ToraChrist

Tag: Christian faith

  • 5. Is Jesus God?

    5. Is Jesus God?

    This topic is closely related to the doctrine of the Trinity.
    When we set aside the doctrine of the Trinity, this question alone can already seem provocative to some.
    To answer it properly, certain foundations must be understood.

    From God’s perspective, there is only one reasonable form of government:
    God is the measure of all things, because He is love.
    This form of government is called theocracy.
    When the ruling role is held by a human, we call it monarchy.
    This form of government was long practised and widespread on earth.

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    The structure is identical and therefore clearly comparable:
    If the king sent out an ambassador, this person was treated as if he were the king himself.
    Whoever insulted the ambassador had insulted the king. No distinction was made.

    An ambassador of the king had to either be officially introduced by the king, or possess something that would identify him.

    If God empowers someone and sends him to us, that person is to be treated as God Himself.

    Jesus was marked by His miracles, and as He Himself said, He was sent by God.
    Who else can give sight to the blind or raise the dead?
    Only someone who has been empowered by God.

    The prophet Elijah, similar to Jesus, also performed miracles.
    However, Elijah did not perform them on such a great scale as Jesus did.

    At the very latest, when Jesus was resurrected by God, it became clear with what authority He had been here.

    Let us now look at a few Bible passages:

    “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
    This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptising with water.
    And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
    And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptise with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptiseth with the Holy Ghost.
    And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”
    (John 1:29–34, Luther 1545)

    “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then he said to the paralytic: ‘Get up, take your mat and go home!’”
    (Matthew 9:6, NeÜ)

    “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”
    (John 5:22, Luther 1545)

    So we can see very clearly: Jesus was equipped with full authority and was therefore the only representative of God on earth.

    In the places in Scripture where we read LORD / HERR / Jehovah / Yahweh, the word used is YHWH (in the Old Testament) or kurios (in the New Testament).
    The terms in the New Testament are used with the meaning of the Old Testament.
    Thus, in these places, Jesus is shown to be our LORD, our King, and therefore our Ruler.

    When we read GOD / GOTT in the Bible, the underlying words are elohim (Old Testament) or theos (mainly), and chrematizo (less than ten times).
    Again, the understanding of the words is based on the Old Testament meanings.

    Now, elohim can mean either God or gods, depending on context.
    What is often overlooked is the original meaning of elohim: judge.

    That’s why we also find elohim referring to human beings:

    “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”
    (Psalm 82:6, Luther 1545)

    That this refers to people becomes clear in the context of Jesus quoting it later:

    “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.
    Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
    If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken…”
    (John 10:33–35, Luther 1545)

    Here we still find a final trace of the original meaning of the word.

    So, when we read that Jesus is our God, it means in the sense of our Judge.

    “Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.”
    (Revelation 11:17, Luther 1545)

    There is therefore not a single passage in which Jesus speaks of Himself as God in the actual sense.
    But as we can see, such a claim was already falsely attributed to Him at that time.

  • Guardians of the Scripture – Our Forgotten Duty?

    Guardians of the Scripture – Our Forgotten Duty?

    Responsibility in Interpreting the Holy Scriptures

    Every believer carries responsibility when it comes to interpreting and understanding the biblical scriptures. However, for those who feel called – or have taken it upon themselves – to pass on biblical teaching, as is the case with me, this responsibility weighs considerably heavier.

    A Personal Insight – Triggered by Ezekiel

    In my specific case, my heritage also plays a particular role. This became strikingly clear to me today as I began to re-examine my interpretation series. I was asked the question: at which point in Revelation are we currently? This question led me back to the prophet Ezekiel – and it made me stumble.

    A Watchman for a Lost People?

    Ezekiel, himself a prophet from the biblical southern kingdom in Babylonian exile, is appointed by the LORD as a “watchman over the house of Israel” – that is, over the northern kingdom, which was already considered lost at that point. At first, this calling seemed contradictory to me. But the more I reflected, the more I realised: it is not a contradiction, but rather a prophetic, forward-looking address – a spiritual proclamation.

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    Martin Luther and the Prophetic Warning

    This insight led me to another profound connection: what does my German heritage have to do with it – and what responsibility arises from it? In this context, I was reminded of Dr Martin Luther. He was not only the most influential reformer of his time, but was also regarded by many contemporaries as a “prophet of the Germans”.

    Unfortunately, his prophetic statements are now difficult to access. However, what remains is the remarkable appendix to his 1545 Bible translation. In it, he strongly calls on the faithful reader to regularly examine and preserve the Holy Scriptures – especially against alterations by hostile groups or individuals.

    A Responsibility Only We Can Truly Fulfil?

    Such an explicit warning is not found in any other Bible translation. Even modern editions of the Luther Bible omit this section entirely. Thus, it is ultimately only German-speaking readers to whom this call was originally handed down – a fact that places a particular responsibility on us as German speakers.

    Studying the Bible – A Royal Command

    The Bible repeatedly calls us to search the scriptures. People in positions of leadership – described metaphorically as kings – are even commanded to read the scriptures day and night (cf. Joshua 1:8). This exhortation, in principle, applies to all of us – yet the more influence someone has over others, the greater their responsibility in handling God’s Word.

    How Shall the Sheep Recognise the Voice of the Shepherd?

    So if a prophet such as Ezekiel is appointed as a watchman over a people who were already scattered – a people that shall again become part of God’s people at the end of judgement – then this also illustrates our task today: to preserve the Holy Scriptures in their original message and interpretation.

    Jesus said:

    “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

    But how are His sheep to recognise their Shepherd’s voice if His words (the Bible) are altered or fragmented? How are the lost to return to the LORD if no one takes the tradition of watchfulness seriously?

    Outside the Theological Mainstream

    I am aware that many find my statements and interpretations unfamiliar – especially as they do not stem from any theological school, but instead follow the biblical text and historical facts. Yet I take the Scriptures seriously and strive to argue solely from the Bible.

    A Responsibility I Had Not Grasped Until Now

    Only now am I beginning to grasp how immense the responsibility is that I carry – as a German-speaking believer.

    Perhaps the increasing numbers of people leaving the Church or converting to other religions must be viewed precisely in this light. The lost sheep long for the Shepherd’s call and are simply searching for His voice.

    The countless Christian denominations do not merely testify to hopelessness in current trends – they also express hope that the true voice is still out there somewhere.

    The Duty to Preserve – Now More Than Ever

    But in our time, where the Word of the LORD is constantly altered – for instance through new versions of the Nestle-Aland text every four years or so – it becomes all the more necessary for us as believers to return to the biblical foundation. It is our collective duty to preserve the Holy Scriptures – at least in the form in which they existed at the time of the Reformation.

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