Was Jesus a False God?The classic argument usually lies with a few scriptures, like John 17:3:
"And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ." ASV
Since Jesus Christ is also called God (a god) at John 1:1, the argument goes that Jesus must then be a "false god."
The point that some are hoping to further is that, since Jesus cannot be a false God, he must be the True God.
When we look into the Bible, we see that there is actually very little mention of "false gods."
The King James Version never uses the expression once, the American Standard Version only uses it at Jeremiah 18:15. My RSV uses it several times in the apocryphal Letter of Jeremiah.
The scriptures posted in lexicons, such as BAGD, Thayers, etc, to determine false gods are never directed to anything living. They almost always refer to a worthless idol, or something equally without any substance. That is why the RSV Annotated Study Bible says of the false gods, "Idols are helpless, useless, and not to be compared with celestial phenomena." (ftn. Letter of Jeremiah) You will be hard pressed to find an example lexically of a living being described as a false god.
This does not rule out living beings as being false gods, but according the Bible, early Jewish and Christian thought, the true/false enigma is not as restrictive as Trinitarians wish.
We have already mentioned John 17:3, where the "only true God" is distinguished FROM Jesus Christ. So damaging was this scripture to Saint Augustine, that he tried to change it so that "only true God" was read after "Jesus Christ" to make it sound like Jesus was the only True God.
Couple this with 1 Cor 8:6, "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him."
This scripture alone is disastrous to a Trinitarian, as Jesus is excluded from the term, "One God."
In fact, if you take a look at QEOS as it is mentioned in the NT, the term is almost exclusively used of the Father. Trinitarian and Biblical theology both teach that Jesus cannot be the Father. So if Jesus is not the "One God" or "only True God," as he is clearly distinguished from him, then where does that leave him?
Why would Jesus call the Father the ONLY true God, if in fact that Son and the holy spirit are also the ONLY true God? Why would the Bible call the Father the "one God" if the one God were really the Father, Son and holy spirit? Nowhere does the Bible call the Son or the holy spirit the true God or the one God, but both terms are used of the Father, and restricted to Him by His Son. (John 17:3)
Does not the New Testament call Jesus a God/QEOS? Yes it does, but only with qualification. As Thayer's Lexicon states, "Whether Jesus is called God must be determined from Jn. i. 1; xx. 28; 1Jn. v. 20; Ro. ix. 5; Tit. ii. 13; Heb. i. 8 sq.., etc.; the matter is still in dispute amongst theologians."
Someone once wrote to me that though Moses is called a god at Exodus 4:16; 7:1, he noted:
"Moses is called God since he is acting on God’s behalf as his spokesman and prophet, not that he was divine in any sense."
Further on he stated:
"Hence, it seems likely that angels are being referred figuratively as gods in the same sense that Moses and the Israelite judges are viewed as gods, i.e. God's servants speaking on his behalf and faithfully doing his will"
So...the angels are called God in the same sense as Moses, but yet, are not angels "divine?"
Take note of Genesis 6:2:
"supernatural beings" TEV1, CEV
"heavenly beings" TEV2, New Jewish P.S.,
"the sons of God" NRSV, NKJV, NWT
"angels" LXX Codex Alexandrinus, Moffatt
"sons of heaven" NAB
Historically though, those familiar with the Biblical way angels were portrayed, had no problem addressing angels as gods.
Here is what the Dead Sea Scrolls give as to an insight of the early Jewish belief about Angels.
"Praise him, divine spirits, praising for ever and ever the firmament of the highest heavens, all...and its wall, all its structure, its shape. The spirits of the holy of holies, the living 'gods', the spirits of eternal holiness above all the holy ones...The divine spirits surround the dwelling of the King of truth and righteousness; all its walls" (Vermes 226 [4Q403 I i, 30-46]).
"The figures of the 'gods' shall praise him, the most holy spirits...of glory; the floor of the marvelous innermost chambers, the spirits of the eternal gods, all...figures of the innermost chambers of the King, the spiritual works of the marvelous firmament are purified with salt, spirits of knowledge, truth and righteousness in holy of holies, forms of the living 'gods,' forms of the illuminating spirits. All their works of art are marvelously linked, many-coloured spirits, artistic figures of the 'gods,' engraved all around their glorious bricks of splendour and majesty. All their works of art are living 'gods,' and their artistic figures are holy angels. From beneath the marvelous inner most chambers comes a sound of quiet silence: the 'gods' bless..."(Vermes 228 [4Q405 19ABCD]).
