Because Jesus isn't God. He is the Son of God. Trinitarians must be using some kind of Bible that is not the true Bible. Because there are no Bibles that say that Jesus is God.
The best way of understanding the scriptures is to consider what it meant to those to whom it was spoken, and what the imagery meant to them.
As we know Jesus asked the disciples “Who do men say that I am”, but then, throughout his ministry he provided them with object lessons to enable them to answer that question.
One such object lesson is found in (Mark 4:35-41). Remember the Jews KNEW their scriptures, they were fully immersed in them, and as such both the disciples and the Jewish readers of Mark their minds would have been drawn immediately to (Psalm 107:23-30). And the stunning parallel and symbolism between the events.
You all may be familiar with this story but are you familiar with the robust background present in the minds of the disciples and the readers of Mark.
Psalm 107:23-32 vs Mark 4:35-41.
Psalm 107:23. Sailors in ships.
Mark 4:35-36. Disciples in Boats.
Psalm 107:25. Stormy winds and waves.
Mark 4:37. Stormy winds and waves.
Psalm 107: 27. The courage of the sailors melts away.
Mark 4:38,40. The disciples are afraid.
Psalm 107:28. The Sailors Cry out to Yahweh
Mark 4:38. The Disciples cry out to Jesus.
Psalm 107:29a. Yahweh stills the storm.
Mark 4:39a. Jesus stills the storm.
Psalm 107:29b. Waves of the sea are quieted.
Mark 4: 39b. Waves are quieted.
Psalm 107:30. There was a great calm.
Mark 4:39b. There was great calm.
Psalm 107:30-32. Sailors exalt the wonders of God.
Mark 4:41. Disciples marvel at Jesus’ power.
In this incident Jesus was giving the disciples an object lesson as to who He really was and (Verse 41) shows their reaction.
(Mark 4:41) “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea OBEY HIM”.
Another such interesting miraculous event is found in (Mark 6:45-52) When Jesus walked on the water. As they witnessed this event the disciples and readers would have been drawn to the statement in (Job 9:8).
“He ALONE stretches out the heavens and TREADS ON THE WAVES OF THE SEA.” This imagery Portrays Jesus as the one who created the natural laws and His authority over them.
These people knew exactly who Jesus was through these and many other “object lessons”.
It’s just sad that the Jehovah’s witnesses cannot see it because their minds have been blinded to the truth.
UPDATE TO TEEM.
Let’s consider your comments in the light of the scriptures, and the context teem.
First your statement did Heaven Reveal to Peter that Jesus was “God the son”? “No, Jesus is the son of God”.
No Difference, you are the son of your father making you Human, Jesus in the same way was the son of His father making Him God. Just as you share the same nature as your father, Jesus shares the same nature as His. As I have told you before If Jesus as the ‘son of man’ was fully man by nature, then Jesus as the ‘son of God ‘is fully God by nature.
Psalm 107 You miss the point entirely. You say it only works if ‘God did this and God did that’. You go on to say ”but Psalm 107 is very specific, it was Jehovah who did those things”. That is the whole point, Mark 4 is also very specific, in that it was Jesus that did what only God can do in psalm 107. Note what Job 9 states. “He ALONE treads on the waves of the sea”. And yet in Mark 6 we find Jesus doing exactly the same works.
You rightly say that the Jews understanding was that Jesus was making Himself equal to God… But you then go on to say that in (Vs 19) “He denied it”. Is your understanding of (vs19) correct? NO.
“The son can do nothing of Himself” does not deny equality with God.
Remember the Jews accused Jesus of Blasphemy, the very essence of the meaning of Blasphemy was someone that was independent from, and in rivalry with God. But Jesus was guilty of no such position, as the son He was subject to His Fathers will, just as you were to your Father’s will, did that make you any less human than your Father?
The passage goes on to say in (John 5:23 just what the Fathers will is, that “all men should honour the son even as they honour the Father”, and, “He who does not honour the son does not honour the Father who sent Him”.
