Heavenly Host Authorities and Powers (1)

This topic is about God’s heavenly host.  It expands on the material and Bible verses presented in the topics “Spirits – Made by God in Light”, “Watchers and Gen. 6 ‘Sons Of God”, “Names & Titles of God in Scripture”, “Jesus Was The Old Testament God”, “Michael in the Bible”.  Reference those topics for more background.

To begin, from the topic “Spirits – Made By God in Light”: After Light was brought forth on the 1^st day (Ge.1:3), God made spirit beings lesser than Himself.  Ps.104:2-4 Septúagint/LXX “Who makes His angels spirits”.  The angelic order is composed of spirit beings.  God’s heavenly host (tsabáw Strongs h6635, Hebrew) includes angels.  Ne.9:6 “You are the Lord [YHVH h3068], who has made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host. The host of heaven worships You.”  Cambridge Bible Ne.9:6 “Most probably means the created spirits.”  Benson Commentary “All the inhabitants of heaven.”  Gill Exposition “Angels were made by him, Heb.1:7; and, as the Jewish writers say, on the 2^nd day of the creation, though some say on the 5^th.”  Col.1:16 “By Him [Christ the Son] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible.”  The Lord Christ shared in the Creation.  It includes the heavenly host of beings, normally not visible to human eyes.  JFB Commentary Col.1:16 “Invisible – the world of spirits.”  Barnes Notes “The angels we cannot see. Inhabitants of distant worlds.”  Benson Commentary “The different orders of angels, both those that stood and those that afterward fell.”

Jn.1:14 Jesus was the primordial “Word” (lógos g3056, Greek) of God.  Jn.1:1-3 “The Word was God. All things came into being through Him [Christ the Word].”  “All things” may include lesser spirit beings.  Expositor’s Greek Testament Jn.1:3 “In 1Cor.8:6 Paul distinguishes between the Father as the primal source of all things and the Son as the actual Creator.”  Christ as Executive Creator.  He.12:9 God is the “Father of spirits”.  Meyer’s New Testament Commentary “God, who is Father in regard to the higher spiritual domain of life.”  Barnes Notes He.12:9 “God is Himself a Spirit [Jn.4:24]. Angels and human souls [or spirits] may be represented as especially His offspring.”  JFB Commentary “God is…the Creator of spirits like Himself, in contrast to men who are flesh.”  Pulpit Commentary “It isn’t human spirits only that are here in view. God is the Father of all ‘the spirits.”

In the Old Testament (OT), some lesser spirit beings are referred to as “sons of God”, béne ha Élohim (h1121 h430).  Jb.38:7 at Creation “the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God [bene Elohim] shouted for joy.”  v.7 LXX (Greek) “When the stars were made, all My angels praised Me with a loud voice.”  Da.3:25 “Like a son of Elaáh [bar Elahin h1247 h426, Aramaic].”  Ps.89:6-7 “Who in heaven can be compared to YHVH? Who among the sons of El [bene Elim h1121 h410] can be likened to YHVH? El is greatly to be feared in the council [sode h5475] of the holy ones, to be had in reverence of all those around Him.”  Poole Commentary Ps.89:7 “The whole society of angels.”  Ps.97:9 “You, YHVH are exalted far above all gods [elohim].”  Ex.15:11 LXX “Who is like You among the gods [théos g2316], O Lord [Kúrios g2962].”  Ps.29:1 “O you sons of El [bene Elim], give unto YHVH glory and strength.”  Barnes Notes Ps.29:1 “The psalmist calls upon the angels.”  Ps.96:9 LXX “Worship the Lord [Kurios] in His holy court.”  YHVH the Lord is superior to others.

Da.4:35 the Most High does according to His will in the army of heaven.  JFB Commentary Da.4:17 “A solemn council of the heavenly ones is supposed (cf. Job 1:6, 2:1), over which God presides supreme.”  Jb.1:6, 2:1 “There was a day when the sons of God [bene ha elohim] came to appear before YHVH.”

1Ki.22:19-23 LXX NETS “I saw the Lord God of Israel sitting on His throne, and all the host (stratía g4756) of heaven stood near on His right and on His left.”  Here one of the Lord’s host offered to be a lying spirit to deceive king Aháb!  In the New Testament (NT), Lk.2:13 “Suddenly a vast heavenly host [stratia] appeared, praising God”.  Is.6:1-3 “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord [YHVH] of hosts.”

Ps.82:1-2 “Elohim stands in the assembly of El; He judges among the elohim. How long will you judge unjustly?”  v.6 “I have said, ‘You are elohim’; all of you are sons of the Most High [bene Elyón h1121 h5945].”  However, v.7 “But you shall die like men” may indicate physical judges (not celestial)?  Ps.8:5 Humans are created a little lower than the heavenly beings (elohim h430; LXX “angels”, He.2:7).  ref the topic “Watchers and Gen. 6 ‘Sons of God” for Bible commentaries regarding God’s council.

Yet some celestial beings weren’t loyal or obedient to God; they didn’t follow His guidelines!  Jb.4:18 “His angels (maláwk h4397) He charged with folly.”  Barnes Notes “The idea is that of foolishness.”  Jb.15:15 “He puts no trust in His holy ones; the heavens are not pure in His sight.”  Poole Commentary “i.e., angels.”  Jb.25:5 “The stars are not pure in His sight.”  JFB Commentary “Angels, of which stars are emblems.”

In the NT, some beings in God’s celestial host are called “authorities”, “powers”, “principalities”.  Our Bible translations use English words to describe or identify (ruling) members/groups of God’s spirit creation, the heavenly host.  But some translations use the same English word to represent various terms of the Greek text source manuscripts.  That unspecific practice may confuse.  For consistency, I’ll use the following English words for the associated Greek NT & OT LXX terms:

Authority exousía g1849: Col.1:13 “The Father has rescued us from the authority of darkness.”

Authority g1849 and Powers dúnamis g1411: 1Pe.3:22 “Angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to Him [Christ].”  Cambridge Bible “Including the whole hierarchy of heaven.”  Pulpit Commentary “The evil angels also…against their will.”  Re.13:2 “The dragon gave the beast [a human rule] his power and authority.”  (cf. Lk.4:36, 9:1 regarding the power of Jesus given to His disciples.)

Principality arché g746 and Powers g1411: Ro.8:38 “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, principalities or powers…shall separate us from the love of God.”

Principalities g746 and Authorities g1849: Ep.3:10 “That there be made known to the principalities and authorities in the heavenly places the wisdom of God.”  Ep.6:12 “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but with principalities and authorities, against spiritual authority in heavenly places.”  Col.1:16 “In Him [Christ the Son] were all things created, those visible and invisible; whether thrones, lordships, principalities or authorities; all things by Him and for Him.”  Col.2:10 “You are made full in Him [Christ], who is the head of all principality and authority.”  Col.2:15 “Having stripped the principalities and authorities, He made a show of them openly, having triumphed over them.”  (cf. Lk.12:11 & 20:20 & Tit.3:1, which relate to human rule.)

Principalities g746 and Authority g1849 and Powers g1411: Ep.1:20-21 “He [Father God] set Christ at His own right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority and power.”  Gill Exposition “Far above…good angels and bad angels, and civil magistrates.”  1Co.15:24 “Then comes the end…when He has put down all principality and authority and power.”  JFB Commentary “Whether openly opposed powers, as Satan [a seraph dragon? cf. Is.6:2] and his angels, or kings & angelic principalities.”

Ruler/Prince árchon g758: Da.12:1 LXX Michael the archangel is the great (mégas g3173) ruler/prince.  (cf. Da.10:13, 20-21, Jude 9.)  Jn.12:31 Jesus said, “Now will the prince of this world [kósmos g2889] be cast out”.  Ellicott Commentary “Prince of this world’ was the regular rabbinic title for Satan, as ruler of the gentiles. Jews as well as gentiles have been subjects of the prince of this world (Jn.8:44).”  Re.12:9 “The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and satan.”  Robert Henderson Operating in the Courts of Heaven, p.173 “Fallen seraphim are now principalities.”

Ruler g758 and Authority g1849: Ep.2:2 “In time past you lived according to the eon [aión g165] of this world [kosmos], according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience.”

Thrones thrónos g2362: Col.1:16 again.  Re.11:16 “The 24 elders [who wear crowns, Re.4:10], sitting on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God.”  also cf. Re.20:4, Mt.19:28.

Most of the occurrences of the above NT terms relating to the heavenly host come from Paul’s writings.

What of those celestial beings/“sons of God” and their human rulers who weren’t loyal or obedient to God?  Is.24:21 “In that day the Lord will punish the host of high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on earth.”  Ellicott Commentary “The ‘principalities and powers in heavenly places.”  Je.46:25 “YHVH of hosts, the God of Israel says, ‘I will punish Amon the god of Thebes [capitol of S. Egypt], Egypt, its gods [elohim] and its kings.”  cf. 1Co.6:3 “Don’t you know that we will judge angels?”

Da.10:13 LXX NETS “The ruler [archon g758] of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days. Michael, one of the chief rulers [g758], came to help me; and I left Him there with the ruler of the Persians.”  G.B. Caird Principalities and Powers, p.6 “These princes are not to be identified with Alexander the Great and Darius 3. They are the angelic guardians of the two nations (Da.10:13, 20, Da.12:1).”  Ibid., p.11 “The Septuagint. It is here we find the terms powers (dunamis g1411), authorities (exousia g1849), principalities (arche g746)…applied for the first time to angelic beings (Ps.148:2, 103:21).”

Members of God’s heavenly host had a measure of authority over their nations.  De.32:8-9 LXX “When the Most High divided the nations, He set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God. His people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, Israel.”  Wisdom of Sírach 17:17 “In the division of the nations, the Lord set a [celestial] ruler over every people, but Israel is the Lord’s.”  Book of Jubilees 15:32 “Over Israel He did not appoint any angel or spirit, for He alone is their ruler.”

Wikipedia: Origins of Judaism – Iron Age Yahwism “The various national gods were more or less equal, reflecting the fact that kingdoms themselves were more or less equal, and within each kingdom a divine couple, made up of the national god and his consort – Yahweh [YHVH] and the goddess Asheráh in Israel and Judah – headed a pantheon of lesser gods.”  The “sons of God” [bene ha Elohim] were lesser.

Ex.20:3 Israel shall have no other elohim before/besides YHVH!  Claude Mariottini Other Gods Mentioned in the Old Testament “The 2^nd commandment declares that in Israel no other god should be worshiped in addition to YHVH…the words of the commandment do not deny the existence of other gods…Monothéism, that there was no other god besides YHVH, came into existence late in Israel.”

Wikipedia: Monotheism “The belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God.”  Wikipedia: Polythéism “The belief in multiple deities, usually a pantheon of gods and goddesses.”  Wikipedia: Henothéism “The worship of a single supreme God that does not deny the existence or possible existence of other deities.”  Wikipedia: Monólatry “The belief in the existence of many gods, but with the consistent worship of only one [selected] deity.”  Monolatry and henotheism are similar, but henotheists worship only the God they view as the greatest.

Paul wrote in 1Co.8:5-6, “There be many gods and many lords. But for us there is one God, the Father…and one Lord, Jesus Christ.”  Jesus spoke of His heavenly Father in Jn.17:3. “This is life eternal, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

This topic is continued and concluded in “Heavenly Host Authorities and Powers (2)”.  Part 2 includes additional views of theologians and commentaries about God’s host.

Aramaic in the Bible (2) – New Testament

This Part 2 is the continuation and conclusion to “Aramaic in the Bible (1) – Old Testament”.  Material covered in (1) won’t be repeated here in (2); I suggest you read Part 1 first.

Prior to being taken captive by Assyria (721 BC) and Babylon (586 BC), Israelites & Jews had spoken Old Hebrew or Judahite (Jehudíth Strongs h3066) in the Land of Canáan.  But when Jews returned to the Land from captivity in the days of Zerubabbél (530s BC), and with Ezra & Nehemiah (c 450 BC), they spoke the Aramáic language.  They’d learned it in the East, during the time of the Neo-Assyrian, Neo-Babylonian (Chaldéan), and Persian empires.  Aramaic was the língua fránca of those empires.

Most Israelites & Jews no longer spoke Judahite ‘Hebrew’, the old “lip of Canaan”.  Ne.13:24 “As for their children…none of them was able to speak in the language of Judah [Jehudith h3066].”  Benson Commentary Ne.13:24 “The language which the [common] Jews then spoke was Cháldee; this language they learned in their captivity, and after their return never assumed their ancient Hebrew tongue.” 

