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Jesus Christ THE FIRST and THE LAST

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by SavedByGrace, Feb 17, 2024.

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  1. SavedByGrace

    SavedByGrace Well-Known Member

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    Jesus Christ THE FIRST and THE LAST

    This is the strongest evidence from the words of Jesus Christ Himself, that He is YHWH.

    In the Book of Revelation, there are at least three references where Jesus says of Himself, that He is “THE FIRST AND THE LAST”:

    Revelation 1:17-18

    “When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades”

    Revelation 2:8

    “Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: “The First and the Last, the One who was dead and came to life, says”

    Revelation 22:13

    “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”

    The words, “egō eimi ho prōtos kai ho eschatos”, mean that Jesus Christ is The Eternal God. The Greek scholar, Dr Joseph Thayer, who was a Unitarian, and denied that Jesus Christ is God, says this of this phrase in his Greek Lexicon

    “absolutely (i. e. without a noun) and substantively; α. with the article: ὁ πρῶτος καί ὁ ἔσχατος, i. e. the eternal One, Rev. 1:17; Rev. 2:8; Rev. 22:13”

    THE ETERNAL ONE, which can only be used for YHWH.

    Even more stronger is what Jesus goes on to say, in Revelation 1:18, “zōn eimi”, which is Periphrastic present active indicative, literally, “I am the Ever-Living One,”, or, “I am the Eternal One”.

    In the Greek Old Testament, known as the Septuagint (LXX), translated by Jewish scholars over 100 years before the Birth of Jesus Christ, Exodus 3:14, reads:

    “egō eimi ho ōn”, literally, “I am The Eternal One”. The Greek verb “ōn”, meaning, “timeless, continuance present”. This best describes what the Hebrew is saying. The Jewish Greek versions in the 2nd century AD (Aquila and Theodotion), knew the force of what the LXX wrote, and translated the Hebrew as, “εσομαι (ὃς) εσομαι”, which is the future tense of “εἰμί”, which is, “I will be that I will be”.

    This is what Jesus says to the Jews in John 8:58, “prin Abraam genesthai egō eimi”, which is literally, “Before Abraham came into existence, I AM”. The Jews clearly understood what Jesus meant here, as referring to Exodus 3:14, as they wanted to stone Him to death for what He said (verse 59), which they thought was blasphemy.

    In Acts 3:15, the Apostle Peter says of Jesus Christ;

    “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses” (NKJV)

    “Prince” is in the Greek, “archēgon”, which is defined by Dr Thayer:

    “the author: τῆς ζωῆς, Act. 3:15”

    That is, The One Who Give Life, as John says in his Gospel, “In Him was Life; and the Life was the light of men” (1:4). That is, in the Person of Jesus Christ is The SOURCE of all life”. Instead of “τῆς ζωῆς” (was Life), there is very strong and old evidence for the reading, “ζωὴ ἐστιν” (IS Life), which dates from the 2nd century AD.

    The Jewish Encyclopaedia, has some very interesting comments on the Name YHWH:

    “The meaning would, therefore, be "He who is self-existing, self-sufficient," or, more concretely, "He who lives," the abstract conception of pure existence being foreign to Hebrew thought. There is no doubt that the idea of life was intimately connected with the name Yhwh from early times. He is the living God, as contrasted with the lifeless gods of the heathen, and He is the source and author of life (comp. I Kings xviii.; Isa. xli. 26-29, xliv. 6-20; Jer. x. 10, 14; Gen. ii. 7; etc.)”

    In the Hebrew and English Lexicon, by F Brown, S R Driver and C A Briggs, we read of "Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel...the one bringing into being, life-giver, giver of existence, creator, he who brings to pass...he who causes...the one who is: i.e. the absolute and unchangeable one, the existing, ever-living" (pages 217-218)

    What Jesus Christ says of Himself in the Book of Revelation, is also said of YHWH in the Prophet Isaiah.

    Isaiah 41:4

    “Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Yahweh, am the first, and with the last—I am He.”

    Isaiah 44:6

    “This is what Yahweh, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, Yahweh of Hosts, says: I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but Me”

    Isaiah 48:12

    “Listen to Me, Jacob, and Israel, the one called by Me: I am He; I am the first, I am also the last”

    From verse 16, the last reference is Spoken by Jesus Christ, Who says that Another Person, Who is distinct from Himself, “Yah·weh ’ă·ḏō·nāy”, has Sent Himself and His Spirit. This Person can only be God the Father.

    We read of Jesus’ own words in Revelation 22:13, which are also used in 21:5-7:

    “And He who sits on the Throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My child”

    It is very clear from the passages in Revelation and Isaiah, that there are TWO distinct Persons Who are EQUALLY YHWH, The Father and Jesus Christ. Anyone who still says that Jesus Christ is “inferior” to the Father, is clearly contradicting what is very clearly taught in the Inspired, Infallible, Word of God!
     
    #1 SavedByGrace, Feb 17, 2024
  2. Alan Gross

    Alan Gross Well-Known Member

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    I will go with The Holy Spirit, too. U?

    Such as at:
    THE DISTINCT PERSONALITY, AND DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

    and here:

    THE HOLY SPIRIT IS YAHWEH.
    as taught by Dave Lindstrom.

    The Bible reveals Yahweh, the God of the universe,
    as the one and only God
    and that no other God has existed or will ever exist.

    The Bible also reveals that Yahweh is one in His essence or substance and, as one essence, exists as three persons called the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

    The three persons of the Godhead or Trinity have existed for eternity together in one essence relating to each other, purposing, thinking, and planning together in perfect agreement. This lesson is designed to help in the journey of understanding Yahweh and specifically the person of God the Holy Spirit as Yahweh.