Teem, you need to ask yourself, does my organization honour the son just as they Honour the Father? In your song book “sing praises to Jehovah” Out of 225 Hymns Jesus is only mentioned by name ‘74 times’. Even Satan gets 28 mentions. In the image depicting the so-called Hierarchy of your organization in the (W.T April 15 2013)? Jesus is MISSING That image depicts Rule from Jehovah directly to the Governing Body, then down through Branch Committees, Travelling Overseers, Elders, Congregations and finally Publishers.
Is this honouring the son in the same way as honouring the Father who sent Him? You spend hours on here dishonouring Jesus as you try to make Him fit into your tiny watchtower box.
I find it interesting in the all the comments stating such things as:
"It's all over the place."
or "But it clearly says that the one who became Jesus was previously called the Word of God, who "was with God in the beginning, and who IS God. He made everything that was made."
"The New Testament of the Bible never explicitly refers to the Trinity as such,"
The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.
How 'clearly does God's word say 'the Word was God'. NOT VERY!
It has been said, John 1:1 is the most controversial verse in God's word, that more articles and discussions revolve around this verse and any other verse in God's word.
“Was God: lack of a definite article with "God" in Greek signifies predication rather than identification.
Thus John is not identifying the Word as God, but is saying the Word is godlike.
Even Vines Bible Dictionary (page 158) for John 1:1 makes the statement, and I quote.
“To translate it literally ‘a god is the Word’ is entirely misleading”
Why is the literal translation “a god” and not “God”? Vines tells us:
“as when the absence of the article serves to lay stress upon, . . ., the character or nature of what is expressed in the noun.” (page 157)
One must understand, ‘A god’ is only misleading if you like Vine’s you believe the trinity. Non trinitarians haven't any problem with what John literally wrote.
Notice Thayer Definition:
theos [god] (Strong's G2316)
4) whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way
a) God's representative or viceregent
Jesus is God's image thus he is likened to God. What Jesus taught was not his own, but God's. Jesus was sent by God to do God's will and not his own.
Does John tells us "Jesus is the Creator of all things" as the trinitarians want him to say? John 1:3?
NO again trinitarians are inserting their own beliefs INTO this verse.
John uses the Greek term 'dia', which means 'channel' not the originator.
"The letter came by [dia] mail"
"The water comes through [dia] the pipes"
In both examples the mail or the pipes are the originators. They are the channel by which we received the letter and the water.
A river is the 'channel' by which the water travels, but the river is not the source of the water. The river did not create the water.
Jesus is also the channel from which creation came, NOT that Jesus is the Creator.
John 1:3 All things came into being through [G1223] Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
G1223 διά dia dee-ah'
A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through
Jesus is NEVER called 'the Creator'. No matter how much trinitarians need God's word to say so.
Maybe you suffer from a Bible translation that has attempted to remove or water down all those reference to the deity of Christ. But it clearly says that the one who became Jesus was previously called the Word of God, who "was with God in the beginning, and who IS God. He made everything that was made." Logically, that proves He could not have been made Himself! Then, that Word "became flesh and made his dwelling among us... No-one has ever seen God, but the only-begotten Son, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." (John ch. 1)
At the end of John's gospel, doubting Thomas realized Jesus had been resurrected and exclaimed right in front of Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus accepted that worship (20:28).
The first chapter of Hebrews proves that Jesus is no mere created angel, for God commands all His angels to worship Christ. The book of Revelation shows the resurrected Christ ('the Lamb') standing in the midst of God's throne in Heaven, and all heaven worshipping "Him who sits on the throne AND the Lamb". Read 5:6-14, 7:17, 22:1-3. How is it that Trinity-deniers also deny what those scriptures in the Bible say?
