SPELLING EDITED V-39. John 8:58 BEFORE Abraham was I AM!
IS JESUS SAYING HE HIMSELF IS ALMIGHTY GOD THE GREAT I AM THAT I AM?
In John 8:58, is Jesus saying that he is Yahweh Himself by saying “Before Abraham was I am”? Does John 8:58 prove the doctrine of the Trinity, which states that Jesus is God the Son of God who is CO- ETERNAL and CO-EQUAL with Almighty God? Does John 8:58 prove the doctrine of the Deity of Jesus as himself being ALMIGHTY God the great I AM THAT I AM? Does John 8:58 prove the doctrine of Oneness which states that Yahweh manifested Himself to become the Son? The reason that I ask these questions is that BOTH the Trinitarian AND the Oneness Pentecostal Christians use John 8:58 to try and prove that Jesus is saying that he is Yahweh Himself the great I AM that I AM, that we read about in Exodus 3:14. They INTERPRET John 8:58 as Jesus saying the NAME of Yahweh which they claim is “I am” and NOT “I am that I am”. For you see, Jesus did NOT say before Abraham “I am that I am”.
Please read Exodus 3:14.
“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.”
In other words, is it sound Biblical teaching to teach that Jesus saying that he is fully Almighty God and fully a human being at the same time having two natures, one divine, and one human which is what the doctrine of the Deity of Jesus teaches? First, one must us ASSUME that Jesus is indeed quoting Exodus 3:14. Then one must also ASSUME that the words “I AM” are, indeed, the NAME of Almighty God which is NOT the truth but let us ASSUME that it is God's name. With these two assumptions in mind let us read John 8:58 with Jesus quoting the name Yahweh because we know without a doubt that the creator's NAME is Yahweh forever, according to Exodus 3:15 and NOT Exodus 3:14. In other words, let us read John 8:58 with Jesus quoting the actual name YAHWEH because that is how Trinitarian and Oneness Pentecostal Christians INTERPRET the words “I AM” as being God's NAME. And thus, they conclude that Jesus is saying that he is Yahweh. John 8:58 substituting God's actual NAME Yahweh for the words “I AM” that are interpreted to be God's name.
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, YAHWEH.”
Now, would that mean that Jesus is saying that he himself IS Yahweh? Or does it simply mean that Yahweh the creator of Abraham existed before father Abraham? The Jews are kind of like Christians who put ALL their faith in their church denomination. The Jews put all their faith in the fact that they were the children of Abraham just like some Christians put their faith in being a Baptist or a Roman Catholic or a Jehovah’s Witness or whatever church denomination in which they trust as being the only true church in their eyes. And in the eyes of the Jews, if you were a descendant of father Abraham then you were home free so to speak. And thus, to the Jews, no one is GREATER than Abraham. Again, in truth, the phrase “I AM” is NOT God’s NAME. Please watch the first 4 minutes and 10 seconds of this short 6 1/2-minute video before continuing with this study in God's word. You can watch the whole video if you like. The second person in the video is just making some more comments to point out that God’s actual NAME is in verse 15 which is Yahweh or Jehovah as this brother in the video likes to pronounce YHWH. I myself prefer Yahweh as being the correct pronunciation of God's ACTUAL name. After you watch the video, then please come back and study the CONTEXT of John 8:58 which proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus never claimed to be Almighty God Yahweh Himself anywhere in the entire Bible. Here is a link to the video and below is the written information in that video if you do not care to watch the video right now.
And here is a written explanation of Exodus 3:14,15 if you do not care to watch the video. Here is Exodus 3:14 in the Greek Septuagint. Now you do not need to read Greek to follow what I am saying. Simply know and understand that the two Greek words highlighted in yellow mean “I am”. These two Greek words convey the meaning I am SOMETHING. So the SOMETHING that Almighty God Yahweh the Father is saying that He is will be highlight in orange. Please notice that ὁ ὢν, which is the SOMETHING that Almighty God is saying that He is, appears TWICE. But the ACTUAL two Greeks words ἐγώ εἰμι meaning “I am” only appears just ONE TIME. In other words, the other two phrases that are ALSO translated as “I am” are translated from two other completely DIFFERENT Greek phrases which Jesus did NOT say in John 8:58. Please take a close look at the DIFFERENCE between the Greek word as you read the English translation that is below the Greek text to help follow along.
Exodus 3:14 in the Greek.
“14, καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν. καὶ εἶπεν· οὕτως ἐρεῖς τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ· ὁ ὢν ἀπέσταλκέ με πρὸς ὑμᾶς.”
Exodus 3:14 in English.
“14. And God spoke to Moses, saying, I am THE BEING; and he said, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, THE BEING has sent me to you.”
In other words, if Jesus would have said, “Before Abraham was, ὁ ὢν” instead of saying, “before Abraham was, ἐγώ εἰμι,” then the Trinitarian and Oneness Pentecostal INTERPRETATION of John 8:58 might have some validity. But Jesus did NOT say, “before Abraham was, ὁ ὢν”. Or “before Abraham was, THE BEING.” Rather, Jesus said, “before Abraham was ἐγώ εἰμι” which again should have been translated as “before Abraham was, I am [he]” with the IMPLIED or UNDERSTOOD pronoun [he] added for clarity. And if it was correctly translated in this way then the meaning of these words of Jesus would mean that Jesus is saying, I am he, [the MESSIAH] because that is what the CONTEXT of John 8:58 clearly teaches us. Also, another possible translation of John 8:58, seeing that there were no commas in the Greek text, would be as follows.
