian will always believe in what the apostles taught. Jesus is the only man, who declared himself to be God. There have been many who have traded their salvation for another gospel leading themselves to condemnation as the apostle Paul taught. I believe that if those who left for anther gospel clearly understood the evidence that Jesus is God that would have never left Christianity for another gospel. The Mormons say you can become God. Oprah Winfrey said Jesus became God through his good deeds.
It talks of the last days in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 when Paul tells us, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but have itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths.” The parking lots are full or near full. There would be very few people in that temple if someone would have explained who Jesus is when those cultists converts attended a doctrinally sound church. Of course the Jehovah Witnesses don't tell the new pupils that Jesus is really Michael the Archangel. The Mormons don't tell their new pupils that Jesus and Satan are brothers right away. They wait until they have them indoctrinated.
The famous Scotland Yard investigator Robert Anderson said there is more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than any other event in history. There have been two historians that reported Jesus rose from the dead. The first is Josephus Flavius, the most famous Jewish historian of that time. Josephus Flavius, also with Napoleon, doubted if you could call Jesus a mere man. The other historian is Luke. Let me reinforce the fact that Luke was not only an historian but a very good historian. Luke who had been a physician from Greece wrote the Books of Acts and Luke. Sir William Ramsey, a noted archeologist, was once skeptical of the new Testament Books of Acts and Luke. Ramsey set out to prove the inaccuracy of those books but came away an ardent believer in its great historical value. Ramsey concluded, “Luke is an historian of the first rank: not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy: He is possessed of the true historic sense---in short this author (Luke) should be placed along with the very greatest of the historians.” What Luke wrote was not merely books of the bible but history books contained in the Bible. He made two things very clear in his historical writings. Jesus rose from the dead and Jesus is God in the flesh. How could a great historian be great if he inaccurately reported the most important events about which he wrote? We could also depend on historians of the time who reported what wrote.
We can look at a misunderstood verse in Luke 18:18. A certain ruler asked him (Jesus), “Good teacher, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good-except God alone.” Jesus is complementing the ruler for noticing who Jesus really is. Jesus never denies he is good and is actually acknowledging he is good because he is God. For some reason one of the cults say Jesus is denying he is good. Again, I will mention that you never read that Jesus never asked forgiveness for his sins. If he weren't good he would have had to repent for sins.
In another interesting isolated incident in the 9th chapter of Mark several disciples were unable to cast out evil spirits from a possessed young man. The father of the young boy, when he saw Jesus, cried out for Jesus to help his unbelief. Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit saying, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him (the young boy) again.” After much convulsing the spirit came out of the boy and the boy didn’t move. Jesus took the young boy by the hand and lifted him up. Later the disciples asked Jesus privately why they couldn’t drive out the evil spirit. Jesus answered them this type of spirit could only be removed by prayer. Jesus didn’t have to pray to drive out the spirit. Jesus simply is not a mere man because he is also fully God in the flesh. If Jesus were a mere man he would also have had to pray to remove that evil spirit like the rest of mere men.
The Apostle John writes in his Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (the Word) was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made that has been made.” Throughout the Scriptures whenever we mention Jesus’ Father we refer to him as God. Even Jesus referred to his Father as God. Here we are seeing the Word was with God. The Word is God. We know the beginning for God was before there was a physical universe. There are some who deny the Word here isn't referring to Jesus. We can refer to Revelation 19:11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God." Without a doubt the Word is Jesus Christ.