It does Potato. You obviously haven't read it all. The PRINCIPLE is there hundreds of times, so are the actual words. For example, it says in Hebrews, God says to the Son, "Your throne O GOD is forever and ever........ therefore GOD, your God has anointed You, etc. (Hebrews 1: 8 & 9). As I say it is written in the Bible many times in many different ways. Jesus Himself said, "If you don't believe that I AM HE, you will die in your sins" (John 8: 24) and Jesus was referring to the Father - "I AM HE". If you have ever read it all, you will know that when Isaiah, one of the Old Testament Prophets, prophesied about Jesus many many years before His birth and said, "His Name shall be (amongst other things) Mighty God & EVERLASTING FATHER" (Isaiah 9:6) - that's God the Father Potato in anyone's language. Who is the CREATOR Potato? Answer - Jesus Christ, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS GOD.....all things were made BY HIM and without Him nothing was made etc." (John 1: 1-3). Jesus has the Name written on His thigh, "WORD OF GOD" (Revelation 19:13). I am not going to spend time now telling you every scripture but you must read the Bible for yourself and become a Christian because every born again Christian KNOWS in their own heart by the witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ is God. We have absolutely no problem with it whatsoever.
It records Him constantly doing things only God could do. Why would He have to state the obvious? Here are about a third of the bible verses that indicate He is God:
Jesus claimed to be God - John 8:24; 8:56-59 (see Exodus 3:14); John 10:30-33
Jesus is called God - John 1:1,14; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8
Jesus is the image of the invisible God - Heb. 1:3
Jesus abides forever - Heb. 7:24
Jesus created all things - John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17
Jesus is before all things - John 1:1-3; Col. 1:17;
Jesus is eternal - John 1:1,14; 8:58; Micah 5:1-2
Jesus is honored the same as the Father - John 5:23
Jesus is prayed to - Acts 7:55-60; 1 Cor. 1:2 with Psalm 116:41; (John 14:14)
Jesus is worshipped - Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; John 9:35-38; Heb. 1:6
Answers & Comments
Because Jesus isn't God. He is the Son of God. Trinitarians must be using some kind of Bible that is not the true Bible. Because there are no Bibles that say that Jesus is God.
The best way of understanding the scriptures is to consider what it meant to those to whom it was spoken, and what the imagery meant to them.
As we know Jesus asked the disciples “Who do men say that I am”, but then, throughout his ministry he provided them with object lessons to enable them to answer that question.
One such object lesson is found in (Mark 4:35-41). Remember the Jews KNEW their scriptures, they were fully immersed in them, and as such both the disciples and the Jewish readers of Mark their minds would have been drawn immediately to (Psalm 107:23-30). And the stunning parallel and symbolism between the events.
You all may be familiar with this story but are you familiar with the robust background present in the minds of the disciples and the readers of Mark.
Psalm 107:23-32 vs Mark 4:35-41.
Psalm 107:23. Sailors in ships.
Mark 4:35-36. Disciples in Boats.
Psalm 107:25. Stormy winds and waves.
Mark 4:37. Stormy winds and waves.
Psalm 107: 27. The courage of the sailors melts away.
Mark 4:38,40. The disciples are afraid.
Psalm 107:28. The Sailors Cry out to Yahweh
Mark 4:38. The Disciples cry out to Jesus.
Psalm 107:29a. Yahweh stills the storm.
Mark 4:39a. Jesus stills the storm.
Psalm 107:29b. Waves of the sea are quieted.
Mark 4: 39b. Waves are quieted.
Psalm 107:30. There was a great calm.
Mark 4:39b. There was great calm.
Psalm 107:30-32. Sailors exalt the wonders of God.
Mark 4:41. Disciples marvel at Jesus’ power.
In this incident Jesus was giving the disciples an object lesson as to who He really was and (Verse 41) shows their reaction.
(Mark 4:41) “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea OBEY HIM”.
Another such interesting miraculous event is found in (Mark 6:45-52) When Jesus walked on the water. As they witnessed this event the disciples and readers would have been drawn to the statement in (Job 9:8).
“He ALONE stretches out the heavens and TREADS ON THE WAVES OF THE SEA.” This imagery Portrays Jesus as the one who created the natural laws and His authority over them.
These people knew exactly who Jesus was through these and many other “object lessons”.