“Before Abraham, I was to be”
The order of Greek words in a sentence in the Greek language is not as important as the order of the words in an ENGLISH sentence. And this translation would agree with interpretation #1 where Jesus was PROPHESIED to come into being before Abraham ever came into existence. In other words, God's thought were on His Messiah Jesus before Abraham was ever born. Again, keep in mind that the Jews esteemed Abraham higher than the Messiah. Now, the truth of the whole matter is that the translators should have added the English implied pronoun “he” to say, “Before Abraham was, I am [he].” And if they would have done so, then there would not have been any confusion as to the TRUE meaning of these words of Jesus. The words, “I am [he]” would have never been connected with the English TRANSLATION of Exodus 3:14 in the King James Version. The true meaning of John 8:58 means that Jesus was saying, “Before Abraham was, I am [he].” And this means that Jesus was saying that he is the Messiah, the one prophesied to BE as the CONTEXT clearly teaches us. You see, in the CONTEXT in John 8:24 Jesus said the same Greek words ἐγώ εἰμι, which are translated correctly as I am he. And the Jews asked Jesus the question I am he WHO by them asking WHO are you saying that you are? And Jesus answered them saying that he is the same that he has always been telling them who he is from the beginning. Please read the study “WHAT DOES JOHN 8:24 TRULY MEAN?” But for now, let us finish this study on John 8:58. In John 8:58, Jesus says, Verily verily, BEFORE Abraham was, I AM. So again, the question has been asked, “Is Jesus saying he IS THE I AM, as in. when Jesus says the words “I AM” is Jesus saying that he is THE ONE TRUE and ONLY ALMIGHTY God Yahweh Himself ?” To me, the answer is NO! Why would Jesus contradict himself saying that he could do NOTHING OF himself and that it was the FATHER dwelling IN him who did the works if so be that Jesus intended his word in John 8:58 to mean that he was saying he IS Yahweh Himself? The Trinitarian and oneness Pentecostal INTERPRETATION of John 8:58 makes Jesus be a LIAR because how can Yahweh do NOTHING OF Himself? Then another question is asked, “Does Jesus saying the words “I AM” mean that Jesus pre-existed for all eternity like Almighty God, the Father?” In other words, was Jesus ALWAYS in existence as the SON of Almighty God, who was WITH Almighty God the Father at his side, in that, Jesus, the Son of God, had NO BEGINNING and the Son always existed as a separate eternal divine person with the Father at his side? To me, the answer is again NO! Please read the three-part study “WHEN DID JESUS BECOME GOD’S ETERNAL SON? 1” Other Christians such as myself sincerely believe that God's Son did indeed HAVE a BEGINNING because he was BEGOTTEN by God. Please know and understand that the word begotten means that Jesus was generated into existence. So to us who believe in the true Biblical oneness of God in ONE person who alone is the Father, we believe that God’s Son was created AT the time of his conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary. And then Jesus was born as the HUMAN Son of Almighty God who was anointed with power from on high at his baptism. And it was after the cross that Jesus was highly exalted o be MADE Lord and God to rule FOR Yahweh in the NAME OF Yahweh in the world to come for 1000 years. And after the 1000 year reign of Jesus he will step down from ruling and commit the kingdom back into his God and Father's hand, according to 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. Now, other Christians, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, they believe that Jesus was born or created in the eternity past. So then, the question now becomes “WHEN was God’s Son born or created?” Was God’s Son born or created in eternity past? Or did God’s Son come into existence at his virgin birth? Let us begin this study in God's word by reading John 8:58 in the CONTEXT of where it is found. First, we will deal with the FIRST question of whether or not Jesus is saying that he is the great I AM THAT I AM, the ONE TRUE and ONLY ALMIGHTY God whose actual NAME is Yahweh and NOT “I AM”. Then further on in this study in God's word we will address the SECOND question of whether or not Jesus is co-eternal and co-equal with Almighty God the great I AM THAT I AM. And lastly, we will learn WHEN Jesus actually came into existence, according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. Please read John 8:12-59 keeping in mind that Jesus and the Father are TWO different and SEPARATE individual persons or beings. I will address the Oneness Pentecostal believers later, but if you are an Oneness Christian, please pay close attention as you read the New Testament to see that Jesus is NOT the Father. Now, to my Trinity brothers and sisters in the Lord, remember that the doctrine of the Trinity states that Jesus is NOT the Father and the Father is NOT the SON, Jesus. Also, I want you to see that there are only TWO who are being spoken of rather than THREE. Now, I realize that this is a long passage of Scripture but CONTEXT is vital if you truly desire to know the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So then, please ask yourself if you TRULY desire to know the TRUTH? If you do, then please continue reading.
John 8:12-59.
“Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13. The Pharisees, therefore, said unto him, You bear record of yourself; your record is not true. (Right from the very start the Jews are MISUNDERSTANDING the words of Jesus. The Jews back then and the Jews still yet today do not understand that Jesus is telling them that he is the Messiah who was PROPHESIED to come. Jesus is saying follow me your Messiah) 14. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but you cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. (Or I know who I am and where I came and where I will go because the Scriptures testify of ME. So yes, I am bearing record of MYSELF. But you do not understand who I am, how I came and where I am going) 15. You judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am NOT ALONE, but I AND the Father that SENT me. (Notice that Jesus says that he is not ALONE and that someone ELSE is WITH him. The Greek word translated as sent here LITERALLY reads SENDING in the present tense. It also carries the meaning of being GIVEN power and authority to accomplish a task that he is being empowered from on high to do) 17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of TWO men is true. (Jesus plainly states that there are TWO that bear witness all the way through this entire passage of Scripture which teaches us that Jesus is NOT saying that he himself is ALMIGHTY God the great I AM THAT I AM who alone is the FATHER. And to my Oneness brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus is NOT saying that he IS the FATHER. Jesus is not ALONE. Jesus is saying that the Father is WITH him by dwelling IN him. In other words, IF Jesus was truly saying that he himself IS Yahweh Himself, then Jesus would be saying that he is the FATHER Himself. So how could the Father be dwelling IN Jesus if so be Jesus IS the Father? There are TWO separate distinctly DIFFERENT persons being spoken of here in this passage of Scripture and the entire New Testament. God has a LITERAL human SON whom He ANOINTED with power, the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in the Son of MAN, Jesus) 18. I am ONE that bears witness of myself, AND the Father that SENT (Or the Father the one SENDING) me bears witness of me. (In other words, Almighty God the Father is ONE witness and Jesus the SON of God is witness number TWO which teaches us that Jesus and the Father are NOT ONE and the SAME being. But rather, they are TWO separate individual persons or beings that AGREE or have the same WITNESS) 19. Then said they unto him, Where is your Father? Jesus answered, You neither know me, NOR my Father: if you had known me, you should have known my Father ALSO. (Here again, we see Jesus speaking of TWO separate persons. Jesus came to show us or to reveal to us the FATHER. Jesus did NOT come to reveal to us that he IS the Father who ALONE is the only true God Yahweh. Jesus came to show us the GOOD character of Yahweh the Father by the WORKS that Yahweh the Father Himself did. And that is the same as the Holy Spirit dwelling in us who is the one that actually does the healing. Always remember that Jesus said that he could do NOTHING OF himself and that it was the Father DWELLING IN him who was the one who did the works of healing and miracles) 20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. (Jesus came into existence for the hour of suffering and dying on the cross. And for his reward Yahweh HIGHLY EXALTED him and GAVE him a NAME above every name to be crown with glory and honor to sit on the throne at Yahweh’s side to rule for FOR the Father in the world yet to come) 21. Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and you shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, you cannot come. (Jesus is telling the Jews that they will die in their sins because they did not BELIEVE that Jesus is the Messiah who was prophesied to come) 22. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he said, Whither I go, you cannot come. (Again, the Jews misunderstood the words of Jesus over and over again. And yet both Trinitarian and Oneness Christians dogmatically demand that the Jews knew PERFECTLY well what Jesus said in John 8:58 and that is WHY they wanted to stone him. The truth of the matter is that the Jews wanted to stone Jesus for any reason that they could find) 23. And he said unto them, You are from beneath; I am FROM above: you are of this world; I am NOT of this world. (One meaning of this verse is that we have an earthly father but Jesus has NO earthly father and only a heavenly Father. Also, this verse can mean that Jesus was born-again spiritually at his baptism. When a person believes in Jesus as being the Son of God, then that BELIEVER in Jesus, as the Christ, the SON OF the living God, is no longer OF this world. We become a new creation of God being born-again from ABOVE by the WORD of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please see John 17:14-16 which clearly teaches us that WE are NOT of the world even as Jesus is NOT of the world. John 17:14-16 “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. John 17:15. I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil. John 17:16. they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” So then, to INTERPRET verse 23 to mean that Jesus is saying that he came down from heaven would be to say that WE came down from heaven as well. For you see, WE are NOT OF this world EVEN AS or in the same way that Jesus is not of this world. So in truth, Jesus is simply saying that his origin is from above. Jesus was BEGOTTEN of the Father to BECOME the human Son of God. So again, in truth, Jesus is an adopted Son the same as we are adopted sons and daughters of God. Jesus is saying that God called him in righteousness and chose him to be God's Messiah and that God was WITH him. God gave His human Son, Jesus, the commandment that he could choose to lay down his own life of his own free will or call a legion of angels to deliver him. And Jesus chose to lay aside his own will and chose to obey all his Father's will) 24. I said, THEREFORE, unto you, that you shall die in your sins (Or that is WHY I said you shall die in your sins); FOR (Or BECAUSE) if you believe NOT that I am HE, you shall die in your sins. (This verse as well is used by those who teach the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Oneness to say that if you do not believe that Jesus is saying that he is the great I AM that I AM or Yahweh Himself then you shall die in your sins. Yes, the word “he” is not in the original Greek. But the UNDERSTOOD pronoun “he” is in the text much like the understood pronoun “you” is often left out of a particular sentence. However, it is the context of our whole conversation that clearly reveals to us that the subject under discussion is the UNDERSTOOD YOU. So, in the same way, the pronoun “HE” here in this verse and in verse 58 which was left out is the UNDERSTOOD subject being discussed through this whole passage of Scripture. This is why the translators added the word “he” in verse 24 and why they SHOULD have also added the pronoun “he” in verse 58. Those who understand the original Greek text clearly UNDERSTAND that the pronoun “he” is clearly UNDERSTOOD. However, the TRUTH of the matter is that Jesus is saying that he is the CHRIST, the ANOINTED of Almighty God, which was PROPHESIED to come. Please read the study “JOHN 8:24-IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I AM HE?”) 25. Then said they unto him, WHO ARE YOU? (In other words, the Jews were asking Jesus the question who are you by saying, he WHO? WHAT do you MEAN when you say I AM he? WHO are you saying that you are when you say I AM HE) And Jesus said unto them, Even the SAME that I said unto you from the BEGINNING (And when we go back to the BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus, we find in the Gospel of Luke chapter 4, that Jesus said that he was the ANOINTED ONE of Almighty God, the Father, that was SENT or commissioned by the Father the preach the gospel of salvation. Jesus is saying that I have already told you WHO I am at the very beginning of my ministry when I read out of the book of Isaiah and told you that this Scripture is FULFILLED in your ears. Please see Luke 4:18-21 which is right after Jesus was ANOINTED with the Holy Spirit and he BEGAN his ministry. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Luke 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. Luke 4:21 And he BEGAN to say unto them, This day is this SCRIPTURE is FULFILLED in your ears.” So then, it was at the very BEGINNING of the ministry of Jesus that he BEGAN to tell them that he is the MESSIAH that was prophesied to come. Again, for all the Scriptures please read the study “JOHN 8:24-IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I AM HE?”) 26. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that SENT (Or but the one sending) me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of HIM. (In other words, all that Jesus speaks or teaches is from Yahweh his Father. So, if you do not believe the words of Jesus, then you do not believe Yahweh the Father. Please read Deuteronomy 18:18,19. “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Deuteronomy 18:19. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” Again, Jesus is saying that he is the one PROPHESIED to come all the way through this passage of Scripture in John chapter 8.) 27. They understood not that he (Jesus) spoke to them of the FATHER. 28. Then said Jesus unto them, When you have lifted up the Son of MAN, then shall you know that I am he, (Now, if so be that Jesus was saying that he himself is Yahweh, the great I AM THAT I AM, in John 8:58 then why does Jesus say that he is the SON OF MAN here in the SAME CONTEXT? Jesus is saying I am HE, meaning I am the Christ, the one prophesied to come. I am he, the prophet like unto Moses, whom God promised that he would raise up from among the people) and that I do NOTHING OF MYSELF; but as MY Father has taught me, I speak these things. (Now again, if so be that Jesus was saying in John 8:58 that he was one and the self-same being as Almighty God the I AM THAT I AM, then Jesus would be able to do anything that he desired to do. But yet the word of TRUTH clearly teaches us that Jesus could do NOTHING in and OF HIMSELF. This truth alone should prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that Jesus was NOT saying that he was the great I AM THAT I AM when he said the word in John 8:58, “Before Abraham was, I am”. Jesus is saying that he is the MESSIAH, the one prophesied to come. It was in God’s plan of salvation for Jesus to speak in parables to the children of Israel. They asked him to tell them plainly if he is the Christ and Jesus answered saying, “I told you and you believed NOT.” See John 10:24,25. “Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long do you make us to doubt? If you be the Christ, tell us plainly. John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, (At the very beginning of my ministry that Isaiah 61:1-3 is FULFILLED in your ears) and you believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.” And I told you again several times in John 8:12-58 but you took up stones to stone me) 29. And he that SENT (Or the one sending) me is WITH me: the Father has NOT left me ALONE; for I do always those things that please Him. (Again, we see TWO separate persons. We see the Father and the SON and not just the I AM THAT I AM who alone is the FATHER. In other words, we see that Yahweh was WITH his SON Jesus by DWELLING IN the Son of man.) 30. As he spoke these words, many believed on him. (Many Jews could believe that Jesus was a prophet with whom God was WITH. But many other Jews were still undecided if Jesus was the Christ. You see, the Jew knew that the Scripture prophesied of an ANOINTED MAN who would come and when Jesus made it clear to them that God was WITH him then many believed on him) 31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word (Which again, are not his OWN words, but rather they are the words of Yahweh that commanded or instructed Jesus what to speak), then are you my disciples (Or learners of me) indeed; 32. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33. They answered him, We are Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say you, You shall be made free? (Free from what? Read the context) 34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. (Remember the CONTEXT. Jesus is saying that if they do not believe who Jesus says that he is truly saying that he is then they shall die in their sins. Jesus is saying that they are in BONDAGE to SIN) 35. And the servant abides not in the house for ever: but the SON abides ever. 36. If the SON, therefore, shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. 37. I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you. 38. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father. (Jesus is saying that he is hearing and obeying the voice of Yahweh the Father. And that they, the Jews, are obeying the voice of their father the devil. Jesus is saying that whom you obey his servant you are. And in order to be set free from the bondage of sin, then you need a MESSIAH who will give you the power to become a son or child of God. Please read the study “WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN AGAIN?”) 39. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40. But now you seek to kill me, a MAN that has told you the TRUTH, which I have HEARD of God: this did not Abraham. (Again, we see TWO. We see Jesus as being a MAN or a human being who is hearing FROM Almighty God the Father, the one speaking to the Son of MAN, Jesus, saying to the Jews) 41. You do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. (So the Jews called God their Father as well. But they were NOT obeying the words of Almighty God spoken through the prophets who prophesied of a CHILD being BORN of a VIRGIN. And THEN, after the child Jesus was BORN, THEN a SON who would be GIVEN to die on the cross as a ransom for the sins of the people. But yet Trinitarian Christians argue that God GAVE His only begotten pre-existing Son who never had a beginning. And to me, that is NOT sound Biblical teaching because it does not AGREE with the PROPHECIES of Jesus in the Old Testament. The Jews to whom Jesus was speaking to here in this verse did not understand the prophecies of the suffering Messiah who would die on the cross for their sins. They were seeking a mighty warrior Messiah instead. They did not believe that they even needed a Messiah to cleanse them from their sins. The Jews trusted their eternal life as being children of Abraham and following Moses to do the WORKS of the LAW to be saved) 42. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded FORTH and came FROM God; neither came I OF MYSELF, but HE SENT me. (So again, we see that Jesus is NOT identifying himself as BEING the one who is sending himself. Jesus is clearly teaching us that he is being sent BY Yahweh the great I AM THAT I AM who is Almighty God, the Father, ALONE. How many times have you heard preachers say that Jesus volunteered to come down from heaven to become flesh? But this verse says that he did not come of himself. I see Jesus saying that he had to subdue his OWN WILL to become obedient to do his God and Father's will. We will cover the words of Jesus saying, I preceded FORTH and came FROM God further on in this study of whether or not Jesus pre-existed as a co-eternal and co-equal person who was a separate eternal divine person that was with Yahweh at his side.) 43. Why do you not UNDERSTAND my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. (Go back to verse 24, and verse 25 when they asked Jesus the question, WHO are YOU? And Jesus said EVEN the SAME that I have already told you at the beginning of my ministry. I am the CHRIST, the ANOINTED one of God who was PROPHESIED to come! Why do you not understand my speech? Again, they were not looking for a suffering Messiah that would die on the cross for their sins. They did not believe that they needed saving from their sins) 44. You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it. (Jesus was telling them straight to their face that they were SINNERS and if they did not believe that he was the Messiah, then they would die in their sins) 45. And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. 46. Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? 47. He that is of God hears God's words: you, therefore, hear them not, because you are not of God. 48. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that you are a Samaritan, and have a devil? 49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor MY Father, and you do dishonor me. 50. And I seek not mine OWN glory: there is one that seeks and judges. (Here we see that Jesus does not honor himself, but rather Jesus honors his Father. So again we see two separate persons. We see Almighty God, the Father, the great I AM THAT I AM and we see his SON Jesus, the CHRIST, the anointed one of Almighty God, who was prophesied to come. The Scriptures testify of the coming of the Messiah. That is WHO the Jews were waiting for to come.) 51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keeps my saying, he shall never see DEATH. (This is the CONTEXT of John 8:58. In fact, this is the context of the entire Bible. Jesus is speaking of HIS DAY being the day of HIS resurrection to become the FIRSTFRUIT or the FIRST human being to be resurrected and given eternal life. This is when Jesus became the Messiah. Jesus said that Abraham rejoices to see MY DAY. The day the Messiah would come and conquer death. Remember verse 28 that they would know who the Son of man was when the Son of man is crucified. They would know that Jesus was truly the Messiah, the Son of the living God because God would raise him from the dead and not leave his soul in hell. This is what got the Jews hot under the collar, so to speak. They did not comprehend that Jesus was saying that he is the Messiah who would suffer and DIE for their sins) 52. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that you have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and you say, If a man keeps my saying, he shall never taste of death. (Here we see that the Jews saw Abraham as the greatest of all men and all the prophets. And here this man from Galilee was telling them that his teaching was greater than what Abraham and the prophets spoke. And clearly, this angered the Jews.) 53. Are you greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead: who do you make yourself? (They thought that Jesus was exalting himself as someone greater than their father Abraham. But Jesus was exalting the message of the NEW Covenant that he would establish in his shed blood as being greater than the Old Covenant of Moses. The New Covenant has the word that will lead to eternal life. And the Old Testament testified of the coming Messiah who would establish the New Covenant) 54. Jesus answered, If I honor MYSELF, my honor is nothing: it is MY Father that honors me (Again, please notice again that Jesus is speaking of his Father, the great I AM THAT I AM as being a SEPARATE person from himself); of whom you say, that he is your God: 55. Yet you have not known HIM, but I know HIM: and if I should say, I know HIM not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know HIM, and keep HIS saying. 56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see MY DAY: and he saw it, and was glad. (HOW did Abraham see the DAY of the Messiah when the Messiah had NOT YET COME? Abraham understood the words of the prophets and the coming DAY of the MESSIAH. Abraham saw the DAY of the RESURRECTION from reading the Scriptures.) 57. Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? (The Jews misunderstood the words of Jesus all the way through this passage of Scripture. And here they thought Jesus was saying that he saw Abraham rather than Abraham desiring or rejoicing to see the day of the Messiah. They did not understand that Abraham would literally see the Messiah when Jesus descended into the belly of the earth to preach the Gospel to the Saints of the Old Testament of which Abraham was one of those saints. They did not understand that the Son of MAN, Jesus would be glorified with a new immortal glorified body BEFORE Abraham) 58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, (Or Truly) I say unto you, BEFORE Abraham was, I am. (The LITERAL translation reads, “Truly, truly I am saying to you before Abraham to be coming into being I am [coming into being]” In other words, before Abraham was born I am to be coming into being, as in, I was in God's plan long before Abraham was born Jesus was prophesied to be the MESSIAH. To say this another way, Jesus was PROPHESIED to come into being before Abraham was ever born. Before Abraham was born MY DAY was prophesied to be. And Abraham saw my day by understanding the PROPHECIES that testify of me. ALSO, Jesus is saying, before Abraham is resurrected and given eternal life to never see death, I am going to be resurrected from the dead and be given eternal life never to die again as the firstborn from the dead to become the firstborn of every creature. Please read the study “WHAT DOES FIRSTBORN OF EVERY CREATURE MEAN?” And as well, Jesus is saying YES, I am before Abraham, as in, I am GREATER than Abraham because the Scriptures testify of ME as being the Christ, the one prophesied to come to save the people from their sins. The root word translated as before also means above or superior to Abraham. In other words, Jesus is answering the question of the Jews saying to Jesus, are you GREATER the Abraham. And Jesus said, ABOVE Abraham, I am) 59. Then took they up stones to cast at him: (Not because Jesus was saying that he was ALMIGHTY God the Father, who alone is the great I AM THAT I AM. But rather, because they did NOT believe that Jesus was the Messiah, who would suffer and die on the cross and be resurrected from the dead. They simply thought that Jesus was exalting HIMSELF to be better or GREATER than Abraham. They were jealous of Jesus having many followers. They saw Jesus as being a self-appointed prophet of God. They said Jesus had a devil. You see the context of the previous chapters teaches us that the Jews wanted to kill Jesus for breaking the Sabbath day by healing the sick on the Sabbath. The truth of the matter is that these Jewish leaders did not want to lose any of their followers to become a follower of Jesus so they picked up stones to stone him for whatever reason they could find), but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”
When some Christians read the English word “SENT” they assume that Jesus is saying that Almighty God sent down his Son from heaven. But the literal meanings of all the Greek words translated as sent in THIS passage of Scripture are in the present tense meaning that God was sending the Son of MAN out into the world to preach the kingdom. And the context in chapter 7, verse 29 supports this meaning as well. The Greek word translated in those verses as SENT means TO COMMISSION. And according to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word COMMISSION means the act of committing or giving the authority to carry out a task. Or granting certain powers or entrusting. In other words, the Son of man was ANOINTED with POWER and authority from on high to preach the kingdom of God. So the interpretation of Jesus saying that he was sent down from heaven is reading into these verses where God sent the Son. And the INTERPRETATION of John 8:58 of Jesus saying that he is Yahweh, the great I AM THAT I AM is also READING INTO THE TEXT a preconceived belief. Now that you have noticed that Jesus was NOT ALONE but rather that the Father was always WITH the Son of MAN Jesus, then it should become clear to you that Jesus was NOT saying that he is the great I AM THAT I AM. Rather, Jesus was simply saying that BEFORE Abraham was ever born Almighty God thought to have a SON, and I am that Son of the living God whom God prophesied to come into being by being born of a Virgin without an “earthly” father. Jesus was saying that I am “he” that the Scriptures have prophesied should come. Jesus was saying I am the CHRIST, the ANOINTED ONE, the MESSIAH, the SON OF the living God, and NOT the living God Himself. Remember in John 5:33-47 that Jesus said to the Jews that they search the Scriptures to find eternal life, and then Jesus said the SCRIPTURES, they testify of ME. Jesus was basically saying to the Jews at that time the very same thing in John 8:58 which is that he was the PROPHESIED one that was to come. Here is John 5:33-47, which AGAIN clearly shows us that Almighty God was WITH His human Son Jesus performing His own words that He Himself put in the mouth of His Prophet, Jesus, with SIGNS and WONDERS bearing WITNESS that Almighty God was IN His Son Jesus. John 5:33-47 also teaches us that Jesus was a true man of God, who was obeying the voice of his God and Father, the great I AM THAT I AM. Jesus was NOT saying that he was Almighty God Himself, but rather, Jesus is saying that Almighty God through His Holy Spirit DWELT IN him. Jesus could do NOTHING OF himself. It was Yahweh the Father dwelling IN the Son of MAN, Jesus, who was the one who did the mighty works through the human hands of His HUMAN Son. Jesus was saying that he was the ANOINTED ONE sent or COMMISSIONED by Almighty God.
John 5:33-47.
“You sent unto John, and he bares witness unto the truth. 34. But I receive NOT testimony from man: but these things I say, that you might be saved. 35. He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36. But I have greater witness than that of John: (Now, please keep in mind that Jesus ALSO said that John was the greatest of all the prophets. So then, if Jesus had a greater witness than John, then he was also saying that he had a greater witness than Abraham and all the prophets) for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. (Remember that Jesus also said that he could do NOTHING OF HIMSELF and that the works were done by the Father that DWELT IN him by the Holy Spirit OF Almighty God. Also, remember that Almighty God, the Father, IS SPIRIT. In other words, the Holy Spirit OF Almighty God and Almighty God himself, the great I AM, are ONE and the SELF-SAME one Spirit being. But Jesus is the SON OF Almighty God, the great I AM. And thus, Jesus is a SEPARATE being or person from Almighty God the Father, the great I AM THAT I AM) 37. And the Father himself, which has SENT me, has borne WITNESS of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape. 38. And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not. 39. Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and THEY are THEY which TESTIFY of ME. (This is HOW Abraham SAW the DAY of Jesus the COMING Messiah. Also keep in mind that the New Testament is NOT a LIVE broadcast, so to speak. But rather, it was written after the fact and the writer sometimes INCLUDED things that happened after the resurrection of Jesus in some of these narratives. What I mean by this is that Abraham rose from the grave WITH Jesus and this was another way that Abraham SAW the DAY of Jesus. Please read the study “WHAT AND WHERE IS PARADISE?” for a deeper understanding of how Jesus PREACHED the gospel of SALVATION to the spirits of the Old Testament saints when Jesus first descended into the lower parts of the earth for three full days and three full nights) 40. And you will not come to me, that you might have life. 41. I receive not honor from men. 42. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. 43. I am come in my Father's NAME, (Remember that the NAME of Jesus means Yahweh SAVES or the SALVATION of Yahweh, Blessed is he who comes in the NAME of the Lord.) and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive (Just as a side note, but an extremely important side note, I believe that this verse may be prophesying the coming of Muhammad, which the seed of Abraham in the lineage of Ishmael received. Please read the study “COULD ISLAM BE THE MARK OF THE BEAST?”). 44. How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only? 45. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust. 46. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me: for he wrote OF ME. 47. But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?”