The returnees and their descendants spoke Aramaic.  Some of the later chapters in the Old Testament (OT) timeline were written in Aramaic: Da.2:4b–7:28, Ezr.4:8–6:18, 7:12-26.  see Part 1.

Then Greek became the language of commerce for the Grecian and Roman empires.  Most historians say that at the New Testament (NT) time of Jesus/Yeshúa, Aramaic (also called Chaldee and Sýriac) was still the language spoken by the majority of common Jews in Judea.  In most Judean synagogues, the OT scriptures were read from Hebrew scrolls, and interpreters (meturganim) translated them into Aramaic for the hearers.  cf. Ne.8:8.  But there was no Aramaic text of the entire OT (there was an old Greek text).  So the Aramaic Tárgums were written. 

The Targums are OT paraphrases.  They were written in Aramaic, beginning in the 1^st century AD.  With them, Aramaic-speaking people could understand the OT text.  The Targum of Ónkelos (the Law) and the Targum of Jonathán (the Prophets) were composed prior to 200 AD.  They are official.  Another Targum of the Law/Torah/Péntateuch is the Jerusalem Targum (also known as the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan).  There’s also the Targum Neofití, for the Pentateuch.  And a few others.

Perhaps the Aramaic Targums wouldn’t have been necessary if most Jews still knew Hebrew.  But most no longer knew Hebrew.  They spoke Aramaic or Greek.  Bruce Metzger The Jewish Targums “Such versions were needed when Hebrew ceased to be the normal medium of communication among Jews.”

Whenever the Targums came to passages where YHVH was anthropomorphized or seen (appearing human), or where plural YHVHs are indicated…Targums substituted the “Word of YHVH” for “YHVH”!  The Aramaic term for “Word” is Mémra.  In Greek, “Word” is Lógos g3056, e.g. Jn.1:1.  The Targum Neofiti was written in Palestine before 200 AD.  Targ Neofiti Ge.1:1 “From the beginning with Wisdom the Memra [Word] of the Lord created and perfected the heavens and the earth.”  (Of note also is Targ Jonathan Is.52:13, “Behold My Servant the Messiah…!”  Disbelieving medieval rabbis claim “My Servant” here was the nation of Israel…but this earlier Targum indicated Is.52–53 refers to the Messiah an individual.) 

Again, a few chapters of the OT were written in Aramaic.  Ezr.5 is in Aramaic.  Ezr.5:2 “Yeshúa the son of Jozadák.”  Yeshua (a common male name) is also Messiah Jesus’ name in Aramaic.

The gospel writers record Jesus speaking Aramaic in red-letter text of our Bible, and they record places in Judea with Aramaic names.  Following are some of the Aramaic words in the NT:

Jesus called the brothers in Mk.3:17, “Boanergés, that is, ‘Sons of Thunder”.  Expositor’s Greek Testament “As pronounced by Galileans, in Syrian.”  Jesus said to the dead girl in Mk.5:41, “Taleetháh koómee (which translated means ‘Little girl, arise!’)”.  JFB Commentary “The words are Aramaic, or Syro-Chaldáic, the then language of Palestine.”  Jesus said to the deaf man in Mk.7:34, “Éffathah!’, that is, ‘Be opened!”  Cambridge Bible “The actual Aramaic word used by our Lord.”  Jesus prayed in Mk.14:36, “Abbáh! Father!”  Geneva Study Bible “The word Abba is a Syrian word.”  (The Hebrew word for Father is Awb h1, the Aramaic is Ab h2, also Abbah g5.)  Abbah is also seen in Ro.8:15 and Ga.4:6 of Paul’s epistles.  The above verses reflect (Western) Aramaic words.

Luke wrote, Ac.1:19 “In their own language that field was called Hakeldamáh, the Field of Blood.”  Luke recorded the Aramaic name of the field at Jerusalem purchased by Judas…“in their language”!  Poole Commentary Ac.1:19 “The Syriac language then in use after the Babylonish captivity.”

The Jewish historian Josephus (37-100 AD) was a priest born in Jerusalem.  His language was Aramaic.  Wikipedia: Language of Jesus “Josephus differentiated Hebrew from his language and that of 1^st century Israel. Josephus refers to Hebrew words as belonging to ‘the Hebrew tongue’ but refers to Aramaic words as belonging to ‘our tongue’ or ‘our language’ or ‘the language of our country.”

John recorded places at Jerusalem with Aramaic/Syriac names.  Jn.5:2 Bethesdáh.  Ellicott Commentary “Bethesda means ‘house of mercy’. The ‘Hebrew tongue’ is…what we ordinarily call Aramaic, or Syro-Chaldaic.”  Jn.19:13 ESV “A place called the Stone Pavement, which in Aramaic [Hebraistí g1447 adverb] is Gabbatháh.”  Gill Exposition “The Jews, who at this time spoke Syriac.”  Jn.19:17 CSB “The Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotháh.”  The NASB center margin notes the (bold) above terms as “Jewish Aramaic”…not Hebrew.  Strong’s Dictionary of terms, and the commentaries quoted above, say these NT words are Aramaic/Syriac/Chaldaic…not Hebrew.

Wikipedia: Aramaic “The Christian New Testament uses the Koine Greek phrase Ἑβραϊστί Hebraïstí to denote ‘Aramaic’, as Aramaic was at that time the language commonly spoken by the Jews.”

Jesus said to Peter, “Blessed are you Simon BarJonáh” (Mt.16:17).  Bar-Jonah means ‘son of Jonah’.  Cambridge Bible “Bar is Aramaic for ‘son.”  bar h1247.  But the Hebrew term for “son” is ben h1121.  So here Matthew records Jesus speaking Aramaic, not Hebrew.  The Aramaic BarAbbás = son of Abbáh (Mt.27:16).  Wikipedia op. cit. “Barabbas is a Hellenization of the Aramaic Bar Abba, literally ‘son of the father.”  Also: BarTholomew = son of Tolmai/Ptolemy (Lk.6:14); BarTimaeus = son of Timaeus (Mk.10:46); BarSabas = son of Sabas (Ac.1:23 & 15:22 – two men); Barnabas = son of encouragement (Ac.4:36); Barjesus = son of Yeshua (Ac.13:6).  Wikipedia ibid “The most prominent feature in Aramaic names is bar, meaning ‘son of’. Its Hebrew equivalent, ben, is conspicuous by its absence.”  Those NT personal names are strong internal evidence that Aramaic language use was predominant!

Aramaic too is a language used by God!  Stephen Missick The Language of Jesus, p.60 “Jesus is God incarnate and He spoke Aramaic.”  The hand from God wrote in Aramaic the “handwriting on the wall” in 539 BC…‘MÉNE, MÉNE, TÉKEL, UPHÁRSIN’ (Da.5:24-28)!

{Sidelight: We don’t know what language Jesus wrote at the scene of the woman taken in adultery, writing on the ground with His finger (Jn.8:6).  Jesus could’ve written in the common Aramaic, or perhaps He quoted the OT Hebrew or old Greek version.  Jn.8:6 “Jesus with His finger wrote on the ground.”  Maybe Jesus quoted or referred to Je.17:13 as He wrote the names of her accusers?  Je.17:13 “Those who depart from Me shall be written in the dirt.”}

Jesus and 11 of His 12 disciples were from Galilee (Judas Iscariót likely was from Keriot in Judea).  Galileans had a noticeable accent in their Aramaic dialect.  ccaugusta.org “Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic.”  A dialect of regional Western Aramaic.  aramaicnt.com “Early Galilean Aramaic, the mother tongue of Jesus.”  Ac.2:7 “Are not all these which speak Galileans?”  Pulpit Commentary Ac.2:7 “The Galilean accent was peculiar and well known.”  It is thought that their accent was more guttural or the gutterals (throat articulations) were blurred.  One of the bystanders said to Peter in Mt.26:73 NET, “You really are one of them; even your accent gives you away”.  Meyer NT Commentary Mt.26:73 “The natives were unable to distinguish especially the gutterals properly.”

Jn.11:1 the NT name Lázarus was Eleázar in Hebrew and Alázar in Aramaic.  The ‘A’ was dropped and the Latin declension ‘us’ was added, resulting in Lazarus in our NT.  Comparably, Englishmen today pronounce ‘Henry’ as ‘Enry’ (dropping the ‘H’).  An older occasion of pronunciation difference in Israel is in Jg.12:6, where the Ephraimites said sibbóleth, but couldn’t say shibbóleth (with the ‘h’).

Aramaic is called a metallic-sounding language.  The Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic (Mt.6:9-13):

“Abwoon d’Bwashmaya, Neet Kah Schmaakh

Teh Teh Malkutah, Neyweh Tzevyanah Aikhanah,

d’Bwashmayah Aph Buh Arh Ah Howlahn Lakhmah d’Soonkhanan Yaow Manah,

Wash Boh Klahn Kaow Behn, Wahktahehn,

Aikhanah Daph Knanahn Soobwoh-Khan Lahkhai Ah-Ben                                   

Welah Tahlah Le Nesyunah, Elah Patzan Min Bishah                                                 

Metohl Delakhih Malkutah, Whyallah Wateshbuktah, Lah-Allam, Allmin.”

It is said that Jesus’ red-letter words in the gospel accounts are powerful when they’re retroverted from Greek manuscripts into Aramaic!  But that they don’t back-translate as well into Hebrew.  John’s gospel is thought to have the strongest Aramaic flavor or substratum (underlying layer) of any gospel account, especially Jesus’ sayings.

In the gospel quotes above, Jesus spoke Aramaic words.  Also He likely spoke Greek in “Galilee of the gentiles” (Mt.4:15), and with Greek-speaking business clients there.  In the Nazareth synagogue (Lk.4:16-21), Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah, either from the Hebrew OT or the old Greek version.  

Ac.21:40-ff Paul, in making his own defense, chose to address the crowd of Jews in Jerusalem in Aramaic (not Greek).  The NASB center margin notes the language Paul spoke here as “Jewish Aramaic” (Hebraís g1446 noun).  Robertson’s NT Word Pictures Ac.21:40 “The Araméan which the people in Jerusalem knew better than the Greek.”  

Interestingly, the OT never refers to the ancient language of the Israelites or Jews as the ‘Hebrew language’!  Rather, in the OT their tongue was called the “language of Canaan” (Is.19:18) or Judahite (Jehudíth: 2Ki.18:26-28, Is.36:11-13, 2Ch.32:18, Ne.13:24).  see Part 1.

Wikipedia op. cit. “A small minority believes that most of the New Testament was originally written in Aramaic.”  The Aramaic Primacy view.  At this point, that is speculation.

The Tálmud of rabbinic Judaism was written in Aramaic (200–500 AD).  Yehuda Shurpin Why is the Talmud in Aramaic? “The Western Aramaic languages were used largely in the area that was under Roman (and later Byzantine) rule. The Jerusalem Talmud, composed in Israel, is written in a Western Aramaic dialect. The Eastern Aramaic languages flourished in the Persian Empire, and as a result the Babylonian Talmud, written in Persian-dominated Babylon, is in Eastern Aramaic. The Talmud was written in Aramaic, the language of the masses, so that it would be accessible to all. ”

Aside from the sectarian Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) religious community, to date most surviving inscriptions of Jesus’ period on artifacts, tombs (Caiáphas’ tomb too), ossuáries/bone boxes, etc. in the Holy Land…are in Aramaic or Greek.  Some are in Hebrew.  Pieter van der Horst Jewish Funerary Inscriptions “In Jerusalem itself about 40 percent of the Jewish inscriptions from the first-century period (before 70 CE) are in Greek.”  (cf. Ac.6:1-5 Stephen was a Greek-speaking Jew in Jerusalem.)

Breakdown of DSS text scripts: Old/Paleo Hebrew 1%, Hebrew/Áshuri square 78%, Aramaic square 17%, Greek 3%, other 1%.  Historians say that some Hebrew language usage was redeveloping in Christ’s day in pocket areas (e.g. the DSS at Qumrán).  Some was known by the educated and priests.  Shurpin op. cit. “Hebrew was used for ‘holy’ matters, such as prayer, and not for ordinary activities.”      

Wikipedia: Language of Jesus “According to DSS archaeologist Yigael Yadin, Aramaic was the language of Hebrews until Simon Bar-Kókhba’s revolt [132-135 AD in Judea]. Yadin noticed the shift from Aramaic to Hebrew in the documents which had been written during the time of the revolt. Yadin said, ‘It seems that this change came as a result of the order that was given by Bar Kokhba, who wanted to revive the Hebrew language and make it the official language of the state’. Yadin points out that Aramaic was the lingua franca [common language] at the time.” 

