Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Jesus vs. God


Jesus is not omniscient: 
Mark 13:32,
Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης ἢ τῆς ὥρας οὐδεὶς οἶδεν, οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ.
“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” 
Here Jesus plainly states that his understanding of the future is limited because he does not know the day or the hour of his return.  But God’s understanding is infinite according to
Psalm 147:5,
גדול אדונינו ורב־כח לתבונתו אין מספר
“Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” 
I have heard it said that Jesus changed when he took on humanity.  He lost his omniscience.  But, God doesn’t change, according to
James 1:17,
πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστι καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων, παρ᾿ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
  And since Jesus is the image, or perfect reflection of, the Father, he also does not change, according to
Hebrews 13:8,
᾿Ιησοῦς Χριστὸς χθὲς καὶ σήμερον ὁ αὐτός καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
Jesus referred to himself constantly as the Son of Man.  There are two big implications for using this phrase.  The first is that this is the same term that God used when He addressed the prophet Ezekiel, starting in
Ezekiel 2:1,
ויאמר אלי בן־אדם עמד על־רגליך ואדבר אתך  
And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee." 
This would connect him with the role of a prophet. 

Peter also clearly stated that Jesus was a man. 

Acts 2:22,
Ανδρες ᾿Ισραηλῖται, ἀκούσατε τοὺς λόγους τούτους· ᾿Ιησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον, ἄνδρα ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποδεδειγμένον εἰς ὑμᾶς δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις οἷς ἐποίησε δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, καθὼς καὶ αὐτοὶ οἴδατε,

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know”

However, God is not a Son of Man: 
Numbers 23:19,
לא אישׁ אל ויכזב ובן־אדם ויתנחם ההוא אמר ולא יעשׂה ודבר ולא יקימנה
“God is not a man… neither the son of man….” 
Hosea 11:9,
לא אעשׂה חרון אפי לא אשׁוב לשׁחת אפרים כי אל אנכי ולא־אישׁ בקרבך קדושׁ ולא אבוא בעיר

“for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee”
The book of Daniel clearly differentiates the Son of Man from the Ancient of Days (God). 
Daniel 7:13-14,
חזה הוית בחזוי ליליא וארו עם־ענני שׁמיא כבר אנשׁ אתה הוה ועד־עתיק יומיא מטה וקדמוהי הקרבוהי
ולה יהיב שׁלטן ויקר ומלכו וכל עממיא אמיא ולשׁניא לה יפלחון שׁלטנה שׁלטן עלם די־לא יעדה ומלכותה די־לא תתחבל
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." 
Here, Jesus uses a phrase that at once both connects him with the line of the prophets, and it differentiates him from God.  Notice also that the Son of Man in Daniel receives his dominion and glory from God.

Jesus was tempted, but God cannot be tempted.

James 1:13-14,
Μηδεὶς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ πειράζομαι· ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς ἀπείραστός ἐστι κακῶν, πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα.
ἕκαστος δὲ πειράζεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἐξελκόμενος καὶ δελεαζόμενος·
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."
Hebrews 4:15,
οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν ἀρχιερέα μὴ δυνάμενον συμπαθῆσαι ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, πεπειρασμένον δὲ κατὰ πάντα καθ᾿ ὁμοιότητα χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας.
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
God cannot die, but Jesus died.
Deuteronomy 32:39-40,
ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא ואין אלהים עמדי אני אמית ואחיה מחצתי ואני ארפא ואין מידי מציל׃
כי־אשׂא אל־שׁמים ידי ואמרתי חי אנכי לעלם׃
“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.”
Psalm 90:2,
בטרם הרים ילדו ותחולל ארץ ותבל ומעולם עד־עולם אתה אל
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
Psalm 102:27,
ואתה־הוא ושׁנותיך לא יתמו
“But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end”.

1 Timothy 6:16,
ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν, φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον, ὃν εἶδεν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν δύναται· ᾧ τιμὴ καὶ κράτος αἰώνιον· ἀμήν.
“Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting.  Amen.”