Now plain and simple, any verse that we interpret MUST AGREE with the rest of God’s word. And my interpretation of John 8:58 that Jesus is saying that he is the MESSIAH, the one prophesied to come AGREES perfectly with the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And that interpretation also AGREES with the word of Jesus in John 5:39 where Jesus says that the Scripture TESTIFY of HIM. My interpretation agrees with Almighty God revealing to Peter than Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. My interpretation agrees with every member of Jesus being formed in the mind of God BEFORE they were NOT YET brought into existence. Please read the PROPHECY of Jesus being spoken through the mouth of King David in Psalm 139:13-17. Psalm 139:13-17.
“For You (Almighty God the Father) have possessed my reins: You have covered me in my mother's womb. 14. I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully MADE: marvelous are Your WORKS; and that my soul knows right well. 15. My substance was not hidden from You, when I was MADE in SECRET, and curiously wrought IN the LOWEST parts of the earth. 16. Your eyes did see my substance, YET being UNPERFECT; and in Your book all my members were written, which in continuance were FASHIONED, WHEN AS YET was NONE OF THEM. 17. How precious also are Your THOUGHTS unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”
Let us read the last three verses again so you can see that the TRUE Jesus did NOT LITERALLY pre-exist in the eternity past as God the Son who was literally with Yahweh as a literally separate person at God’s side.
Psalm 139:15-18.
“My substance (Or my BODY, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body, as well as, my END PURPOSE of becoming Your Messiah and being glorified after the cross) was not hidden from You, (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body as well as my END PURPOSE, was not SECRET from YOU) WHEN (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body, as well as, my END PURPOSE was not a secret from you as to when, where, and how) I was made (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body, as well as, my END PURPOSE, was not a secret from YOU as to when, where, and how I would be brought to pass or PROCURED) in SECRET, (Speaking of Yahweh’s HIDDEN prophecy kept secret from God’s enemy, Satan) and curiously wrought (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body, as well as, my END PURPOSE of being MADE PERFECT in Your image to become the firstborn of every creature, was not a secret from YOU as to when, where, and how I would be brought to pass or PROCURED by you who fabricated me in an unusual way) IN the LOWEST parts of the earth. (Or my body, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body, as well as, my END PURPOSE, was not a secret from YOU as to when, where, and how I would be brought to pass or PROCURED by You who fabricated me in an unusual way by Your spoken word of PROPHECY being FULFILLED or performed by You in the WOMB of the earth. Now, I see two meanings to the phrase “IN the LOWEST PARTS of the earth.” Before Jesus ascended out of the grave to be glorified, he DESCENDED FIRST into the heart of the earth or into the LOWEST parts of the earth, but God did not leave his SOUL in Hell as was prophesied. And after God resurrected the Son of MAN, Jesus, God highly exalted him and gave Jesus eternal life to become God’s, ETERNAL Son. That is one meaning. The other meaning is that Jesus had his beginning in the womb of a human woman without an earthly Father. For you see, the Hebrew word translated as the LOWEST parts of the earth ALSO means WOMB. My main point is that Jesus was CREATED on the earth IN the WOMB of a woman. There are NO prophecies of any God the Son coming down from heaven to manifest himself in the flesh and remain fully divine to have two natures at the same time. But there ARE, indeed, prophecies of a CHILD being BRON of a women and then that human Sn being given to die on the cross as a ransom to redeem man back to God) 16. Your eyes did see my substance, (Or Your eyes looking into the future did see my BODY, as in, my whole BEING of spirit, soul, and body, as well as, my END PURPOSE) YET being UNPERFECT; (Or yet being an embryo or an unformed mass) and IN Your book all my members were written, (Or every detail about where I would be born to the END PURPOSE of why I was born are written in Your word of PROPHECY) which in continuance were fashioned, (Or You formed and molded me like a potter) WHEN AS YET was NONE OF THEM. (Or when YET NONE of my being existed in eternity past, but You kept forming Your thoughts within Yourself at the time you were restoring the earth as to how You desired my end to be like) 17. How precious also are Your THOUGHTS unto me, O God! How great is the sum (Or how great is the END) of them!”
Jesus said that the Scriptures TESTIFIED of him. John 5:39.
“Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which TESTIFY of me.”
Jesus is the “word” that was with God, and “[a]” God was the “word” of PROPHECY. In other words, Jesus was PROPHESIED to be MADE a God. And when the government shall be laid upon his shoulders his NAME shall be called the mighty God. And Jesus was GIVEN a new name after the cross so that every knew shall bow to the NAME and every tongue will confess that he is Lord TO the glory OF Almighty God the Father.
Now read Luke 24:44-49.
“And he (Jesus) said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, 46. And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48. And you are witnesses of these things. 49. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high.”
Psalm 56:8.
“You (Yahweh) tell my wanderings: put You my tears into Your bottle: are they not in Your book?”
I myself do NOT see ANY PROPHECIES in the Old Testament Scriptures that prophesy of a God the Son being sent down from heaven to be incarnated in the flesh but yet remain the fully Almighty God at the same time having two natures, one divine, and one human during the days of his FLESH. But what we do see in the Bible ITSELF are prophecies of a HUMAN Messiah coming INTO existence through the SPOKEN word coming OUT FROM the mouth of Yahweh. We clearly see the New Testament writers saying many times that this was a FULFILLMENT of the Scriptures. I do not know why it is so hard for some Christians to see that John 1:1 is a PROPHECY of the spoken word of God BECOMING a God by the spoken word of PROPHECY becoming FLESH first. And then the human Son of MAN was highly exalted to be CALLED by the TITLE a Mighty God as prophesied in Isaiah 9:6,7. Clearly, every Christian sees or understand that Jesus being SLAIN as an innocent Lamb before the foundation of the world was the PLAN of God being prophesied. So, why is it so hard to see that the word became a God was also the PLAN of God? Did not the Son of MAN BECOME a God just as it was PROPHESIED? Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear can clearly see that Yahweh is the God OF His Son Jesus. Please read the study “JESUS SAID WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” Another study that I highly suggest that you read is the three part study called “WHEN DID JESUS BECOME GOD’S ETERNAL SON?” Some of you may be surprised to learn the Bible ITSELF clearly teaches us that God’s Son first came into existence at the virgin birth as God’s HUMAN Son. And then it was AFTER the cross that the Son of MAN Jesus was glorified to become God’s, ETERNAL Son. The word “BEGOTTEN” means that the SON OF God had a BEGINNING. There is simply NO WAY around this fact. And due to the FACT that Jesus had a BEGINNING proves that the doctrine of the Trinity is NOT SOUND Biblical teaching. You can read in some Trinitarian concordances that the word “begotten” does NOT mean that Jesus had a beginning, And this argument goes all the way back to the third century. Listen to one of the writers from the early church who persecuted Arius for being a HERETIC and cast Arius out of the church for denying the doctrine of the Trinity. Arius writes a letter to Eusebius about the persecution that he and his fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord are receiving from the bishop Alexander of the church of Alexandria, Egypt. Here is a quote from that letter.