The author here describes the Most Holy chamber of the Temple. In this chamber was were the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This is where Jehovah dwelled symbolically. Everything in the Most Holy was made of the finest gold. The Bible tells us that the Temple was ornamented with pictures of angels (1 Kings 6:27-32). Therefore, this description of the "gods" ministering to the Almighty fits perfectly with the Bible. The curtain that separated the Holy from the Most Holy even has pictures of angels ("gods") woven into it (2 Chron. 3:14).
"The 'gods' praise him when they take up their station, and all the spirits of the clear firmament rejoice in his glory...when the gods of knowledge enter by the doors of glory, and when the holy angels depart the realm, the entrance doors and the gates of exit proclaim the glory of the King...the fear of the King of 'gods' is awe-inspiring to all the 'gods,' and they undertake all his commissions by virtue of his true order" (Vermes 229 [4Q405 23i]).
The War Rule says that "the host of warring 'gods' gird themselves for the Day of Revenge" (1QMXV, Vermes 121). We also find in the fragment titled by Vermes as The Song of Michael and the Just (4Q491 fr. II, Ma) an incomplete sentence that says that there is "a throne of strength in the congregation of 'gods' so that not a single king of old shall sit on it,
neither shall their noble men...(Vermes 126). The one called Michael is also held as saying "I am reckoned with the 'gods' and my dwelling place is in the congregation of holiness" and "for I am reckoned with the 'gods,' and my glory is with the sons of the King" (Vermes 126).
As D.S. Russell writes:
"There is ample evidence to show that [the OT] conception of monotheism was held in conjunction with a belief in a spiritual world peopled with supernatural and superhuman beings who, in some ways, shared the nature, though not the being, of God" ( _The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic_ P. 235).
It is my position that Jesus, like the angels and Moses and King Solomon at Ps 45:6 is a "figurative God." The Catholic NAB footnote on Ps. 45:7 says that "the Hebrew king was
called ELOHIM, "God," not in the polytheistic sense common among pagans, but as meaning "godlike," or taking the place of God."
Some would arghue that the above are neither true nor false, nor derivative copies but messengers created to do the will of God; no more, no less.
But is not Jesus also a messenger of God?
"He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." Jn 5:23 KJV
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." Jn 5:30 KJV
"the Father hath sent me." Jn 5:36
"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me" Jn 6:39 KJV
" For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Jn 3:17 KJV
"For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God" Jn 3:34 KJV
etc etc etc.
But yet we read that angels we also sent from God (Num 20:16; 1Chron 21:15; 2Chron 32:21 etc), amongst others.
Everyone knows what John 1:1 says regarding Jesus, but few take into account the words PROS TON QEON (with/toward the God). Interestingly, according to my software, the only other time John uses the term PROS TON THEON is at John 13:3, "Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God (PROS TON THEON)." HCSB
The Catholic Kleist&Lilly NT translates "come from God" as "messenger from God." This same NT translates "sent from" as "ambassador" in regards to Jesus. I think this is very important.
"The main point of the Jewish law of agency is expressed in the dictum, "A person's agent is regarded as the person himself." Therefore any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principle." The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowski and Geoffrey Wigoder
Kittel's "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament" under "APOSTOLOS (XYL$) in Judaism" states: "A saying of the Rabbis was: 'The emissary of a King is as the King himself.'"–Vol. I, pg.416 "Moses, Elijah, Elisha and Ezekiel are called MYXWL$ of God because there took place through them things normally reserved for God. Moses causes water to flow out of the rock; Elijah brings rain and raises a dead man; Elisha 'opens the mother's womb' and also raises a dead man; and Ezekiel receives the 'key to the tombs at the reawakening of the dead' according to Ex. 37:1 ff...These four were distinguished by the miracles which God empowered them to perform and which He normally reserved for Himself."—Vol. I, pg. 419
Jesus, as "coming from God/God's messenger" acts as God agent/ambassador, and therefore he is God to those he is bringing God's message to.
Rienecker's "Linguistic Key to the Greek N.T." says at "Jn.1:6: APOSTELLO: Sent forth; pass...to send, to commission, to send as an authoritative personal representative." Significantly, on Jn. 7:29 he says: "To send as an authoritative representative."
