TestYourFaith
F a l s e v s. s o u n d d o c t r i n e
Commentary on the New Testament
the Epistles - Page 3
16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created because of him and for him.
Paul describes the exalted position of Jesus as Messiah and Lord over GOD's creation. The fact that everything was created in him / for him (Old Greek: ice) and for his sake (Old Greek: dia) means that GOD created everything with Jesus in mind or with Jesus at the center of his creation plan. Here too, Jesus is not portrayed as the active creator, as is the case with GOD (Revelation 4,11). Paul does not write that Jesus created heaven and earth, but that everything in heaven and earth, visible and invisible - namely, thrones, dominions etc. - was created in (ice) Jesus. This means that GOD created all these things to be subject to His anointed King (Ephesians 1,7-10). Jesus' mission was not only to reconcile us with the Father, but also to destroy those powers and authorities that are under Satan's control and to return control to GOD (1st Corinthians 15,23 -27). In him can also mean: with Jesus as a role model (Ephesians 2,10).
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
The word before (Old Greek: pro) can refer to the time, place or position in the sense of superiority or priority. Paul explains that Jesus is above all things or has priority over all. This means that the statement in verse 17 is closely linked to the designation of the firstborn in verse 15. In the next verse, Jesus is called the beginning (Old Greek: archē). Here the word is used in connection with the designation of Jesus as the firstborn from the dead. This shows that it is not about a temporal beginning or a pre-existence, but rather about Jesus' position within creation. Jesus has priority over all other people or believers in two respects: On the one hand, GOD made only him Lord and Judge over His entire creation (Acts 2,36). On the other hand, Jesus is the first person whom GOD raised from death to immortal life. Because Jesus fulfilled GOD's will, he received the privilege of being the first to rise from death before all the saints. All others shall follow him when he returns. If Jesus were GOD and therefore Creator, it would not be necessary to write that he is the beginning of everything.
19 For GOD was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
The fact that the fullness of the Godhead (Old Greek: plērōma) dwelt in Jesus has nothing to do with Jesus' nature, but rather means that Jesus possessed the full knowledge of GOD through the Holy Spirit of the Father. Jesus knew GOD like no other person (John 6,46). Already in the prophets and other Old Testament people GOD worked through His Spirit, but to a limited extent. The GOD's Spirit gives people wisdom, prophetic gifts, and the ability to perform supernatural miracles. But his primary task is to guide us into all truth. This means that the Holy Spirit helps us to recognize GOD, i.e. to understand GOD's will and to act according to it. If Jesus were GOD, then the statement that GOD allowed His fullness to dwell in Jesus would be nonsensical, since GOD logically has a divine nature.
The word plērōma refers to the personality of GOD, which is love; not on His attributes as GOD (omnipotence, omniscience, creativity, etc.). To love is to know GOD. To know GOD means to have eternal life (John 17,3). Paul writes in Ephesians 3,19 that all believers should be filled to the fullness of GOD (plērōma). This makes it clear that the terms fullness of GOD and divinity do not mean the same thing. Peter writes that believers are partakers of the divine nature (Old Greek: physis) (2nd Peter 1,4). This does not mean that Christians are equal to GOD, but is clearly referring to the divine character or holy lifestyle that corresponds to a child of GOD. Through his death on the cross, Jesus reconciled all people and restored peace between GOD and man. When Jesus returns to destroy Satan, this peace will be on full display. A better or analogous translation could be:
15 He reflects the character of the invisible GOD. He has preeminence over all other creatures. 16 For himself GOD created everything in heaven and on earth—visible and invisible—whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. 17 He is the center of creation. 18 He is the head of the church of GOD. He is the only one so far who has been given the privilege of rising from the dead, because he should have preeminence in all things. 19 For GOD was pleased to give him a perfect, divine character, 20 and to reconcile to Himself all things on earth and in heaven through him, for his death on the cross brings us peace.
Gen 1,27 / Gal 1,11 f. / Eph 3,19 / Eph 6,19 / Col 4,3 / 2nd Pet 1,4 / 1st Joh 4,16 / Heb 1,3
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Colossians 2,1 f.
1 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of GOD, namely, Christ (...).
