Israel Attacks Hamas in Gaza

Israel has shown considerable restraint up to now, considering the Hamas mortar and and rocket attacks on Israel during the past weeks. The news media is crying for the poor Palestinians when they should be applauding the Israeli restraint.

I'm sorry to see people die, especially the innocent, but something had to be done and I see this as a reasonable response.

Matthew 28:19 a proof test for the Trinity?

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Matthew 23:19 is the only record of Jesus specifically commanding baptism, but the necessity of this rite may also be seen in his words in Mark 16:16 and John 3:5.

It’s interesting that the baptismal formula given here is unique in that it is naming the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In all other places in scripture the formula is simply “baptized in (or into) the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Consider:

Acts 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)

Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

“There is also the possibility that the words ‘in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ were a later addition. This idea is supported by the fact that they were never included in quotations of Matthew 28:19 by the ‘early Fathers’. For example, Eusebius, who died about the year 340 quotes the verse at least 18 times, but always in the form ‘Go ye into and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you.’”

Considering that the formula given in Matthew 28:19 is not consistent with the formula in other places in scripture and that there is some evidence the words, “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” were a later addition, this is a poor choice of a passage to use as a proof text for the Trinity.

"Before Abraham was, I am."

John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Many try to connect the words translated from the Greek in John 8:58 as “I am” with the words translated from the Hebrew in Exodus 3:14 as “I am”. From this possible connection two conclusions can be drawn.

1. Since Christ was before Abraham, Christ must have existed prior to his birth on earth.

2. Since Christ says, “I am” he is alluding to the divine name, thereby in effect telling the Jews that he is “Very God”.

As to the first conclusion, Christ’s reference to Abraham was not to speak of his pre-existence. He was not claiming to be literally older than Abraham. This can be seen in a prior remark in verse 56, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.” “Abraham, to whom the Gospel was preached (Gal. 3:8), saw the day of Christ through the eye of faith. Christ was ‘foreordained before the foundation of the word, but manifested in these last times’ (1 Pet. 1:20) He was foreordained in the divine purpose, but not formed. Similarly in the divine purpose he was the ‘Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’ (Rev. 13:8) but literally he was not slain until his crucifixion in the time of Pilate.” (1) Considering the above, it becomes clear that Christ was affirming his pre-eminence not his pre-existence.

As to the second conclusion, there’s no proof that Christ was alluding to the divine name. In fact, there are some real questions as to how Exodus 3:14 should be translated. In the Tanakh, a recent translation of the Old Testament by The Jewish Publication Society, the Hebrew words “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh” are not even translated into English because the meaning of the Hebrew words are uncertain. The translators say in a footnote the words are “variously translated: ‘I Am That I Am’; ‘I Am Who I Am’; ‘I Will Be What I Will Be’; ect.” (2) If we can’t be sure how the Hebrew words should be translated, how can we be sure that Christ was alluding to the divine name.

There’s another way to compare the words of Exodus 3:14 and John 8:58. The Jewish scholars who translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek as found in the Septuagint were fluent in both languages. It is reasonable to assume that if they produced the same Greek words in Exodus 3:14 as found in the Greek of John 8:58 then there might be a connection.

In checking the Septuagint at Exodus 3:14 it can be seen that the Hebrew words “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh” are translated into the Greek words “ego eimi ho ohn”. These words translated into English mean “I am the Being”. In the Greek New Testament the words “prin abraam genesthai ego eimi” or “before Abraham was, I AM” are found in John 8:58.

From the above comparison of the Septuagint and the Greek New Testament it can be seen the words don’t quite match. “I am the Being” versus “I am”. In fact, looking a little closer, the words in John 8:58 don’t form a complete sentence. Those who would connect the words in Exodus 3:14 with the word found in John 8:58 would have Jesus responding to the Jews with an incomplete thought. There’s a predicate missing.

It would seem that however you look at it, there’s too much uncertainty about how the words should be translated in Exodus 3:14 to say they are connected with the “I Am” of John 8:58. There’s strong evidence to indicate the most accurate translation of “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh” is “I will be what I will be”. This would make the connection even more unreasonable.

Something else to consider about whether Jesus was alluding to the divine name in John 8:58. “For him to do so would be inconsistent with all he said in chapter 8. ‘In John 8:16,26,28,29,38,40,42,50,54,55 Jesus repeatedly acknowledges the supremacy of the Father over himself and his own dependence upon the Father, and that the Father sent him, and that he does nothing of himself.” (3)

References:

(1) Ron Able, Wrested Scriptures (Pasadena, CA: Geddes Press), p. 194

(2) Tanakh The Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia & Jerusalem, The Jewish Publication Society, 1985) p. 88

(3) Information in an e-mail message to the author from Brian DeFord <bdeford@nova.org>, Dec. 13, 1997.

"But to us there is but one God"

1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, .... and one Lord Jesus Christ....

God in this passage is the Greek word theos (G2316) and speaks of deity.

The Greek word for lord is kurios (G2962) and is a title of honor and speaks of respect and reverence. It does not speak of deity. A word study on this word will support this.

This passage cannot be used to support the deity of the Messiah but it does show that there is but one God, the Father. If there is but one God, the Father, how then can Jesus be deity?

Christ as a priest cannot be God.

Heb 3:1 therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

The office of a priest is to minister to God. Christ, then, as a priest, cannot be God.

Who I Am Makes A Difference

http://blueribbonmovie.com/

California's Proposition 8

It would seem that the Attorney General for the state of California has decided that Proposition 8 is against the Constitution because it "deprives" gay people the "fundamental right" of marriage.

What fundamental right? Marriage by definition is the "institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife." Anything else is not marriage.

The Doctrine of the Trinity and the Deity of Christ

Having been a Trinitarian for eighteen years, I'm aware of all the arguments for the Trinity and thus the deity of Christ and have examined them all. I find the only way the Trinity can be found in Scripture is if the idea is taken to Scripture. It can't be found from Scripture it self.

Jesus never said that he was God but spoke of the Father who sent him as God and the only God.

John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

If then Jesus said that his Father is the only true God, then Jesus can't be deity and thus the doctrine of the Trinity is false.