11.
JesusWorshipersOrFatherOnly----
12.
Did jesus
Really Say
That the Father is the Only True God?
A
Restoration Light Publication
Jesus said these things, and lifting up
his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that
your Son may also glorify you.... This is eternal life, that they should know
you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” -- John 17:1,3
Unless
otherwise stated, all scriptural quotations are from the World English Bible
translation.
There are those who claim that John 17:1,3 does not really say what we claim, that is, that the
Father is the only true God, and that Jesus excludes himself from being that
only true God. Indeed, some have even stated that we have twisted the
scriptures in order to have it say what we want it to say: that only the Father
is the only true God. Did Jesus really state that only the Father is the true
God, thus excluding himself from being that only true God, but rather the one
sent by that only true God?
ELOHIM
In our examination of this question, we
remind the reader that the basic Hebrew word from which the English word “God”
is translated is EL. Other Hebrew words are built upon this basic word, and are
also often translated as “God”, such as ELOHIM and ELOAH. While technically
ELOHIM is the plural of ELOAH, it appears that word was actually first used as
the plural of EL, and then ELOAH was a form that developed from the use of
ELOHIM. The basic meaning of these words is “strength, power, might”, etc. (See
Proverbs 3:17 and Micah 2:1, where the KJV translates EL as "in the power
of "; see also Strong's Hebrew Dictionary for #410) ELOHIM as used of the
Most High Yahweh, however, is used as what has been called the plural
intensive, that is, it is used as a singular in an intensive, superior or
superlative form.*
==========
*See our document: Elohim - Does This Word Indicate a
Plurality of Persons in a Godhead?
The Hebrew words EL and ELOHIM are not
always used of Yahweh, the only true God. Remembering their basic meaning of
“might, power or strength”, they are legitimately used of any to whom Yahweh
has given special power or might. That the word EL is thus used may be readily
seen by anyone who will carefully note the following texts from the King James
Version, in which English translations of the Hebrew word El are in denoted by
*..*: "It is in the *power* of my hand." (Genesis 31:29) "There
shall be no *might* in thine hand." (Deuteronomy
28:32) "Neither is it in our *power*." (Nehemiah 5:5) "Like the *great* mountains." (Psalm 36:6) "In the *power* of thine hand to do
it." (Proverbs 3:27) "Pray unto *a god* [mighty one] that
cannot save." (Isaiah 45:20) "Who among the sons of
the *mighty*." (Psalm 89:6) "God standeth
in the congregation of the *mighty*." (Psalm 82:1) "Who is like unto
thee, O Lord [Yahweh] among the *Gods* [mighty ones or ruling ones]?"
(Exodus 15:11) "Give unto the Lord [Yahweh] of ye *mighty*." (Psalm
29:1) "The *mighty* God even the Lord [Yahweh]."
-- Psalm 50:1.
Notice the above texts carefully and
critically; all will agree that the context in every case shows the meaning of
the Hebrew word El to be powerful one. How clearly it is stated that Yahweh is
the Supreme "El" and rules over all other ones called "el"
- powerful ones. In the absolute sense, tthere is not other EL – Might --
besides him (Isaiah 44:6; 45:5,21), since he is the
source of all power, all mightiness, and there is no power or might in the
universe that does originate from him. Even the demons have their power or
might from Yahweh, although they do misuse their power. It is this that makes
the “nature” of what is EL, that is, strength, might, power. Thus idols, having
no power of their own, are by nature not gods. -- Galatians 4:8
How about the Hebrew word ELOHIM; is its
usage only legitimately used of the Most High, Yahweh? No. Exodus
It should be noted that Yahweh is the name
applied to the Supreme Being - our Father, and him whom Jesus called Father and
God. -- John 17:1,
What does all of the above have to do with
John 17:1,3? Just this: The Father is the only true
God [Might, Power] from which all might and power is derived. Jesus, being sent
by this only true God, is not the only true God who sent him.
