Yeshua — YHWH
In this study, we are going to deeply dissect the claim that Yeshua is Yahuah in the flesh by: defining the various positions Yeshua was anointed to fulfill, defining words and use of words, and deliberating the context of more than 200 verses included in this study guide. We are going to start with Messiah’s claim- that His purpose in coming in the flesh and laying down His life was to fulfill the scriptures: prophets, law, and psalms about His first coming. He also heavily confirmed what was still to come at His second coming. Yeshua placed a heavy emphasis on scripture being fulfilled- on the purpose He was sent to accomplish. If He referred to prophecy about Himself, we ought to do the same- without adding meaning that isn’t there.
Matthew 26:53-54 Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?
Luke 24:44 Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
John 20:9 For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
Acts 26:22-23 But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen: that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.
Acts 28:23 So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.
The scriptures specifically, and repeatedly say that Yahuah will send His Servant; He will raise up a prophet like Moses; He will appoint His chosen King; He will send His messenger; and that He anoints His Son as High Priest forever. You will not find Yahuah calling himself a priest nor does that line of thought fit into the priesthood prescribed by Yahuah. He cannot be His own servant nor can He anoint Himself as Messiah- it’s contradictory. Let’s look at each of these categories and then we will define the terms used.
The Servant
There are parts of Isaiah 40-45 that proclaim “I am Yahuah and besides me there is no other.” So many choose to take that to mean there is literally no other at His side, in spite of an abundant amount of prophecy and passages- even within those chapters, that explicitly say that He does indeed appoint another as His servant. Those chapters are speaking of idolatry/ false gods- “I do not give My glory to IDOLS,” not the Son whom He appoints to execute His will. He did not send His only begotten Son to be a god, Yahuah sent Him to serve.
Isaiah 42:1-4 Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delight, I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.
Confirmed in Matthew 12
Isaiah 49:5-6 And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him— for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength— He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.
Confirmed in Acts 13:46-49
Isaiah 50:4-10 The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ears, and I have not been rebellious, nor have I turned back. I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle. Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame. The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare to contend with Me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me! Surely the Lord GOD helps Me. Who is there to condemn Me? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moths will devour them. Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
Confirmed and fulfilled in Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; Luke 22:63-65; John 19:1-15
Isaiah 52:13-15 Behold, My Servant will prosper; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as many were appalled at Him—His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness— so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.
Confirmed in Philippians 2:5-11
Isaiah 53:11-12 After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
Confirmed in Acts 8:30-35 (+ Gospel passages listed above)
Other passages confirming that Yeshua was the Servant of Yahuah:
Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.
Acts 3:26 When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.
Acts 4:27 In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.
Acts 4:29-30 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.
Throughout His ministry, Yeshua modeled and taught the importance of servant leadership. Yes, He was exalted to be a leader- a King! Because He proved to be flawless in His ability to serve both men and the Father.
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
The King - David
There are over 30 references throughout the 66 book canon that speak of the Seed of David, Son of David, Offspring of David, or Servant David referring to the One who would possess King David’s throne forever. The introduction to Matthew is the lineage of Yeshua, proving His descendancy from King David. The very first thing we read in the Gospels accounts is evidence of His humanity. This is an extremely important distinction to make- Yahuah never proclaims to put Himself on the throne of David, nor is He ever referred to as ‘David’ in any way. He very specifically says that He will install His Son on the throne.
Psalm 2:6-9 “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.” I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.”
Ezekiel 37:24 My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes.
Ezekiel 34:23-24 I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd. I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.
Isaiah 9:6-7 LXX For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him. His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: it shall be upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to support it with judgement and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The seal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.
Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.
Confirmed Matthew 2:6
Hosea 3:5 Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days.
Isaiah 16:5 In loving devotion a throne will be established in the tent of David. A judge seeking justice and hastening righteousness will sit on it in faithfulness.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
Amos 9:11 In that day I will restore the fallen tent of David. I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old.
