Who is Jesus?
Without a doubt,
you have often heard the claim that Jesus is God, the second person in the
"Holy trinity." However, the very Bible which is used as a basis for
knowledge about Jesus and as the basis for doctrine within Christianity
clearly belies this claim. We urge you to consult your own Bible and
verify that the following conclusions are not drawn out of
context:
1. God is All Knowing.....but Jesus was not
When
speaking of the day of judgment, Jesus clearly gave evidence of a
limitation on his knowledge when he said, "but of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the son,
but the Father." Mark 13:32, and Matt 24:36. But God knows all. His
knowledge is without any limitations. That Jesus, of his own admission,
did not know when the day of judgment would be, is clear proof that Jesus
is not all-knowing, and that Jesus is therefore not God.
2.
God is All Powerful.....but Jesus was not
While Jesus performed many
miracles, he himself admitted that the power he had was not his own but
was derived from God when he said, "Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son
can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do..." St. John
5:19. Again he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear I
judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the
will of the Father which hath sent me." St. John 5:30. But God is not only
all-powerful, He is also the source of all power and authority. That
Jesus, of his own admission, could do nothing on his own is clear proof
that Jesus is not all-powerful, and that therefore Jesus is not
God.
3. God does not have a God.....but Jesus did have a
God.
God is the ultimate judge and refuge for all, and He does not call
upon nor pray to any others. But Jesus acknowledged that there was one
whom he worshipped and to whom he prayed when he said, "l ascend unto my
Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." St. John 20:17. He is
also reported to have cried out while on the cross, "My God, my God why
hast thou forsaken me?" Matt 27:46. If Jesus were God, then couldn't this
be read, "Myself, myself why hast thou forsaken me?" Would that not be
pure nonsense? When Jesus prayed the Lord's prayer (Luke 11:2-4), was he
praying to himself? When in the garden of Gethsemane he prayed, "O my
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless not as
I will but as thou wilt." Matt 26:36-39. Was Jesus praying to himself?
That Jesus, of his own admission and by his own actions, acknowledged,
worshipped, and prayed to another being as God is clear proof that Jesus
himself is not God.
4. God is an invisible spirit.....but Jesus was
flesh and blood
While thousands saw Jesus and heard his voice, Jesus
himself said that this could not be done with God when he said. "No man
hath seen God at any time." St. John 1:18. '"Ye have neither heard His
voice at any time nor seen His shape." St. John 5:37. He also said in St.
John 4:24. "God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth." That Jesus would say that no one had seen or heard
God at any time, while his followers both saw and heard him, is clear
proof that Jesus was not God.
5. No one is greater than God and no
one can direct Him but Jesus acknowledged someone greater than himself
whose will was distinct from his own.
Perhaps the clearest indication
we have that Jesus and God are not equal, and therefore not one and the
same, come again from the mouth of Jesus himself who said in St. John
14:28, "My Father is greater than I." When someone referred to him as good
master in Matt 19:17, Jesus responded, "Why callest thou me good? There is
none good but one, that is God..." Furthermore, Jesus drew clear
distinctions between himself and God when he said, "I proceeded forth and
came from God, neither came I of myself but He sent me." St. John 8:42.
Jesus gave clear evidence of his subordination to God, rather than his
equality with God,when he said in Luke 22:42, "not my will but thine be
done" and in St. John 5:30, "I seek not mine own will but the will of the
Father which hath sent me." That Jesus would admit that he did not come
into the world on his own initiative but was directed to do so, that he
would acknowledge another being as greater than himself, and that he would
negate his own will in deference to affirming the will of another, give
clear proof that Jesus is not the Supreme One and therefore Jesus is not
God.
Conclusion
The Church recognizes the Bible as the primary
source of knowledge about God and Jesus. But since the Bible makes it
clear that Jesus is not the Supreme Being and the Supreme Being is not
Jesus, upon what basis have you come to believe otherwise?
My
brother or sister, the belief that the Supreme Being is a Trinity is false
and completely inconsistent with the words of Jesus as presented in the
Bible. God is one, not three. He is a perfect unity.
If you
are interested in the truth about God and your relationship to Him, we
invite you to investigate the religion of Islam.
What is
the word of God about Jesus:
A. Regarding Sonship of Jesus:
That
is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are
doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When
He decrees a thing he but says to it "Be", and it is. (Qur'an
19:34,35).
And they say, 'The All-merciful has taken unto
Himself a son.' You have indeed advanced something hideous. The heavens
are well nigh rent of it and the earth split asunder, and the mountains
well nigh fall down crashing for that they have attributed to the
All-Merciful a son; and it behoves not the All-Merciful to take a son.
None is there in the heavens and earth but comes to the All-Merciful as a
servant (Qur'an 19:88-93).
Truly the likeness of Jesus, in
God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then said He
unto him, "Be", and he was. (Qur'an 3:59).
People of the Book, go
not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the
Truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and
His Word that He committed to Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in
God and His Messengers. and say not, 'Three', Refrain, better is it for
you. God is only One God. Glory be on Him - that He should have a son! To
Him belongs that which is in the heavens and on the earth, God suffices
for a guardian. (Qur'an 4:171)
B. Regarding Jesus being
God:
And when God said. 'O Jesus son of Mary,did you say unto men,
"Take me and my mother as gods, apart from God?" He Said, 'To You be
Glory! It is not mine to say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it,
You knew it, knowing what is within my soul, and I do not know what is
within Your soul; You know the things unseen. I only said to them what You
did command me: "Serve God, my Lord and your Lord." And I was a witness
over them, while I remained among them; but when You did take me to
Yourself the Watcher over them; You are the witness of everything. (Quran
5:116,117)
C. Regarding Crucifiction of Jesus:
And for their
unbelief, and their uttering against Mary a mighty calumny, and for their
saying, 'We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of
God'...yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness
of that was shown to them. Those who are at variance concerning him surely
are in doubt regarding him, they have no knowledge of him, except the
following of surmise; and they did not slay him of certainty... no indeed,
God raised him up to Him; God is Almighty, All-Wise. There is not one of
the people of the Book but will assuredly believe in him before his death,
and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them. (Qur'an
4:156-159)