Jesus -- like Moses in Exodus 7:1, the angels in Psalm 8:5, and the sons of God
(Psalm 82:6,7) -- receives his power and authority
from the only true Supreme Being. Psalm 82:6,7 is the
scripture Jesus in his defense in John 10:34,35, and he there uses the Greek
word THEOI – gods -- as a translation of the Hebrew ELOHIM. By this reference,
Jesus shows that the narrow definition that the Jews were giving the expression
“Son of God” does not mean equal to God, any more than the Hebraic usage of
ELOHIM when applied to the “sons of God to whom the Word came” means that these
“sons of God” were equal to God. But as used in the strict, absolute sense of
Supreme Power, the Supreme Being, Jesus states very straightforwardly in John
17:1-3 that his God, his Father, is the only true God, and then excludes
himself as being sent by that only true God.
Our trinitarian
neighbors, as well as some others, have redefined the “nature” of what deity
is, by claiming that it means that such must have all the attributes of the
Almighty, including never having been created, as well as being the Supreme
Being. They do this by a series of misapplications of scripture, and with some
imaginative redefining of the basic meanings of words as given in scripture.
We have been presented with the following
quote from David A. Reed:
Of
course, we do not believe that John 17:3 excludes Jesus from deity, as that
term would be defined by Hebraic usage of the Hebrew words EL and ELOHIM, but
it does exclude him from being the ultimate Power Source -- Supreme Being, the
Most High, the One who sent him -- not from the power as deity {EL, ELOHIM,
THEOS} that is given to Jesus by Yahweh, his Father.
For
certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked
out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into
licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. -- New
American Standard Bible translation
Right
away it should be plan that there is no contrast made in Jude 1:4, as in John
17:1,3. In John 17:1,3, we
are directly told that the Father is the only true God, and that Jesus was sent
by this only true God. In Jude 1:4 there is no contrast being made, nor is
there any need to think that “only” as used Jude 1:4 negates the fact that
Jesus was sent by the only true God as shown in John 17:3. This should be easy
to understand, except for our trinitarian and
possibly our “oneness” neighbors, who insist that Jesus is the only true God
who sent him.
As we
have shown elsewhere, Jesus is the Lord of those who accept him,
having been made the only “lord” over the church made by Yahweh,
his Father, “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,” the only true Ultimate Power.
The expression “only Master and Lord” used in Jude 1:4 as the one appointed
over the church does not mean that there is not another who is Supreme Lord and
Master over all. Let us liken this to a certain division or department in a large
company. For instance, a worker in a cabinet factory may refer to only one boss
over the door finishing line. This does not mean that the boss over the door
finishing line does not have another boss who is over him. -- Acts
If
Jesus had to be made 'lord' (Acts 2:36), then this indicates that at one time
Jesus was not the 'lord', or 'master', which he became, even as he became also
“Christ” by the anointing of the one who is God over him. (Psalm 2:2; 45:7 [See
also Hebrews 1:9]; Isaiah 61:1; Acts
Nor does Jesus as the only Lord and Master of the church negate
the fact that individuals of the church may work as servants of an employer,
who, in effect would be a “lord” and “master” over them as long as they are
employed as such. Likewise, in the first century, some of
the Christians were actually slaves that were owned by a master or lord.
Neither Paul nor Peter exhorted slaves to be free from their master or lord so
as to have only one “Lord”. (Ephesians 6:5,9;
Colossians 3:22; 4:1; Ephesians 6:1; Titus 2:9; 1 Peter 2:8) Thus we can see
that Jesus as the “the only Lord” over the church is a specific office, an
office given to Jesus by the only true God, his God, his Father, and yet there
are still “many lords” that are properly so in other areas of life, while
Yahweh is still Lord over all. -- Psalm 97:9; 135:5; John
Our Response to Various Objections
Below
we present quotes from various ones (or from various websites) who have
presented objections to using John 17:3 to show that Jesus is not Yahweh and
our response to these objections. The quotes are preceded with a bullet.
The
distinction between John 17:3 and 2 Corinthians 11:31 should be apparent to
all. The latter does not state that the Father is sent by the only true God, as
we read of Jesus in John 17:3. Evidently the writer is emphasizing the Greek
word “kai” meaning “and” and claiming that in John
17:3, the word “kai” is used as meaning inclusion,
which it is, for both the only true God and the one sent by the only true God
is included as objects of knowledge. We knowledge of both.