Both Aramaic and Hebrew are classed as NW Semític Áfro-Asiátic languages; Hebrew is sub-classed a Canaanite language.  Much later, c 800 AD, vowel points were added to the Hebrew language.

Prior to 1948, (Ashkenázi) Yíddish was the language of most Jews.  The national language in modern Israel today is called ‘Hebrew’.  It’d been near 2,500 years since Judahite/Hebrew was the language of common people (am-harétz) in the Land!  But Modern Hebrew (Ivrít) has been influenced by Yiddish.  Yiddish is classed a Germanic Indo-European language, not a Semitic.  The tongue spoken today in Israel isn’t the ancient Canaanite/Hebrew “language of Canaan” (Is.19:18).  Amir Zeldes wrote, “Modern Hebrew is a hybrid language. Modern Hebrew never was exactly Biblical Hebrew, and in many ways it has been a very different language for as long as it has existed.”  Jewish Agency Jewish Languages “Only a minority of the Jewish people today can speak Hebrew…It is more common to use English.”

Aramaic was gradually superceded by the Semitic sister language Arabic during the Moslem conquest (c 700–1300 AD).  Arabic is the liturgical language of Íslam. 

Very few Aramaic dialects are spoken today.  It is an endangered language.  Some Christian groups in areas of Iraq, Syria, Iran, SE Turkey, speak an Aramaic dialect called Syriac.  Churches in the East still use Aramaic as their liturgical language.  Some refer to themselves as Assyrians or Chaldeans.

The prophecy of Zep.3:9 NASB, “I will give to the peoples purified lips [h8193], that all of them may call on the name of the Lord. From beyond the rivers.”  Including heathens too, outside the Holy Land.  Ge.11:9 the penalty for the sin at Babel was the confusion of the language/lip/shore (h8193).  But eventually there’ll be no more ‘idol’ tongues speaking idolatry.  Zec.14:9 “The Lord will be King over all the earth in that day.”  

In the tongues miracle of Ac.2:1-11, pilgrim visitors at Jerusalem heard them speaking in their own languages.  In many dialects.  v.11 “We hear them speaking the mighty deeds of God.”  In a sense, this heals the breach which occurred back in Ge.11!  The penalty is removed.  Words may be spoken from a pure heart/lips in any language.  Ps.22:27 “All the ends of the earth will turn to the Lord. All the kindreds of the nations will worship before Thee.”  Praise the Lord!  

 

Spirits – Made by God in Light

What is spirit?  Spirit is non-material essence.  Merriam-Webster Dictionary shows fourteen definitions for “spirit”.  The first two are: “An animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms; a supernatural being or essence.”  Scientific theories regarding aether, vacuum energy, neutrinos, which some relate to “spirit”, won’t be discussed here.  This topic mostly discusses supernatural spirit beings.

God is Spirit.  Holy.  Jesus said in Jn.4:24, “God is (a) spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth”.  Father God is Self-Existent spirit.  God isn’t physical matter.  No physical object or image can adequately depict God.  The Godhead or God Family is spirit essence…invisible (1Ti.1:17), ethereal.  2Co.3:17 “The Lord is that Spirit.”  The ascended Jesus is spirit at His Father’s right hand in heaven (He.1:3).  In Lk.24:39, Jesus said that a spirit being doesn’t have flesh and bones.

God is Light.  1Jn.1:5 “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”  Jesus said in Jn.8:12, ”I Am the Light of the world”.  cf. Jn.12:46.  The Old Testament (OT) prophecy quoted in the New Testament (NT) Mt.4:16 refers to Jesus. “The people who sat in darkness [in Galilee] saw a great light.”  1Ti.6:16 God dwells on His heavenly throne in brilliant light which physical human eyes cannot behold or approach.  (Also see the topics “Godhead in Prehistory” and “Jesus Is God…Jesus Has a God”.)

Psalm 104, written by David, is about God’s Creation.  Ps.104:1-3 Septúagint/LXX “Bless the Lord. You are very great. Who robes Thyself with Light [Ge.1:3] as with a garment; spreading out the heaven [Ge.1:8] as a curtain.”  Compare the Creation account sequence in Ge.1:1-8.  After Light was brought forth, lesser spirit beings were then made.

God makes His angels spirits.  After Light, continuing with Ps.104:4 LXX, “Who makes His angels spirits”.  The angelic order is composed of spirit beings.  Cambridge Bible “It is clear that the spiritual nature of angels isn’t in question here.”  He.1:7 of the NT quotes the Ps.104:4 LXX “angels”.

God’s heavenly host includes angels.  Ne.9:6 “You are the Lord, who has made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host. The host of heaven worships You.”  Cambridge Bible Ne.9:6 “Most probably means the created spirits.”  Benson Commentary “All the inhabitants of heaven.”  Poole Commentary “The angels, who are so called.”  Ps.148:2-4 “Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; all stars of light! Praise Him, highest heavens!”  Angelic voices on high praise the Lord.  At Jesus’ human birth, in Lk.2:13 the heavenly host was seen extolling God. “Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.”

Angels serve as messengers, agents, and helpers. They can make themselves visible to man as need be, appearing as humans.  The writer to the Hebrews admonished in He.13:2, “Don’t neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for some have entertained angels without knowing it”.

The Hebrew term rendered angel in our OT is maláwk, Strongs h4397.  It means messenger.  The term malawk occurs over 200 times in the OT.  It also refers to human messengers and the Messenger of YHVH.  (see “Michael in the Bible”. The only archangel so-named in scripture is Michael, Jude 1:9.)

The Greek term for angel in the LXX and NT is aggelos g32 (pronounced ángelos).  It occurs 185 times in the NT.  It can also refer to human messengers. (e.g. Ge.32:3 LXX, and John the Baptizer in Mt.11:10.)

The Lord Christ shared in the Creation.  Col.1:16 “By Him [Christ the Son] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, rulers or authorities.”  The Creation includes the heavenly host of beings, normally not visible to human eyes.  JFB Commentary “Invisible – the world of spirits.”  Barnes Notes “The angels we cannot see. Inhabitants of distant worlds we cannot see.”  Gill Exposition “Angels were made by him, Heb.1:7; and, as the Jewish writers say, on the 2^nd day of the creation, though some say on the 5^th.”  Benson Commentary Col.1:16 “The different orders of angels, both those that stood and those that afterward fell.”

According to Jn.1:1-14, Jesus was the primordial Word or Lógos (Greek) of God.  Jn.1:3-9 “The Word was God. All things came into being through Him [Christ the Word/Logos]…That Word was the true Light [g5457].”  “All things” included lesser spirit beings.  Bengel’s Gnomen Jn.1:3 “All things, which are outside of God, were made; and all things which were made, were made by the Logos [Jesus, v.14].”  Expositor’s Greek Testament Jn.1:3 “In 1Cor.8:6 Paul distinguishes between the Father as the primal source of all things and the Son as the actual Creator.”  Christ the Light was Executive Creator.

He.12:9 God is the “Father of spirits”.  Barnes Notes He.12:9 “God is Himself a Spirit [Jn.4:24]. Angels and human souls [or spirits] may be represented as especially His offspring.”  JFB Commentary “God is a spirit Himself, and the Creator of spirits like Himself, in contrast to men who are flesh.”  Meyer’s NT Commentary “God, who is Father in regard to the higher spiritual domain of life.”  Pulpit Commentary “It isn’t human spirits only that are here in view. God is the Father of all ‘the spirits.”

The cherubim (plural) or cherúbs were another class of spirit beings.  Telus.net: Cherubim “Cherubim are spiritual beings.”  They serve as God’s guardians.  The Hebrew term cherub (h3742) occurs 90 times in the OT.  Ge.3:24 God cast Adam & Eve from the garden of Eden, and then stationed cherubim on the east side to guard the way to the Tree of Life.  Scripture doesn’t depict cherubs as chubby human babies with wings flying around!

Ex.25:16-22 Moses was to construct the mercy-seat of God’s Tabernacle with two winged golden cherubs atop the Ark of the Testimony; there the Lord ‘dwelt’ with ancient Israel.  Ellicott Commentary Ge.3:24 “The office of the cherub here is to guard the Paradise [Garden], lest man should try to force an entrance back; and so too the office of the cherubs upon the mercy-seat was to protect it, lest anyone should impiously approach it, except the high-priest on the Day of Atonement.”  In 1Ki.6–8, figures of cherubim were later carved & embroidered (2Chr.3:14) in Solomon’s Temple.  (This wasn’t idolatry.)  In the Greek NT, cheroubim g5502 occurs only in He.9:5.

Ezk.10 is Ezekiel’s vision of cherubs at the Lord’s portable throne.  Ezekiel calls them “living beings”.  Ezk.10:20 LXX “This is the living being [g2226] that I saw below the God of Israel by the river Chobar, and I knew they were cherubs [g5502].”  How did they appear to Ezekiel?  Ezk.1:1, 5 “I was by the river Chebár among the exiles. There were figures resembling four living beings.”  Ezk.1:10 “The likeness of their faces was the face of a human…the face of a lion…an ox…and an eagle.”  Compare the appearance of the four living beings (g2226), but having six wings, that John envisioned at God’s throne in Re.4:6-9…lion, ox, man, flying eagle.  The Nature and Purpose of the Cherubim “These cherubic forms combine the excellencies of these four chiefs of God’s terrestrial creation.”

Winged sphinxes resembled cherubs.  Wikipedia: Sphinx Both the Egyptian and Greek sphinxes “were thought of as guardians, and often flank the entrances to temples.”  An ancient sphinx composite had the head of a human, the paws & tail of a lion, the hind body of an ox, and the wings of an eagle.  Dr. Raanan Eichler What Kind of Creatures Are the Cherubim? “The prevailing opinion is that the cherub is a winged sphinx…such as that depicted on the sarcophagus of the late 2^nd-millennium BC Phoenician king Ahíram.”  William Finck Cherubs Are Sphinxes “A sphinx is a variation on a cherub.”

Fiery seraphim (plural), seráphs h8314, were another class of spirit beings.  They’re celestial attendant worshipers of God, having three pairs of wings.  In the OT, seraphs only appear in the vision of Is.6:1-7.

They were around the Lord’s throne, praising. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.”  Then with a glowing coal of fire from the altar, a seraph figuratively purged Isaiah’s unclean lips & iniquity.  Fire purifies.  Ellicott Commentary Is.6:2 “This is the only passage in which the seraphim are mentioned as part of the host of heaven. ‘Burning ones’…with six wings.”  cf. Rev.4–6.  Gill Exposition Re.4:8 “Cherubim…like the seraphim in Is.6:2.”  Nu.21:6-9 Moses made something like a bronze replica of a seraph, and set it on a pole to aid in healing Israelites bitten by serpents.

The watchers (Da.4:13-17, 23) were another group of spirit beings.  They are discussed in the two-part topic “Watchers and Gen. 6 ‘Sons of God”.

Also there were “24 elders” at God’s throne in heaven.  They are mentioned specifically in Re.4:4, 10; 5:8; 11:16; 19:4.  The apostle John envisioned them in Re.4–5.  Re.4:4 “Around the throne were 24 thrones. On the thrones were 24 elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.”  Theologians and Bible commentators have put forth various explanations as to their identity.

The elders wear crowns of gold.  Barnes Notes Re.4:4 “These elders…are of a kingly order. They are human beings.”  In the Bible, elders refer to men.  Gill Exposition “In allusion to the 24 courses of the priests, into which they were divided by David [1Ch.24:4-19].”  Re.5:10 Young’s Literal Translation “And [the Lamb] did make us to our God kings and priests.”  They were as a royal priesthood (ref 1Pe.2:9).

Compellingtruth.com “Information in scripture most likely identifies these 24 elders as representatives of the church.”  Expositor’s Greek Testament Re.4:4 “Heavenly beings, angelic figures corresponding to the ‘thrones’ of Col.1:16. The significance of the doubled 12 has been found in the 12 patriarchs or tribes [of Israel] plus the 12 apostles, or in the 24 classes of the priests.”  Cambridge Bible Re.4:4 “They act as priests in Rev.5:8.”  Pulpit Commentary Re.4:8 lists possible interpretations, including…“The 24 elders represent the great and minor prophets; higher angels – the celestial priesthood”.

Could the 24 elders be redeemed humans who are spirit beings serving on God’s heavenly council or court?  I’ll leave the choice of interpretation to the reader.  (see “Heavenly Host Authorities and Powers”.)

