U-3. 1 Timothy 3:16 God MANIFEST in the Flesh! DOWNLOAD to SAVE study as a PDF Doc to read OFFLINE.
U-3. 1 Timothy 3:16 God MANIFEST in the Flesh!
What does 1 Timothy 3:16 TRULY mean in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God?
What is the SOUND Biblical CORRECT meaning of the statement: “God was MANIFEST in the FLESH?” when it is correctly interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God? The short and straight-to-the-point SUMMARIZED answer is that Almighty God Yahweh PROPHESIED in the Old Testament that His ARM will RULE FOR Him in the world to come. So the word “GOD” in 1 Timothy 3:16 is NOT referring to the eternal one true God in the eternity past. But rather, the word “God” in 1 Timothy 3:16 is the God of the whole earth that Yahweh PROPHESIED to be BORN the King of Israel to rule FOR the ONLY TRUE God, Yahweh the Father, in the world to come. In other words, 1 Timothy should have been translated as “A God was MANIFEST in the FLESH”. Let us read the whole verse first and I will explain why I have come to this conclusion.
1 Timothy 3:16.
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
I have taken a close look at this verse many times while keeping in my mind all of the other verses of Scripture in the Bible. For example, I know in my spirit or my heart, and by the word of God, that Yahweh is not a man, and neither is Yahweh, Almighty God the Father, the son of man, according to Numbers 23:19. So, therefore, to me, this verse in 1 Timothy 3:16 cannot possibly mean that Almighty God manifested Himself to became the Son of MAN, Jesus. Now we know from the PROPHECIES in the Scriptures that the CHILD prophesied to be born of a virgin would be the Son given to die on the cross to become God’s Messiah. And we also know from the SAME prophecy that at the RETURN of the Messiah he SHALL be called by the NAME the mighty God in the world to come. And we know that the God OF Jesus called His Son God in Hebrews 1:8,9 after the cross and resurrection. So to ME, Yahweh the Father made, created, begot, or brought into existence “A” God who will rule FOR Him for 1000 years in the world to come. This is the only interpretation that makes complete sense and also agrees with the whole context of 1 Timothy 3:16 and the WHOLE word of Almighty God. Let us read the verse again with the article “A” before the word “God” and see if the conclusion that I have drawn makes sense to you.
1 Timothy 3:16.
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: ‘A’ God was manifest (Or declared) in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, (Now, simply ask yourself the following questions. #1. Why would Almighty God Himself need to be JUSTIFIED in or by the Spirit?) seen of angels, (#2. Why would Yahweh the Father need to be SEEN by the angels?) preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
#3. And why would Yahweh the Father need to be RECEIVED up INTO glory? None of these things make any sense when the Greek word “theos” which is translated as “God” with a capital “G” is forced to mean the ONE TRUE and only Almighty God Himself. But when the Greek word “theos” is translated as “A” God who is under and subject to his God, then the whole verse makes perfect sense, and it also agrees perfectly with the rest of God’s word. For you see, it is the mystery of GODLINESS that is the SUBJECT of the whole verse. And what does Almighty God REQUIRE to be made GODLY in His eyes? In other words, what must we do to be saved and receive ETERNAL LIFE in the world to come? Jesus himself clearly teaches us in John 17:1-3 that eternal life is believing that the Father is the ONLY TRUE God and that the Son was SENT or COMMISSIONED by his God and Father. But what some Christians have failed to see is that Almighty God the Father needed a MAN to be found WORTHY or justified in the eyes of Yahweh in order to judge the world and the fallen angels by the MAN, Jesus Christ, according to Acts 17:31. So to me, the now JUSTIFIED Son of man, Jesus, to be SEEN of ANGELS is to prove to the fallen angels that even an inferior human who was created or made a little lower than the angels can live without sin. Remember that Jesus and all humans are made a little LOWER than the angels, according to Hebrews 2:7-11, which is quoting a PROPHECY in Psalm 8:4-6. But yet, we who overcome Satan shall JUDGE the angels. Know you not that WE shall JUDGE angels? See 1 Corinthians 6:3. And Jesus was SEEN by the angels as being crucified as an innocent MAN and NOT as an innocent God. And because of the Son of man's obedience to die on the cross as a just man, not worthy of death, Almighty God the Father highly exalted him and RECEIVED him up into GLORY. I also believe that the Greek word “theos” in the phrase “and the Word was God” should also have been translated as “and the word was 'A' God”. For you see, the PROPHECY DECLARES or clearly SHOWS us that the Son who would be born of a virgin SHALL be CALLED a mighty God WHEN the GOVERNMENT is laid on his shoulders, which we know will be in the world to come. And the word “manifest” means to declare or to clearly show, and made to appear. So to me, a God under his God and Father was prophesied. And the prophecy was FULFILLED by God in Jesus when Almighty God Himself PREFORMED His OWN spoken word of PROPHECY to highly exalt His human Son, Jesus, to be made Lord. In other words, it was the human Son of God that God made to become the Lord of the Sabbath to rule for Yahweh the Father during His 1000 year long Sabbath rest. So again, “A” God was manifested in the flesh. In other words, a human being was made to become a God and he is now sitting on the throne of his God and Father at the right hand of Yahweh. Can you not see that is was the one true God who MADE Jesus be both Lord and Christ AFTER the cross, according to Acts 2:36? And that is the SHORT explanation of what 1 Timothy 3:16 truly means in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of God. Below are some alternative interpretations such as Jesus manifestly DECLARED the Father to be the ONLY TRUE God. For you see, the Greek word translated as “manifest” also means render apparent, to manifestly DECLARE, and to SHOW. And Jesus came to show us the FATHER as the ONLY TRUE God, according to John 17:1-3. So simply ask yourself the question, “WHY would an already pure, holy, and PERFECT God need to be JUSTIFIED in the Spirit?” Keep in mind that this verse in 1 Timothy 3:16 does NOT say that God manifested Himself in the flesh. So again, the word “MANIFEST” simply means to manifestly DECLARE, to SHOW PLAINLY. Let us read the definition of the Greek word translated as “MANIFEST” from E-Sword first, and then we will read 1 Timothy 3:16 again.