“(1.) To that most beloved man of God, the faithful and orthodox Eusebius, from Arius, unjustly persecuted by father Alexander because of the all-conquering truth which you, Eusebius, also are defending! (2.) Since my father Ammonius is going to Nicomedia, it seemed reasonable and proper to greet you through him, remembering at the same time the innate love and affection which you have for the brothers on account of God and his Christ, because the bishop [Alexander] is severely ravaging and persecuting us and moving against us with every evil. Thus he drives us out of every city like godless men, since we will not AGREE with HIS public statements: that there was “always a God, ALWAYS a Son;” “as soon as the Father, so soon the Son [existed];” “with the Father co-exists the Son unbegotten, ever-begotten, begotten without begetting;” “God neither PRECEDES the Son in aspect or in a moment of time;” “always a God, ALWAYS a Son, the Son being from God himself.”
Did you notice that Arius and Eusebius were teaching ORTHODOX Christianity believing in God AND His Christ? Now to ME, this DOGMATIC demanding of the Roman Catholic Church to ENFORCE this doctrine of the Trinity that demands that there be a CO-ETERNAL SON who had absolutely NO BEGINNING and who was begotten WITHOUT being begotten simply does NOT AGREE with what the WHOLE word of Almighty God clearly teaches us. And this is what Arius was trying to get bishop Alexander, one of the founders of the Roman Catholic Church to see. In some of the writings about Arius he is praised highly for his godly moral life, but at the same time, he and the MANY “ORTHODOX” Christians who believed what Arius and Eusebius taught were heavily persecuted by bishop Alexander of Alexandria. And when you truly take a close look at what this Roman Catholic bishop Alexander taught, I myself have to wonder who the “real heretic” is. I mean, what kind of SOUND BIBLICAL statement is the following?
“There was “always a God, ALWAYS a Son;” “as soon as the Father, so soon the Son [existed];” “with the Father co-exists the Son unbegotten, ever-begotten, begotten without begetting;” “God neither PRECEDES the Son in aspect or in a moment of time;” “always a God, ALWAYS a Son, the Son being from God himself.”
I mean really that would truly be a MYSTERY for the Son to be UNBEGOTTEN, EVER BEGOTTEN, and to be begotten WITHOUT being BEGOTTEN. Now, Jesus being FROM God Himself is indeed Biblical but that is not the meaning that comes from the CONTEXT of Alexander's teaching that the Son was begotten of God WITHOUT being begotten. The Trinitarian meaning of being from God Himself is that the Son always existed as a part of the very being of God as a separate person OF God who never had a beginning. And thus, you can see that this same trying to explain away the TRUE meaning of the word “BEGOTTEN” still exist today in Trinitarian BIASED concordances. Here is a quote from the New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance defining the word “BEGOTTEN” Strong’s #3439 concerning Jesus Christ.
“(4) With reference to Christ, the phrase “the only begotten of the Father”, John 1:14, indicates that as the Son of God, he was the sole REPRESENTATIVE of the Being and character of the ONE who sent him… ... (4d) The glory was that of a unique relationship and the word “begotten” does NOT imply a BEGINNING of his son ship. (4c) It (speaking of the word begotten) suggests relationship indeed, but MUST be DISTINGUISHED from GENERATION as applied to MAN. (5) We can only RIGHTLY understand the term “the only BEGOTTEN” WHEN used of the Son in the sense of UN-originated relationship. (5a) The begetting is NOT an event in TIME however remote but a FACT irrespective of TIME. (5b) The Christ did NOT BECOME but NECESSARILY and eternally is the Son, He is a person and he possesses every attribute of Godhood. (5c) This NECESSITATES eternity, absolute being, in this respect he is NOT AFTER the Father… …(8) In John 3:16 the statement “God so loved the world that He gave His only BEGOTTEN Son” MUST NOT be taken to mean that Christ BECAME the only begotten Son BY INCARNATION.”
So then, for everyone else who are not blinded by the man-made doctrine of the Trinity, the word BEGOTTEN means GENERATED and BROUGHT INTO existence where we never existed before except in the minds of our parents to have a child. Notice that this BIASED definition of the Greek word “monogenes” NECESSITATES eternity and an absolute eternal pre-existing being for the Son. And that is because IF the Son was NOT eternal, then the whole doctrine of the Trinity would fall apart and be proven to be FALSE teaching. So it is NECESSARY for these Trinitarian BIASED concordances to TWIST the TRUE meaning of the word BEGOTTEN to make an EXCEPTION only for when Jesus is begotten of the Father. And every other time the word begotten means GENERATED to come into existence. Also, did you notice definition number (5a) that begetting is NOT an event in TIME however remote in the eternity past but a FACT irrespective of TIME? But yet the Bible ITSELF clearly teaches us that Jesus was begotten as God’s ETERNAL Son on a SPECIFIC DAY IN TIME. Please read Acts 13:32-41 where we can clearly see in SIMPLICITY that Jesus was BEGOTTEN of God on a certain DAY in time and that certain day in time ACCORDING to the Bible ITSELF was AT the RESURRECTION of the Son of MAN.
Acts 13:32-41.