[Aside: Hierarchical angelologies (and demonologies) developed over the centuries in the traditions of Judaism, kabbálah, and medieval Christianity.  That, and other ‘gods’, isn’t discussed here.]

God has given each of us humans our human spirit, the “breath of life” (Ge.2:7).  Is.42:5 God the Lord gives breath to people on earth, “and spirit to those who walk on it”.  Job’s countryman Elihú said in Jb.32:8, “There is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding”.

The human spirit is a vital incorporeal component within our body which imparts consciousness and intellect to our brain.  We are a spirit, dwelling in a physical body on earth.  1Th.5:23 man is made up of “spirit, soul, and body”.

We communicate with God through our spirit.  At conversion, the Holy Spirit (HS) of God joins with our human spirit.  1Co.6:17 “The person who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”  Paul wrote to Timothy in 2Ti.4:22, “The Lord be with your spirit”.  The HS becomes part of our persona.  1Co.3:16 “The Spirit of God dwells in you.”

At physical death, our human spirit is to “return to God who gave it”, Ec.12:7.  The dying Stephen said in Ac.7:59, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”.  (Ja.2:26 “The body without the spirit is dead…our physical body is then a corpse. Also see the topic “Life and Death – for Saints”.)  Php.1:23 Paul said it was better to depart our physical body and “be with Christ” in heaven with a spiritual body (1Co.15:44, 50).

Jesus prepares our heavenly abode for us.  He said in Jn.14:2-3, “I go to prepare a place for you”.  He.12:22-24 dwelling in heaven are the spirits of men (righteous).  Lk.16:22 God’s holy angels will escort our spirit too, returning it to God who gave it…for His disposition and use.  Lk.16:8-9 as the “sons of light”, we’re welcomed into eternal dwellings.  Our spirit returns to the Light.  1Jn.1:5 God is Light [g5457].  Paul/Saul saw it from afar…Ac.9:3 “Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.”

Jn.3:20-21 those who do truth don’t fear the Light.  But the spirits of those who do evil or are unbelieving are afraid to go to the Light at death, to return to God (Ec.12:7).  They stumbled in darkness (Jn.11:10), not receiving the HS.  These may remain for a time as earthbound spirits (ghosts), stuck.

Those who believe in Jesus and repent of sin won’t abide in darkness (Jn.12:46)!  Ps.36:9 “In Thy Light, we shall see light.”  After death, we shouldn’t fear to return to God…going to the Light!  Trust in His destiny for our human spirit.  God is good (Lk.18:19)!  Medical personnel confirm numerous Near Death Experience (NDE) cases where patients saw the light.

Ja.1:17 God is the “Father of lights [g5457]”.  He made spirit beings, and human spirits (and stars too).  Bengel’s Gnomen Ja.1:17 “He is the Father even of the spiritual lights in the kingdom of grace and glory.”  Pr.20:27 LXX “The spirit of man is a light [g5457] of the Lord.”  Gill Exposition Pr.20:27 “The spirit of man…was a bright and burning light at first, but through sin is become a very feeble one.”

Yet Christians whose human spirit is joined to God’s HS are able to figuratively “shine as luminaries [g5458] in the world” (Php.2:15).  Jesus exhorted the disciples with Him in Jn.12:36, “While you have the Light [g5457], believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light”.  It’s our destiny too!

Re.22:5 “The Lord God has given them light, and they shall reign forever.”  Col.1:12 Father God “has enabled us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light [g5457].”  Prepared by God, it is the future for our spirits on into eternity…in His heavenly Light!

 

Ark of the Testimony – Journeys (1)

The “Ark of the Testimony” (seen in Ex.25:16, Jsh.4:16, e.g.) was the most important object in God’s portable tabernacle which Moses/Israelites constructed.  The Hebrew term for “ark” is aróne, Strongs h727; “testimony” is aydúth h5715.  The Ark was also known as the “Ark of the Covenant” (h1285, Nu.10:33, e.g.), the “Ark of the Lord” (h3068, Jsh.3:13), and the “Ark of God” (h430, 1Sm.3:3).

Christ was the God and good Shepherd of ancient Israel.  His glory dwelt above the Ark, upon the mercy seat between the cherubim (cf. Ex.25:22, Ps.80:1, Jn.10:11.  see the topic “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.)  The Ark represented the Lord’s Presence and Name!  2Sm.6:2 “The ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.”

This two-part topic traces the journeys of the Ark of the Testimony/Covenant through the history of ancient Israel.  Part 1 covers the time from its construction in the aftermath of Israel’s exodus from Egypt…until the capture of the Ark by the enemy Philistines circa (c) 1100 BC.

Using Rev. Martin Anstey’s The Romance of Bible Chronology, v.2, Israel’s exodus from Egypt occurred c 1612 BC and the sacred tabernacle tent & sanctuary was erected c 1611 BC.

Ex.19:1 “In the third month after the sons of Israel went out from Egypt, they came to the wilderness of Sinai.”  While Moses was up on Mt Sinai for 40 days (Ex.24:18), the Lord gave him instructions for the tabernacle (mishkán h4908), its furnishings, and the Ark.  (also see “God Tabernacles With Humans”.)

Ex.25:1, 10-21 “The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘They [Israelites] shall construct an ark of acacia wood. Overlay it with pure gold. You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, and two cherubim of gold at the two ends of the mercy seat, their wings spread upward. You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I shall give you.”

The dimensions of the Ark were about 45 in. wide, 27 in. deep, 27 in. high.  It was a gilded rectangular chest.  The Ark had rings on the sides through which two long poles were inserted to carry it from site to site.  (The Lord said the descendants of Levi’s son Koháth were to carry it, Nu.4:4-6 & 7:9).

Continuing with Ex.25:22, “There I will meet with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony”.  The Lord Christ would seat Himself atop the mercy seat, from where He would command Moses and Israel’s high priests of His principles & ways.

It was called the “Ark of the Testimony” because God’s own testimony of moral principles against sin, written on tablets, was placed inside.  Gill Exposition Ex.25:16 “This was put into the ark…which may signify the law was in the heart of Christ.”  The law reflected the character of Christ, ‘seated’ above.

Ex.31:18 “When He [the Lord] finished speaking with him [Moses], He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, inscribed with the finger of God.”  These principles were the Ten Words (h1697 dabarim), called the Ten Commandments, the Decalogue.

Moses recounted in De.10:4 LXX NETS, “He wrote on the tablets the Ten Words (g3056 lógos, Greek), which the Lord spoke to you in the mountain out of the midst of the fire [Ex.20:1-18], and the Lord gave them to me”.  Also cf. De.4:13 LXX, where the Greek term for “words” is g4487 rhéma.  The Decalogue was both logos and rhema.  In addition…a jar of manna (Ex.16:32-34), Aaron’s rod (Nu.17:10), and later God’s book of the law (De.31:26, 2Ch.34:14-15) were placed in or by the Ark.

The Ark with the mercy seat resided in the Holy of Holies room of the tabernacle (Ex.26:34).  Aaron the high priest was authorized to enter that compartment only once each year, on the Day of Atonement.  There he would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat of the Ark, to atone for Israel’s sins (Le.16:2, 14-17).  The Ark with the mercy seat signified God’s judgment and mercy.

Ex.30:26 initially Moses was to mix holy anointing oil and “anoint the tabernacle and the ark of the testimony”.  Ex.40:17-21 the Ark was brought into the completed tabernacle at Sinai 11 ½ months out of Egypt.  v.34-35 the Holy Spirit glory cloud filled the tabernacle on the occasion!  v.36-38 “In all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up, the sons of Israel would set out.”  They weren’t to leave a site until the Shekínah glory lifted; Nu.9:21-22 “Whether it was after two days, a month, or a year.”

For much of ancient Israel’s BC history (subsequent to Egypt), the Ark and the tabernacle were together at the same site/location.  But they weren’t together during all that period of time, as we’ll see.

Nu.10:11-13, 33 in the 2^nd month of the 2^nd year, they departed Sinai with the ark for a 3-days’ journey to the Parán Wilderness.  Nu.11:3, 34-35 their first stops after Sinai were Taberáh/Kibróth-hattaváh and Hazeróth.  De.1:1-3, 19 it was an 11-day march by way of Mt Seir from Horéb/Sinai to the Kadésh-barnéa spring/oasis in Paran (Ge.14:6-7 spring of judgment, Nu.12:16, 13:3, 26, 32:8).  De.1:46 “They remained in Kadesh many days.”  Nu.14:33-34 they won’t enter the Promised Land until the 40^th year!

Nu.20:1-2, 13-14, 27:14, 33:36 in the 40^th year, they camped at Meribáh Kadésh (not an oasis!) in the Wilderness of Zin.  Nu.33 lists in order their 40–45 encampments made during the 40-year journey to the promised Land of Canáan.  Moses died just before they entered-in (De.34:5).

Jsh.3:3-ff after 40 years, priests with the Ark went before Israel as they finally crossed the Jordan River, c 1572 BC.  Jsh.4:19 “The people came up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgál on the eastern edge of Jericho.”  The Ark is at Gilgal in the Promised Land.  Jsh.6:1-20 in their conquest of Jericho, Israelite warriors marched behind the Ark, circling Jericho for 7 days.  Jsh.14:6 Joshua’s HQ location is Gilgal.

Then Jsh.18:1, “The sons of Israel assembled at Shilóh and set up the tent of meeting there.”  God’s tent of meeting/tabernacle and Ark were moved from Gilgal to Shiloh.  Centuries later the Lord recounted in Je.7:12, “…My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My Name dwell at the first”.  Christ ‘dwelled’ atop the Ark at Shiloh.  Jsh.22:9 Israel had “gathered together at Shiloh.”  (Jsh.24:1, 25 the LXX and Arabic versions have “Shiloh”.)  Joshua’s HQ became Shiloh; it means ‘place of rest’.

Jg.2:6-9 Joshua died c 1547 BC.  (see “Chronology – the Exodus to Samuel”.)  Jg.2:1 LXX “The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal…to Bethél, to the house of Israel.”  Jg.2:5 Israel sacrificed there (Bethel/‘Bochím’, where they ‘wept’).  The Divine Captain of God’s host had earlier appeared to Joshua while Israel was camped at Gilgal (Jsh.5:10-15), prior to Shiloh.  Shortly before Joshua’s death, the Ark and tabernacle where sacrifices were made were moved from Shiloh to nearby Bethel (the Luz of Ge.28:19, Jg.1:23).  Cambridge Bible Jg.2:1 “A transference of the sanctuary [to Bethel] (Jdg 2:5b).”

{Sidelight: Jg.17–21 these ending chapters of Judges are a flashback to side events which occurred earlier in the book, but weren’t inserted then (to not interrupt the timeflow).  Henry Commentary Jg.17:1 “What is related in…the rest of the chapters to the end of this book, was done soon after the death of Joshua.”  Pulpit Commentary “Two detached histories [Jg.17–21], which fill up the rest of the book, are long prior to Samson [Jg.13–16].”  In Jg.20:28, Aaron’s grandson Phineás the high priest is still alive (cf. Nu.25:7)!  Gill Exposition Jg.17:1 and Barnes Notes connect Jg.17:1 & Jg.18:1-2 “Dan” to Jg.1:34 “Dan”.  Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 5:2-3 places Jg.17–21 before Othniél’s early judgeship of Jg.3.  Jg.3:8-11 the warrior Othniel judged Israel 40 years, c 1524 BC – 1484 BC.  Caleb’s nephew Othniel acceded a few years after the time of the “elders who outlived Joshua” (Jg.2:7), c 1547 – 1532 BC.}

Jg.18:31 echoes the tabernacle had been at Shiloh earlier.  Jg.20:18 LXX “They went to Bethel and inquired of God.”  Not long after Joshua’s death, the Ark was at Bethel.  Pulpit Commentary Jg.20:18 “At this time the ark of God, with the tabernacle, was at Bethel, only 7–8 miles from Shiloh.”

Jg.20:27 “The sons of Israel inquired of the Lord, for the ark of the covenant of God was there [Bethel] in those days.”  Ellicott Commentary Jg.20:27 “At Bethel.”  Again, Bethel was near to Shiloh.  Jg.21:19 an annual pilgrim feast was held at Shiloh, “on the north side of Bethel”.  Situated in the tribal territory of Ephráim, Shiloh-Bethel became the Ark & tabernacle location (after Gilgal).  350 years elapse….