G5319 phaneroō fan-er-o'-o From G5318; to render apparent (literally or figuratively): - appear, manifestly DECLARE, (make) manifest (forth), SHOW (self). Total KJV occurrences: 49.
Now let us read the definition of the English word “manifest”. The word manifest in English means to display or to show the quality or feeling by one's acts or appearance. It means to demonstrate, display, show, declare, and EXPRESS. And Jesus came to SHOW us the FATHER to be the ONLY TRUE God by way of the acts or WORKS that the Son of MAN displayed through the POWER of the eternal Spirit DWELLING in him. Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:15 clearly teach us that Jesus became the EXPRESS IMAGE OF the invisible God after the cross and resurrection. But nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus is the one true and only ALMIGHTY God Himself. For you see, the ONE true and only Almighty God is the God OF Jesus. Now some Christians will argue tooth and nail that Revelation 1:8 is Jesus himself saying that he is the Almighty because the words are in RED letters. So they argue that every Christians knows that the red letters mean that it is Jesus HIMSELF speaking those words. And to that argument I say, simply ask yourself the question, “Is it not possible for the translators to make a mistake or to be bias in their translating the Bible? Yes, it is! For you see, if you read the whole context you will find that there are TWO separate distinctly different voices speaking to John. And for all the Scriptures that prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus is NOT Almighty God Himself, please read the study “IS JESUS ALMIGHTY GOD?” But for now, let us continue to learn the TRUE meaning of the phrase “God MANIFEST in the FLESH”.
Please read Ephesians 1:17.
“That the God OF our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father OF glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:”
Now, let us read 1 Timothy 3:16, which Orthodox Christianity INTERPRETS as God the SON coming down from heaven who INCARNATED himself to become FLESH. And to be fair, the Oneness Christians INTERPRET 1 Timothy 3:16 to mean that Almighty God the Father HIMSELF came down from heaven and MANIFESTED HIMSELF to become FLESH. But again, the pronoun “himself” is NOT in the KJV or in the original Greek text. In other words, 1 Timothy 3:16 does NOT say that God HIMSELF was manifest in the flesh!
1 Timothy 3:16.
“And without controversy great is the mystery of GODLINESS: God was manifest in the flesh, JUSTIFIED in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, RECEIVED UP into GLORY.”
The CONTROVERSY in the first century church was over HOW a person is godly or righteous in the eyes of God. The Apostles of Jesus clearly teach us that Jesus is the END of the LAW for RIGHTEOUSNESS. And the PURPOSE of Jesus is to DESTROY the works of the Devil, according to 1 John 3:8. Let us go ahead and read that verse of Scripture.
1 John 3:8. “He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this PURPOSE the Son of God was MANIFESTED, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
And according to Acts 17:29-31, the ONE Godhead in ONE person will JUDGE the world by the MAN who He ORDAINED and raised for the DEAD. So then, the Son fo God was not MANIFESTED as the JUDGE to destroy the Devil until AFTER the cross and resurrection from the DEAD. For you see, according to Matthew 28:18, John 5:26,27, and Romans 1:3,4, that is WHEN the huan Son of God was GIVEN all power and authority, and all judgment was COMMITTED unto the Son. And thus, the human Son of God did not actually become Lord and Christ until AFTER the cross and resurrection from the DEAD. That is WHEN Jesus became our RIGHTEOUSNESS. So then, the word “GODLINESS” is the main SUBJECT of this verse of Scripture in 1 Timothy 3:16. And the phrase after the colon is teaching us how the Son of MAN, Jesus, walked in GODLINESS as an example for us to follow so that we are made capable THROUGH the Holy Spirit to ALSO walk in the way of GODLINESS by our FAITH in Jesus. I can already see that some of you are doubting what I am teaching you is the truth of the whole word of God, because Jesus is called “God” in 1 Timothy 3:16. And since the Old Testament clearly teaches us that there is only ONE God, then HOW can Jesus be called God if Jesus is NOT the ONE TRUE and ONLY Almighty God Himself? So let us read the CONTEXT to prove to you that the MAIN SUBJECT is GODLINESS and how we should BEHAVE. And simply ask yourself the question “How can we who are only human follow the example of Almighty God Himself who did no sin if this verse is INTERPRETED that God HIMSELF was literally made Himself to become a human being but yet remained the fully Almighty God during the days of His flesh having TWO natures at the SAME time, one divine, and one human?” Can a mere human be as godly as Almighty God Himself? No! But an ANOINTED human with the Holy Spirit and POWER can overcome the temptation to sin. And thus, we can indeed following the steps of the ANOINTED HUMAN Son of MAN, Jesus who offered himself to his God and Father WITHOUT spot of sin THROUGH the power of the eternal Spirit DWELLING in him, according to Hebrews 9:14.