It’s just sad that the Jehovah’s witnesses cannot see it because their minds have been blinded to the truth.
UPDATE TO TEEM.
Let’s consider your comments in the light of the scriptures, and the context teem.
First your statement did Heaven Reveal to Peter that Jesus was “God the son”? “No, Jesus is the son of God”.
No Difference, you are the son of your father making you Human, Jesus in the same way was the son of His father making Him God. Just as you share the same nature as your father, Jesus shares the same nature as His. As I have told you before If Jesus as the ‘son of man’ was fully man by nature, then Jesus as the ‘son of God ‘is fully God by nature.
Psalm 107 You miss the point entirely. You say it only works if ‘God did this and God did that’. You go on to say ”but Psalm 107 is very specific, it was Jehovah who did those things”. That is the whole point, Mark 4 is also very specific, in that it was Jesus that did what only God can do in psalm 107. Note what Job 9 states. “He ALONE treads on the waves of the sea”. And yet in Mark 6 we find Jesus doing exactly the same works.
You rightly say that the Jews understanding was that Jesus was making Himself equal to God… But you then go on to say that in (Vs 19) “He denied it”. Is your understanding of (vs19) correct? NO.
“The son can do nothing of Himself” does not deny equality with God.
Remember the Jews accused Jesus of Blasphemy, the very essence of the meaning of Blasphemy was someone that was independent from, and in rivalry with God. But Jesus was guilty of no such position, as the son He was subject to His Fathers will, just as you were to your Father’s will, did that make you any less human than your Father?
The passage goes on to say in (John 5:23 just what the Fathers will is, that “all men should honour the son even as they honour the Father”, and, “He who does not honour the son does not honour the Father who sent Him”.
Teem, you need to ask yourself, does my organization honour the son just as they Honour the Father? In your song book “sing praises to Jehovah” Out of 225 Hymns Jesus is only mentioned by name ‘74 times’. Even Satan gets 28 mentions. In the image depicting the so-called Hierarchy of your organization in the (W.T April 15 2013)? Jesus is MISSING That image depicts Rule from Jehovah directly to the Governing Body, then down through Branch Committees, Travelling Overseers, Elders, Congregations and finally Publishers.
Is this honouring the son in the same way as honouring the Father who sent Him? You spend hours on here dishonouring Jesus as you try to make Him fit into your tiny watchtower box.
I find it interesting in the all the comments stating such things as:
"It's all over the place."
or "But it clearly says that the one who became Jesus was previously called the Word of God, who "was with God in the beginning, and who IS God. He made everything that was made."
When trinitarian scholars admit:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christian...
"The New Testament of the Bible never explicitly refers to the Trinity as such,"
The New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “The formulation ‘one God in three Persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century. But it is precisely this formulation that has first claim to the title the Trinitarian dogma. Among the Apostolic Fathers, there had been nothing even remotely approaching such a mentality or perspective.”—(1967), Vol. XIV, p. 299.
How 'clearly does God's word say 'the Word was God'. NOT VERY!
It has been said, John 1:1 is the most controversial verse in God's word, that more articles and discussions revolve around this verse and any other verse in God's word.
NAB See footnote to John 1:1 at http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/john/john1.htm
“Was God: lack of a definite article with "God" in Greek signifies predication rather than identification.
Thus John is not identifying the Word as God, but is saying the Word is godlike.
Even Vines Bible Dictionary (page 158) for John 1:1 makes the statement, and I quote.
“To translate it literally ‘a god is the Word’ is entirely misleading”
Why is the literal translation “a god” and not “God”? Vines tells us:
“as when the absence of the article serves to lay stress upon, . . ., the character or nature of what is expressed in the noun.” (page 157)
One must understand, ‘A god’ is only misleading if you like Vine’s you believe the trinity. Non trinitarians haven't any problem with what John literally wrote.
Notice Thayer Definition:
theos [god] (Strong's G2316)
4) whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way
a) God's representative or viceregent
Jesus is God's image thus he is likened to God. What Jesus taught was not his own, but God's. Jesus was sent by God to do God's will and not his own.