Jg.16:30-31 Samson the warrior-judge died, c 1142 BC.  Eli and Samuel then conclude the long period of the judges.  1Sm.1:1-3 Elkanáh (Samuel’s father) annually went to Shiloh to sacrifice to the Lord.

The Ark is again at Shiloh.  Ellicott Commentary 1Sm.1:3 “Shiloh was the religious center of Israel during the whole period of the judges. On rare occasions the sacred tent, and the holy furniture, seems to have been temporarily moved to such places as Mizpáh and Bethel, but its regular home was Shiloh.”  1Sm.3:3, 21 the Ark is at Shiloh, where the Lord revealed Himself to young Samuel.

In the latter years of Eli the high priest & judge, Israel had become very backslidden.  1Sm.4:1-5 the Ark is carried into the battle of Ebenézer against the Philistines, c 1102 BC.  v.17-18 the heathen Philistines sack Shiloh, and capture the Ark.  Eli dies when he hears the news.  v.22 “The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.”

The Ark would never return to Moses’ tabernacle!

Cambridge Bible 1Sm.1:3 “It [Shiloh] ceased to be the national sanctuary. Samuel sacrificed at Mizpeh, at Ramáh, at Gilgal, never, so far as we read, at Shiloh.”  Barnes Notes Ps.78:60 “The place of worship was finally and forever removed from the tribe of Ephraim, within whose limits Shiloh was.”

The Ark had resided in the Holy of Holies innermost room (Ex.26:34) of Moses’ tabernacle for 500 years!  From c 1611 BC – 1102 BC (except when it was in transport or taken into battle.  cf. Nu.10:35 “Rise up, O Lord! And let Thy enemies be scattered.”)

The Ark now will reside elsewhere, apart from God’s tabernacle, for 110 years (til c 991 BC).  During these 110 years, the Holy of Holies compartment of Moses’ tabernacle was entirely empty!

1Sm.5:1-7 the Philistines took the captured Ark of God from Ebenezer to their city of Ashdód, to the temple of their pagan god Dagón.  But the idol of Dagon was then found fallen down before the Ark…and broken!  The Lord afflicted the Ashdodites with tumors and mice (LXX).  v.8-9 so the Philistines took the Ark to their city of Gath.  But the Lord afflicted them there with tumors.  v.10-12 so they took the Ark to Ekrón.  The hand of God was heavy upon them in Ekron; many men died or were smitten with tumors.  At that point the Philistines didn’t know what to do with the Ark, they cried out to heaven!

This topic is continued and concluded in “Ark of the Testimony – Journeys (2)”.

 

 

 

Michael in the Bible

Who is Michaél?  Jewish Encyclopedia: Angelólogy “The 70 nations of Gen.10 each had their guardian angel in heaven; Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, ranks above the rest.”  ReligionWiki “Roman Catholic tradition calls [St] Michael, Gabriel and Raphael archangels.”  Wikipedia: Michael “Within Protestantism, Anglican and Methodist tradition recognizes four archangels: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel.”

However, some Protestants and other groups don’t position Michael in the order of angels.  They don’t believe Michael is a created angel.  This topic examines their view from the Bible.

Writers of the Bible books occasionally would use a symbolic, poetic, secondary or changed name for a place, instead of its usual name.  For example, a poetic name for Israel is Jeshurún, meaning ‘upright one’.  De.33:5 “He was king in Jeshurun, the tribes of Israel together.”  It appears a poetic or symbolic name for Jerusalem is Ariel, ‘lioness of God’.  Is.29:1 “Woe to Ariel, the city where David dwelt.”  Jerusalem also came to be called Zion.  Ps.51:8 “Do good to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem.”

And some Bible characters have more than one name.  For example: Abrám/Abrahám Ge.17:5 “Your name is no more called Abram, your name shall be Abraham.”   Jacob/Israel Ge.32:28 “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel.”  Saul/Paul Ac.13:9 “Saul, who was also known as Paul.”

In the Bible, our Savior (Lk.2:11) has many, many titles and names.  e.g: Jesus/Yeshúa Mt.1:21, Emmanuél Mt.1:23, Christ/Messiah Mt.1:16/Jn.1:41, Word/Lógos Jn.1:1,14, Branch Je.23:5, Angel/Messenger Ga.4:14, Rock 1Co.10:4, Son of Man Mt.12:8, Son of God Mt.8:29.  And more.

A theóphany is an appearance of the Deity to man.  Many believe that Melchisedek, who appeared to Abram in Ge.14:18-20, is a theophany.  He.7:1-4 “Melchisedek, likened to the Son of God, how great this (one) was, to whom Abraham gave a tenth.”  He was even Abraham’s superior!  Many think the theophany or christophany Melchisedek was a manifestation of the Word/Logos before becoming Jesus.

The name “Michael” (Strongs h4317, Hebrew) occurs 13 times in the Old Testament (OT), 10 times as a theophóric (a human name with the name/title of God embedded in it).  The 3 verses where Michael doesn’t refer to a human are in Daniel 10:13, 21, 12:1.  There are 2 New Testament (NT) occurrences of this Michael (g3413, Greek); Jude 9, Re.12:7.  Michael means ‘Who is like God’.

In Daniel 10, it is thought that the angel Gabriel (cf. Da.8:16, 9:21) came to help Daniel.  Gabriel said in Da.10:13 Youngs Literal Translation (YLT), “Michael, first of the chief heads [or princes h8269 sar], has come to help me”.  Barnes Notes Da.10:13 “The first in rank.”  The reformers’ Geneva Bible 1599 “Michael, that is, Jesus Christ the head of angels.”  Benson Commentary “Michael, whose name is sometimes given to Christ Himself.”  Matthew Poole Commentary “Michael, this we take to be Christ.”

Da.10:20-21 YLT “There is not one strengthening himself with me, concerning these, except Michael your head [h8269 prince].”  Gill Exposition Da.10:21 “Michael your Prince; Christ the Prince of the kings of the earth, he was the Prince, Protector, and Guardian of the people of the Jews; he is the Angel [of the Lord/YHVH] that went before them in the wilderness, their King and their God.”

The Hebrew “sar” (h8269) is translated as “head, prince, commander, chief, captain, ruler”.

Da.12:1-2 YLT “’At that time Michael the great head [h8269], is standing up for the sons of thy people. And the multitude of those sleeping in the dust of the earth do awake.”  He stands prior to resurrection.  Matthew Henry Commentary “Michael signifies the Divine Savior. Christ stood for the children of our people.”  Gill Exposition “The Archangel, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is as God, as the name signifies, truly and really God.”  Benson Commentary “The Messiah, not…a created angel.”

The five commentaries above say Michael is another of Jesus’ names.  Let’s compare other scriptures to see if Michael could indeed have been another name of Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew & Aramaic).

Is.9:6 is a messianic prophecy about the “Sar Shalom”, the Prince (h8269) of Peace.  “A Child will be born to us. His name will be called Wonderful, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace.”  Jesus is the prophesied Prince of Peace, the Sar Shalom.

We saw a mighty spiritual Prince/Head/Commander (sar h8269) in Da.10:13, 20-21.  Another passage about the “Commander” (or Prince/Head h8269) of the “host” (h6635) is Da.8:11. “The little horn even set itself up to be as great as the Commander [h8269] of the host of the Lord.”  Da.8:25 “He will even oppose the Prince of princes [Commander of commanders, all are h8269]. Yet he will be shattered, but not by human hands.”  The great Commander/Prince/Head of the Lord’s army does the shattering!

In Jsh.5:13-15, the Commander (Prince/Head/Chief h8269) of YHVH’s angelic host appeared to Joshua, saying, “I have come as Commander of the Lord’s army [host h6635]. Remove your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy”.  Orthodox Bible note, “The chief whom tradition holds to be the Archangel Michael.”  Pulpit Commentary “The majority supposed it to have been the archangel Michael. He who spoke to Joshua was a Divine Person.”  So it was mandatory that Joshua remove his sandals.  The place where the Commander stood was holy.  Joshua fell on his face in reverence.

Moses’ experience in Ex.3:1-6 is similar to Joshua’s in that respect.  “The Angel [Messenger h4397 malákh] of YHVH appeared to him in a blazing fire from a bush. God called to him from the midst of the bush. ‘Remove your sandals for you are standing on holy ground. I Am the God of your fathers.”  The Angel or Messenger of YHVH is also God!  Moses must remove his sandals, as Joshua must!

Alfred Edersheim The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Appendix 13, 1:2:b “Michael is also supposed to have been the Angel in the bush.”  Orthodox Bible “God the Word revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. He is called the Angel of the Lord because He is the Angel or Messenger of the Father.”  Is.9:6 Septúagint/LXX “His name will be called the Messenger of Great Counsel, and of His peace there is no end.”  Paul wrote of his own welcome in Ga.4:14. “You received me as an angel [or messenger g32 ángelos] of God, as Christ Jesus.”  Yet Jesus is God and not a created angel.

Humans aren’t to worship the angelic order.  John said regarding the angel in Re.19:10, “I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Don’t do this, I am a fellow-servant.”  Re.22:8-9 “I, John, fell down to worship at the feet of the angel. But he said to me, ‘Don’t do this.”  Yet God/Jesus is to be worshiped!  He.1:6 “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”  Joshua fell on his face and must remove his sandals in the presence of Commander Michael.  Again, Michael means ‘Who is like God’.

In scripture, a spiritual being of the angelic order is an attendant, agent, or messenger for God.  Jesus said in Re.22:16 YLT, “I, Jesus, did send [g3992 pémpo] My messenger [angel g32 angelos] to testify these things”.  But beings of the angelic order aren’t the only messengers.

Humans too can be messengers.  Ge.32:3 “Jacob sent messengers [malakh h4397] to Esau his brother.”  Homing pigeons are used as messengers.  There’s messenger dogs (e.g. German Shepherd, Doberman, Airedale).  The term angel/messenger/angelos doesn’t always refer to the angelic order (ref Ga.4:14).

Jesus is Father God’s Messenger!  Jesus said in Jn.8:16, “I and the Father who sent [g3992] Me”.

The Messenger of YHVH was sent by Father YHVH.  God’s Word transl Ge.16:7, 13 “The Messenger of the LORD found her by a spring in the desert….Hagar named the LORD, who had been speaking to her, ‘You Are the God Who Watches Over Me.”  The Messenger was God!  Jacob in Ge.31:11-13, “In a dream the Messenger of God called to me, ‘I Am the God who appeared to you at Bethél”.

In the Péntateuch, the Angel or Messenger of God…is God!  cf. Ex.13:21 & 14:19!  Zec.12:8 LXX “The house of David will be as the house of God, as the angel of the Lord before them.”

Zec.3:1-2 “He showed me Yehoshúa [Joshua] the chief priest standing in front of the Messenger of the Lord. Satan was standing at Yehoshua’s right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you.”  The Messenger or Angel of the Lord who spoke was the Lord (YHVH)!

Those exact words (“The Lord rebuke you”) were spoken in only one other verse of the Bible.  Jude 9 “When Michael the archangel disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, he said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.”  Michael is the archangel or Chief Messenger, the great Head/Prince (Da.12:1).  Perhaps their dispute had to do with whether or not Moses was guilty for killing the Egyptian (Ex.2:11-15)?  Only Michael’s words in Jude 9 parallel the words of the Messenger/Angel of the Lord (“the Lord”) in Zec.3:1-2.  Gill Exposition Jude 9 “By whom is meant the Lord Jesus Christ, not a created angel, as appears from His name Michael, who is as God, the Son of God.”

The only archangel (g743 archángelos, Greek) named in our Bible is…Michael!  The term archangel is never plural in scripture.  Gabriel & Lucifer aren’t specifically called archangels in the Bible.  Edersheim op.cit. “The superiority of Michael over Gabriel [Strong Man of God] is asserted in Ber.4 b.”

Michael again opposes satan the devil/dragon in Re.12:7. “There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought.”  Matthew Henry Commentary “The parties were Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and his faithful followers; and Satan and his instruments.”  Michael is the Commander or leader of his angels (or host).  And in Mt.25:41, Jesus spoke of “The agelong [aiónios g166] fire prepared for the devil and his angels”.

Similar is Mt.13:41. “The Son of Man will send forth His angels.”  Both Michael and Jesus the Son of Man is Commander of the angelic order.  Mt.24:30-31 “The Son of Man will send forth His angels with a great trumpet blast.”  Do Jesus and Michael the Archangel command two separate groups of ‘good’ angels…or is it the same innumerable group?  And satan the devil/dragon commands over all the ‘bad’ angels.  From those verses, Jesus the Son of Man and Michael appear to be the same.