“And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the PROMISE which was made unto the fathers, 33. God has FULFILLED the same unto us their children (And HOW did God FULFILL the Scripture of the PROMISE of prophecy being spoken of here?), IN THAT He has RAISED UP Jesus AGAIN; AS IT is also WRITTEN in the second psalm, You are my Son, THIS DAY have I BEGOTTEN you. (Now, some Christians argue and say that this teaching or doctrine of Jesus becoming the Son of God AT his RESURRECTION is based upon ONE verse only here in Acts 13:33 and make the CLAIM that the term this day is speaking of ETERNITY for there is no time with God. But the writer of the book of Acts clearly states that the prophecy written in Psalms chapter 2 has God FULFILLED IN THAT he has RAISED UP or has BEGOTTEN Jesus from the DEAD. The CONTEXT clearly shows this fulfillment of Psalms 2 being the resurrection by the bringing out other prophecies being FULFILLED AT the RESURRECTION of Jesus) 34. AND AS CONCERNING that He RAISED him UP from the DEAD, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. (In other words, Almighty God GAVE the Son of MAN, Jesus, ETERNAL LIFE AFTER the CROSS never to die anymore) 35. Wherefore He said (Or Almighty God said through His prophet David) ALSO in another psalm, You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption. (So then, IF SO BE it is true that Jesus was BEGOTTEN in eternity past as some Christians claim, then that would mean that Psalm 2 was fulfilled in eternity PAST. Therefore, those Christians must be consistent in their interpretation of verse 33 and also demand that verses 34-36 were also fulfilled in the eternity past as well. I mean THINK this through for yourself my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. IF SO BE that Jesus was ALREADY begotten as God's Son in the ETERNITY past with or without having a beginning then it makes NO sense for God to INSPIRE godly men of old to write down PROPHECY foretelling of a certain DAY that his Son would be BEGOTTEN at some point in time in the future. And THEN inspire the disciples of Jesus to TEACH us that the PROPHECY in Psalm 2 was FULFILLED in THAT God RAISED Jesus from the DEAD to never die again as BEING the DAY that Jesus was BEGOTTEN as the ETERNAL Son of God. In truth, before the resurrection, Jesus was the human Son of God. All I am saying is that I did not write the Bible and I am only telling you what the Bible ITSELF plainly STATES as FACT with no interpretation needed. So rather than interpret THIS verse another way in order to TRY to explain it away, why not go back and take a CLOSER look at those verses of Scripture that SEEM to be saying that Jesus pre-existed in eternity past. For you see, those verses must be INTERPRETED as Jesus pre-existing as God's eternal divine SON who was WITH God at his SIDE for all eternity past. Those verses must be INTERPRETED that God sent down from heaven God the Son, the second person of the Trinity Godhead. But there are NO verses of Scripture that prophesy some God the Son coming down from heaven to incarnate himself in the flesh but yet REMAIN fully divine having TWO natures. I mean, I myself have never read one verse in the entire Bible that teaches us of Jesus having TWO NATURES one divine and the other human at the SAME time during the days of his FLESH. Can you not see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, that the Bible ITSELF does NOT teach us that Jesus had TWO natures at the same time during the days of his FLESH? But rather, it is man's THEORETICAL TRADITION that was formed over centuries by the Roman Catholic Church which teaches the Deity of Jesus DURING the days of his FLESH? The doctrine of the Deity of Jesus dogmatically demands that Jesus was Deity in eternity past and Deity DURING the days of his FLESH on the earth before the CROSS. BUT the Bible ITSELF teaches that Jesus was HIGHLY EXALTED by the Father. So how can Deity be highly exalted? Do not BOTH the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Oneness teach that Jesus IS ALMIGHTY God Himself? Yes, they both wrongly teach that Jesus is Almighty God Himself in the flesh. So then, how can the HIGHEST God who is already the HIGHEST be highly exalted? Do you see what I mean about seeking the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of God? We must interpret every verse of Scripture in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God) 36. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37. But he, whom God RAISED AGAIN (Or whom God has BEGOTTEN AGAIN from the DEAD and has given immortality never more to die. Remember that Jesus said that MAN must be BORN AGAIN to enter into the kingdom of God. Actually Jesus teaches a TWO stage process of being born again. First, we are born again by the word of God so that we can SEE or UNDERSTAND the things of the kingdom or the things of God and then we WILL BE born again AT the FIRST RESURRECTION at the second coming so that we can ENTER INTO the kingdom of God because this mortal body of FLESH must put on IMMORTALITY to ENTER into the kingdom of God), saw no corruption. (And Jesus was made to BECOME immortal by his God and Father GIVING him life to HAVE in himself even as the Father has always had the DIVINE NATURE OF immortality in himself) 38. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this MAN is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Nowhere in the Scriptures is Jesus ever called the God/man. That is a man-made THEORY that CONTRADICTS many, many verses in the Bible. Please read the study “37 FACTS TO PONDER ABOUT JESUS BEING GOD!”) 39. And by him, all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40. Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 41. Behold, you who despise, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in YOUR days, (Again, proving that Jesus was NOT begotten in eternity past BEFORE the creation of the world and mankind) a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a MAN declares it unto you.”
Jesus, the Son of MAN, declared that he would suffer and die on the cross and after three days would be raised from the dead, but no one, not even his disciples truly understood and believed his words until AFTER they WITNESSED his RESURRECTION by Jesus showing himself alive by many infallible proofs for forty days AFTER Jesus descended BACK down from heaven. Now no one actually witnesses the event of Jesus being raised from the dead while it was happening, but rather they became witnesses to the TRUTH that Jesus was raised from the dead when Jesus SHOWED himself alive by many infallible proofs for forty days after Jesus was BEGOTTEN from the DEAD to be GIVEN the divine nature of ETERNAL LIFE by his God and Father. Jesus being BEGOTTEN from the DEAD is the heart of the gospel. This is what the Bible itself teaches us to believe in order to be SAVED. This is what sets Christianity apart from ALL other faiths. Many other religions believe that Jesus existed, but they do NOT believe that he was BEGOTTEN FROM THE DEAD. They do NOT believe that Jesus is DEITY or God. And had Satan KNOWN he would NOT have crucified that innocent pure Lamb of God, the Son of MAN, who offered himself without spot THROUGH the ETERNAL SPIRIT. I teach that Jesus is DEITY, but NOT in the way that the mainstream Orthodox churches teach. Rather I teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches and that is that Jesus became deity AFTER the cross after he OVERCAME. I teach that Jesus is the DIVINE Son of God, but NOT in the same way that the mainstream Orthodox church denominations teach. Rather, I teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches, which is that Jesus was GIVEN the divine nature of IMMORTALITY to HAVE eternal life in himself even as Yahweh the Father has always had life in Himself, AFTER the cross, after he OVERCAME sin THROUGH the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling IN him. I teach that Jesus IS God, but NOT in the way that the mainstream Orthodox denominational churches teach. Rather, I teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches, and that is that Yahweh the Father HIGHLY EXALTED his Son Jesus to BECOME a God who is UNDER and SUBJECT to Yahweh the Father AFTER the cross after Jesus OVERCAME as the Son of MAN having been ANOINTED or EMPOWERED by the eternal Spirit dwelling IN him. And the REASON I teach only what the Bible ITSELF teaches is so that YOU can see and understand that the SAME anointing who dwelt IN Jesus NOW dwells IN YOU dear child of God to EMPOWER YOU to live without sin and do the SAME works that the Father himself did through the human hands of his Son Jesus. 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 >>>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 >>>A LIST OF STUDIES ON THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>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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