    THOUGHT: Where are you in your understanding of God the Holy Spirit
    as Yahweh? In your mind, is the Holy Spirit the same essence
    as the Father and the Son or someone or something different?

    I. There is one and only one God,
    the God of the universe, and His Name is Yahweh.

    A. "Shema" is the Hebrew word translated in English as "hear." "The Shema" is quoted in the Hebrew text from Deut. 6:4 which says, "Hear, O Israel: Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one." The idea of monotheism (belief in only one God) is central and basic to understanding the Old Testament as well as everything else revealed in the Gospels and New Testament. Even today, devout Jews say the "Shema" as their closing prayer at night, teach it to their children, and include it in their daily prayers of Deut. 6:4-9, Deut. 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41.

    B. King Solomon closed his prayer dedicating the temple by saying, "that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh is God; there is no other" I Kings 8:60.

    C. The words of Isaiah should leave no doubt that there is only one God who exists and that His name is Yahweh (Isa. 44:6-8, 45:5-6, 21-25).

    D. The New Testament is filled with references of Yahweh God's oneness and develops more fully His three-person revelation (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 3:30; I Cor. 8:5, 6; I Tim. 2:5, 6; James 2:19; Rev. 21:22 – 22:5).

    THOUGHT: Meditate on the thought of Yahweh's essence
    and oneness by memorizing the Shema
    and some of these other Scriptures.

    Be aware that many people around you
    do not believe in the one God Yahweh and pray for them.

    II. The person of the Holy Spirit is Yahweh God in His essence
    in the same way that the Father and the Son are also Yahweh God.

    A. The Holy Spirit and Yahweh God are spoken about
    in an interchangeable way
    and the deity of the Holy Spirit is scripturally proclaimed.

    1. Scripture equates those calling "on the name of Yahweh" as believers who are seeking to live for Yahweh and please Him (Gen. 12:8; Deut. 5:11; Joel 2:32; Rom. 10:13). By New Testament times, "the Name" became used as a synonym for Yahweh and His character. When Jesus said that His disciples were to baptize in "the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, He equates all three persons with Yahweh (Matt. 28:19).

    2. Peter said that if someone lies to the Holy Spirit, that person lies to God (Acts 5:1-4).

    3. Believers as temples of the Holy Spirit (because the Holy Spirit indwells them) are also temples of God (I Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19-20).

    4. Quotes in the Old Testament spoken by Yahweh God are said to have been spoken by the Holy Spirit (Acts 28:25-27, Heb. 10:15-17).

    B. The Holy Spirit has attributes or qualities
    which are only found in Yahweh God.

    1. He is omniscient (knows and understands all things; John 16:13, I Cor. 2:10-11).

    2. He is omnipresent (does not have the limitations of size or spatial dimensions and so can be everywhere at all times; Psalm 139:7-8).

    3. He has power that only Yahweh God has who is omnipotent (all-powerful; Matt. 19:16-26, Luke 1:35, Rom. 15:19, I Cor. 12:1-11).

    4. He is eternal (Heb. 9:14) and only God is eternal (Psalm 90:2).

    C. The Holy Spirit does things and acts in certain ways
    that only are ascribed to Yahweh God.

    1. He was involved in and continues to be involved in creation (Gen. 1:2, Job 26:13, Psalm 104:1-32, especially verse 30).

    2. He is involved in salvation by giving new spiritual life (John 3:5-8), baptizing us into Christ's body (I Cor. 12:13), and is intimately involved in the believer's sanctification and resurrected new bodies (Rom. 8:11, Titus 3:5).

    3. He has given us the Scriptures (with the help of chosen co-authors) and preserved them for us (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21).

    D. The Holy Spirit has equality with the Father and the Son
    on the basis of several New Testament Scriptures
    (Matt. 28:19, I Cor. 12:4-6, 2 Cor. 13:14, I Peter 1:2).

    THOUGHT: Praise Yahweh! Hallelu-Yah!

    Yahweh the Holy Spirit loves you, cares for you, prays for you,
    encourages you, gifts you, has provided the Scriptures for you,
    gives you life, works in you, and will give resurrection life
    to your current mortal bodies!
     
    #2 Alan Gross, Feb 18, 2024
  3. SavedByGrace

    SavedByGrace Well-Known Member

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    The Father is YHWH
    Jesus Christ is YHWH
    The Holy Spirit is YHWH

    Not 3 "Gods", but 3 distinct coequal Persons, Who are Eternally YHWH in the Eternal Divine Nature or Godhead

    1x1x1 = 1. not, 1+1+1 = 3
     
    #3 SavedByGrace, Feb 18, 2024
    • Winner Winner x 1
  4. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    John 1:4 (NASB)
    In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.    ​


    A characteristic of YAHWEH is that HE (or THEY) is/are the giver of life. so life eternal was not only "in Him" but He is eternal life, Yahweh. And as God incarnate, the Second Person of the Trinity, Yahweh, Jesus was indeed the author of life everlasting for everyone who believes.

    Thus when we see phrases life "bread of life" or "crown of life" we should recognize these phrases are describing an aspect of Yahweh, the giver of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    An important aspect of this viewpoint is found in Romans 5:18 where we find "justification of life"referring to being made holy and blameless and righteous by the washing of regeneration (being made alive together with Christ).

    Romans 5:18 (NASB)
    So then, as through one offense the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind.     ​
     
    #4 Van, Feb 18, 2024
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