Does John tells us "Jesus is the Creator of all things" as the trinitarians want him to say? John 1:3?
NO again trinitarians are inserting their own beliefs INTO this verse.
John uses the Greek term 'dia', which means 'channel' not the originator.
"The letter came by [dia] mail"
"The water comes through [dia] the pipes"
In both examples the mail or the pipes are the originators. They are the channel by which we received the letter and the water.
A river is the 'channel' by which the water travels, but the river is not the source of the water. The river did not create the water.
Jesus is also the channel from which creation came, NOT that Jesus is the Creator.
John 1:3 All things came into being through [G1223] Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
G1223 διά dia dee-ah'
A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through
Jesus is NEVER called 'the Creator'. No matter how much trinitarians need God's word to say so.
.
Maybe you suffer from a Bible translation that has attempted to remove or water down all those reference to the deity of Christ. But it clearly says that the one who became Jesus was previously called the Word of God, who "was with God in the beginning, and who IS God. He made everything that was made." Logically, that proves He could not have been made Himself! Then, that Word "became flesh and made his dwelling among us... No-one has ever seen God, but the only-begotten Son, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." (John ch. 1)
At the end of John's gospel, doubting Thomas realized Jesus had been resurrected and exclaimed right in front of Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus accepted that worship (20:28).
The first chapter of Hebrews proves that Jesus is no mere created angel, for God commands all His angels to worship Christ. The book of Revelation shows the resurrected Christ ('the Lamb') standing in the midst of God's throne in Heaven, and all heaven worshipping "Him who sits on the throne AND the Lamb". Read 5:6-14, 7:17, 22:1-3. How is it that Trinity-deniers also deny what those scriptures in the Bible say?
John 20:28 Thomas said, "My Lord and my God!"
It does Potato. You obviously haven't read it all. The PRINCIPLE is there hundreds of times, so are the actual words. For example, it says in Hebrews, God says to the Son, "Your throne O GOD is forever and ever........ therefore GOD, your God has anointed You, etc. (Hebrews 1: 8 & 9). As I say it is written in the Bible many times in many different ways. Jesus Himself said, "If you don't believe that I AM HE, you will die in your sins" (John 8: 24) and Jesus was referring to the Father - "I AM HE". If you have ever read it all, you will know that when Isaiah, one of the Old Testament Prophets, prophesied about Jesus many many years before His birth and said, "His Name shall be (amongst other things) Mighty God & EVERLASTING FATHER" (Isaiah 9:6) - that's God the Father Potato in anyone's language. Who is the CREATOR Potato? Answer - Jesus Christ, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS GOD.....all things were made BY HIM and without Him nothing was made etc." (John 1: 1-3). Jesus has the Name written on His thigh, "WORD OF GOD" (Revelation 19:13). I am not going to spend time now telling you every scripture but you must read the Bible for yourself and become a Christian because every born again Christian KNOWS in their own heart by the witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ is God. We have absolutely no problem with it whatsoever.
It records Him constantly doing things only God could do. Why would He have to state the obvious? Here are about a third of the bible verses that indicate He is God:
Jesus claimed to be God - John 8:24; 8:56-59 (see Exodus 3:14); John 10:30-33
Jesus is called God - John 1:1,14; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8
Jesus is the image of the invisible God - Heb. 1:3
Jesus abides forever - Heb. 7:24
Jesus created all things - John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-17
Jesus is before all things - John 1:1-3; Col. 1:17;
Jesus is eternal - John 1:1,14; 8:58; Micah 5:1-2
Jesus is honored the same as the Father - John 5:23
Jesus is prayed to - Acts 7:55-60; 1 Cor. 1:2 with Psalm 116:41; (John 14:14)
Jesus is worshipped - Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; John 9:35-38; Heb. 1:6
Because the Bible is a 2,000 year old charade that
should not be held accountable for what it says anymore.
It says he is Immanuel, “God is with us.”
The bible clearly says "God is jesus" in Leviticus.