Please read 1 Timothy 3:14-16.
“These things write I unto you, hoping to come unto you shortly: 15. But if I tarry long, that you may know HOW you OUGHT to BEHAVE yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16. And without controversy (Or this should go without saying that) great is the MYSTERY of GODLINESS: God was manifest in the flesh, JUSTIFIED in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, RECEIVED UP into GLORY.”
So then, what is the MYSTERY of GODLINESS? And NOT what is some mysterious mystery of how God manifested Himself to become a human being but yet remain the fully Almighty God having TWO natures at the SAME time, one nature that is divine, and one nature that is human DURING the DAYS of his FLESH. NO! The true mystery is GODLINESS, as in, how grace teaches us to be GODLY. Can you be godly without Jesus? You see, the true meaning of the word “mystery” means secret. In other words, what is the SECRET as to HOW we can be GODLY without the works of the Law of Moses, which was the CONTROVERSY in the first century church? But the mystery is no longer a mystery. In other words, the secret of how to walk in GODLINESS is no longer a secret. Jesus has already SHOWN us how to be godly by his OWN death AND life. I can still see that some of you are confused as to why the secret to godliness is “God” was manifest in the flesh. Bear with me to the end of this study and you will see the TRUE SOUND Biblical meaning of the phrase “God manifest in the flesh”. First of all, Numbers 23:18 clearly teaches us that the one true God Yahweh is NOT a MAN and neither is God the Son of MAN. In other words, the ETERNAL God, who has NO BEGINNING, is NOT a MAN and neither is He the Son of MAN. God Himself is a SPIRIT and Jesus is NOT a spirit, according to Luke 24:39, for a spirit does NOT have FLESH and bones.
Pleases read Numbers 23:18.
“God is NOT a MAN, that He should lie; NEITHER (Is the ETERNAL Almighty God who has always existed WITHOUT ever having a BEGINNING) the son of MAN, that he should repent: has He said, and shall He not do it? or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
So then, clearly seeing from the Scriptures that the eternal Almighty ONLY TRUE God is NOT a MAN and neither is He the Son of MAN, then 1 Timothy 3:16 could not possibly mean that God manifested Himself to become a MAN and remain the fully Almighty God having TWO natures, one divine, and one human. For you see, THAT INTERPRETATION of 1 Timothy 3:16 would make God be a MAN. And that INTERPRETATION of God becoming a MAN contradicts Numbers 23:19, which clearly states that God is NOT a MAN and NEITHER is God the Son of MAN. And Hosea 11:9 ALSO clearly states that God is NOT THAT MAN, which is CLEARLY a PROPHECY of Jesus as being THAT man, the Holy One of Israel.
Please read Hosea 11:9 for yourself.
Hosea 11:9.
“I (Yahweh) will NOT execute the fierceness of My anger, I will NOT return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and NOT MAN; the Holy One in the midst of you: and I will NOT enter into the city.”
Now the Hebrew word that is translated as “MAN” in Hosea 11:9 is speaking of the SPECIFIC MAN, the Holy One of Israel that God appointed to execute the fierceness of Yahweh’s WRATH. In other words, Yahweh Himself will NOT enter into the city of Jerusalem to execute His wrath, But rather, Yahweh will send His King whom He Himself has set or appointed to be His King over Israel in the world to come. Now, Jesus called himself the Son of MAN nearly as twice as much as others referred to him as the Son of God. For all the verses that clearly show that Jesus was fully HUMAN without ANY divine nature during the days of his FLESH, please see the study “JESUS THE SON OF MAN!”. So then, what is the sound BIBLICAL meaning of 1 Timothy 3:16 that says “God was MANIFEST in the FLESH” that does NOT contradict ANY other verse of Scripture in the entire word of Almighty God? Well to me, there are TWO possible interpretations that do NOT contradict any other verse of Scripture in the Bible. I will start with the first interpretation that I concluded many years ago. But since that time God has given me more understanding of the Scriptures as to the very purpose of WHY God even created human beings, to begin with. Now while I still believe that interpretation #1 does NOT contradict any other verse in the entire Bible, I am leaning toward interpretation #2 as being the INTENDED FULL meaning of WHY Jesus came into being as God’s Messiah to atone for the sins of the people. So to me, BOTH interpretations number ONE and number TWO work together in UNITY to teach us the BIG picture of why we were created, why we need to be saved, and why we will JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels. You will see what I mean by BOTH interpretations being correct SOUND Biblical interpretation that AGREES with every verse of Scripture in the Bible after you read the entire study.
Here is interpretation #1.