Years ago my wife and I went to a religious meeting in someone’s living room. The name of the organization was The Way: Power for Abundant Living. It is one of the smaller "christian" cults. My wife was raised in a bible believing church and I was raised in a mainline Protestant church. She was grounded in the Trinity doctrine and I wasn’t. It turned out to be a ‘Christian cult’ religion. This cult denied the doctrine that Jesus was God and said he was a mere man. They also spoke in tongues, which is supposed to evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This was ironic since they also denied the personhood of the Holy Spirit. I also remember the young lady in charge of the meeting saying there were no mysteries as the Bible called them. She told us there was a council organized to discuss the deity of Christ. She then told us there was a very close vote that Jesus was deity. Later I discovered this was council was held at the council of Nicaea held in Bithyia in present day Turkey. Of the 318 attendees 316 of the attendees vote that Jesus was God and only 2 voted he was a mere man. I don’t think anyone would call that a close vote. The two attendees that voted against God were excommunicated from the church. This was definitely a different gospel. Paul clearly taught these people would be condemned. Remember Paul was appointed by Jesus himself to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. I don’t know if this group were brainwashed or were actual leaders in the purposely-spreading misinformation. Years later when a taught a 6th Sunday school class I addressed the Deity of Christ in every class. Incidentally, all books of the New Testament had to acknowledge the Deity of Christ or the writing would be rejected.
We certainly can go back to the beginning of creation showing that god is a composite one. In the first Chapter of Genesis God says, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” Shortly thereafter in the 3rd Chapter of Genesis God says, “The man has now become like one of us.” In both versus God clearly addresses his statements as representing the one ‘composite’ God. The Hebrew word for god is Elohim. This happens to be a plural noun, when used with a singular verb and appears to be used to indicate a ‘composite’ one. Look in the 45th chapter of Psalms when King David says, “Therefore God your God has set you above your companions.” Very clearly King David is saying he has a God that even has another God above him in the rank of hierarchy. It appears to tell us in Leviticus 26:12 that this God says, “I will walk among you and be your God and you will be my people.” How could this possibly not be Jesus? This further addressed in the book of Hebrews where the author says, “Therefore your God, has set you above your companions.” XXXXXXXXX
Maybe some of the cults and even clergy today can’t understand who Jesus is, but certainly the early church fathers understood who he was. Paul and some of the apostles themselves mentored the early church fathers. The Apostle John personally taught Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. Polycarp says, “For whoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist: and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross is of the devil and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first born of Satan.” Polycarp also says, “---to all under heaven who believe in our Lord and God Jesus Christ and in his father who raised him from the dead.” I don’t know how you get any more compelling evidence than these statements that Jesus is God in the flesh. All the Apostles testified to this and all the early church fathers knew it. Melito, the bishop of Sardis said he (Jesus) rose from the dead as God, for he by nature god and man. Another very well known church father was Iranaeus who said, “---"but according to the Spirit, Son of God, pre-existent with the Father, begotten before all the building of the world and appearing to the whole world at the end of the age as man, the Word of god, resuming anew in Himself all things in heaven and earth.” I already mentioned the early church father Justin Martyr in discussing the hierarchy of God.
There is even more evidence from early Christianity. An Athenian (non-believing) philosopher, Marcus Aristides says about the Christians, “The Christians then, trace the beginning of their religion from Jesus the Messiah; and he is named Son of God Most High. And it is said that God came down from heaven, and from a Hebrew virgin assumed and clothed himself with flesh; and the Son of God lived in the daughter of man.” Another well know early church father Ignatius of Antioch says, “Being the followers of God, and stirring up your selves by the blood of God.” God, the Father never took on flesh and shed his blood. Ignatius also said, “We have as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For, the word was made flesh” Look at what Ignatius said. He says Jesus is god, became man, and also is the Word-the same description that John uses in his Gospel in stating the Word was God and became flesh. The cults disagree with that interpretation. Ignatius certainly interpreted and said it even more clearly. Ignatius wrote a letter to the Romans, “I wish abundance of happiness unblameably, in Jesus Christ our God.” Ignatius writes to Polycarp, “I pray for your happiness forever in our god Jesus Christ. Ignatius also said, “We have as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son and Word, before time began For, the word was made flesh” Look at what Ignatius is said. He says Jesus is god, became man, and also is the Word-the same description that John uses in his Gospel in stating the Word was God and became flesh. Ignatius certainly interpreted and said it even more clearly. I also completely explained Jesus is the Word in a prior paragraph.
