Did early Christian view Jesus as God? I will be more respectful this time.
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And somehow you believe starting a thread with nothing more than a link to a video is respectful, let alone more respectful?
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@Goldtop
I wish we could embed videos. I am watching it right now, are you? I am trying to produce quality content, and am seeking quality debate.
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@bsh1
We should have an embed feature, please? I just want to include my evidence. I promise I am not trolling. Have you watched the video?
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@DebateArt.com
@YeshuaBought
An embed feature would be great for videos.
I have not, but maybe later. I am not particularly learned on issues of theology and Christian history.
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@Goldtop
Answer: The Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason: “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one,” He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth … before Abraham was born, I am!” Jews who heard this statement responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:16).
John reiterates the concept of Jesus’ deity: “The Word [Jesus] was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Who bought the church with His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!
Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as “O God,” indicating that Jesus is indeed God.
In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus’ deity.
The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.
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@bsh1
Thanks hun. I love the tag feature.
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@bsh1
Yeah, we'll have it at some point
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@YeshuaBought
Answer: The Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” That does not mean, however, that He did not proclaim that He is God. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason: “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one,” He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth … before Abraham was born, I am!” Jews who heard this statement responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:16).John reiterates the concept of Jesus’ deity: “The Word [Jesus] was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Who bought the church with His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God!Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as “O God,” indicating that Jesus is indeed God.In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. There are many other passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus’ deity.The most important reason that Jesus has to be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.
Not only this but what is applied to God in the OT is applied to Jesus in the NT.
A few examples:
The Mosaic Covenant was made with God and Israel.
The New Covenant is made with Jesus and the New Israel.
Every knee bowing to God and confessing Him in the OT. (Isaiah 45:23)
Every knee bowing to Jesus and confessing Him in the NT. (Philippians 2:5-11)
God is said to be the only Savior in the OT. (Isaiah 43:11)
Jesus is the only Savior in the NT. (Acts 4:12)
There are many other comparisons which are used exclusively of God in the OT which are given to Jesus in the NT.
Sadly, we are living in times where secularism is the flavor of the month. NT Wright points out that knocking Jesus sells books. In one online article he discusses how the Trinitarian concept God/Jesus is not accepted:
"This conclusion has clearly not proved satisfactory in the minds of most thinkers of the last twenty years. Book after book, at both a scholarly and popular level, on both sides of the Atlantic, has returned to the same point and made it the starting-point for a different exploration of what Jesus really said and thought. The first serious book I read on Jesus, if you can call it serious, was Hugh Schonfield’s The Passover Plot. As you know, two or three such books are splashed around the publishing world every year. The fact that they are mutually incompatible does not deter authors and publishers from producing yet more Jesuses. Recently from one of the most famous pulpits in New England, a new book about Jesus was recommended to me on the grounds that the Jesus contained therein was opposed to capital punishment, was uninterested in sexual ethics, and in various other ways (my summary) supported the liberal status quo. These are the books that are sold in Barnes and Noble, in Waterstones, in W. H. Smith. These are the books that people in my congregation, and perhaps yours, are likely to read. At a time when the general mood of the culture in which I live is deeply anti-Christian, ready to swallow anything, no matter how wild or wacky, as long as it is not orthodox Christianity, these are the books that feed the general cultural mood and that increase the sense that anyone who believes or practices anything like orthodox Christianity is simply living in cloud-cookoo-land. Our culture knows in its bones that Jesus could not have been like we traditionally say he was.
He goes on in the article to list three examples of what is applied to God in the OT is applied to Jesus in the NT. There are many, many more.
Take for example Jesus’ words in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God.
No we don’t. This Could simply mean “we are in agreement” and or compatible.
“You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity.
Wrong. What "the Jews understood" was that it was dangerous to them for any Jew to call themselves “Messiah”and “King”
. When Jesus declared,“I and the Father are one,” He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example.
Wrong. Explained Above.
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@YeshuaBought
I think we have to clear up what is meant by 'Early Christians'.