The phrase “God MANIFEST in the FLESH” that we read in 1 Timothy 3:16 is NOT teaching us that Almighty God became or turned Himself into a man. But rather, the word “manifest? means that God was clearly REVEALED to us by the Son of MAN, Jesus the Christ. First of all, we can clearly see that Jesus is the FULFILLMENT of the spoken word of PROPHECY of God coming out from the mouth of God to become flesh. In other words, it was Yahweh Himself who PERFORMED His OWN spoke word of PROPHECY to bring it to pass. And thus, Jesus is the WORKMANSHIP of Yahweh the Creator. And Jesus came into being to SHOW us the FATHER who is the God OF His Son Jesus. So let us begin interpretation #1 by again reading the DEFINITION of the word “MANIFEST” from the American Heritage Dictionary.
As an adjective of the word manifest means: Clearly apparent to the sight or understanding; obvious. See Synonyms at apparent. As a verb the word manifest means: 1. To show or demonstrate plainly; reveal: “[Her] soft appearance belied her ... steadfastness. She manifested no fear and allowed none in her voice” (Philip Roth). 2. a. To record in a ship's manifest. b. To display or present a manifest of (cargo). v.intr. To become manifest; be revealed: Depression can manifest as irritability. n. 1. A list of cargo or passengers carried on a ship or plane. 2. An invoice for goods carried on a truck or train. 3. A list of railroad cars according to owner and location.
And the Bible clearly teaches us that Jesus came to SHOW us the Father. Most Christians know and understand that Jesus is NOT the Father. Hebrews 1:3 teaches us that Jesus became the express IMAGE OF the Father after the cross. Let us go ahead and read Hebrews 1:3 being left in its CONTEXT. I will highlight in orange all the words referring to Almighty God Yahweh the Father. And I will highlight in yellow all the words speaking of Jesus, the SON OF God.
Hebrews 1:1-5.
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (And NOW, God) 2. Has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He has appointed HEIR of ALL things, by whom ALSO He made the worlds; (Here in verses 1 and 2, we can CLEARY see that during the Old Testament times God did NOT speak to us through His SON. And, therefore, NONE of the Scriptures in the Old Testament should ever be “INTERPRETED” to mean that Jesus pre-existed and came down to SPEAK to Abraham or anyone else. For you see, it was ONLY in the LAST days that began the New Testament times that God spoke through His SON. Also, we can clearly see that it is Almighty God the FATHER who is the CREATOR of the WORLDS. For you see, the Greek word “DIA” that is TRANSLATED as by whom can also be translated as FOR whom ALSO Yahweh alone and by Himself created the WORLDS) 3. Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding ALL things by the word of His power, when he had by (Or more precisely THROUGH) himself purged our sins, (THROUGH the POWER of the Holy Spirit dwelling in Jesus, the ANOINTED Son of MAN purged our sins through his act of obedience to do all the WILL of his God and Father to offer up himself on the cross as God’s spotless INNOCENT sacrifice of a MAN slain before the foundation of the world in the MIND of Yahweh as God's PLAN of salvation. And then, God HIGHLY exalted the Son of MAN to be RECEIVED UP into GLORY and he) sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. Being MADE so much better than the angels, as he has by INHERITANCE obtained a more excellent NAME than they. (Remember the WHOLE word of God that also teaches us that Jesus was made a little LOWER than the angels at FIRST. And THEN, AFTER the CROSS, the Son of MAN was made to become WAY better than the angels by his INHERITING a more excellent NAME than the angels) 5. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, (Or to which of the angels did God PROPHESY in Psalm chapter 2, calling things into existence as though they already are) You are my Son, THIS DAY have I begotten you? (The answer is NONE of the angels did God put in subjection the world to come) And again, (In another PROPHECY in 1 Chronicles 17:13, God PROPHESIED saying) I WILL be to him a Father, and he SHALL be to me a Son?”
Now a PROPHECY is foretelling of a FUTURE event that God SHALL bring to pass. So simply ask yourself the question, “WHY would God PROPHESY about having a FUTURE Son if His Son already existed in the eternity past. The words “I WILL be to him a Father” and “he SHALL be to Me a Son” are cleary FUTURE events that God FULFILLED in Jesus. And Hebrews 2:9 clearly teaches us that Jesus was first made LOWER than the angels, and THEN, after the cross, Jesus was CROWNED with GLORY.
Hebrews 2:9.
“But we (Speaking of the Apostles of Jesus who were eyewitnesses) SEE Jesus, (As in, we saw his GLORY after God raised him from the dead. And this is our understanding of Jesus) who was MADE a little LOWER than the angels for the suffering of death, CROWNED with GLORY and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
Some Christians may not know that the GRACE of God can also mean the POWER of God THROUGH the ANOINTING of God to do things that ordinary men cannot do. But WITH the grace of God, nothing is impossible. In other words, Jesus did not die on the cross without God's HELP to EMPOWER the Son of MAN with God's ANOINTING of His Holy Spirit and POWER.
Please read Acts 10:38-40.