Confirmed in Acts 15:16-17
Acts 13:22-23 After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’ From the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
Note the distinction made in the Ezekiel 34 and Hosea 3 passages- Yahuah their God AND David their King/Prince. This is the common pattern that continues hundreds of times throughout the whole bible- Father AND Son; the Ancient of Days AND one like the Son of Man; Yahuah Almighty AND the Lamb.
Looking at Jeremiah 23, this confirms that He is the righteous ruler that brings all into subjection to Yahuah- all glory goes back to the Father. It is His will being done through the Son; through the King He appoints. Yeshua’s name literally means “Yahuah’s Salvation” and His position as the Melchizedek literally means “Righteous Ruler” and His authority comes directly from Yahuah. So when Jeremiah 23:6 says His name will be called: Yahuah our Righteousness, this is what it is expressing. It is not saying Yeshua is Yahuah. We can come to this conclusion using the evidence we’ve already discovered as well as the definition of Yeshua’s name and position.
One verse that comes across as confusing does not dismiss a multitude of verses that are clear. Sit with the confusing verse and study out the cross references to uncover context.
The Priest
I cannot stress this point enough- Yahauh never refers to Himself as a priest. He created the system of the priesthood with all of its services and ordinances for a reason. He appoints men as priest and likewise appointed His Son as a priest- able to assume that position after His resurrection.
Zechariah 6:12-13 Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord; Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
Psalm 110:1-4 The Lord said to my Lord (YHWH said to my Master), “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” The LORD sends Your mighty scepter out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Your people volunteer in the day of Your might. In the splendors of holiness! From the womb, from the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. The LORD has sworn And does not relent, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 7:15-17 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Testament of Levi 8:14-15 And the third priesthood shall be called by a new name, because a king shall arise in Judah, and shall establish a new priesthood, after the fashion of the Gentiles. And His presence is beloved, as a prophet of the Most High, of the seed of Abraham our father.
Testament of Levi 18:3-5 The heavens shall be opened, and from the temple of glory shall the sanctification come upon Him with the Father's voice, as from Abraham the father of Isaac. And the glory of the Most High shall be uttered over Him, and the spirit of understanding and of sanctification shall rest upon Him in the water. He shall give the majesty of the Lord to His sons in truth for evermore; and there shall none succeed Him for all generations, even for ever. And in His priesthood shall all sin come to an end, and the lawless shall rest from evil, and the just shall rest in Him. And He shall open the gates of paradise, and shall remove the threatening sword against Adam; and He shall give to His saints to eat from the tree of life, and the spirit of holiness shall be on them.
The majority of the book of Hebrews is delving into the contrasts and similarities between Yeshua's priesthood as a Melchizedek in Heaven's tabernacle, and the Levitical priesthood that serves in a copy and shadow on the ground. We also have passages like Isaiah 53 that speak of His intercession, and bearing iniquities- those are terms used to describe the ministry of a priest. The new testament writers use phrases like ‘our atoning sacrifice’ and ‘fragrant offering and sacrifice to God’ as points toward #1 His unwavering obedience to the point of death #2 His willingness to die because it led to His priestly appointment. It is in His priesthood that we have atonement.
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
The issue with claiming Yeshua is Yahuah in the flesh dismisses the necessity of having an intercessor between us and the Almighty; it rejects the atonement offered by the Son. I have heard many come out and claim that denying Yeshua as Yahuah is blasphemous and a salvation issue- But I would put forward, considering the evidence thus far, that denying Yeshua as a separate person is sandy ground that denies atonement all-together. The Son’s identity and position is crucial for our salvation!
Hebrews 3:1-2 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
Yeshua never proclaimed to be divine while He was in the flesh, nor did He proclaim to be His Father. I have heard those of the affirmative argument use “You, who are a man, make Yourself out to be God” to say Yeshua was God / Yahuah. But this argument crumbles as soon as you finish the passage- that was the claim of the Pharisees (who got a lot wrong), not Yeshua.
John 10:33-36 “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, make Yourself out to be God.” Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
The claim that you're not saved unless you confess Yeshua is Yahuah in the flesh, is not scriptural. Even within the passages proclaiming the way for Salvation, the Father and Son are mentioned as separate persons.
Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Matthew 10:32 Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father in heaven.
In the 4 gospel accounts, there are over 50 references to the Father giving the Son authority. There are 25 passages that say the Son was sent by the Father. More than 35 verses in the New Testament reveal that the Son prayed to the Father. We also have over 15 passages that explain the Father exalting His Son. And if you read carefully, all 13 of Paul’s epistle introductions use the phrasing, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” That is roughly 138 verses in the New Testament alone distinguishing the Father Yahuah from His Son Yeshua. They are not the same person.
Now that we have gathered quite a bit of evidence, with full passages, context, and cross references to confirm- let’s break down the handful of sticky verses and define our terms.
Yeshua called Lord
Obviously there are numerous verses that call Christ/ Messiah ‘Lord’ and that gets sticky because Yahuah's (YHWH) name was replaced with LORD nearly 7,000 in the manuscripts were being translated into different languages. This has left the capitalization of the letters up for translator bias. The Cepher version, for example, took incredible liberties by inserting YHWH for every instance of the word Lord. It’s extremely dishonest with the text, and I fear has led many astray with the abundant use of “Yahusha is Yahuah.” Please, reference other translations- I recommend taking the common census from four or five different translations versus relying on just one. Bibles are copyright, there is not a single one (not even King James) that is perfectly accurate to the original manuscripts. Understanding the consistent themes, prophecies, and promises of the scriptures will help with discerning more accurate versions from liberal versions. Let’s get into definitions!
Lord: Kyrios in Greek- owner; one who has power; master - used for both God and man.
Lord: Adoni in Hebrew- master; ruler -used for both God and man.
LORD: YHWH / Yahuah- the personal name and identity of the Most High
Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
Yahuah said to my Master. . . Yeshua is Master as the One whom Yahuah granted authority and headship. This passage is quoted 7 times in the NT, with 8 more references to the right hand of power. One passage in particular shows the authority structure and distinction between Yahuah over all and Yeshua still in submission to Him-
1 Corinthians 15:24-27 Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him.
All authority in Heaven and on earth was given to the Son- except for authority over the Father. He remains ruler over all which is why we see so many references to things being done ‘through Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father.’ Yeshua is highly honored and worthy of praise as a servant of the Most High and our High Priest, but all glory for that even being possible goes to Yahuah.
I AM
Exodus 3:13-15 Then Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD (YHWH), the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.
Yahuah is His name and how He is to be remembered- Yahuah the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So what is the I Am statement? And why does Yeshua mention it in John 8?
I AM: ‘haya aser haya’ in Hebrew- literally means “I exist as I exist” which would have been a profound and bold claim to say to the Israelites who had been in Egypt for 400 years surrounded by the Sun god, god of the sea, etc. This was Yahuah’s claim that He is who He is- not as a god of the elements, but as the Almighty Creator of the Elements.
I am: ‘ego eimi’ in Greek- literally means “I exist.” Yeshua pre-existed with the Father, before Abraham.
John 8:58 “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
Like the Pharisees that were ready to stone Him, many of us jump to conclusions when we see a similarity. I am guilty of it, too. But assumptions ultimately heap up confusion and mental gymnastics to try to maintain some level of consistency. As I said above, if a passage feels difficult, sit with it for a while- consider how it fits in the context, how it relates to cross references, and what the definition reveals. More times than not, things are simpler than we realize. Various flavors of theology have trained our minds to think hyper-spiritually and deny the obvious; but a solid foundation of evidence and understanding is built by patience and careful study.
Echad
Many who come to understand the importance of the commandments pay close attention to the Shema- “Here O’ Israel, Yahuah our Elohim, Yahuah is One.” Yehushua quotes the Shema as His declaration of the greatest commandment. But when the verse John 10:30 comes up, there is this shift in perspective to now see Yahuah and Yeshua as a two in one package deal.
John 10:30 I and the Father are one.