We saw back in Da.12:1-2 that Michael stands up and resurrection occurs.  “Many to everlasting life but others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.”  In Mt.24:30-31, the elect are gathered as that great trumpet sounds.  1Th.4:16 “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel [g743], and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise.”  The Lord blows the great trumpet.  (cf. Zec.9:14 “The Lord God shall blow the trumpet.”)  At the time the dead rise (Da.12:1-2 Michael), we see whose voice is heard, who the Archangel or Chief Messenger is….

Jesus follows-up on Da.12:1-2 in Jn.5:25-29, where He said “The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. All who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who have done good to a resurrection of life, those who done evil to a resurrection of judgment.”  Jesus said the voice heard is that of He Himself, the Son of God!  In 1Th.4:16, the voice heard is that of the archangel, the Lord Himself descending.  Jesus and the Archangel appear one and the same…Michael (in Da.12:1-2)!

The term archangel (archangelos g743) or Chief Messenger occurs only twice in the entire Bible, in 1Th.4:16 and Jude 9.  (The term doesn’t appear in the Greek OT LXX).

A broad angelology and demonology with ranks & functions emerged in Judaism during the time of the Babylonian and Persian periods.  Two angels of note are Raphael (‘God heals’) and Uriel (‘Flame of God’).  Tobit 12:15 “I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who report the prayers of the saints, and enter before the glory of the Holy One.”  2Esdras 4:1 “The angel Uriel had been sent to me.”  (The apocalyptic 2Esdras was written in the 100s AD, too late to be included in the old Greek version, written 270–132 BC.)  In the decades prior to Jesus’ human birth, near the time of the Greek translation (which became the LXX), the Jews developed the more detailed angelology with names and categories of angelic beings.  ref 1Eno.9:1 Michael, Uriel, Raphael, Gabriel.  1Eno.40:8-10 has Phanuel (‘Face of God’), not Uriel.  2Eno.22:6 (written late 1^st century AD), “Michael, the Lord’s greatest archangel”.

But to the Jewish philosopher Philo (20 BC – 50 AD), the Lord/Word/Logos is the one supreme archangel.  Philo On Dreams, Book 1:25:157 at the top of Jacob’s ladder [Ge.28:12-13] stood “The archangel, the Lord Himself; the living God stands above all things”.  In Philo, there’s no indication of plural archangels.  He didn’t subscribe to four or seven archangels, seen elsewhere in Jewish thought.

Philo Who is the Heir of Divine Things 42:205 “The Father who created the universe has given to His archangelic and most ancient Logos a pre-eminent gift. This same Word is continually a suppliant to the immortal God on behalf of the mortal race.”  That Archangel is Jesus.  In the Bible (e.g. Jn.1:1, 14), Jesus is referred to as the Logos in Greek, the Word in English (the Mémra in Aramaic Targums).

Philo On the Confusion of Tongues 28:146 “His firstborn Logos, the eldest of the angels, the great archangel of many names, for He is called the Authority, and the Name of God, and the Word.”  (Again, Jesus has well more than a dozen names/titles in scripture.)

Also, the Dead Sea Scrolls 11Q13 document has Melchisedek as the leader of God’s angels, instead of Michael.  This DSS passage refers to Melchisedek as Elohím (God).  Wikipedia: 11Q13 “11QMelch is a fragmentary manuscript among the DSS which mentions Melchisedek as leader of God’s angels in a war in heaven [cf. Re.12:7] against the angels of darkness instead of the more familiar Archangel Michael…date of composition is circa 100 BCE. (Isa. 52:7) Melchizedek is ‘Your Elohim’ who will deliver the sons of righteousness from Belial [satan].”  (see the topic “Melchisedek Order Priesthood”.)

To summarize, comparing the above passages in the light of each other, many similarities are apparent:

Jesus is the prophesied Prince of Peace, and the Prince or Commander of the (angelic) host.  Michael is the first chief head, Commander, the Prince of princes.  Michael is the great Prince.  Michael means ‘Who is like God’.  The Angel/Messenger of the Lord, often seen in the Pentateuch, is ‘like God’.

In Jsh.5:15 & Ex.3:5, there was holy ground around both the Commander of the host and the Angel/Messenger of the Lord (who is like God) theophany.

In Zec.3:1-2 & Jude 9, the Angel/Messenger of the Lord who is “the Lord” and Michael the archangel both said to satan the devil, “The Lord rebuke you”.

In Mt.24:30-31 & Re.12:7, Jesus the Son of Man & Michael are both the leader of (the ‘good’) angels.

In Jn.5:25 & 1Th.4:16, the Voice heard when the dead rise is that of both Jesus the Son of God and the Archangel.

In Da.12:1-2 & Jn.5:27-29, both Michael & the Son of God connect to the rising of the just & unjust.

The 1^st century AD thought of Philo was…There exists only one supreme Archangel who is the Word or Logos, the Name of God, the Lord Himself.  The Bible passages support the Hellenist Philo’s view.

The DSS 11QMelch document refers to Melchisedek as God, and substitutes Melchisedek as leader of God’s angels instead of Michael (Re.12:7)/Son of Man (Mt.24:30-31).

Five Protestant commentaries were quoted (near the top) who endorsed the view that Michael is Jesus.  There’s more than those five.  conversationalfaith.org Michael the Archangel is Jesus “The belief that Michael is the Son of God is shared by many influential Protestants throughout history. John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, John Wesley all believed this to be true. As do the Geneva Study Bible and International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.”

Gill Exposition Da.10:13 “Michael…called in the New Testament an Archangel, the Prince of angels, the Head of all principality and power; is no other than Christ the Son of God; the first of the chief Princes; superior to angels in nature, name and office; the General of the armies in heaven.”  Jesus is God…He’s not an angelic being.  Jonathan Edwards Christ Exalted “This Michael is Christ (Da.10:21 and 12:1).”  John Wesley Notes Da.10:13, 21 “Michael here is commonly supposed to mean Christ. Michael-Christ alone is the protector of His church.”  According to Wesley, Protestants commonly believed Michael was Jesus Christ.  Charles Spurgeon Our Lord’s Transcendant Greatness “Our Lord, who is the true Michael, the only Archangel.”  Spurgeon The Angelic Life “Michael is the Lord Jesus.”

Jewish Encyclopedia: Michael “Michael is identified with Melchisedek. Michael, the high priest, is the standard-bearer of God. He announced to Sarah that she should bear a son (Gen.18:10). Michael prevented Isaac from being sacrificed by his father. It was Michael who wrestled with Jacob and afterward blessed him. Michael led the Israelites through their 40 years in the wilderness. Michael is on the right hand of God’s throne, at the right hand of God, occupying the first place near God.”

The above things attributed to Michael in the Jewish Encyclopedia are all attributed to God & Jesus in the Bible!  ref: Ge.14:18-19, He.7:1-4, 4:14 Jesus is high priest; Ge.18:1, 10 the announcement to Sarah was made by YHVH/the Lord; Ge.22:1, 10-12 the Angel of YHVH saved Isaac; Ge.32:24, 29-30 Jacob said he wrestled with God face-to-face; Ex.14:19 & 13:21 the Angel of God and YHVH in a pillar cloud led the Israelites; Ac.2:32-33 & Col.1:18 Jesus is at the right hand of God and is in first place.

Though our minds don’t fully comprehend theophanies/christophanies, the scriptural case can be made that supports the view…Michael is one of the many names/titles of Christ Jesus.  Again, one of Jesus’ names is Emmanu-el.  Micha-el is Jesus’ warrior name, as He fights & defeats the powers of darkness.

The scriptures (but not religious traditions/presuppositions) indicate that “Michael” may well be another or a symbolic or poetic name for Jesus the sole Archangel or Chief Messenger, who Father God sent.  also see the topics “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”, “Jesus Is God…Jesus Has a God”, “Heavenly Host Authorities and Powers”.

Lastly, this exposition isn’t based upon, nor did I utilize the literature of, any church or denominational teaching (such as Jehovah’s Witnesses or Seventh Day Adventist).

 

Godhead in Prehistory

God is a uniplural Being, a compound unity…yet the Creator God-kind is One.  De.6:4 “Hear O Israel, YHVH our God is one [echád Strongs h259, Hebrew].”  But this term doesn’t mean numerically or solely ‘one’.  Ge.2:7, 24 Adam & Eve were echad/“one”, unified in togetherness…the two of them.  Ezr.2:64 the whole assemblage together was echad, as one, although it numbered 42,360 people!

The intertestamental Bible books were included in most canons until 200 years ago.  These apocryphal or deuterocanonical books were in the Septúagint/LXX, in the early KJV, and remain in the canons of the Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), and others.  Since the early Christians used these books, the Jews dropped them.  Because the books were used by the RCC, in 1534 AD Martin Luther placed the books after the canon, rather than keeping them interspersed within it.  (He began the Protestant Reformation.)  Around 200 years ago, Protestants dropped them from the Bible.

However, these intertestamental books were quoted or referenced by Jesus in the New Testament!  Compare: Mt.27:43 & Wisdom of Solomon (WSol) 2:13, 18; Lk.11:31 & WSol.8:1; Mt.6:14 & Wisdom of Sirach (WSir) 28:2.  WSol (written circa/c 20 BC) and WSir (written c 180 BC in Hebrew) will be quoted as we proceed with this topic.

In Ro.1:18-30, the apostle Paul paraphrased WSol.  Compare: Ro.1.21-22 & WSol.14:22; Ro.1:23-29 & WSol.14:29-30, 24-26.  In WSol.13:5, 8 & Ro.1:19-20 KJV, “The invisible things of Him from the creation are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made…even His Godhead.”

The Creation evidences and reflects the Godhead, especially the family generative order of humans and animals.  Ep.3:14-15 Father God is the great prototype of all family relationships.  Orthodox Study Bible “God the Father is the ultimate Source of every living being.”

However, the expression ‘eternal Father’ doesn’t appear in scripture.  Although the Godhead is echad, one, uniplural…scripture indicates the Godhead wasn’t uniplural originally! 

Before God became the Father, God alone was the Self-Existent Being, Ancient of Days.  Not yet the Most High, since no one was below at that ‘time’.  The Being existed alone for an incalculable duration.

This great Omnipotent, Omniscient Being alone was the androgynous prototype or image of human male and female attributes & characteristics.  Were the theory of left-brain right-brain hemisphere dominance correct, the Being would’ve been both sides equally dominant.

But the great Being won’t remain alone!  As if to say (analogous to the later Ge.2:18)…‘It is not good for the androgynous Self-Existent Being to be alone (forever); I will make a Helper for The Being!’

Prehistory doesn’t begin with Ge.1:1!  Prior to Ge.1:1…Pr.8:1-2, 22-30 has a 1^st Person quote from Wisdom. “Does not wisdom call. She stands in the top of high places. ‘YHVH possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works. From everlasting I was established, from the earliest times. When there were no depths I was brought forth. When He established the heavens, I was there. I was beside Him, and I was daily His delight.”  Wisdom, at the Being’s side…She has a beginning!

WSir, also called Ecclesiásticus, supports and expands Proverbs.  WSir.1:4, 7 “Wisdom was created before all things….The Lord Himself created wisdom. He poured her out on all His works.”  The Being brought forth Wisdom before all else, pouring her out.

WSir.24:3-6 is a 1^st Person quote by Wisdom. “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High. My throne is in the pillar of a cloud.”  The Shekínah glory of YHVH is in the pillar of a cloud, and later led ancient Israel.  Ex.13:21 “YHVH went before them in the pillar of a cloud.”  cf. Ex.40:34-35.

He (now the Most High) and She (Wisdom) are both YHVH.  They are echad, one, uniplural.

WSol.7:22, 25 “In herself, wisdom is a spirit that is understanding, Holy. She is the breath of the power of God, and the emanation of the pure glory of the Almighty.”  Wisdom is the Holy Spirit, split-off or spirated or emanated through the Being’s breath/mouth.  WSol.8:3-4 “She glorifies her noble birth by living with God, and the Master of all loves her.”

WSol and WSir reflect how Jews believed and interpreted Proverbs & Wisdom in latter BC times.  Wisdom is sophía (g4678) in Greek, and chokmáh (h2451) in Hebrew.  Orthodox Bible “The Holy Spirit receives eternal existence only from the Father.”  Wisdom says in Pr.8:25 LXX, “He begets [gennáo g1080] Me”.  Philo On Flight and Finding, p.325 “Wisdom, even if it be most ancient of all other things, still has only second place to that Omnipotent Being.”  He is the Most High.