“How God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth WITH the Holy Ghost and WITH POWER: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was WITH him. 39. And we are WITNESSES of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40. Him God raised up the third day, and SHOWED him openly;”
Not only did the Father SHOW Jesus openly to the Apostles and disciples of Jesus, but God also DISPLAYED His RIGHTEOUS MAN to the FALLEN angels, which I will explain why Jesus needed to be seen of angels further on in the study, Also, Jesus REVEALED to us WHO the one true and only Almighty God is through the WORKS Jesus did by the power of the Holy Spirit DWELLING in him. In other words, Jesus DEMONSTRATED or manifested the true nature of his God and Father. And by nature I mean the character OF the ONLY TRUE God's person whom he clearly identified as being the Father in John 17:3. Jesus came to SHOW or manifest God's CHARACTER or person in the flesh. Jesus came to manifest a clear UNDERSTANDING of WHO the invisible God is by obeying the WILL of his God and Father. Jesus became the express IMAGE OF the “person” OF the ONE true God and only ALMIGHTY God, but Jesus is NOT the ONE true God Himself, who alone is the Father. For you see the IMAGE OF the Father is NOT the FATHER Himself.
Please read John 17:3.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know YOU the ONLY TRUE God, AND Jesus Christ, whom YOU have SENT.”
In other words, to me, Jesus is saying that the only way we can have eternal life is to believe in BOTH the Father AND His Son. In this prayer to his Father, Jesus is praying that we know or understand that the FATHER ALONE is the ONLY TRUE God AND that we also know that Jesus was sent or commissioned by the one true God. The word translated as “sent” here means COMMISSION. And the word commission means to give power and authority to someone to accomplish the task they are given to do. Now, to me, the Bible is clearly speaking of TWO separate distinctly different individual beings who are the Father AND His Son Jesus. The Father is the one who did the sending or commissioning and the Son of MAN, Jesus, is the one who was empowered by the eternal Spirit DWELLING in him to accomplish the task that his God and Father asked him to accomplish. Jesus could have said no to dying on the cross. For you see, Yahweh gave Jesus the free will to make his own choice. Jesus said in Matthew 26:56 that he could call on God and he would send more than twelve legions of angels. But Jesus OVERCAME that temptation in the garden saying, “Not my will but Your will, Father, be done.” The Bible teaches us that Jesus did all that he did THROUGH the ETERNAL Spirit dwelling in him.
Please read Hebrews 9:14.
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who THROUGH the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Now, to me, Almighty God offering Himself to Almighty God Himself makes no sense. But that is how Trinitarian Christians and Oneness Christians INTERPRET the phrase “God manifest in the FLESH” to mean in 1 Timothy 3:16. In other words, if a Christians concludes that 1 Timothy can ONLY mean that Jesus is Almighty God Himself in the FLESH, then they must be CONSISTENT in their interpreting of Scripture and interpret that Hebrews 9:14 means that Almighty God Himself offered Himself up to Almighty God Himself through the power of Himself. Also, if so be that Jesus was FULLY the Almighty God in the flesh, then why did Almighty God ANOINT Himself with His OWN Holy Spirit and His OWN POWER to be WITH HIMSELF by DWELLING in Himself?
Please read Acts 10:38.
“How God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth WITH the Holy Ghost and WITH POWER: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was WITH him.”
Let us go back and read the CONTEXT of the phrase “God was manifest in the FLESH” and take a closer look at the phrase “JUSTIFIED in the Spirit”
Please read 1 Timothy 3:14-16.
“These things write I unto you, hoping to come unto you shortly: 15. But if I tarry long, that you may know HOW you OUGHT to BEHAVE yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16. And without controversy (Or this should go without saying that) great is the MYSTERY of GODLINESS: God was manifest in the flesh, JUSTIFIED in the Spirit, SEEN of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, RECEIVED UP into GLORY.”
The word “in” the Spirit also means WITH the Spirit, as in, INSTRUMENTALLY with the POWER of the eternal Spirit, Jesus overcame sin to be a JUST and INNOCENT Lamb to offer himself without spot to his God and Father in order to make us RIGHTEOUS and PERFECT in the eyes of the Father. And thus, HOW we are to BEHAVE ourselves as the body of Jesus Christ is to walk in GODLINESS, which is no longer a MYSTERY to Christians. The mystery of GODLINESS is revealed in our Messiah, Jesus, the SON OF the living God. Let us take a look at the Greek word that is translated as the preposition “in” the Spirit in verse 16 and then we will look at the Greek word translated and “justified”. Here is how E-Sword defines “en” translated as the preposition “in” the Spirit.
G1722 en en A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), that is, a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537); “in”, at, (up-) on, by, etc.: - about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-) by (+ all means), for (. . . the sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-) in (-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-) on, [open-] ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, [speedi-] ly, X that, X there (-in, -on), through (-out), (un-) to(-ward), under, when, where (-with), while, with (-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate a direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) prep
In other words, The Son of MAN, Jesus was justified by way of him being the instrument of the POWER of God by the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. So then, by the human Jesus giving himself WHOLLY to the leading of the Father who was WITH him by DWELLING in him, then God was able to work THROUGH Jesus as His INSTRUMENT to reveal His true CHARACTER to the Gentiles and to the world. For you see, the Jews saw God as being FEARFUL to them. And if they saw God then God would strike them dead. And Jesus was manifested to show that God is GOOD and God is LOVE. So again, if so be that God the Son manifested himself to become flesh but REMAINED fully God Himself, then WHY would the eternal God need to be ANOINTED with POWER from on high? Let us now take a look at the Greek word translated as justified. Here is how E-Sword defines this word.
