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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The phrase "the Father is greater than I" (John 14:28) was spoken by Jesus during the upper room discourse, and the greater context is the promising of the Holy Spirit to the disciples after Jesus'...
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Daniel Dwayne Sizemore
Supporter
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest(reveled) in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. It's a great mystery but this script sums it up,God stepped out of His glory into a fleshy body so as the scriputre says "God was in the flesh", and "jusified in the Spirit" or he walked an was tempted as a man but did not sin then for the first time "the Angels seen there maker", "he preached to the Gentiles" because before that only the Israelite's could be a priest. He was 100 percent God and 100 percent man, To be able to Judge you righteously he had to become like you. But all his glory stayed in heaven, God can be everywhere at once. He was "believed on in the world" but before he ascended the world knew who he was, Jesus(God) made Thomas a believer in John 20:28 Thomas said My lord and my God, so Thomas who at first doubted that he even had risen knew He was God and he last part of 1 Tim3:16 "He was received up into Glory"(John8:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.) John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. John 10:30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (The "Jews" sure knew what Jesus was saying.) To wrap it up Israel has always worshiped one God and had Jesus been trying to sale 3 "persons" or any other such false doctrine they would've never believed it more less than die for it. God made Himself a body, walked in it for 33 years then allowed it to be sacrificed for you an me,raised it up and went back to His Glory He came from and now there is just One God sitting on one thrown and His Name is Jesus, Amen! And He'll Reign for Evermore!
Julian Grear
Supporter
This is what I believe: Same person but different roles in terms of position. He came to the earth as Jesus in order to set an example for us to follow. He came in a human body and thus had to lower himself for our sake (1/2 Corinthians 5:21). They are one spirit, they all have different personalities. Take note of that please.
Adriaan Van Jaarsveld
Supporter
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:5 - 2:9 ESV)
EL Mohel Castorena
Supporter
When Yeshua (Jesus) used the word "greater" he was speaking as a human and as Ha Moshiach (Messiah). So of course his Father is greater. Please note "greater" does not equate to "better". The President of the USA is truly "greater" than any of us by the position he holds; however this does not make him better than any of us. Yes, Yeshua (Jesus) has a divine nature "without sin" so that the truth of "the Word became flesh" rings true evermore - pointing to Psalm 2.
Lloyd Rowlands
Supporter
I believe this question is best answered by analogy. I am "greater" than my son in that I have authority over him and am responsible for him. BUT as humans, we are equal.... I am not more human than he; neither is he more human than me. In fact, even before he could walk, talk, or do anything....my son was fully human, as fully human as I am...he had ALL the attributes of human life. I believe this is a correct analogy and illustrates somewhat what Jesu meant when He said "my Father is greater than I".... He was speaking as a "son" and of His relationship to His " Father" and he was speaking of authority.... As a "son" he ministered under the authority of His father.
Tony Flores
Supporter
It reminds me of the Millionare that owned the largest store in the world, but to know his people became just an employee starting at the bottom of his store. He did it for a set time and learned everything about his emplyees. When he went back to being the owner, he called the employees one by one and rewarded them for being good employees and fired some for being bad employees. In Jesus' case, He decided to give up His power, although He always had it, for those 33 years and let the Father and Holy Spirit controlled the Universe to show the World the nature of God, for if you know Jesus Christ, He us one with the Father and Holy Spirit. Someday, He will come back to judge the faithful who believe in Him and those that do not believe in Him and will reward them accordingly. Jesus Christ is the Salvation and He is the Resurrection and only He can guarantee you eternal life. If you don't know Him, then you don't know the Creator of Heaven and Earth and everything ever made.
John Uka
Supporter
It is difficult but not impossible to obey the one you do not see. Jesus is God but was not seen by Adam and Angels till He came to the world. That was the mystery of Godliness. Being divine means being invisible to the invisible host of heavens. What is visible is lesser than what is invisible by all standards. Hence, when God took flesh, He became lower than the God the host of heavens do not see, but hear. By this act, He identified with mankind who had always looked for a visible God. Now, it is much easier for men to worship their Creator whom they have seen. Jesus is the word Adam heard in the garden, the word we hear today and the word people will listen to in eternity.
Sylvester Williams
Supporter
Christ Jesus is literally the Word of God that took on flesh as stated in John first chapter. The word word is logos in the Greek. It has to do with reasoning or thought. That is why Christ Jesus said He could do no more than what HE had seen or heard of His Father in Heaven. Once your thought has been recorded it can be disseminated throughout the world but you could still be home. Your recorded voice cannot be separated from you but at the same time it is not greater than you. That is who The Son of God recorded in Human flesh. Still God but not greater than the God the Father where the Word or thought originated.