Another 1^st Person quote from Wisdom is Pr.1:20-23. “Wisdom shouts/sings in the street. ‘Turn to my reproof, Behold I will pour out my spirit upon you.”  She is poured out, wisdom the Spirit.  Note the word of YHVH that came to Joel in 2:28-29. “I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind.”  Wisdom is the Holy Spirit!  Compare Nu.27:18, “Joshua, a man in whom is the Spirit.”…with De.34:9, “Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom”.  The spirit of Wisdom in Joshua is the Holy Spirit!

Solomon’s prayer of WSol.9:4, 10, 17. “Give me the wisdom that sits by Your throne…Send her forth from Your holy heavens…Your Holy Spirit from on high.”  Wisdom the Holy Spirit sat beside God’s throne in the heavens, as a Queen beside the King’s throne.  The real “Queen of Heaven” (Je.44:17) isn’t Ashtóreth (e.g. 1Ki.11:5), other pagan goddesses, or Mary…rather, She’s the Holy Spirit (HS).

Returning to prehistory…The Being emanated the HS.  The Being is now become He, no longer an androgyne…the HS, She is with Him.  A later figure of this masculine and feminine is Is.42:13-14. “YHVH will go forth like a warrior. Like a woman in labor I will groan.”  YHVH is as warrior and pregnant woman both!  And Ps.123:2 “As servants look to their master, and a maid to her mistress, so our eyes look to YHVH.”  YHVH is both Master and Mistress!  He and She.  Yet they are one/echad.

Since the Godhead is divine ‘Persons’, we most often use personal pronouns to refer to Their reality.  In English, personal pronouns are masculine or feminine.  In the next scriptural revelation of prehistory, He will become Father too (but not Mother).  She will become Mother.

God made the family (father, mother, offspring) the foundational unit (Ro.1:19-20)!  The church ideal for children is two–parent families.  Yet are God’s born-again children, adopted into a single–parent family?  Can there be a Son of God without a Father God and a Mother God?  Was the Word or Logos begotten into a one-parent family?  Again, YHVH reflects both masculine and feminine (Ps.123:2)!

The Works of Philo, p.85, 331, 405 “The Word [Lógos g3056, Greek] has received wholly pure parents…God being the Father and husband of wisdom, the mother of the Word….the Divine Logos flows forth from Wisdom as a spring.”  (A spring of Living water poured-out, Jn.4:14.)  Creation of man/mammals reflects & teaches us that it’s impossible to have a father without having a mother!

When did the Word/Logos, the One who later became Jesus in the flesh, originate?

At Creation in Ge.1:1-2, “The Spirit of God was hovering [h7363]….”  JFB Commentary “The Holy Spirit was hovering as a mother bird, when hatching eggs.”  The Holy Spirit is the real Mother Nature, so to speak!  De.32:11 a mother eagle hovers (h7363) over her young.  Re.12:14 the Holy Spirit-filled church is metaphorically given the wings of a great she-eagle, “that she might fly”.

Jn.1:1-5, 14, 18 “In the beginning, the Word [Logos] was with God and the Word was God. All things came into being through Him. In Him was life and the life was the Light of men….And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us….the only-begotten God.”  The Word/Logos/Light became Jesus.  He.1:2-3 Jesus the Son is the radiance of God’s glory.

Ge.1:2-4 “God said, ‘Light…Be!”  A great cosmic Light was brought forth on the 1^st day of Creation.  But no sun, moon, or stars luminaries appeared until the 4^th day (v.14-19).  2Co.4:6 Jesus is a great primordial Light!  Jesus Himself said in Jn.8:12, “I AM the Light of the world”.  Jesus was begotten or emanated from His Father and Mother (who “hovers”).  And Jesus said in Jn.12:46, “I have come as Light”.  1Jn.1:5 “God is Light.”  This first Light has been described as ‘the ongoing and working reflection of His [the Father’s] Intelligence.’

Thus God became a Family.  (Other closely related topics are: “Tri-unity of God”, “Holy Spirit Personification”, “Holy Spirit’s Identity”, “Jesus Is God…Jesus has A God”.)

Jesus said of Himself in Lk.7:35, “Wisdom is justified by her children”.  Jesus acknowledged His Mother God, Wisdom!

Orthodox Study Bible “The Son is begotten before all time and ages from the essence of the Father. The Son…has the Father as His Source from eternity.”  The oldest manuscript of Jn.1:18 refers to Jesus as the “only begotten God”.  The Word (Jesus) was begotten or generated, “made” in that sense.  He.3:1-2 says Jesus “was faithful to Him who made [poiéo g4160] Him”.  Jn.17:24 the Father gave Jesus His glory.  Jn.6:57 the Word/Jesus’ very life is because of the Father!

Theophilus, the 6^th bishop of Antioch (born approximately 20 years after the apostle John died), was the first to use the term trinity/triad.  In 175 AD he wrote To Autólycus, 2:10. “God, having His own Word internal within His own bosom, begat Him, emitting Him along with His own Wisdom before all things.”  2:15 Theophilus’ triad was, “The Trinity of [Father] God, His Word, and His Wisdom”.  To Autolycus is “the earliest extant Christian work to use the word ‘Trinity’ [trías Greek, triad].”

Christian historian Robert Grant’s Greek Apologists of the 2^nd Century, p.169. “Theophilus and almost every early Christian theologian agreed the Logos (like Sophia/Wisdom) was originally in God.”

Irenaeus (130-200 AD) of Lyons, France wrote Against Heresies. “The Son is rightly and properly called Word, while the Spirit is called the Wisdom [Sophia] of God.”  Ibid 4.7.4 “The Son and the Holy Spirit, the Word and Wisdom [Sophia], whom all the angels serve.”

The Father, Holy Spirit (Wisdom), and Son comprise YHVH…the Godhead.  In those early writings, the Christian belief wasn’t the same tri-unity/trinity the RCC later promulgated.  As the RCC changed from the belief of the early church, in ensuing centuries much of Christianity has also adopted the position of the RCC.  (Additionally the RCC began to emphasize Mary…see the topic “Holy Spirit versus Mariolatry”.)

{Sidelight: Although the feminine HS was present (Ge.1:2, Pr.8:22) before the Word or Light (Ge.1:3), She isn’t a Son.  Only sons are firstborns in scripture (e.g. Ex.13:13-15 LXX, g4416 firstborn).  Therefore the Word/Christ the Son, not the HS, is “the firstborn [g4416] of all creation” in Col.1:15.}

Next, after the Word (who became Jesus) was begotten, came other days of Creation…see Ge.1:6-25.

Ps.33:6 “By the Word of YHVH the heavens were made, and by the Spirit of His mouth [cf. WSir.24:3] all their host.”  Creation was by the Word/Jesus and the HS.  WSol.9:1-2 “God, who made all things by Your Word and in Your Wisdom built a man.”  Col.1:16 “Through Him [Jesus the Word, the Son, v.13] were all things created.”  Ps.104:24, 30 “You send forth Thy Spirit, they are created.”  Pr.3:19 “The Lord by Wisdom founded the earth.”  Job.33:4 “The Spirit of God has made me.”

The above verses all reflect the Spirit/Wisdom and the Word active at Creation.  Also, Philo The Special Laws 1, p.541 “Now the image of God is the Word [Logos], by which all the world was made.”  Written in Aramaic pre-200 AD, the Targum Neofití Ge.1:1, “In the beginning, with Wisdom, the Memra of the Lord created and perfected the heavens and the earth”.  The Memra is the Aramaic equivalent of the Word (English) and Logos (Greek).  Wisdom/HS and the Word were Creator(s).

Theophilus also wrote in Autolycus 1:3, 7, 2:10, 22 that God made all things (he quotes Ps.33:6) by the Logos/Son and Wisdom, His two offspring/hands (2:18).  They are the “Us” in Ge.1:26 (below).  1Clement 15:7-8 “He with His holy and pure hands formed man…‘Let Us make man in Our image.”

Ge.1:26-27 “Let Us make mankind [adám h120] in Our image, according to Our likeness…in the image of God.” (not in the image of non-reproductive angel-kind spirits).  The human (adam h120) was created by the Word and Wisdom/HS, the Us…who are God.  Humans, both male and female, are made in God’s image/pattern/attributes.  (cf. a later reference for “image” is Nebuchadnézzar’s statue, also an image.)  And humans are made in God’s likeness/shape/form.  The Hebrew term for image (h6754) is masculine, and the term for likeness (h1823) is feminine.  How did we imagine God, and what does God appear like?  ref the Ezk.1:26-28 vision, when God appeared in the likeness (h1823) of mankind!

In Jewish thought, the first human possibly was created androgynous, or a two-sided being, with male and female attributes.  Ge.5:1-2 “In the day when God created mankind [h120] in the likeness of God, He created them male and female.”  “Them” is a plural.  Dual gender indwelling the human, on the 6^th day!?  Eve was then brought forth from Adam’s side (h6763).  Ge.2:21-23 “She shall be called woman [isháh h802], because she was taken out of man [ish h376].”  The human/adam (h120) wasn’t called ‘male human’ (ish h376) until Ge.2:23…when Eve is drawn out of Adam!  Not before then was the adam termed ish…male human.  1Co.11:12 “The woman came from the man.” (not from the ground.)

Within man was wo(mb)man, his ‘other half’.  John H. Walton Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament, p.208 “All men and women are to be viewed as two sides of an original whole.”  The first human (adam h120), formed from the ground (adamáh h127, Ge.2:7) in The Being’s image, was perhaps a ‘quasi-androgynous’ (for lack of a better term) image of what God originally had been.  God then fashioned that human into two, Adam and Eve…as The Being had brought forth the feminine HS Wisdom from the “mouth” of The Being’s sole essence!  Husband and wife are to cling together as one/echad (flesh), Ge.2:24; as an androgynous first human was solely one flesh prior to the ish/male and ishah/female Eve.  And the Godhead is unified as One (De.6:4).

It takes both male and female humans, ish and ishah, to fully express the image and likeness of God!  Man and woman must both exist, or there would be no complete image and likeness of God (after The Being emanated the HS)!  Note: Though Paul did address female roles in the assembly, and the husband is the head of the wife (Ep.5:23), women were wrongly considered inferior by the institutional church.

In our various languages, we use terms which correspond to the ancient Hebrew & Greek terms chosen by the Bible writers to identify and describe the ‘Persons’ of the Godhead.  Jewish and Christian theology usually refers to God in male language and images, yet agrees it doesn’t adequately express all that the Divine is.  The Godhead possesses all the masculine and feminine attributes.  Words just cannot express how great God is!

Jesus Is God…Jesus Has a God

Different views are extant among Christians about the Godhead, the Deity.  Such as, the Unitarian view; but is it scriptural?  How about the purported Oneness doctrine; is it scriptural?  Also, does scripture indicate there’s complete equality in the Godhead; Deity in all respects?

John wrote this about Jesus/Yeshúa.  Jn.1:1-4, 9, 14 “In the beginning the Word was with God and the Word was God…The true Light…The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”  This reflects a high Christology.  The Word/Light, who also was God, was made flesh.  John identifies Him as Jesus.

Targum Neofití Ge.1:1, written in Aramaic pre-200 AD, “In the beginning, with Wisdom the Mémra (the Word) of the Lord created and perfected the heavens and the earth”.  The Memra (Aramaic), the Word (English), the Lógos (Greek)…are equivalent terms.  Then Ge.1:26 “Let Us make man in Our image.”  In the Old Testament text, when YHVH was anthropomorphized (appeared as human) or there were plural YHVHs…the second YHVH was called the Memra (Word) in Aramaic Targums.

Ancient writings such as: the Aramaic Targum paraphrases (written when most Jews no longer knew Hebrew), the intertestamental Apocrypha, Philo and Josephus of the 1st century AD, other non-canonical literature…has much historical value, and some of it may be inspired.

The Hellenistic Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria was born around 20 BC (prior to John).  Philo referred to the Word (logos Strongs g3056) as involved in the Creation, and as the second God.  The Works of Philo: p.541, The Special Laws 1 “Now the image of God is the Logos, by which all the world was made.”  p.747, On Providence 1 “The second God, who is the Word.”  p.293, Who Is the Heir of Divine Things “The Logos is continually a suppliant to the immortal God on behalf of the mortal race.”  Philo exemplifies a more ancient path of Hebrew thought than the rabbinics of the Middle Ages!

John 1 regarding the Word, quoted above, resembles somewhat the writing of Philo (who wrote in Greek) and the Targum Neofiti Ge.1:1 (written in Aramaic).