G1344 dikaioō dik-ah-yo'-o From G1342; to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: - free, justify (-ier), be righteous.
The English word “render” means to cause to be or to become, and to MAKE. This meaning better fits my interpretation #2, which we will get to in a moment. For interpretation #1, the meanings JUST and INNOCENT fit the best. BUT in the next phrase, SEEN of angels, we see that the angels were WATCHING God interact with the Son of MAN, Jesus. And for that reason, I also like the meanings SHOW and REGARD as being RIGHTEOUS. Now to me, none of these meanings fit an already PERFECT God who manifested Himself to become flesh. So, to me, one sound Biblical meaning of 1 Timothy 3:16 is that God manifested a HUMAN BEING to BECOME His HUMAN Son FIRST to be born as a CHILD of the Virgin Mary. And then, God ANOINTED WITH His own Holy Spirit and POWER at his baptism by John the Baptist. In other words, God ENDUED His human Son with power from on high to accomplish the task that God sent His anointed Messiah to accomplish. Let us read the next phrase “seen of angels” to learn its true meaning.
1 Timothy 3:16.
“And without controversy (Or this should go without saying that) great is the MYSTERY of GODLINESS: God was manifest in the flesh, JUSTIFIED in the Spirit, SEEN of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, RECEIVED UP into GLORY.”
The Greek word translated as “SEEN” reveals a lot of Scriptural clues as to the TRUE SOUND Biblical meaning of the phrase “God manifest in the FLESH”. Here is how E-Sword defines this Greek word.
G3700 optanomai optomai op-tan'-om-ahee, op'-tom-ahee The first a (middle voice) prolonged form of the second (primary) which is used for it in certain tenses; and both as alternates of G3708; to gaze (that is, with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable; and thus differing from G991, which denotes simply voluntary observation; and from G1492, which expresses merely a mechanical, passive or casual vision; while G2300, and still more emphatically it is intensive G2334, signifies an earnest but more continued inspection; and G4648 a watching from a distance): - appear, look, see, show self.
In other words, when we compare what this word does NOT mean, which is it does NOT mean a casual look where you are not commanded to look, then you can see that the angels were INTENSELY WATCHING the Son of man, Jesus, with CONTINUED INSPECTION. The angels, both fallen angels, and the faithful angels were also interested in God VISITING the Son of MAN, Jesus. Remember that the Scripture TESTIFY of God's future Messiah.
Please read Psalm 8:4.
“What is man, that you are mindful of him? and the son of man, that you VISIT him?”
Also, read Psalm 144:3.
“LORD, what is man, that you take knowledge of him! Or the son of man, that you make account of him!”
Or why do You make PLANS and contrivances with THAT man? In other words, the angels are looking into intently saying to “Yahweh, what is so important about the humans that you endue them with a familiar friend to instruct them? And why do You make plans and contrivances with THAT man their familiar friend?” Also, remember that God first MADE Jesus LOWER than the angels before God CROWNED Jesus with GLORY and HONOR as the joy that God SET before him to ENDURE the cross for his BRETHREN or his friends. Could the angels be wondering WHY God is so interested in the HUMAN beings and that particular Son of the HUMANS? Why were the angels WATCHING that particular Son of Man so intently? Or could the fallen angels be INTENTLY watching because they KNEW that if God succeeded in His plan or His CONTRIVANCE of salvation, then they would be cast into the Lake of Fire to be destroyed? Could that be WHY Satan is always ACCUSING us before God as he did with Job, who is a type or figure of Jesus? Well, let us find out by reading the FULFILLMENT of these prophecies in the New Testament.
Please read Hebrews 2:2-18.