The exact translation of this sentence is controversial. There are 15 different ways verse 2 can be rendered, including as the secret of GOD, namely Christ, or the secret of the Christ of GOD. The Greek word for secret (mustērion) means: to bring something hidden to light. This is not about something incomprehensible that the human mind cannot grasp. It's about something that GOD makes known to people at one time. Colossians 1,26 f. makes this very clear. A secret can be understood once it has been revealed. What was hidden from people for a long time since the foundation of the world because it was only indicated as a shadow or through prophecies, GOD revealed to us through Jesus. A mystery, as the dogma of the Trinity and the two natures of Christ is often referred to, remains incomprehensible because it lies beyond human understanding and all logic.
Mt 13,11 / Rom 16,25 / 1st Cor 2,7 / 1st Cor 4,1 / Eph 3,2-9 / Col 1,26 f.
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2nd Thessalonians 2,16 f.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and GOD our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
These two verses are unusual. Although Paul mentions two distinct persons—namely, Jesus Christ and GOD the Father—the pronoun and verbs are singular. This in no way proves that the two persons mentioned are the same. According to the doctrine of the Trinity, the Father and the Son are two distinct persons. However, according to the traditional interpretation, this verse would make them both one person (modalism). If Jesus were GOD, Paul would refer to him as such here and everywhere else. What unites Jesus Christ and GOD the Father is not their nature, but rather the same striving. In this case, it is also possible to refer verse 17 to Jesus, who is mentioned first, while verse 16 can be understood as an interpolation, which in turn refers to GOD. With this, Paul wants to show that GOD the Father is the source of hope and all comfort, and that Jesus, as mediator, can never be thought of without the Father, the only true GOD.
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1. Timothy 3,16
16 Beyond all questions, the mystery from which true godlines springs is great: GOD appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, wasa believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
There are some manuscripts that say that GOD appeared in the flesh. However, many scholars admit that these Greek texts were changed by scribes in favor of Trinitarian dogma. When reading the earliest manuscripts, the word GOD (Old Greek: theos) does not appear. Instead, in many translations, the word he (for Jesus) or who is used. This section provides an overview of the life and achievements of Jesus. If Jesus were GOD, this would have been the ideal place to say this. Instead, the verse testifies that Jesus is a man begotten by GOD the Father and taken up into glory. In addition, only a person can be justified by GOD. For GOD is always just and holy. If Jesus were GOD, the statement that he appeared to angels would be superfluous, since angels have constant access to GOD (Job 1,6 / Matthew 18,10). The correct translation is therefore:
16 Beyond all questions, the mystery from which true godlines springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, wasa believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
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Titus 2,13
13 (...) while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great GOD and Savior, Jesus Christ (…).
Some try to use the so-called “Granville-Sharp rule” to prove that this verse calls Jesus God. Granville Sharp was an English theologian, philanthropist and advocate of the doctrine of the Trinity. He began studying the grammar of the New Testament to show that Jesus Christ is GOD. In his 1798 work “Remarks on the Uses of the Definitive Article in the Greek Text of the New Testament, Containing Many New Proofs of the Divinity of Christ,” Sharp presented six rules for the use of the definite article in Greek, one of which became known as the so-called “Granville-Sharp rule”. While usually only the first rule is referred to, rules two to six are ignored. It cannot be proven that this alleged grammar rule already existed at the time of the Apostle Paul. Before a grammar rule is accepted and used, it should be tested and verified. Just because someone creates a “rule” doesn’t automatically make it correct.
In his study of the New Testament, Sharp explained:
If in Greek two different people are connected by the word and (Old Greek: καί) and the first person is preceded by the definite article the/this (Old Greek: ho), then it is not necessary to repeat the definite article before the second group of people. In this case, the latter noun always refers to the same person described by the first noun. In other words: Then it is a more detailed description of the person mentioned first.
ho (= the) + noun + kai (= and) + noun = one person
For this rule to apply, Sharp had to exclude certain categories of nouns from the rule:
1. impersonal nouns
2. Plural nouns
3. Proper names
Conversely, this means that for Sharp's rule to apply, the nouns must be personal, singular and common. Since Titus 2,11-13 and 1st Peter 1,1 f. at first glance follow the pattern set out by Sharp, he concluded that the titles GOD and Savior must refer to one and the same person; in this case, Jesus Christ. Sharp took this as evidence of his theological convictions regarding the deity of Christ. However, there are several objections to this:
In classical Greek, repetition of the article was not strictly necessary to ensure that the elements were considered separately. Even in the Bible, the second article can be omitted without the two nouns referring to the same person if the author knows that his readers will recognize a difference between the subjects. Since the apostle Peter consistently distinguishes between GOD and Jesus in both letters, this condition is met. Because omitting the article would not create any confusion between Jesus and GOD in the readers' minds. Therefore it can be easily omitted. Another exception occurs when two or more nouns are completely incompatible in nature. This is also the case with GOD (= creator) and Jesus (= human).
