records prove to be true, then what does this tell us about the meaning of the phrase " Son of God"?
When Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, His Jewish contemporaries fully understood that he was making a claim to be God in an unqualified sense.
From the earliest days of Christianity, the pharase " Son of God" was understood to be fully equivalent to God.
2007-09-30 07:24:52 · 8 answers · asked by Nina, BaC 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If God were really made up of three different persons shouldn't we expect the Bible to say at least something about it? The fact is the Scriptures do not in any way support the Trinity concept.
As for the notion that Jesus was equal to God before he came to the earth the Bible says the exact opposite. Consider what Philippians 2:5-6 says regarding Jesus' pre-human relationship with God.
Paul wrote: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
(Note: the footnote in the NIV admits that "very nature of God" is more accurately rendered as "in God's form"—which is the way the NWT expresses it.)
If Jesus "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped" doesn't that indicate that Jesus was not equal with God before he became a man?
But how sensible is it that God is not equal with himself or that one faction of God's supposed triplicate personality may be tempted to grasp for equality within the imaginary threefold godhead?
True, Jesus was in God's form—meaning he was in God's likeness; as a son resembles his father. And as a highly privileged and beloved son Jesus could have been tempted to take the attitude: "Wait a minute! I am the Only-begotten son of Jehovah. I helped create the universe! No way am I going to leave my glorious place in heaven to go down into that hell hole on earth to rescue that rabble!"
But he didn't respond that way. Instead, he humbly considered God's superiority over himself and did not seek to cash in on his privileged standing as the one closest to Jehovah. In that respect he did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
2007-10-01 05:04:48 · answer #1 · answered by keiichi 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A great question !!! Equality that we aspire for is not a bed of roses!!! What we have currently is the selective application based on gender differences and dtrengths and weaknesses. It will take a real miracle in every man and woman to have an open mind and then only we can have real equality. True equality is something based on the fact that we are humans rather than man or woman. The day we talk of human rights instead of men or womens rights is when there would be a miracle. Till then we will live in a world with an imbalance whther we care to admit it or not!!!
2016-05-17 10:27:13 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"His Jewish contemporaries fully understood that he was making a claim to be God in an unqualified sense. "
What Jewish contemporaries? Who was qualified to make that sort of judgement? Jewish scholars? Well, they rejected him.
2007-09-30 09:00:29 · answer #3 · answered by BMCR 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your claims although noble for trying to make us understand your theology, are exagerated and false.
(NIV)Genesis 6:2 "the *sons of God* saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose."
Curious, what historical records?
Take Care Everyone.
2007-10-01 05:34:13 · answer #4 · answered by YXM84 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very interesting if it's true. My information is obviously conflicting with your information. The Caesars and pharohs all thought they were son's of God too. Are we all not children of God if God created Eve and Adam who are our predecessors?
2007-09-30 07:34:33 · answer #5 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He said he was the Son of God because he was, in fact the only Begotten Son of God. As such he acted for his father on this earth and that is why he is equivalent to his Father, God.
2007-09-30 07:35:27 · answer #6 · answered by idaho gal 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
...No, ancients did not believe that one's son was one's equal.
...No, it was only the gnat-straining critics of Jesus who pretended that Jesus was claiming equality with his Father Jehovah and who pretended that Jesus violated the sabbath (see John 5:18). Jesus did not teach that he was equal to God (see John 14:28). See also John 9:40,41.
...No, the early Christians utterly rejected the idea that Jesus was equivalent to Almighty God.
Ironically, the shaky foundations of trinitarianism rest on dubious misapplications of perhaps ten bible verses. By contrast, entire passages and important bible concepts literally require Jesus the Son to be a separate person from God the Father. Who created Jesus? To whom did Jesus pray? Who resurrected Jesus? At whose right hand does Jesus sit?
Really, it is the bible rather than any human tradition, catechism, or post-biblical writing which can reveal the truth about Jesus Christ. Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians; they teach that Christ was and is divine and of the same nature as God. What does the bible teach about Jesus?
Jehovah's Witnesses understand the bible to teach that no salvation occurs without Christ, that accepting Christ's sacrifice is a requirement for true worship, that every prayer must acknowledge Christ, that Christ is the King of God's Kingdom, that Christ is the head of the Christian congregation, that Christ is immortal and above every creature, even that Christ was the 'master worker' in creating the universe!
Jehovah's Witnesses love and respect and honor Christ. However, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Scriptures quite plainly demonstrate that Jesus and the Almighty are separate distinct persons, and the Almighty created Jesus as His firstborn son.
(Colossians 1:15) the firstborn of all creation
(Mark 10:18) Jesus said to him: 'Why do you call me good? Nobody is good, except one, God.
(Revelation 3:14) the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God
(Philippians 2:5-6) Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God
(John 8:42) Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth
(John 12:49) I have not spoken out of my own impulse, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a commandment as to what to tell and what to speak
(John 14:28) I am going my way to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am
(1 Corinthians 15:28) But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him
(Matthew 20:23) this sitting down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father
(1 Corinthians 11:3) I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; ...in turn the head of the Christ is God
(John 20:17) I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.
(Deuteronomy 6:4) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah
(1 Corinthians 8:4-6) There is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called "gods," whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many "gods" and many "lords," there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him
Thanks again for an opportunity to share what the bible actually says about the distinct persons of Jesus Christ the Son and Jehovah God the Father!
Learn more!
http://watchtower.ca/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_05.htm
http://watchtower.ca/e/20050422/
http://watchtower.ca/e/20020515/
http://watchtower.ca/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.ca/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_04.htm
2007-10-01 02:36:23 · answer #7 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
what historical records are you talking about?
do you people just make stuff up as you go?
2007-09-30 07:27:37 · answer #8 · answered by ? 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