​

1st John 5,20

​

20 We know also that the Son of GOD has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true GOD and eternal life.

​

The claim that John is declaring Jesus to be GOD in this verse is a serious misinterpretation. Both in the Gospel and in all three letters, John consistently distinguishes between GOD and His Son Jesus. In verse 20 the word who is true (Old Greek: alēthinos) appears twice. Both times it clearly refers to GOD (the Father), with John using the terms GOD and Father interchangeably. Even though Jesus is described as truthful in some places, only the Father is called true GOD in the Old and New Testaments. Jesus himself called the Father the only true GOD (John 17,3). John also calls the Father who is true and Jesus the Son of Him who is true. If alēthinos referred to Jesus, there would be two true gods. However, there is no reason to assume that John calls GOD the Father and then the Son who is true in the same sentence. The Son has revealed the True One. Jesus came to make GOD the Father known (John 1,18) and not to reveal Himself as GOD.

​

The phrase in His Son expresses a relationship. Through Jesus the Son we are connected to GOD the Father (the True One). Jesus is the way to GOD (John 14,6-11). The human son shows us the way to the heavenly Father. In His Son is to be understood as an insertion at this point, without changing the main statement, which refers to GOD, the Father. GOD (the Father) is the Source of Eternal Life (verse 20), since no one else possesses immortality by nature and therefore He alone can bestow Eternal Life. However, verses 9-12 explain that GOD linked life with faith in His Son. The precondition for obtaining eternal life is to believe in Jesus and to follow the commandments that he gives us from the Father. Because Jesus, who is himself a human being, is the mediator appointed by GOD between GOD and people (1st Timothy 2,5). The word he (Old Greek: houtos) can refer to both GOD and His Son. Referring to the nearest noun is not a hard and fast rule of Greek grammar, as can be seen in 1st John 2,22, where a similar phrase is used. Since in His Son is an insertion that does not directly affect the main statement that refers to the father, the use of he (houtos) is more suitable than the word that one (Old Greek: ekeinos). For the reasons mentioned, the interpretation in favor of the Father as the true GOD is becoming increasingly popular among theologians. A more understandable rendering of the verse reads:

​

20 But we know that the Son of GOD came and gave us insight so that we could know the True One (= the Father). And we are connected to the True One (= the Father) by being connected to His Son Jesus Christ. This (= the father) is the true GOD and eternal life.

​

Jer 10,10 / Joh 17,3 / Acts 4,10 f. / Acts 7,18 f. / 1st Thes 1,9 / 1st Joh 1,3 + 7 / 1st Joh 2,1 + 22 / 1st Joh 4,2 f. + 9 f. + 15 / 1st Joh 5,1 + 9-12 / 1st Joh 5,18

​

​​

​

​​

____________________________________

​

Jude 1,4

​

4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our GOD into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

​

Judas also distinguishes between GOD and Jesus. The words Souvereign (Old Greek: despotēs) and Lord (Old Greek: kyrios) mean the authority of Jesus as the king anointed / appointed by GOD (Acts 2,36). Jude does not claim that Jesus is GOD, but rather expresses that for Christians there is only one Lord to follow and only one path to GOD and salvation.​

​​

​