Post by iris89 on Apr 17, 2006 10:36:57 GMT -5
Discourse On What The Earliest Of Christians Believed:
To understand what the earliest Christians believed we need to have an accurate understanding of who they were and where they had for the most part came from. The first Christians came out of Judaism and were strict monotheists. When they became Christian they maintained their monotheistic ways. Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) himself was born a Jew, he was trained by his Jewish parents in the Old Testament scriptures. His teachings were Jewish to the foundation; yes, he preached a new gospel, but he did not preach a new theology. As proof of this he accepted and quoted continually from the great test of Jewish monotheism, the divinely inspired Hebrew Text that we commonly call the Old Testament, and proclaimed " Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" (Deuteronomy 6:4 AV). In the grammar of this verse, the word 'one' has no plural modifiers to even suggest it applied to anything other than one individual. Tom Harpur states, "As early as the 8th century, the Theologian St. John of Damascus frankly admitted what every modern critical scholar of the NT now realizes: that neither the Doctrine of the Trinity nor that of the 2 natures of Jesus Christ is explicitly set out in scripture. In fact, if you take the record as it is and avoid reading back into it the dogmatic definitions of a later age, you cannot find what is traditionally regarded as orthodox Christianity in the Bible at all." -- For Christ's Sake. And, The Encyclopedia Americana: "Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching." -- (1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L. And "The belief as so defined was reached only in the 4th and 5th centuries AD and hence is not explicitly and formally a biblical belief. The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of "person" and "nature: which are Gk philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as "essense" and "substance" were erroneously applied to God by some theologians." Dictionary of the Bible by John L. McKenzie, S.J. p. 899
PART 2:
During his life, while he was gathering followers, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) never claimed to be God. Always in everything he said and did he never considered himself as being equal to God in any way, not in power, not in knowledge, and not in age. In all periods of his existence, both on earth and in Heaven, he always spoke and acted as a subordinate to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH). He was always the lessor or subordinate one to Almighty God (YHWH). After his resurrection by his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), he told Mary Magdalene to tell his disciples, "" Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17 AV). This clearly showed that the resurrected Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) although now a mighty spirit being was still not Almighty God (YHWH). As reported by the Apostle John in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6 AV), " Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (Revelation 3:12 AV). Also, Paul confirms his relationship to Almighty God (YHWH) " Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;" (2 Corinthians 1:3 AV).
The Apostle Paul clearly spoke of Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) and Almighty God (YHWH) as distinctly separate individuals " But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." (1 Corinthians 8:6 AV), and also shows this clear diferentiation when he mentions " I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality." (1 Timothy 5:21 AV).
Very significantly Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) tole the Jews, " For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38 AV), then further draws the distinction between himself and Almighty God (YHWH) by saying " And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." (Mark 10:18 AV). Also, most significant are his words "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come." (John 8:17-20 AV). Thus Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) shows that he and his Father, God Almighty (YHWH) must be two distinct individuals as how else could there really be two witnesses?
When Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) started his ministry as he came out of the baptismal water, his Father, God Almighty (YHWH) spoke, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:16-17 AV). God Almighty (YHWH) definitely was not saying that he was his own son, and that he approved of himself or sent himself. Absolutely not, he was saying as the supreme one (superior one) that he was approving a lessor one, his son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves). Again Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) acknowledged his Father's superiority when he said, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised," (Luke 4:18 AV). This was when he, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) was given authority or commission by his superior Almighty God (YHWH) and only a superior can give authority to a lessor one or subordinate.
Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) continued to make his Father's superiority very clear as shown when the mother of two of his disciples asked that her two sons sit one on the right and one on the life of Jesus when he came into his Kingdom, and Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) told her, " And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." (Matthew 20:23 AV). If Jesus had also been Almighty God (JHWH) those positions would have been his to give, but since he was not, they were not his to give. In fact Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) own prayers are a clear proof of his subordinate position to Almighty God (YHWH), "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:41-42 AV). Obviously he was praying to someone other than himself and that someone would have to be superior to him as it would require a superior to be able to answer his prayers.
When his death as a human neared, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) cried out, "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God." Obviously he was not deserted by himself and surely that cry was not from someone who thought himself to be God, but from one who recognized a superior. This is clearly shown by " And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46 AV). This clearly showed beyond doubt that Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) trusted in a superior one, Almighty God (YHWH) to resurrect him. After he died, he was dead and in a tomb for parts of three days. If he were God (YHWH) the Bible would be at odds with itself as " Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction." (Habakkuk 1:12 AV) would be wrong. Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves), however, was resurrected by God (YHWH) and this is made clear at " Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." (Acts 2:24 AV), i.e., the superior, Almighty God (YHWH) did indeed resurrect the lessor one, his son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves).
Now Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) prophecy about the end-times stated, " But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (Mark 13:32 AV). If Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) had been the Almighty God (YHWH) he would have known the exact time for the end-times; however, since he was not, he did not know it. Likewise, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (Hebrews 5:8 AV). Now can we imagine that Almighty God had to learn anything; this is patently ridicules. Also, God (YHWH) does not have to obey anyone as he is the supreme one whether those deluded in believing in a trinity recognize it or not.
Many misinformed individuals point to "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:" (John 5:18-22 AV) as support for a Trinity; however, it clearly says that the Jews wanted to kill Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) because he said "God was his Father, " but who said that he was making himself equal to God (YHWH). Definitely not Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) as he defended himself against this false accusation "The answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do" in the very next verse, see above. Thus Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) showed the Jews that he was not equal to God and thus could not act on his own initiative. Also, "I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;" (John 10:30-35 AV). Here Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) was showing the Jews they were one in purpose, but not the same entity as he made clear in what sense he was using the title God, "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;" thus anyone trying to use this scripture to prove a trinity or even a duality is definitely coming to a wrong conclusion.