One: echad in Hebrew- the numeral 1; first; only
One: heis in Greek- the numeral 1
‘One’ occurs 354 times in the New Testament to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son; the Body of Messiah being one with Him; the church being of One mind; the split Kingdom becoming one under Yeshua’s Kingship; husband and wife being one flesh; and so on with plenty of common uses for the number one. So why then, when it comes to John 10:30, is there a meaning of ‘same person’ applied to the text? The entire context of John 10 is expressing the authority that was given to Yeshua to Shepherd Yahuah’s people- as was prophesied of Him.
Ezekiel 34:23 I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
John 10:18 I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.
Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’
Zechariah 13:7 Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones.
Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep.
There are many, many more passages that refer to Yeshua as a Shepherd. There are also multiple verses that refer to Yahuah as a Shepherd- just as there are passages that call Yahuah a King and passages that call Yeshua a King. They are going to share titles because the Son is performing the will of the Father. Sharing titles does not negate the hundreds of verses that explicitly reveal two separate persons, nor does it give cause to ignore the fact that Yahuah Himself gives these titles to His Son. Remember, everything that Yeshua is doing in these positions/ under these titles- is to the glory of Yahuah the Father.
Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
John 17:11 I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one.
John 17:22-23 I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me.
We are to be ONE with the Father and the Son and the whole assembly- perfectly united.
Divine God
John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
He was of a divine/ spiritual nature, pre-existing as we looked at with the ‘I am’ statement. We also see that He was WITH someone else, twice. How can the Word just BE God if He was also WITH God? Well, because there is a semantic range for the word ‘god.’ It is not a name, but a title describing physical nature and/or position of authority
God: Elohim in Hebrew- The Almighty; the Son; divine angels; demons; people in a seat of judgement
God: Theos in Greek- deity of a god or goddess
The Greek word Theos doesn’t have the same etymology as the Hebrew concept of Elohim but it is what is used in the New Testament and in the Greek Septuagint. It’s one of those situations where we have to read between the lines of translation and use context. Using ‘God’ as a singular blanket definition is where we get into theological issues and debates. Slow down and consider the etymology of the word.
Yeshua was a spiritual being who was beget as the firstborn of Creation. Yahuah had a Son and knit together all else for the sake of His Son’s inheritance, but Yahuah is still the One credited as being the Creator. The claim that Yeshua is Yahuah in the flesh typically comes with a point about Him being eternal. But, angels were created as eternal beings, our very own souls are created as eternal- only the lake of fire can kill the body and the soul. Yeshua can pre-exist with the Father and still be a Created person, similar to His angelic brethren- I am not sure why people get so up-in-arms about that statement. We don’t know His exact point of origin but we know He was the first to come about from Yahuah’s Creation and all else came to be through Him.
John 1:3 Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
Colossians 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Hebrews 1:2-3 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His person, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
1 Corinthians 8:6 Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.
Philippians 2:6-7 Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Image: eikon in Greek- likeness of; moral likeness; image of an idol
Exact Image: charakter in Greek- instrument used for engraving; mark stamped upon the instrument
Person: hypostasis in Greek- placing under; foundation; structure; substantial quality; steadfastness of mind, courage, resolution.
Hypostasis is the word that was turned into the philosophical construct of the Hypostatic Union- the basis for claiming Jesus was fully God, fully man. But this word is only used 5 times in the New Testament: once in the Hebrews passage above, twice to describe our coming into the likeness of Yeshua, and two more times to speak of Paul’s confident boasting. There is zero biblical grounds for the third century claim of a hypostatic union defining Yeshua’s personhood.
Hebrew 3:14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance (hypostasis) we had at first.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance (hypostasis) of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.
I want to look at two more passages that are used for the basis of trinitarian arguments. Look at where ‘divine’ is in these verses, out of 24 translations I looked at, only two use the term ‘Godhead’ in place of ‘divine’ - the King James and NKJV. Again, I stress the importance of checking a variety of translations and checking definitions. The term ‘Godhead’ wasn’t used until the early to mid- 1200’s to promote the idea of a Trinity- three persons of a Godhead sharing the same essence and equality. But there is no biblical evidence for this philosophical assumption.