Nevertheless,
our argument is not based simply on the usage of the word “kai”
in John 17:3, but on the fact that Jesus is sent by the only true God, and is
thus distinguishable from the only true God who sent him. While “kai” means in addition to what has just been spoken of, in
the case of John 17:3, there are two who are being spoken of that one needs to
know in order to live eternally. One needs to know the only true God, and one
needs to know the one sent by that only true God. Jesus is only way by which we
can be brought to God. (John 14:6; Acts 14:12; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Peter 3:18; 1
John 2:23; 2 John 1:9) Thus there are two who are included that we need to know
in order to live eternally, the one being the only true God and the other being
the one sent by the only true God.
However,
the verse is discussing more than just denying polytheism. Jesus says that
Father is ONLY true God [Supreme Being], and he [Jesus] was sent by the ONLY
true Supreme Being. And the Father is identified in the
scriptures as Yahweh. -- Psalm 110:1; Matthew 22:43-45; 26:64; Mark
John 17:2 is referred
to by a trinitarian,
which states: “even as you gave him authority over all flesh, that to all whom
you have given him, he will give eternal life.” According to the writer, this
is supposed to prove that either Jesus is supposed would be a rival god or else
that Jesus is the God who gave the authority to himself. In actuality this only
proves that the only true God has given the authority to Jesus, whom he sent,
nothing more, nothing less. Of course, the only true God was not authorizing
Jesus to be a rival Supreme Being in the universe, nor do we know of anyone who
teaches such. There is only one Supreme Power, and that is Yahweh, the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus.
As
best as we can determine, the author is stating something to effect that since
God the Father and Jesus are mentioned together in John 17:1,3,
this should be accepted as proof of the trinitarian
idea of Godhead. Of course, there was and is a close relationship between the
Father and his Son; this does not mean that they are the same being. As far as
implying the godship of Jesus, John 17 certainly does
imply such, for such power is given to Jesus by the only true source of all
power. And it is pure assumption that the knowledge of the Father and the Son
as the creation of the Father could not mean eternal life.
Jesus
said more than just that the Father is God; Jesus plainly states that he was
sent by his Father, the only true God, the only true Power.
Yahweh, the God and Father is the only true Power
because there is no power apart from him. Even the demons receive their power
from Yahweh, although they misuse the power that they have. After stating that
the Father is the only true God, Jesus then states that he was sent by this
only true God, thus he is not this only true God who sent him.
Who is
the only true God? Of course, the scriptures identify the true God as Yahweh,
the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and the prophets. (Jeremiah 10:10;
42:5) Jesus identified the God he prayed to as the same God as that of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. (Luke 20:37; John 8:54; 17:1,3) Who
sent the prophets? None other than Yahweh, the Father of
Jesus. (Judges 6:8; 1 Samuel 3:20; 1 Kings 16:12; 2 Kings 14:25; 17:3; 2
Chronicles 25:15; Jeremiah 28:12; 37:2,6; 46:1; Ezekiel 14:4; Hosea 12:13;
Haggai 1:3,12; 2:1,10; Zechariah 1:1; Acts 3:8) It is this same Yahweh -- the
only true God, the God and Father of Jesus – who also sent Jesus, and who is
therefore the God and Father of Jesus. -- Matthew 23:39; Mark 11:9,10; Luke
13:35; John 3:2,17; 5:19,43; 6:57; 7:16,28; 8:26,28,38; 10:25; 12:49,50; 14:10;
15:15; 17:8,26; Hebrews 1:1,2; Revelation 1:1.
See also our documents
on Titus 2:13 and John 20:28
It is
not simply our argument that since the Father sent Jesus, that Jesus can't be
God, but rather that since “the only true God” sent Jesus, Jesus is not the
only true God who sent him. It is the plain statement that the “only true God”
sent Jesus, and thus Jesus is not the only true God who sent him. Nor do we believe
that the holy spirit is God Almighty himself, but
rather that it is the personal power of God that he sends to accomplish his
purposes. It is our further belief that the Bible is completely harmonious
without adding the imaginative story of three persons in one God.