It is also worth noting that Sharp advocated for a change to eight verses in the New Testament that, in his view, would identify Jesus as our GOD. These include, among others, 2nd Thessalonians 1,12 or 2nd Timothy 4,1. However, many German and English language editions of the Bible have not followed Sharp's suggestions - with the exception of 1st Peter 1,1 f. and Titus 2,11-13. Instead, they stuck with their translation, which clearly distinguishes GOD and Jesus Christ. This shows that Sharp's “rule” is not a grammatical law. In Revelation 1,17 f. we find an opposite example. Here the article he (old Greek: ho) is used twice for the same person instead of two different people. This further illustrates the flexibility of the Greek language.
Further exceptions from the Bible can be found in the following examples:
Proverbs 24,21: Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials
John 11,19: And many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother
Sharp probably used Ephesians 5,5 as a starting point for constructing his rule. It says: in the kingdom of Christ and GOD. From the article inserted before Christ and omitted before GOD, Sharp concluded that both names must refer to the same person. Therefore he rendered the verse “in the kingdom of Christ our GOD”. In GOD's future kingdom there will be justice and peace. Christ said that the meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 5,5). The future kingdom that will be established on earth has many names in the Bible. It is called the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 4,17) and the Kingdom of GOD (Mark 1,15). In the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6,10), Jesus called it Your Kingdom (i.e. Kingdom of the Father), as well as in Matthew 13,43. Furthermore, Jesus also called it his own kingdom (Luke 22,30). Colossians 1,13 speaks of the kingdom of His beloved Son. GOD'S kingdom is the kingdom of the Father. From the beginning, man was called to inherit and possess GOD'S kingdom. The land of Canaan, which GOD promised His people Israel to possess forever, was intended to be a picture of the future, world-wide kingdom of GOD. Since Jesus was sinless, he is the rightful heir. GOD has bequeathed the kingdom to him and to all who have become joint heirs of his kingdom through faith in Jesus. Sharp's biased translation of Ephesians 5,5, 1st Peter 1,1 f., and Titus 2,11-13 is unfounded and inadequate as evidence of Jesus' divinity.
The fact is that in those passages where there seems to be some ambiguity in the Greek construction as to whether Jesus is equated with GOD or not, grammar alone is not the deciding factor. It is important to note here that the New Testament refers the title GOD (Old Greek: theos) clearly and exclusively to the Father in over 500 places. Furthermore, (the) GOD is consistently distinguished from Jesus Christ. For Jesus, however, the title Lord / our Lord (Old Greek: kyrios) is used. When (the) GOD is used, it is assumed that the New Testament authors had the Father in mind, unless the context contradicts this. However, this is nowhere in the New Testament. Therefore, any passage with an ambiguous grammatical construction that could attribute the title of GOD to either the Father or Jesus Christ must be ruled in favor of the Father. Everything else does not represent serious exegesis (= interpretation of a biblical text), but rather an eisegesis (= interpretation of the text, in which something is interpreted into the text that is not in it or was not intended).
Granville Sharp's rule is a mechanical construction that gives meaning to a sentence without paying attention to other important elements such as context and other linguistic-grammatical features. Therefore, it can – if at all – be considered only partially valid. In any case, it cannot be considered as proof of the divinity of Jesus. The correct translation is therefore:
13 (...) while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of the great GOD and our Savior, Jesus Christ (…).
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Hebrews 1,1-12
Psalm 2,7 / 2nd Samuel 7,14 / Deuteronomy 32,43 / Psalm 45,6 f. / Psalm 102,25-27
1 In the past GOD spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did GOD ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father” Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” 6 And again, when He brings his firstborn into the world, it says, “Let all GOD’s angels worship him.” 7 In speaking of the angels it says, “He makes His angels spirits, and His servants flames of fire.” 8 But about the Son it says, “Your throne, O GOD, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore, O GOD, your GOD, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. 10 And, “In the beginning, Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”
1 In the past GOD spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
From the beginning in Hebrews there is a distinction between GOD and His Son. Only in the last days did GOD speak through the Son; not before. None of the apostles write anything about the work of the Son before his birth. At that time, GOD spoke to people through His prophets, angels or directly through dreams and visions. Just as the prophets that GOD sent spoke on His behalf without being GOD themselves, so the Son also speaks and works on the Father's behalf without being GOD himself. Jesus explained in John 14,10-12 that the Father is in him and does works through him. This means that GOD used the Messiah to carry out His plan to save humanity. This does not make Jesus GOD.