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
Colossians 2:8-10 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form. And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
The Man
The Colossians verse is incredibly fitting- let no one take you captive through philosophy or human tradition. Amen and hallelujah. Romans 1 is speaking of the Creator, Yahuah. Colossians 2 is speaking of Messiah who was raised from the dead and glorified- given a fully immortal, spiritual body. Referring to Yeshua as divine is not incorrect! He is of a divine nature in a spiritual body, and He is in a seat of judgement and rulership- both are covered in the definition of Elohim. So again, we take a verse that appears to say one thing in accordance with philosophical tradition, and we define our terms according to context- this is the proper way to exegete the Word.
Where we go from there is defining who He was in the flesh. The traditional church teaching is that he was fully god, fully man while in the flesh– a hypostatic union as discussed above. But the scriptures say He emptied Himself. ‘Son of Man’ is the title Yeshua used for Himself; it appears 88 times in the NT. The apostles directly refer to Him as a man 12 times.
Man: anthropos in Greek- human being; countenance of man.
Philippians 2:6-8 Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human (anthropos) likeness. And being found in appearance as a man (anthropos), He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross.
Acts 17:31 For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Romans 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Acts 2:22 Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
The language is consistent, as are the descriptions of His humanity. Yeshua emptied Himself- removing His divine/ spiritual form, to be born as a human. This was necessary because only humans are promised the resurrection from death. A divine being already possesses an eternal body. He had to become fully human, die a human death and resurrect as an immortal, perfected Human. Yahuah did not take on flesh; Yahuah cannot die; Yahuah has no need to resurrect- He is already immortal. He sent His Son, not Himself, to fulfill this duty in order to redeem MANkind. To fix what Adam broke required a MAN to uphold complete obedience- through suffering, trial, and temptation.
Hebrews 2:16-17 For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham. For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Romans 8:3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh.
Hebrews 5:7-9 During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
Messiah is the High Priest living in service to Yahuah, ministering on our behalf. And at His second coming, He will resurrect us to be His royal Priesthood; to rule and reign with Him 1K years (Rev. 20:4). The idea that Yeshua is Yahuah in the flesh does not align with the hundreds of verses that give direct description of the job that Yahuah appointed His Son to do; hundreds of verses that tell us plainly who the Son is as a man, a Servant, and a Priestly King.
Worship
One of the most common arguments is- if Yeshua is not Yahuah/God, why did He accept worship? There are two types of worship in the bible-
Temple Worship: requires sacrifices, a priest, prescribed manner for a deity
Obecience Worship: honor, reverence, anointing, bowing down as to a king or authority figure
The fact that Yeshua was being worshipped in a particular way, not with temple sacrifices, actually proves that He was not Yahuah. Yahuah commands that we recognize and honor the Son as His Anointed. People fell at His feet, the woman with the alabaster jar anointed Him with oil, the Magi brought Him gifts- but, you will not find a single instance in the scriptures of a sacrifice or offering by fire being made to Yeshua. Yeshua is a priest ministering in a temple; He is Himself offering sacrifices in worship of Yahuah.
Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.
John 5:22-23 Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Hebrews 8:1-3 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who ministers in the sanctuary and true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. And since every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, it was necessary for this One also to have something to offer.
In conclusion- we do not have to “deny the divinity of Messiah” because as a resurrected Man and ruler, He fits the definition of divine- as do angels and as will we at the resurrection. We also do not have to wrestle with there being two GODS because Yahuah did not appoint His Son to be a ‘God,’ He appointed Him to be a man. It is vital that we remove the Greek mindset of a linear Theos and understand the full Hebrew concept of Elohim. There is One El Most High, but there are divine agents of whom the Son is Chief.
For a pdf download, click here.
I recommend continuing this study with Wedding Covenant Theology, pt. 1 - there is also a part 2 and 3. You can find a parallel to this study with Prophesied Job of Messiah.