Post by ResLight on Mar 5, 2013 22:53:31 GMT -5
We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we can know the True One. And our lives are in the True One and in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and the eternal life. -- 1 John 5:20, New Century Version.
Many read into this that John was saying that the son of the true one is the true one, the true God. Many translations also seem to wish to give that impression to the reader. Nevertheless, it should not be too hard to understand that John was not saying that Jesus is the only true God, but rather that the Father of Jesus is the True One, the only true God whom we come to know by means of Jesus, his son.
Let us look at this verse without the assumption that it is saying that Jesus is the only true God:
We also know that the Son [Jesus] of God [the God and Father of Jesus -- 1 Corinthians 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3] has come and has given us understanding so that we can know the True One [the only true God who sent Jesus -- John 17:3]. And our lives are in the True One [the God and Father of Jesus] and in his Son, Jesus Christ. [John 14:20; 17:20] He [the True One John just spoke of] is the true God [refers back to the Father, whom Jesus is the Son] and the eternal life [John 17:3]. -- 1 John 5:20, New Century Version.
Jesus said:
"I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don't know." (John 7:28, World English)
"He who sent me is true." -- John 8:26, World English.
Jesus acknowledges that he was sent by the 'true one.'
Who sent Jesus? Jesus said in prayer to his God and Father:
"This is eternal life, that they should know you [Father - John 17:1], the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." -- John 17:3, World English.
Prophetically, Isaiah depicts the Messiah as saying:
"Yahweh ... sent me." -- Isaiah 61:1, World English.
Yahweh himself proclaimed of the Messiah:
"I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him." -- Deuteronomy 18:18, World English.
Thus, Jesus said of his God and Father:
"I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak." -- John 12:50, World English.
And therefore John stated:
Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. -- John 1:17, World English.
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten [Mighty One] who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." -- John 1:18, New American Standard.
Thus the Christian knows the True One, the only true God, through the Son of the only true God, and to know Yahweh through His Son is eternal life.
It is Yahweh who is true, whose son is Jesus, who sent Jesus, and this One who sent Jesus is the only true God.
The trinitarian, in order to see trinity 1 John 5:20, has to assume and read into the scripture that the son of the True One is a person of the true God, and then read that into the latter part as though John was saying the son of the true God is the true God. There is no reason to add this to the scripture except to one wishes to add the trinitarian or other doctrine that would mean that Jesus is someway the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who sent Jesus, who anointed Jesus, who made Jesus lord, etc.
Thus, in reality, there is nothing in 1 John 5:20 that means that Jesus is Yahweh, or that Jesus is a person of Yahweh, etc.
Many read into this that John was saying that the son of the true one is the true one, the true God. Many translations also seem to wish to give that impression to the reader. Nevertheless, it should not be too hard to understand that John was not saying that Jesus is the only true God, but rather that the Father of Jesus is the True One, the only true God whom we come to know by means of Jesus, his son.
Let us look at this verse without the assumption that it is saying that Jesus is the only true God:
We also know that the Son [Jesus] of God [the God and Father of Jesus -- 1 Corinthians 11:31; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:3] has come and has given us understanding so that we can know the True One [the only true God who sent Jesus -- John 17:3]. And our lives are in the True One [the God and Father of Jesus] and in his Son, Jesus Christ. [John 14:20; 17:20] He [the True One John just spoke of] is the true God [refers back to the Father, whom Jesus is the Son] and the eternal life [John 17:3]. -- 1 John 5:20, New Century Version.
Jesus said:
"I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don't know." (John 7:28, World English)
"He who sent me is true." -- John 8:26, World English.
Jesus acknowledges that he was sent by the 'true one.'
Who sent Jesus? Jesus said in prayer to his God and Father:
"This is eternal life, that they should know you [Father - John 17:1], the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ." -- John 17:3, World English.
Prophetically, Isaiah depicts the Messiah as saying:
"Yahweh ... sent me." -- Isaiah 61:1, World English.
Yahweh himself proclaimed of the Messiah:
"I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him." -- Deuteronomy 18:18, World English.
Thus, Jesus said of his God and Father:
"I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak." -- John 12:50, World English.
And therefore John stated:
Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. -- John 1:17, World English.
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten [Mighty One] who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." -- John 1:18, New American Standard.
Thus the Christian knows the True One, the only true God, through the Son of the only true God, and to know Yahweh through His Son is eternal life.
It is Yahweh who is true, whose son is Jesus, who sent Jesus, and this One who sent Jesus is the only true God.
The trinitarian, in order to see trinity 1 John 5:20, has to assume and read into the scripture that the son of the True One is a person of the true God, and then read that into the latter part as though John was saying the son of the true God is the true God. There is no reason to add this to the scripture except to one wishes to add the trinitarian or other doctrine that would mean that Jesus is someway the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who sent Jesus, who anointed Jesus, who made Jesus lord, etc.
Thus, in reality, there is nothing in 1 John 5:20 that means that Jesus is Yahweh, or that Jesus is a person of Yahweh, etc.