"And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ." ASV
Since Jesus Christ is also called God (a god) at John 1:1, the argument goes that Jesus must then be a "false god."
The point that some are hoping to further is that, since Jesus cannot be a false God, he must be the True God.
When we look into the Bible, we see that there is actually very little mention of "false gods."
The King James Version never uses the expression once, the American Standard Version only uses it at Jeremiah 18:15. My RSV uses it several times in the apocryphal Letter of Jeremiah.
The scriptures posted in lexicons, such as BAGD, Thayers, etc, to determine false gods are never directed to anything living. They almost always refer to a worthless idol, or something equally without any substance. That is why the RSV Annotated Study Bible says of the false gods, "Idols are helpless, useless, and not to be compared with celestial phenomena." (ftn. Letter of Jeremiah) You will be hard pressed to find an example lexically of a living being described as a false god.
This does not rule out living beings as being false gods, but according the Bible, early Jewish and Christian thought, the true/false enigma is not as restrictive as Trinitarians wish.
We have already mentioned John 17:3, where the "only true God" is distinguished FROM Jesus Christ. So damaging was this scripture to Saint Augustine, that he tried to change it so that "only true God" was read after "Jesus Christ" to make it sound like Jesus was the only True God.
Couple this with 1 Cor 8:6, "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him."
This scripture alone is disastrous to a Trinitarian, as Jesus is excluded from the term, "One God."
In fact, if you take a look at QEOS as it is mentioned in the NT, the term is almost exclusively used of the Father. Trinitarian and Biblical theology both teach that Jesus cannot be the Father. So if Jesus is not the "One God" or "only True God," as he is clearly distinguished from him, then where does that leave him?
Why would Jesus call the Father the ONLY true God, if in fact that Son and the holy spirit are also the ONLY true God? Why would the Bible call the Father the "one God" if the one God were really the Father, Son and holy spirit? Nowhere does the Bible call the Son or the holy spirit the true God or the one God, but both terms are used of the Father, and restricted to Him by His Son. (John 17:3)
Does not the New Testament call Jesus a God/QEOS? Yes it does, but only with qualification. As Thayer's Lexicon states, "Whether Jesus is called God must be determined from Jn. i. 1; xx. 28; 1Jn. v. 20; Ro. ix. 5; Tit. ii. 13; Heb. i. 8 sq.., etc.; the matter is still in dispute amongst theologians."
Someone once wrote to me that though Moses is called a god at Exodus 4:16; 7:1, he noted:
"Moses is called God since he is acting on God’s behalf as his spokesman and prophet, not that he was divine in any sense."
Further on he stated:
"Hence, it seems likely that angels are being referred figuratively as gods in the same sense that Moses and the Israelite judges are viewed as gods, i.e. God's servants speaking on his behalf and faithfully doing his will"
So...the angels are called God in the same sense as Moses, but yet, are not angels "divine?"
Take note of Genesis 6:2:
"supernatural beings" TEV1, CEV
"heavenly beings" TEV2, New Jewish P.S.,
"the sons of God" NRSV, NKJV, NWT
"angels" LXX Codex Alexandrinus, Moffatt
"sons of heaven" NAB
Historically though, those familiar with the Biblical way angels were portrayed, had no problem addressing angels as gods.
Here is what the Dead Sea Scrolls give as to an insight of the early Jewish belief about Angels.
"Praise him, divine spirits, praising for ever and ever the firmament of the highest heavens, all...and its wall, all its structure, its shape. The spirits of the holy of holies, the living 'gods', the spirits of eternal holiness above all the holy ones...The divine spirits surround the dwelling of the King of truth and righteousness; all its walls" (Vermes 226 [4Q403 I i, 30-46]).
"The figures of the 'gods' shall praise him, the most holy spirits...of glory; the floor of the marvelous innermost chambers, the spirits of the eternal gods, all...figures of the innermost chambers of the King, the spiritual works of the marvelous firmament are purified with salt, spirits of knowledge, truth and righteousness in holy of holies, forms of the living 'gods,' forms of the illuminating spirits. All their works of art are marvelously linked, many-coloured spirits, artistic figures of the 'gods,' engraved all around their glorious bricks of splendour and majesty. All their works of art are living 'gods,' and their artistic figures are holy angels. From beneath the marvelous inner most chambers comes a sound of quiet silence: the 'gods' bless..."(Vermes 228 [4Q405 19ABCD]).