Maybe some of the cults and even clergy today can’t understand who Jesus is, but certainly the early church fathers understood who he was. Paul and some of the apostles themselves taught some of the early church fathers. The Apostle John personally taught Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. Polycarp says, “For whoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist: and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross is of the devil and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first born of Satan.” Polycarp also says, “---to all under heaven who believe in our Lord and God Jesus Christ and in his father who raised him from the dead.” I don’t know how you get any more compelling evidence than these statements that Jesus is God in the flesh. All the Apostles testified to this and all the early church fathers knew it. Melito, the bishop of Sardis said he (Jesus) rose from the dead as God, for he by nature god and man. Another very well known church father was Iranaeus who said, “---but according to the Spirit, Son of God, pre-existent with the Father, begotten before all the building of the world and appearing to the whole world at the end of the age as man, the Word of god, resuming anew in Himself all things in heaven and earth.” I already mentioned the early church father Justin Martyr in discussing the hierarchy of God.
Jesus that I know as my Redeemer cannot be less than God" ~at the Council of Nicæa (c. 325) Athanasius.
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9) Deity means, "The essential nature or condition of being a god; divinity."
Everett Ferguson states that the charges against Christians by Pliny may have been partly based on the "secret crimes" associated with Christianity, later characterized by Athenagoras as atheism, cannibalistic feasts and incest.[4] The cannibalistic feasts and incest charges were based on misunderstanding of the Eucharistic act and Christians being "brothers and sisters", even after marriage.
In another instance a Roman senator in a letter to emperor Trajan wrote of his punishment to Christians. Pliny said of the Christians, "They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error was, that they were in the habit on meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god." Pliny the Younger (62?-c.113) was Governor of Bithynia. His correspondence in 106 AD with the emperor Trajan included a report on proceedings against Christians. In an extended explanation to his supervisor, Pliny explained that he forced Christians to "curse Christ, which a genuine Christian cannot be induced to do." He also described their actions and practices thusly: They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was, that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up.
Finally, it is important to acknowledge that the adversary Jews to Jesus have admitted the tomb of Jesus was empty. This has been established. What would it take for those Jews to be so afraid of a dead man that they would demand Roman guards to guard the tomb of a dead man? First of all I will answer those who said Jesus only swooned and wasn't dead. If Jesus wasn't dead the Roman guard in charge would be killed. Remember the guard thrust a spear into to the side of Jesus to make sure he was dead. Jesus was dead. Then there is a theory the apostles stole the body. Remember, the leader Peter denied Jesus three times and was shaking in his shoes. Only one apostle John even attended the crucifixion. There was a gigantic rock placed in front of the tomb. There would have been 16 Roman soldiers guarding the tomb. It has been said that all the Roman guards fell asleep. Now, if a Roman soldier fell asleep he faced the death penalty. Also, there is evidence that the Roman Army knew that Joseph of Arimathea had been unchained and set free for which the Jewish leaders had no explanation. Even Pontius Pilate's wife had warned him not to get involved in this fiasco. Common sense says Jesus rose from the dead. The Roman soldiers were not given the death penalty.
Don't know what I could possibly add to this treatise. It is so comprehensive. It would, indeed, be well if JWs, Mormons and other minor cult members could read and digest the facts presented. It would be good for Christians, too, to further substantiate their faith and be armed with the truths that would be so beneficial when (if) they testify to their faith in Jesus. Appreciated these writings and have saved this as a source of reference. Thanks for sharing. Blessings! Pastor Dennis Brubacher
You have done some great work on this piece. Yours in Christ through the Immaculata, the Kolbe Science (Catholic) Center.
Hugh Owen
Alex Erby Good stuff Andy Pastor from Steelton Pa
To Me
Mar 15 at 10:19 AM
Good stuff Andy
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