2 ...but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and for whose sake He made the ages / the universe.
To be a son is to be an heir. The Greek word kosmos can mean both world and age. The Greek word dia can be translated as through or for someone's sake. After the current age comes the eternal messianic age. GOD created the earth to give it to humanity. Because Jesus was without sin, he proved to be the true son and therefore the rightful heir to GOD's kingdom. Through faith in him we become joint heirs of his kingdom (Romans 8,17 / Galatians 4,7). GOD also made different ages in which He gradually revealed His plan of salvation. Finally, there was the revelation of the promised Savior announced in Scripture.
3 The Son is the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
The fact that the Son is the reflection (Old Greek: apaugasma) of the Father and the imprint / expression (Old Greek: charaktēr) of His being means that Jesus radiates GOD's glory because of his sinlessness. Man – whom GOD created in His image – was originally supposed to have this glory (Romans 3,23 / 2nd Corinthians 4,6). GOD is light and GOD is holy. That is why we humans should also be holy or sinless (1st Peter 1,16 / 1st John 1,5-7). Humanity has missed this goal since the Fall. Jesus is the first and only person who fulfilled this claim from the beginning of his life. That's why GOD made him the Savior of humanity. Through spiritual rebirth, believers become partakers of the divine nature (2nd Peter 1,4). In Christ they are a new creation (2nd Corinthians 5,17) or new people (Ephesians 4,24). Jesus is the example to whom everyone should be modeled (Romans 8,29). By becoming like Jesus, we regain the glory that was lost through sin. However, the complete glory of GOD's children will only become visible in the resurrection of the righteous (Romans 8,19-23 / 1st John 3,2).
Verse 3 therefore has nothing to do with an alleged deity of the Son. The human son sits at the right hand of GOD, i.e. in the place of honor next to the Father. GOD made Jesus Lord and King over all (Acts 2,36). All power has been given to him by GOD (Matthew 28,20). Jesus did not have this power before. Jesus' word (= command / instruction) is powerful. The Son can decide and influence things in heaven and on earth. Jesus does not do this on his own initiative, but always in accordance with the will of his Father.
4 ...So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
Several passages in the New Testament speak of the exaltation of Jesus. This exaltation of the Son was preceded by a sinless life and a shameful death on the cross. This was followed by the resurrection of Jesus and his ascension to GOD. Only since the Son has sat down at the right hand of the Father is he superior to the angels of GOD. This is indicated by the words become (Old Greek: ginomai) and inherited (Old Greek: kleronomeo) in verse 4. GOD is the creator of all angels. Therefore, He has always been superior to them. If Christ were GOD, He could not have been exalted, since there is no one higher than GOD. Nor does it say anywhere that Christ became what he was until after his resurrection.
The word begotten (Old Greek: hupsoō) refers to a position or status that makes a person more important or respected than before. If Jesus only became better than the angels after his resurrection, he cannot be the eternal GOD. The claim of representatives of Christ's two-nature doctrine that the statement refers only to the human nature of the Son is also untenable. Because if Jesus had two natures and had discarded or hidden his divine nature when he became human, he would also be “GOD in the human body” after his resurrection. In this case too, it would be nonsensical to speak of an exaltation of the son. Instead, there should be talk of a “reinstatement” or “reincarnation” of the son.
The word name (Old Greek: onoma) can mean the real name or the reputation or title of a person. In this case it refers to the title given to Jesus by GOD as Lord/King/Judge. By making His servant Jesus Lord (Acts 2,36), GOD placed him above all men and angels and gave him authority over all creatures (Ephesians 1,20 f. / Philippians 2,9 / Hebrews 2,5-9) . Jesus received this status from the Father only after His glorification. This glory was foretold in the Holy Scriptures about the Messiah (Psalm 110,1).