The author here describes the Most Holy chamber of the Temple. In this chamber was were the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This is where Jehovah dwelled symbolically. Everything in the Most Holy was made of the finest gold. The Bible tells us that the Temple was ornamented with pictures of angels (1 Kings 6:27-32). Therefore, this description of the "gods" ministering to the Almighty fits perfectly with the Bible. The curtain that separated the Holy from the Most Holy even has pictures of angels ("gods") woven into it (2 Chron. 3:14).
"The 'gods' praise him when they take up their station, and all the spirits of the clear firmament rejoice in his glory...when the gods of knowledge enter by the doors of glory, and when the holy angels depart the realm, the entrance doors and the gates of exit proclaim the glory of the King...the fear of the King of 'gods' is awe-inspiring to all the 'gods,' and they undertake all his commissions by virtue of his true order" (Vermes 229 [4Q405 23i]).
The War Rule says that "the host of warring 'gods' gird themselves for the Day of Revenge" (1QMXV, Vermes 121). We also find in the fragment titled by Vermes as The Song of Michael and the Just (4Q491 fr. II, Ma) an incomplete sentence that says that there is "a throne of strength in the congregation of 'gods' so that not a single king of old shall sit on it,
neither shall their noble men...(Vermes 126). The one called Michael is also held as saying "I am reckoned with the 'gods' and my dwelling place is in the congregation of holiness" and "for I am reckoned with the 'gods,' and my glory is with the sons of the King" (Vermes 126).
As D.S. Russell writes:
"There is ample evidence to show that [the OT] conception of monotheism was held in conjunction with a belief in a spiritual world peopled with supernatural and superhuman beings who, in some ways, shared the nature, though not the being, of God" ( _The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic_ P. 235).
It is my position that Jesus, like the angels and Moses and King Solomon at Ps 45:6 is a "figurative God." The Catholic NAB footnote on Ps. 45:7 says that "the Hebrew king was
called ELOHIM, "God," not in the polytheistic sense common among pagans, but as meaning "godlike," or taking the place of God."
Some would arghue that the above are neither true nor false, nor derivative copies but messengers created to do the will of God; no more, no less.
But is not Jesus also a messenger of God?
"He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." Jn 5:23 KJV
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." Jn 5:30 KJV
"the Father hath sent me." Jn 5:36
"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me" Jn 6:39 KJV
" For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Jn 3:17 KJV
"For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God" Jn 3:34 KJV
etc etc etc.
But yet we read that angels we also sent from God (Num 20:16; 1Chron 21:15; 2Chron 32:21 etc), amongst others.
Everyone knows what John 1:1 says regarding Jesus, but few take into account the words PROS TON QEON (with/toward the God). Interestingly, according to my software, the only other time John uses the term PROS TON THEON is at John 13:3, "Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God (PROS TON THEON)." HCSB
The Catholic Kleist&Lilly NT translates "come from God" as "messenger from God." This same NT translates "sent from" as "ambassador" in regards to Jesus. I think this is very important.
"The main point of the Jewish law of agency is expressed in the dictum, "A person's agent is regarded as the person himself." Therefore any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principle." The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowski and Geoffrey Wigoder
Kittel's "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament" under "APOSTOLOS (XYL$) in Judaism" states: "A saying of the Rabbis was: 'The emissary of a King is as the King himself.'"–Vol. I, pg.416 "Moses, Elijah, Elisha and Ezekiel are called MYXWL$ of God because there took place through them things normally reserved for God. Moses causes water to flow out of the rock; Elijah brings rain and raises a dead man; Elisha 'opens the mother's womb' and also raises a dead man; and Ezekiel receives the 'key to the tombs at the reawakening of the dead' according to Ex. 37:1 ff...These four were distinguished by the miracles which God empowered them to perform and which He normally reserved for Himself."—Vol. I, pg. 419
Jesus, as "coming from God/God's messenger" acts as God agent/ambassador, and therefore he is God to those he is bringing God's message to.
Rienecker's "Linguistic Key to the Greek N.T." says at "Jn.1:6: APOSTELLO: Sent forth; pass...to send, to commission, to send as an authoritative personal representative." Significantly, on Jn. 7:29 he says: "To send as an authoritative representative."
Excellent article. May I know what software yo refer to?
ReplyDeleteI wrote that a while ago so I'm not sure of the software, however I do use a text file of the Westcott & Hort transliterated Greek text quite often.
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