Jeremiah had prophesied in Je.23:5-6. “I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch. This is His Name [shem Strongs h8034, Hebrew] by which He will be called, YHVH our righteousness.”  He will become the God-man.  He will be YHVH and the Son of David…both!  Philo On the Unchangeableness of God, p.162 “God is not as a man…God is as a man.”  The Targum Jonathan and the Talmud Lam Rab 1:51 also agree that the Branch in Je.23:6 refers to the Messiah.  Fulfilling v.5-6 via the virgin birth, Jesus is both…Son of God and Son of Man!  Mt.1:20 Jesus as Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit…God.  (see the topic “Jesus’ Virgin Birth”.)

{Sidelight: Je.33:15-16 the English word “name” in v.16 is in italics, meaning that word wasn’t in the actual Hebrew text of the verse.  It was added by translators.  Furthermore, the Cháldee, Syriac and Vulgar Latin all render Je.33:16 without the “she”…rather, “whereby they shall call Him.”}

Jesus is God!  Jesus is the prophesied Messiah.  (see “Jesus Is the Messiah”.)  He said in Jn.10:30, “I and My Father are One”.  Father and Son are both of the same essence and God-kind.  Kind begets kind.  Ge.1:11, 21, 25-26 reflect this biogenesis.

De.6:4 “The Lord is one”, echád (h259) in Hebrew.  God is unified, but not numerically or solely, one.  e.g. in Ge.2:22-24 Adam & Eve also were one/echad…the two of them!  Ezr.2:64 an assembly of 42,360 was as one/echad! 

Following are several New Testament (NT) verses which confirm Jesus is God.

Again, Jn.1:1, 14 the Word who became flesh “was God”.  Mt.1:23 Jesus is “Emmanuel, God (is) with us”.  Jn.20:28 Thomas called Jesus, “My Lord and my God”.  Php.2:5-7 the apostle Paul said Jesus had “existed in the form of God” (not in the form of angels, but as the Word/Logos of God) prior to His human birth.  Col.2:9 in Jesus Christ “all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form”.  He.1:3 Jesus the Son is “The radiance of His (Father’s) glory and the exact representation of His nature”.  He.1:6-8 “Let all the angels of God worship Him. Of the Son He says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever.”

In Re.1:8 Jesus calls Himself “the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty”.  Jesus says in v.17-18, “I AM the first and the last, the living One, and I was dead”.  Re.22:13 “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.”  In v.16 He specifically identifies Himself by Name, “I, Jesus”.  Jesus Himself says He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty (God)!

Again, in Je.23:6 the Messiah would also be YHVH.  Re.5:11-14 “Worthy is the Lamb! And they fell down and worshiped.”  In Re.5, all those angels, living creatures and elders seen around the heavenly Throne are worshiping the sacrificial Lamb Jesus…they aren’t idolators!  They’re worshiping Jesus because He also is very God!  It’s plain that the many above verses show…Jesus is God/YHVH too!

Compare Jn.8:57-59 & 18:5-6, where Jesus calls Himself “I AM”, with…Ex.3:14 “I AM” in the LXX/Septúagint.  Again, Jesus is of the God-kind.  Jn.6:62 Jesus refers to Himself as “ascending where He was before [His human birth]”.  Also Jn.6:51 “I AM the living bread.”  And v.54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life.”  These astounding words of Jesus aren’t the words of some deranged human martyr!

Even the opposing Jewish leaders understood Jesus as saying He’s more than a mere man.  Jn.10:33 “You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”  And Jn.19:7 “He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.”  They understood Jesus was indicating He is God!

Unitarianism ignores some of the NT scriptures.  It’s the belief that Jesus is the Son of God but isn’t God the Son; that Jesus isn’t divine, isn’t Deity.

Jesus declared in Mt.28:18, “All power has been given to Me in heaven and on earth”.  In Ac.7:56, 59 the dying Stephen saw Jesus at the right hand of God in heaven, and said, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit”.  (Ec.12:7 “The spirit returns to God who gave it.”)  Ruling at God’s very throne, Jesus is more than a good man! 

Yet Jesus indicated in Mt.28:18 that Someone else gave Jesus His power.

Jesus has a God!  Following are several verses which attest to this.

Jesus said in Jn.14:28, “My Father is greater than I”.  His Father is God Most High!  The angel Gabriel spoke of the unborn Jesus to the virgin Mary in Lk.1:32. “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High.”  Jesus the Son isn’t the Most High God…His Father is.

Jesus cried out while on the cross in Mt.27:46. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  The human Jesus at that time called upon His God.  Soon afterwards, Jn.20:17 “I ascend to My God and your God”.  Here the resurrected Jesus spoke of ascending to His God.  He.1:9 also refers to Jesus’ God. “God, Your God.”  Paul wrote in 1Co.3:23, “Christ belongs to God”.  And, “God is the head of Christ.” (1Co.11:3)  Paul indicates in 1Co.15:27-28 that at the end Jesus will still be in subjection to His Father God!  Finally, in Re.3:12 Jesus refers to “My God”…four times!  Here in Re.3:12, even the glorified Jesus (ref Re.1:13-15) affirms that He still has a God!  

So from the preceding passages, it is also plain that God the Father and Jesus are both God…but not equal in authority or position.

Jesus has been given all authority (Mt.28:18), except…the Father’s authority is greater.  Again, Jesus said in Jn.14:28, “My Father is greater than I”.  The Father, God Most High, is Jesus’ God.

Mt.20:23 Jesus said in regards to ruling with Him in the Kingdom,“To sit on My right and My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father”.  God’s Word Translation paraphrase “I don’t have the authority to grant you a seat at My right or left.”  Pulpit Commentary Mt.20:23 “The boon was solely at His Father’s disposal.”  The Father has greater authority than Jesus.

Jesus isn’t His Father!  When Jesus was only a few weeks old, in Lk.2:21-24 Joseph & Mary brought Him up to Jerusalem to “present Him to the Lord”.  To presume they presented baby Jesus to Himself would be nonsensical!  Here “the Lord” referred to His Father God.

At Jesus’ water baptism in Lk.3:21-22, “The heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in a bodily form as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, with You I Am well-pleased”.  That wasn’t Jesus on earth saying He loved Himself; nor was that Jesus speaking in heaven above!  And a being in the order of heavenly angels didn’t lie and call Jesus “My beloved Son”.  Again, in Lk.1:32 the angel Gabriel as God’s agent told Mary that Jesus is the “Son of the Most High”; not even Gabriel referred to Jesus as ‘my Son’!  Lk.3:21-22 indicates the voice from above belonged to Father God, not an angel.  Jesus heard Father God’s voice.  The Two exist simultaneously.

Before Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus fell face-down on the ground in Mt.26:39 and supplicated in prayer. “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup of suffering pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will”.  No need for Jesus to lay prostrate if He was just talking to Himself!  Rather, He entreated Someone else.

Again, while hanging on the cross, Jesus cried out in Mt.27:46. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  Jesus wasn’t crying out to Himself!  He was addressing His Father as His God.

In Jn.8:17-18, Jesus cites God’s law about plural witnesses (cf. De.19:15), indicating His Father is a second witness. “I AM He who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”  According to Jesus, He and the Father comprise two witnesses (not one).  They’re not the same entity or ‘Person’ or hypostasis.  They’re echad (h259), of the one essence or God Family, yet distinct.

Furthermore, Re.3:12 precludes us from assuming that after Jesus’ ascension His Person assimilated or melded into the Father’s Person.  Again, in that verse even the glorified Jesus says He still has a God!

Oneness ignores some of the NT revelation, as seen in the preceding verses.  It’s a form of Modalism belief that God is no distinction of Persons, that God is only one ‘Person’ or entity, that Jesus is also His/the Father, that there’s no ‘Trinity’.  Wikipedia: Oneness Pentecostalism “It first emerged in America around 1914. Oneness believers state that Jesus is the one name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”  But the NT doesn’t specifically name the Father and/or the Holy Spirit…‘Yeshua/Jesus’.

Is.9:6 is in regards to Jesus the Messiah.  Is.9:6 the child/Son will be called the “Father of eternity” (Hebrew).  Is.9:6 Alexandrian LXX “The Father of the age to come.”  To Jews, the Messiah is the father of the Messianic age.  Benson Commentary Is.9:6 “Christ, the father of the new and eternal age.”  Barnes Notes “The Chaldee renders this expression, ‘The man abiding forever’. The Vulgate, ‘The Father of the future age’. The Hebrews used the term ‘father’ in a great variety of senses.”  Is.9:6 LXX “His name is called the Messenger of great counsel.”  This verse didn’t mean Jesus is Father God.

Some try to make a case for either Oneness or Unitarianism, based on part of the scriptural evidence.  But as we examine & compare more of the whole of the Bible…we see both of those views are lacking.

{{Sidelight: God said in Ge.2:18-20, it isn’t good for the human (LXX ánthropos) to be alone.  There was then no one else, no other person, of the human-kind with Adam.  How lonely Adam must have been!  Adam’s singularity was not good, according to God!  All the other creatures had another of its kind (Ge.1:24-25), except for Adam.  Imagine you being on the proverbial deserted island for your lifetime with no one else, no other person, of your kind in existence…only creatures of a different kind than you.  Loneliness personified!  But have we ever thought it is somehow good for God to be alone (for eternity!), with none other Person of His God-kind in existence?}}

Father God is the Source of all Life!  In Jn.17:24, Jesus said that the Father gave Jesus His glory!  “My Glory, which You gave Me.”  Jesus didn’t have glory of Himself.  And Jesus said in Jn.6:57, “I live because of the Father”.  Also Jn.5:26 “the Father…gave to the Son to have life in Himself.”  Jesus attributed His own Existence to the Father!  Jesus said in Jn.5:19, “The Son can do nothing of Himself”.  Furthermore Jn.5:30, “I can do nothing on My own initiative”.  Jesus only did the will of the Father who sent Him!  Jn.14:10 “The Father abiding in Me does the works.”  Jesus so subjugated His own will to His Father’s will!  The Father did the miraculous works through Jesus, we may say.

How is it that Father God has more authority, and Jesus only did that which His Father willed for Him?  First, we understand that fathers precede their sons.  Orthodox Study Bible “The Son is begotten before all time and ages from the essence of the Father. The Son (has no beginning but) has the Father as His Source from eternity.”  The oldest manuscripts of Jn.1:18 render Jesus as the “only begotten God”.  Begotten, not created.  Philo On Flight and Finding, p.331 “The Word of God…God being His Father, who is also the Father of all things.”  The Father had generated or emanated the Word in prehistory.  (see “Godhead in Prehistory”.)  Again Jn.17:24, the Father had given Jesus His glory…and Jn.6:57, Jesus lives because of the Father.  The Father has precedence and is greater (than all).

Where in scripture might we see the Word/Jesus originating from eternity?  Ge.1:2-4 on the 1^st day God brought forth cosmic Light!  Yet no sun, moon, stars (luminaries) were visible until the 4^th day (v.14-19).  In v.3, both the Hebrew and the Greek LXX terms for “light” differ from their terms for “light” in v.14.  The Light in the beginning was different.  In 2Co.4:6, Paul said that God caused “Light to shine out of darkness in the face of Christ”.  Jesus as the great primordial Light!  (In analogy, at the least.)  Jn.1:5 the Light of the Word (Logos) shined!  Jn.1:9, 14 identifies Jesus as that true Light.  In Jn.8:12, Jesus Himself said, “I AM the Light of the world”!  Jesus/the Word was Light and came as Light.  (Moses’ face even shined after speaking with Him, Ex.34:29.  see “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.  (Also ref Mt.4:16, Ac.9:3.)  He/Jesus is the emanating radiance of His Father’s glory (He.1:3).  The Father gave Jesus His glory (Jn.17:24).

Jesus is subordinate to His Father because…the Father preceded Jesus, and the Father has greater authority!  Anciently God and the Word didn’t flip a heavenly coin to determine Who would serve as Father and Who would become Son Jesus on earth.  No, the Father always had precedence.  Fathers precede their sons. 

The form of Trinitarian belief that thinks Father God and the glorified Jesus are completely co-equal in all respects is not in agreement with the entirety of the scriptural evidence.  Again, 1Co.11:3 “God is the head of Christ.”

And yet, a person who doesn’t honor the Son of God doesn’t really honor Father God either.  Jesus said in Jn.5:23, “He who does not honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent Him”.  Father and Son are One, unified in purpose and as the God-kind (Jn.10:30)…both are God.  Praise God!