Paul was an 'early christian' chronologically, but many people believe Pauline Christianty (the sort that dominates the NT) is not completely faithful to jesus's original message.
So while Jesus was deified 'quite early' the very earliest of Jesus' followers - and jesus himself - may not have done so.
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@YeshuaBought
Allow me to ask a question which perhaps has more utility. Do the opinions of early christians (provided we can even determine them) help us determine if Jesus was a god or that any god(s) exist or even that Jesus was an actual historical figure rather than a fictional one?
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@secularmerlin
The question can be viewed as a historical one or a theological one - but not both at the same time!
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@keithprosser
Indeed, that iss the difference between discussing history versus discussing fiction.
13 days later
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@YeshuaBought
You won't find it here, unfortunately. You cannot discuss the truth with reprobate minds.
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@Stephen
I seem to remember a passage of Scripture where Peter declared that Jesus was "my Lord and my God." Doesn't get any clearer than that.
So while Jesus was deified 'quite early' the very earliest of Jesus' followers - and jesus himself - may not have done so.
Jesus the Jew was never "deified" or worshipped as a god by Jews. He was anointed king of the Jews and High Priest because of his pedigree and it was this that was the start of all his troubles.
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@Stephen
Liar! Peter, a Jew and a disciple of Jesus, called Him my Lord and my God. The Bible also states that Jesus is the Lord of all Creation. From the very beginning Jesus was referred to by titles reserved for God. The Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. All things were created by Him and for Him. I could go on and on.
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@Grugore
Stephen wrote:Jesus the Jew was never "deified" or worshipped as a god by Jews.
Grugore replied: Liar! Peter, a Jew and a disciple of Jesus, called Him my Lord and my God.
What have I lied about you clown? The Jews to this day do not! recognised, and have never, "deified" Jesus as a god. This is fact. They don't even recognise the New Testament as part of their culture or religion.
Tell me clown, what authority did this jewish fisherman have to ordain and "deify" Jesus the man as a god? He may well have called him lord and god, and master and teacher and RABBI, but he was a mere Jewish follower of no rank or status. Your trouble is that like all of you theist clowns is you jump the gun without thinking.
Who else called him God if he was regarded a such at the time he was living?. The population didn't even know who he was when he walked in the capitol, Jerusalem.
The Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end.
Do you even know what Jesus meant by that statement?
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@Stephen
Why should I listen to you? What are your credentials? I would rather believe a Biblical scholar with a Divinity degree. The Bible is clear on this. Jesus is God. Nothing you say will ever change this.
Why should I listen to you?
Oh get over yourself you clown. Your not that important that I beg responses from you. I haven't said you MUST respond to me have I? It is not compulsory for you to reply.. I don't care what you think about me of whether or not you answer any questions I pose. But you don't know that answer to my question do you?
What are your credentials?
What are yours? Shepherd or sheep? I'll wager you are the later wanting to be the former.
I would rather believe a Biblical scholar with a Divinity degree.
And a full blown christian bible basher, no doubt. I have studied these scriptures for over 45 years. I have found them to be unreliable, ambiguous and anomalous half stories as have many, many biblical scholars, lecturers and academics of religions.
The Bible is clear on this. Jesus is God.
No it isn't. And this doesn't answer my questions does it.
Nothing you say will ever change this.
hhahahahahhahahhah stop it , stop it!!!! my ribs are hurting.
WHY HAS MY FORUM POST COUNT STAYED AT 643 ALL THROUGH THIS THREAD THUS FAR?
7 days later
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@Grugore
How Christian of you. You are making the appeal to authority fallacy, and I never said Jesus is not God. Of course Jesus is God, and I have been a Christian for 22 years, and never met someone like you who was so disrespectful to another believer. Are you relly a Christian, or just a churchian?
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@Stephen
Really? He who has seen Jesus has seen the Father, John 14:9.
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@YeshuaBought
Really?
Really what?
He who has seen Jesus has seen the Father, John 14:9.
Which means exactly what, to you?