Who is Jesus?
Without a doubt, you have often heard the claim that Jesus is God, the
second person in the "Holy trinity." However, the very Bible which is
used as a basis for knowledge about Jesus and as the basis for doctrine
within Christianity clearly belies this claim. We urge you to consult
your own Bible and verify that the following conclusions are not drawn
out of context:
1. God is All Knowing.....but Jesus was not
When speaking of the day of judgment, Jesus clearly gave evidence of a
limitation on his knowledge when he said, "but of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the son,
but the Father." Mark 13:32, and Matt 24:36. But God knows all. His
knowledge is without any limitations. That Jesus, of his own admission,
did not know when the day of judgment would be, is clear proof that
Jesus is not all-knowing, and that Jesus is therefore not God.
2. God is All Powerful.....but Jesus was not
While Jesus performed
many miracles, he himself admitted that the power he had was not his own
but was derived from God when he said, "Verily, verily I say unto you,
the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do..."
St. John 5:19. Again he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I
hear I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will,
but the will of the Father which hath sent me." St. John 5:30. But God
is not only all-powerful, He is also the source of all power and
authority. That Jesus, of his own admission, could do nothing on his own
is clear proof that Jesus is not all-powerful, and that therefore Jesus
is not God.
3. God does not have a God.....but Jesus did have a
God.
God is the ultimate judge and refuge for all, and He does not
call upon nor pray to any others. But Jesus acknowledged that there was
one whom he worshipped and to whom he prayed when he said, "l ascend
unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." St. John
20:17. He is also reported to have cried out while on the cross, "My
God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?" Matt 27:46. If Jesus were God,
then couldn't this be read, "Myself, myself why hast thou forsaken me?"
Would that not be pure nonsense? When Jesus prayed the Lord's prayer
(Luke 11:2-4), was he praying to himself? When in the garden of
Gethsemane he prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from me: Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt." Matt 26:36-39.
Was Jesus praying to himself? That Jesus, of his own admission and by
his own actions, acknowledged, worshipped, and prayed to another being
as God is clear proof that Jesus himself is not God.
4. God is an
invisible spirit.....but Jesus was flesh and blood
While thousands
saw Jesus and heard his voice, Jesus himself said that this could not be
done with God when he said. "No man hath seen God at any time." St. John
1:18. '"Ye have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His shape."
St. John 5:37. He also said in St. John 4:24. "God is a spirit and they
that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." That Jesus
would say that no one had seen or heard God at any time, while his
followers both saw and heard him, is clear proof that Jesus was not God.
5. No one is greater than God and no one can direct Him but Jesus
acknowledged someone greater than himself whose will was distinct from
his own.
Perhaps the clearest indication we have that Jesus and God
are not equal, and therefore not one and the same, come again from the
mouth of Jesus himself who said in St. John 14:28, "My Father is greater
than I." When someone referred to him as good master in Matt 19:17,
Jesus responded, "Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one,
that is God..." Furthermore, Jesus drew clear distinctions between
himself and God when he said, "I proceeded forth and came from God,
neither came I of myself but He sent me." St. John 8:42. Jesus gave
clear evidence of his subordination to God, rather than his equality
with God,when he said in Luke 22:42, "not my will but thine be done" and
in St. John 5:30, "I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father
which hath sent me." That Jesus would admit that he did not come into
the world on his own initiative but was directed to do so, that he would
acknowledge another being as greater than himself, and that he would
negate his own will in deference to affirming the will of another, give
clear proof that Jesus is not the Supreme One and therefore Jesus is not
God.
Conclusion
The Church recognizes the Bible as the primary
source of knowledge about God and Jesus. But since the Bible makes it
clear that Jesus is not the Supreme Being and the Supreme Being is not
Jesus, upon what basis have you come to believe otherwise?
My
brother or sister, the belief that the Supreme Being is a Trinity is
false and completely inconsistent with the words of Jesus as presented
in the Bible. God is one, not three. He is a perfect unity.
If
you are interested in the truth about God and your relationship to Him,
we invite you to investigate the religion of Islam.
What is the word of God about Jesus:
A. Regarding Sonship of Jesus:
That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of
truth, concerning which they are doubting. It is not for God to take a
son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing he but says to it
"Be", and it is. (Qur'an 19:34,35).
And they say, 'The
All-merciful has taken unto Himself a son.' You have indeed advanced
something hideous. The heavens are well nigh rent of it and the earth
split asunder, and the mountains well nigh fall down crashing for that
they have attributed to the All-Merciful a son; and it behoves not the
All-Merciful to take a son. None is there in the heavens and earth but
comes to the All-Merciful as a servant (Qur'an 19:88-93).
Truly
the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created
him of dust, then said He unto him, "Be", and he was. (Qur'an 3:59).
People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say
not as to God but the Truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only
the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a
spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers. and say not,
'Three', Refrain, better is it for you. God is only One God. Glory be on
Him - that He should have a son! To Him belongs that which is in the
heavens and on the earth, God suffices for a guardian. (Qur'an 4:171)
B. Regarding Jesus being God:
And when God said. 'O Jesus son of
Mary,did you say unto men, "Take me and my mother as gods, apart from
God?" He Said, 'To You be Glory! It is not mine to say what I have no
right to. If I indeed said it, You knew it, knowing what is within my
soul, and I do not know what is within Your soul; You know the things
unseen. I only said to them what You did command me: "Serve God, my Lord
and your Lord." And I was a witness over them, while I remained among
them; but when You did take me to Yourself the Watcher over them; You
are the witness of everything. (Quran 5:116,117)
C. Regarding
Crucifiction of Jesus:
And for their unbelief, and their uttering
against Mary a mighty calumny, and for their saying, 'We slew the
Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God'...yet they did not
slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to
them. Those who are at variance concerning him surely are in doubt
regarding him, they have no knowledge of him, except the following of
surmise; and they did not slay him of certainty... no indeed, God raised
him up to Him; God is Almighty, All-Wise. There is not one of the people
of the Book but will assuredly believe in him before his death, and on
the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them. (Qur'an
4:156-159)