“For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; (The Greek word “dia” translated as “by” also means the word spoken to the angels and BECAUSE OF the angels’ TRANSGRESSION and disobedience will receive a JUST recompense of reward when the fallen angels are JUDGED by God using His FAITHFUL WITNESSES, Jesus and the saints. You see, the Lake of Fire was prepared FOR ONLY the fallen ANGELS and NOT for the humans. But that hell ENLARGED herself to include fallen mankind that with not repent of their wicked ways. Please read 1 Corinthians 6:3. “Know you not that we shall JUDGE angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?” It is BECAUSE OF the sin, transgression, rebellion OF the cherubim Lucifer and the fallen angels who made WAR with God as to WHY God created the human race a little LOWER and INFERIOR to the angelic race of beings in the first place. God created an inferior race of beings to the angels so that God could PROVE to the angels that even if one MAN can live without sinning, then God has every right to JUDGE them and the world by the MAN, Jesus, to be DESTROYED in the lake of fire) 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (In other words, seeing that we know that the fallen ANGELS will NOT escape JUDGMENT, then how will we escape judgment if we NEGLECT God’s so great a salvation to REPENT and obey TWO SIMPLE COMMANDMENTS under the New Covenant written in the New Testament through the POWER of God's Holy Spirit dwelling in us? So WITHOUT anymore CONTROVERSY our GODLINESS is NOT through the works of the Law contained in ORDINANCES. For you see, it is no longer a mystery or a secret hidden not yet understood PROPHECY that a God was manifested in the FLESH to rule in righteousness in PEACE during the world to come) 4. God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will? 5. For unto the angels He has NOT put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man, that you VISIT him? 7. YOU MADE him a little LOWER than the angels; (Jesus was BORN of a woman to be MADE inferior to the angels. But yet, Orthodox Christianity wrongly teaches that Jesus was FULLY ALMIGHTY God Himself in the flesh EQUAL to God the Father in every way where neither is less than or greater than the other. So WHO are you going to believe, Orthodox Christianity of the word of TRUTH? Acts 2:36 teaches us that Jesus was MADE both Lord and Christ after the cross and resurrection. So then, the ORDER of the events that are PROPHESIED in Isaiah 9:6,7 are as follows. #1. That PROPHECY says that a CHILD would be BORN first. #2. And THEN, the PROPHECY says that a son would be GIVEN. As it was the HUMAN Son of MAN who was given to be lifted up on the cross, according to John 3:14, John 8:28, and John 12:34. #3. And THEN, the PROPHECY says that his NAME SHALL BE CALLED the mighty God WHEN the government of the world to come will be laid upon his shoulders. And according to Revelation 1:5, Jesus is our PRINCE right now. But at his return in Revelation 19:11-16, Jesus will wear many CROWNS as the King of kings and the Lord of lords to rule FOR Yahweh in the world to come for 1000 years) YOU CROWN him with glory and honor, and did SET him over the works of your hands: 8. YOU have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9. But we see Jesus, who was MADE (At first) a little LOWER than the angels for the suffering of death, (And THEN God) CROWNED with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (God crowned His human Son because he was a MAN that was found WORTHY to RECEIVE power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing, according to Revelation 5:3,12. 10. For it became Him, for whom are ALL things, and by whom are ALL things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to MAKE the captain of THEIR salvation perfect through sufferings. (The word “things” is NOT in the original Greek text. And thus, the word “ALL is referring to the ALL who BELIEVE to become the MANY sons) 11. For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are ALL of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them BRETHREN, 12. Saying, (Or rather, the PROPHECY is the foretelling of the Messiah saying after he is glorified) I will declare Your name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto YOU. (So again, ask yourself the question, “Why would an Almighty God sing praises unto Almighty God?”) 13. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God has GIVEN me. (NOT biological children, but rathe,r the SAINTS will be GIVEN to Jesus because of what the Son of MAN did for God by becoming obedient even to die on the cross for the sins of the people) 14. Forasmuch then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part (Or more precisely he also was a PARTAKER) of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (For you see, an ETERNAL divine God the Son can NOT DIE. And if you argue that ONLY his HUMAN NATURE died on the cross you STILL do NOT have God dying for your sins. The Bible ITSELF clearly teaches us that Jesus was FULLY a HUMAN being with NO divine nature DURING the DAYS of his FLESH. Jesus could do NOTHING of himself, according to John 5:19. And according to John 14:10, it was the Father Himself who did the WORKS by DWELLING in His human Son) 15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16. For verily he took not (Again, Jesus PARTOOK not) on him the nature of angels; but he took on (Or he PARTOOK) him the seed of Abraham. (In other words, in the SAME way, that we are BORN as HUMAN beings WITHOUT having ANY CHOICE in the matter, that is the SAME way that Jesus PARTOOK of HUMAN NATURE void of ANY divine nature) 17. Wherefore, in all things, it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, (Or more precisely this verse should read, “Wherefore in all things he was made UNDER OBLIGATION like unto the BRETHREN” to be MADE under the Law of Moses) that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.”
The Bible teaches us that God can NOT be TEMPTED and Jesus was tempted in all points like we are tempted. Please read the study “37 FACTS TO PONDER ABOUT JESUS BEING GOD!” But for now, let us take a look at the last phrase in 1 Timothy 3:16 “RECEIVED up into GLORY”. And then, after we look at what this phrase truly means, then we will look at interpretation #2, which is the God INTENDED meaning of the word “God” in the phrase “God was MANIFEST in the flesh”. And to me, the sound Biblical God INTENDED meaning of the word “God” is referring to the PROPHECIES that MANIFESTLY DECLARED the END FROM the beginning. And all of the prophecies declare or PROPHESY “A” God coming into being to REPLACE the fallen god of this present world system that we all know to be Satan. And that is why God made the worlds to come FOR Jesus to rule in the world to come WITHOUT having any WARS so that God could JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels worthy of destruction in the Lake of Fire for their making WAR against God. According to Acts 17:29-31, God will judge the world by the MAN whom He ordained and raised from the dead. And after the final judgment Jesus will step down as ruling over the earth and commit the ruing back into his God and Father's hands, according to 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 and Micah 4:6-8.
1 Timothy 3:16.
“And without controversy (Or this should go without saying that) great is the MYSTERY of GODLINESS: God was manifest in the flesh, JUSTIFIED in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, RECEIVED up into GLORY.”