5 For to which of the angels did GOD ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father” (Psalm 2,7) Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.” (2nd Samuel 7,14)
You are my Son, today I have become your Father (Old Greek: gennaō) can be understood both physically (Matthew 1,1-6 / Hebrews 11,23) and spiritually (John 3,3-5 / 1st John 5,18). In both cases it implies a beginning in time or the beginning of a person's existence. The idea of a so-called “eternal conception” of the Son is not only a contradiction in terms, but distorts the normal meaning of the word "begotten". It is therefore misleading and biblically untenable. The fact that Jesus was begotten by GOD does not mean that Jesus is GOD in a metaphysical sense. It is clear from the context of Psalm 2 that I have become your Father here has the meaning of raising up, calling, establishing, as verse 6 in particular makes clear. In Acts 13,33 Paul refers to this verse and explains that GOD raised up His servant Jesus. At a certain point in time, Jesus became GOD's son and GOD his father, namely through Jesus' birth. Some theologians relate the statement to Jesus' baptism and his anointing with the Holy Spirit. The statement I will be his Father, and he will be my Son is in the future tense and expresses a future event that would only come true many years after the prophecy. This contradicts the concept of "eternal sonship". In 1st Chronicles 17,13 and 1st Chronicles 28,6 similar wording is used in reference to King Solomon, whom GOD chose to be his son and therefore heir to David's throne. In Revelation 21,7, the same wording refers to believers. As a son, Jesus is also designated by GOD as an heir. Unlike Solomon, Jesus will reign forever on the throne of his father David (Luke 1,32 f.). Although the angels are also very close to GOD, it is Jesus or man who should inherit GOD'S kingdom and not the angels (Hebrews 2,5). Furthermore, this verse shows that Jesus is not an angel but is exalted above them.
6 And again, when He brings his firstborn into the world, it says, “Let all GOD’s angels fall down before him.” (5. Mose 32,43)
Here the writer quotes verbatim from Deuteronomy 32,43. This wording is found exclusively in the Greek version of the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls. There the angels of GOD are asked to prostrate themselves before Yahweh. In Hebrews the author refers the quote to the Son of GOD. This does not make Jesus Yahweh. The falling or bowing of the knees before Jesus is for GOD's glory; not because Jesus is GOD, but because he is the representative of the Father and because GOD wants it that way (Philippians 2,9-11). In Moses' day the angels gave all the glory to Yahweh alone. Now they should also honor His human son Jesus, whom GOD has exalted above the angels. Whoever honors Jesus honors GOD the Father. The word firstborn (Old Greek: prōtotokos) refers to the priority that Jesus has over all other people and not to a pre-existence. Jesus received the privilege from GOD to be the first person to rise from the dead. In this sense he is the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1,18 / Revelation 1,5) among many brothers who will later follow Jesus (Romans 8,29).
In several places in Scripture, GOD says that He does not give His glory as Creator to anyone else (Isaiah 42,8 / Isaiah 48,11). On the other hand, it is basically GOD's sovereign decision as to whom He gives such honor. Jesus Christ is a human being like Adam and us. As such, he was initially lower than the angels. But now the Son is exalted and crowned with glory and honor because of his sinless life and complete obedience to the point of death on the cross (Hebrews 2,9). The exaltation of Christ shows how important the obedience of His creatures is to GOD and that GOD rewards unconditional loyalty. There have been many GOD-fearing people in history who have been richly blessed by GOD (e.g. Noah / Abraham / Job / David / Daniel). But Jesus is the first person who was blameless in every way. That is why he was given greater honor than any other saint. Jesus Christ became the ruler of GOD's creation. In this respect, according to GOD's will, he deserves every honor that we can give him. This also applies to all angels. GOD'S angels serve Jesus and obey His commands. They do not worship Jesus as GOD (1st Peter 3,22).
The Old Greek word proskuneō, often rendered as worship, can also be translated as to pay homage or to bow down to someone. It is used in many places in the sense of honoring people. Ruth fell down before Boaz (Ruth 2,10). David fell down before King Saul (1st Samuel 24,9). The prophet Nathan fell down before King David (1st Kings 1,23). David's wife Bathsheba fell down before her husband David (1st Kings 1,16). Thus, reverence for Jesus is not idolatry. If the author of Hebrews had wanted to say that Jesus is GOD, it would have been enough to write it so simply instead of fully explaining that Jesus is above other people and the angels (Hebrews 1,6 / 1st Peter 3,22).