But
the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will
teach you all things, and bring to your memory all that I
said to you. -- John 14:26
As
for John
John
http://www.agsconsulting.com/volumes/htdb0129.htm
http://www.agsconsulting.com/htdbv5/htdb0130.htm
http://www.agsconsulting.com/htdbv5/htdb0132.htm
http://www.agsconsulting.com/htdbv5/htdb0131.htm
(Please note the the author of the above
documents did not realize or understand that most proponents of the trinity do
not teach three gods in one god, or three persons in one person. This does not
negate the rest of his arguments, however. However, we do not necessarily agree
with all conclusions of the above author.)
The Greek word that is
translated “and” in John 17:3 is KAI. It means: and, also, even, indeed, but “and, also, even, indeed,
but”. Some have argued that its usage as “even” means “equal to”, and that John
17:3 should be translated something like: “And this is life eternal, that they
might know thee the only true God, even [Greek, kai]
Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” This kind of translation would in effect
have Jesus as the only true God sending himself, which is nonsense. The Greek
text however identifies kai directly
with the one sent, with addition of identifying the one sent as Jesus. To see
this, we present Jay Green's Interlinear: “And is everlasting life, that they
may know You the only true God, and [Greek kai whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”
Some try to apply Granville Sharp's first
for the usage of kai to this verse in order to
make it appear that the only true God is the one sent by the only true God,
which, of course, is also nonsense. Sharp's first rule is that when there is a article-noun-kai-noun
construction, then one person is being referred to. Sharp's purpose is doing a
study in order to formulate this rule was for the very purpose of trying to
prove the trinity by such a rule. However, to do so he had to come up with a
list of exceptions to the rule: a) neither noun is
impersonal; b) neither noun is plural; c) neither noun is a proper noun.
The argument is that there is a definite article before “only true God” but
none before the pronoun hon (whom),
thus supposedly according to Sharp's rules one person is being spoken of. Sharp
never discussed pronouns in association with his rule, nor did he ever try to
apply his rule to John 17:1,3. If such a rule would be
applied applied to John 17:1,3,
then this would mean that Jesus is one person with the Father whom he describes
as the only true God, the supposed official trinity dogma denies. However, the
context itself plainly is showing that the one sent is not the one who did the
sending. There is no reason to believe that Jesus in his prayer was trying to
say that he was the only true God who sent him.
To someone who does not believe in the trinitarian doctrine, the above simply appears to be
double-talk jargon. It assumes the trinity to be true, and thus filters John
17:3 to agree with the doctrine. It would be correct to Father alone is the
only true God, for that is in fact what Jesus was saying, for he disassociates
himself from the only true God by stating that he was sent by the only true
God.
Nevertheless, as we have stated many
times, our effort is not to disprove the deity of Jesus, but rather to show
that the deity of Jesus does not mean that Jesus is Yahweh or that Jesus is
equal to the Almighty Yahweh.
This assumes the trinitarian
doctrine of two “natures” -- two different planes of being -- at the same time,
and then seeks to thwart what Jesus plainly says by reading this doctrine into
the verse. There is no reason to add the story that Jesus existed in two planes
of being at once.
See our documents:
John 3:13 and Jesus' Supposed Omnipresence
Divine Nature in 2 Peter 1:4
As already stated, our argument is not
based on the word “and”, which is used in John 17:3 as the common word “and”,
denoting a copulative in that the word “know” includes knowing both the one
true God and his Son. The contrast comes from the fact that the
Son is sent by the first personage being spoken of, that is, “the only true
God.”
While many have attempted to show that
Jesus has some alleged incommunicable attributes of Almighty God, in reality
all we have seen is many scriptures presented where such a thought is “read
into” the scriptures. As shown earlier, the “nature” of godship
is mightiness. Only Yahweh, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus has this
nature in the Supreme sense in that only he is the source of all might. There
is no source of power or might that is not derived from him.
See the resource page:
Does Jesus Have The Supposed Incommunicable
Attributes of God?
While some claim that we are twisting John
17:3, it is actually the trinitarians that have to
twist John 17:3, to make it appear that Jesus is Yahweh who sent him, for
Jesus, by stating that he was sent by the only true God, plainly disassociates
himself from being the only true God who sent him.
Last update of this document:
Do the Nazarene Saints
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