Why would an already ETERNAL God the Son need to be RECEIVED up into glory? The English word “RECEIVE” means to be GIVEN, PRESENT WITH, and to be PAID something. Now Hebrews 12:2 teaches us that Almighty God the Father SET “joy” before the Son of Man to ENDURE the cross.
Hebrews 12:2.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who FOR the joy that was SET before him ENDURE the CROSS, despising the shame, AND is (Or and Jesus is RECEIVED up in GLORY to be GRANTED the RIGHT to sit on his God and Father’s throne, the joy set before him to endure the cross FOR us) is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Why would and already divine eternal God the Son be PAID or RECEIVE from his God and Father a throne of his own to sit on his Father’s throne WITH Almighty God the Father, if so be, that Jesus was God the Son in eternity past who was ALREADY with God at his side in eternity past having a throne of his own by being Almighty God Himself? That makes no sense at all to me. BUT the TRUE sound Biblical meaning of “God MANIFEST in the FLESH” makes PREFECT sense to me, when it is CORRECTLY interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And the TRUE meaning of 1 Timothy 1:3 is that “A” God was MANIFEST in the FLESH. But FIRST, just as Isaiah 9:6,7 PROPHESIES a CHILD would be BORN. And then. the Son of man, DURING the DAYS of his FLESH would overcome sin THROUGH his God and Father DWELLING in him. For you see, God set a joy before his HUMAN Son to ENDURE the cross. I mean, how would it be a joy for a so-called God the Son to just simply be RESTORED back to is supposed original glory? How is that being HIGHLY exalted just to return to being God the Son? Keep in mind that Jesus offered himself of his own free will as a sacrifice without sin to his God and Father THROUGH the POWER of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. And the joy God set before him to ENDURE the cross was to be HIGHLY exalted to become GLORIFIED to receive the divine nature of IMMORTALITY. The human Jesus was promised to be given the honor to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels, and to sit own his throne as the God of the WHOLE earth WITH his Father having his back to rule and reign FOR Yahweh for 1000 years.
Revelation 3:21,22.
“To him that overcomes will I GRANT to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set (Or even as I was APPOINTED in the PROPHECIES to be seated) down with my Father in His throne. (In other words, the Son of MAN, Jesus, was JUSTIFIED THROUGH the POWER of the eternal Spirit DWELLING in him to live his life WITHOUT sin. And then, Yahweh DISPLAYED or PRESENTED His sinless INNOCENT MAN who was slain by Satan using men to SHOW Satan and the fallen angels who were WATCHING intently this whole TRIAL by the jury of the FAITHFUL WITNESSES. And thus, at least the good angels WATCHED intently knowing that the human Son of God would be given the RIGHT to JUDGE the fallen angels worthy to be DESTROYED in the Lake of Fire. And then, the FAITHFUL and TRUE witness was received up to be GIVEN the joy set before him to ENDURE the cross for us, the WHOSOEVER of the ALL who BELIEVE to be created in him. And BECAUSE OF him, we who believe and endure unto the end, will also be glorified with the divine nature of immortality to be JOINT-HEIRS WITH the now GLORIFIED Son of MAN Jesus whom Yahweh made to become the Lord of the Sabbath, the God of the whole EARTH, to sit WITH the Father on His throne to rule FOR Yahweh for 1000 years during the SEVENTH 1000 year long DAY of Yahweh’s Sabbath REST in the world to come) 22. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying unto the churches.”
And that to ME, is the TRUE SOUND Biblical meaning of 1 Timothy 3:16, “God MANIFEST in the flesh” when it is correctly interpreted in the LIGHT of the MANIFESTLY DECLARED word of PROPHECY that prophesies a CHILD to be born first, and then a SON would be given, and THEN the FULLY HUMAN Son of MAN would be CALLED the mighty God of the WHOLE EARTH in the world to come to REPLACE the FALLEN God, Lucifer, who became God’s ENEMY in a previous age BEFORE God created the human race a little LOWER and INFERIOR to the angelic race of being in order to JUDGE the fallen angels WITH an inferior race of humans who will OVERCOME the works of the devil WITH God’s so great a plan of salvation. If you have never heard of the gap theory of the pre-Adamite or pre-Adamic race that was destroyed in the Luciferian flood BEFORE God created the first man Adam, then please read the study “THE GAP THEORY and THE PRE-ADAMIC RACE!” And if you TRULY want to know the TRUTH of WHEN Jesus actually became the ETERNAL Son of God then please read the three-part in-depth study called “WHEN DID JESUS BECOME GOD’S ETERNAL SON? 1” You will find links to part 2 and part 3 in part 1. It is best if you read all three parts. And if you are struggling with another verse that proves to you that Jesus MUST have PRE-EXISTED in eternity past as Almighty God HIMSELF, as God the SON, or as God named the Word, then please click on the heading at the top of the page or right here in this study, >>>VERSE used for the TRINITY!<<< After you click on that link you will find studies on all the verses used to teach that Jesus LITERALLY pre-existed in eternity past as the ETERNAL God who existed WITH the ETERNAL God in eternity past. And if you are a Oneness Christian, then I implore you to read all the studies under the heading at the top of my homepage called >>>Is the DOCTRINE OF ONENESS BIBLICAL?<<< Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED! To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY IS according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God so please read ALL the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.
Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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