IS JESUS CHRIST GOD
The exalted position of Jesus Christ is unarguable. God has given him all power and authority. God has made him our Lord. God has reconciled the world to himself through this man, Jesus Christ. God has given him a name above every other name. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ isn’t ‘God the son.’ Such is not scriptural. He isn’t co-equal with God, neither is he God.
1 Corinthians 15:27-28
For he [God] hath put all things under his [Jesus] feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him (Jesus), it is manifest that he [God] is excepted, which did put all things under him [Jesus].
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him [God] that put all things under him [Jesus], that God may be all in all.
The pretext (verse 26) reveals that the last enemy to be defeated will be death. 27-28 further explains that afterwards, Jesus will submit everything to God; a work perfectly done. Jesus is answerable to God who gave him all power and authority. God is superior to him (Jesus). If you ever feel the urge to disagree, read again (1 Corinthians 15:27-28).
Read whatever translation you can find. Check Greek words and meanings. 1 Corinthians 15:28 doesn’t have any other meaning, except this. It says clearly that Jesus will be under God. The same verse calls Jesus ‘the Son.’ How then can we say Jesus is God or Jesus is co-equal with God, when scriptures like these exist?
As one who once believed in God being 3 in 1 (the trinity), scriptures like these gave me reasons to think. They were hardly read or emphasized by my then ‘fellow trinitarians.’ Infact, I believe i saw this scripture and many others for the very first time in my life the very day I heard a teaching debunking the trinity dogma.
Trinitarians are in the habit of often quoting the very few scriptures misinterpreted to imply that Jesus is God. Isaiah 9:6 is just another.
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
This scripture is Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the one who would be the saviour of the world. Jesus being described as ‘mighty God’ and ‘everlasting father’ are the two expressions in this scripture held by some teachers to propagate the trinity dogma.
The writers of the Bible were never aware of any trinity. It never crossed their minds that Jesus was God or God the son or God in flesh. However, some translators translated with the ‘trinity bias.’ The Hebrew word from which ‘God’ in Isaiah 9:6 was translated makes this clear.
The word ‘God’ in this scripture is the Hebrew word ‘el,’ meaning one who is mighty in strength, one who is divine or very powerful, or generally, a deity/God/god. In Ezekiel 31:11, this word ‘el’ (mighty one) is used, referring to the Babylonian king.
If you believe that ‘el’ is only translated as ‘God,’ then you must also believe that the Babylonian king mentioned in Ezekiel is God also (recall all we said on previous parts about the word ‘Elohim’ and ‘theos’). If you read our previous part, this should be clear enough even without much exegesis. By describing Jesus as ‘mighty el,’ Isaiah was only describing Jesus as a mighty one in strength.
Most English translators translated it wrongly as ‘mighty God.’ Translators like Martin Luther and James Moffatt translated the phrase as “divine hero” in their Bibles. This would be the case if context is placed first in interpretation/translation. Even teachers of the trinity dogma will agree with this. Context is king in interpreting Hebrew/Greek words into English. The verse talks about this coming saviour being a child; a son. It also described him as a Prince; the Prince of peace. God is never called a Prince or child or Son in the Bible. Thus, Isaiah 9:6 describes a mighty king, not God who took on flesh.
‘Everlasting father’ is the second title. Those who teach that God is 3 in 1 will also agree with me that Jesus is not the father. Trinitarians call Jesus ‘God the Son’ (which is also an unscriptural expression). Jesus himself says we have only one father. Not two or two in one. “And don’t call anyone on earth ‘Father,’ because you have only one Father, the one in heaven.” – Matt. 23:19. What then is Isaiah saying by describing Jesus as the everlasting father?
Properly rendered, the KJV version’s ‘everlasting father’ reads ‘father of eternity’ or ‘father of the world/age to come.’ The DRC version renders it this way and the ASV version has a translator’s note that does the same. Jesus is described as the father of the age to come.
The Jews had a custom of describing whoever pioneers something or plays a major part in it as ‘father.’ Jabal serves as an ensample. He was the first in the Bible to live in a tent and to raise livestocks. The Bible therefore calls him the father of those who live in tents and raise livestocks (Gen. 4:20). Jubal on the other hand was the inventor of musical instruments. In Gen. 4:21, he’s described as the father of those who play the harp and the flute.
So, when Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus the father of eternity, it isn’t saying Jesus is the father (Yahweh the creator, source, originator of life). It is saying Jesus is the pioneer of our salvation. That is, through him, mortals can partake in eternal life/immortality. He is the head of the church; the firstborn over every creation. He sacrificed his life, a righteous man for the unrighteous, that through him humanity can enjoy eternity with God in paradise. This is why Isaiah describes him as the Father (pioneer) of eternity. Hebrews 12:2 says the same by calling Jesus the author of our faith. He began it.
Hebrews 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author (the Greek word ‘archegos,’ meaning leader, pioneer, captain, example) and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
So, ‘everlasting father’ (father of eternity or father of the age to come) describes Jesus as our leader and captain. He has led us to salvation and eternity in God’s paradise. He’s the author/pioneer of humanity’s right to share in eternity/immortality. Isaiah wasn’t by any means describing Jesus to be a co-creator with God or as Yahweh the creator himself.
This is all for today. Your patience in following up this series is deeply appreciated.
Light shines.
© SonsHub Media | Written By Fredrick Agaga
Subscribe to Out Latest Post Notifications with the Bell button floating on your screen to Get Updated on this article.
Agaga Fredrick Abangji is a writer, reporter, content writer, believer in Jesus Christ, and a creator of religious literature. A student of Bingham university – Nasarawa state, studying mass communication.