Al Mari
Supporter
Somehow, we were taught that Jesus and the Father are "equal" [in rank, not nature] or the "same". Where was this teaching based on? When Jesus was incarnated, he became "nothing" in power as a man in Phil 2:5-11 YHVH voluntarily took off his power "on faith" that, as a Passover Lamb, his death will reconcile his creation (mankind) to his Father. He has to incarnate to die to be reckoned as penalty for man as all sin was imputed to Adam, such that Jesus' death can be imputed to all. This is the faith "of " Jesus (Rom 3:20-23 KJV) that justified us, without which all "our" faith is for naught. While our faith "in" Jesus is required for salvation, it is nothing were it not for the faith "of" Jesus that started it all. He is the "author and finisher" of our faith(Heb 12:2), the the beginning and the end. As YHVH was incarnated as man Jesus, he took off his powers as YHVH and became "nothing" (Phil 2:5-11). All his powers as man Jesus have been given to him by the Father to do miracles on earth. His spiritual powers started and fulfilled at Luke 14:17-21; Isa 61:1. From his own testimony, "the Father is greater than I" (John 14:28). After the Resurrection, the Father gave Jesus authority over all the kingdoms of the earth. Every knee will bow down before Jesus (Phil 2:10, Eph 3:14). But then, after the Millennium, all of us children including Jesus, the Son of God, our Elder Brother will bow down to the Father when Jesus delivers everything to him (I Cor 15:24-28). The Father is distinct and not the same as the Son, though the Godhead is one, as we are all distinct to one another, yet "one" body/church. The Father is really greater than the Son as the latter (Elder Brother) is greater than all of us as children of God. Yet, all as "one" belonging to the same "Kingdom of God".
James Kraft
Supporter
Jesus as the Son of God is God. But he lowered himself to our level as a man. He was both man and God, but born of a virgin by the Holy Spirit, and so did not have a sinful nature like us. All those born of Adam are born with a sinful nature. That is why we have to be born again to be saved. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, (First Corinthians 15:1-4) in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise. Born again, born of God.
demilade lucas
Supporter
Jesus is God. The Bible said he was in John 1 vs 1-3, that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and without him was anything made that was made. And if we read now to verse 14 It says, "The word was made flesh..." This is how I explain it to people. If someone spoke and we didn't see him physically but heard the voice, we won't say it was his voice but we will say this person spoke. Let us remember that in Genesis we were told that Adam and Eve heard the voice of God; they didn't see him. Jesus is the physical expression of the heavenly Father. Even Hebrew 1 vs 3 says this. Our voice or words is the same with us. So is God.
Albert Ogier
Supporter
There is nothing wrong with the doctrine of the trinity, but sometimes there is something wrong with the understanding of it, such as when parts of the trinity are treated as one and the same, thus interchangeable. That is a bit like saying the bodywork, engine and steering are all one, therefore turn the engine and you can steer the car. If we fail dismally in our understanding therefore we fail to approach the trinity correctly and therefore fail to pray correctly. God is described as the first and the last, the beginning and the end. We are quick to say there was nothing before God, but it must also be true there can be nothing after God. If God died on the cross, who looked after the universe and held it all together? We would no longer exist and there would be no salvation. Huge problem. This is why God the Father sent his son. When God created the universe and everything in it he did it by speaking, and so the word actuated the creation, but the word had to be said; it did not do it by itself. John wrote that the word became flesh. Can you become what you already are? No, of course, you can't. The word was God, and since God is spirit, the word must have been spirit up till that time. When Jesus emptied himself and took on flesh, he became mortal and visible, unlike his former spirit nature. In the lord's prayer (his own, not the one he taught us,) in John 17 he prays that the father glorifies him with the fathers own self which he had before the world was. He could not have prayed this unless he had given that glory and form up. Scripture says that the prayer of a righteous man achieves much and this man was certainly righteous. This prayer was answered as he was raised with a new spiritual body, just like we someday will be.
Russ Hilton
Supporter
If Jesus was God, why did He say 'The Father is greater than I' in John 15:1? First, Jesus said these words in John 14:28. In John 14:23 Jesus responded to a question by one of his disciples stating, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” In this verse the Greek word for abode is μονὴν which means our abode. In these words the Saviour joins the Father and Himself and in the single word “We,” and speaks equally in the name of His Father and in His own name; but, since He has been sent by the Father into the world (v. 24), He places Himself in a relationship of submission to the Father (v. 28). It is essential to keep in mind that to call the Lord Jesus Christ God – Theos – in itself speaks of the fullness of Divinity in Him. Speaking of the Son, the Apostle Paul says that in Him dwellethall the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Col. 2:9). a. He is directly called God in the Scriptures In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In the Greek the last part of this verse reads καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος translates to “and God He was the Word. The grammatical structure does not allow for placing the article a before “Word”. Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh. (I Tim. 3:16) And we know that theSon of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life (I John 5:20) Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen (Rom. 9:5) My Lord and my God – the exclamation of the Apostle Thomas (John 20:28) b. He is called the “only begotten And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we behald His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14, 18) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16) c. He is equal in honor to the Father My Fatherworkethhitherto, and I work (John 5:17) For what things soever He doeth, these also doth the Son likewise (John 5:19) For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26) d. He is One in essence with the Father I and my Father are one (John 10:30) – in Greek, en esmen, one in essence I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:11; 10:38) All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine (John 17:10) e. The word of God speaks of the eternity of the Son of God I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lor, which is, and which, was and which is to come (Rev. 1:8) And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was (John 17:5) f. Of His omnipresene: And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man Who is in heaven (John 3:13) g. Of the Son of God as the Creator of the world: All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3) For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones, Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (Col. 1: 16-17)
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