To gain a better understanding of what Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) meant by being "one" with the Father (YHWH) "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:21-26 AV), clearly shows as previously stated they were one in purpose just as Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) is one in purpose with his genuine follower. As an example let's consider "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 AV) clearly drives home about how they are 'one' just as Apollos and Paul are 'one.' They were definitely two different individuals. It is interesting to note that Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) says "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one," he uses the word 'one' (Jewish, hen) in these cases, which proves he was speaking of unity of thought and purpose, but not two individuals existing as one entity.
PART 3
Now let's consider the thoughts of his Apostles and Disciples as the earliest Christians.
The Apostle Paul clearly believed that Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) and Almighty God (YHWH) were two distinct individuals for he wrote, " For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:" (Hebrews 9:24 AV), and it would clearly be absurd to believe an individual would appear before himself.
Likewise the Apostle Peter believed they were two separate entities and made this clearly known when speaking of the resurrection of Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves), "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." (Acts 5:31-32 AV), and Paul also says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11 AV). If he was also God (YHWH), how could Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) be exalted to a superior position?
See Part 2:
To understand what the earliest Christians believed we need to have an accurate understanding of who they were and where they had for the most part came from. The first Christians came out of Judaism and were strict monotheists. When they became Christian they maintained their monotheistic ways. Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) himself was born a Jew, he was trained by his Jewish parents in the Old Testament scriptures. His teachings were Jewish to the foundation; yes, he preached a new gospel, but he did not preach a new theology. As proof of this he accepted and quoted continually from the great test of Jewish monotheism, the divinely inspired Hebrew Text that we commonly call the Old Testament, and proclaimed " Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:" (Deuteronomy 6:4 AV). In the grammar of this verse, the word 'one' has no plural modifiers to even suggest it applied to anything other than one individual. Tom Harpur states, "As early as the 8th century, the Theologian St. John of Damascus frankly admitted what every modern critical scholar of the NT now realizes: that neither the Doctrine of the Trinity nor that of the 2 natures of Jesus Christ is explicitly set out in scripture. In fact, if you take the record as it is and avoid reading back into it the dogmatic definitions of a later age, you cannot find what is traditionally regarded as orthodox Christianity in the Bible at all." -- For Christ's Sake. And, The Encyclopedia Americana: "Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian [believing that God is one person]. The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarianism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching." -- (1956), Vol. XXVII, p. 294L. And "The belief as so defined was reached only in the 4th and 5th centuries AD and hence is not explicitly and formally a biblical belief. The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of "person" and "nature: which are Gk philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as "essense" and "substance" were erroneously applied to God by some theologians." Dictionary of the Bible by John L. McKenzie, S.J. p. 899
PART 2:
During his life, while he was gathering followers, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) never claimed to be God. Always in everything he said and did he never considered himself as being equal to God in any way, not in power, not in knowledge, and not in age. In all periods of his existence, both on earth and in Heaven, he always spoke and acted as a subordinate to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH). He was always the lessor or subordinate one to Almighty God (YHWH). After his resurrection by his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), he told Mary Magdalene to tell his disciples, "" Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17 AV). This clearly showed that the resurrected Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) although now a mighty spirit being was still not Almighty God (YHWH). As reported by the Apostle John in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6 AV), " Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (Revelation 3:12 AV). Also, Paul confirms his relationship to Almighty God (YHWH) " Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;" (2 Corinthians 1:3 AV).
The Apostle Paul clearly spoke of Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) and Almighty God (YHWH) as distinctly separate individuals " But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." (1 Corinthians 8:6 AV), and also shows this clear diferentiation when he mentions " I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality." (1 Timothy 5:21 AV).
Very significantly Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) tole the Jews, " For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38 AV), then further draws the distinction between himself and Almighty God (YHWH) by saying " And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." (Mark 10:18 AV). Also, most significant are his words "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come." (John 8:17-20 AV). Thus Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) shows that he and his Father, God Almighty (YHWH) must be two distinct individuals as how else could there really be two witnesses?
When Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) started his ministry as he came out of the baptismal water, his Father, God Almighty (YHWH) spoke, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:16-17 AV). God Almighty (YHWH) definitely was not saying that he was his own son, and that he approved of himself or sent himself. Absolutely not, he was saying as the supreme one (superior one) that he was approving a lessor one, his son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves). Again Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) acknowledged his Father's superiority when he said, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised," (Luke 4:18 AV). This was when he, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) was given authority or commission by his superior Almighty God (YHWH) and only a superior can give authority to a lessor one or subordinate.
Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) continued to make his Father's superiority very clear as shown when the mother of two of his disciples asked that her two sons sit one on the right and one on the life of Jesus when he came into his Kingdom, and Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) told her, " And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." (Matthew 20:23 AV). If Jesus had also been Almighty God (JHWH) those positions would have been his to give, but since he was not, they were not his to give. In fact Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) own prayers are a clear proof of his subordinate position to Almighty God (YHWH), "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:41-42 AV). Obviously he was praying to someone other than himself and that someone would have to be superior to him as it would require a superior to be able to answer his prayers.
When his death as a human neared, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) cried out, "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God." Obviously he was not deserted by himself and surely that cry was not from someone who thought himself to be God, but from one who recognized a superior. This is clearly shown by " And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." (Luke 23:46 AV). This clearly showed beyond doubt that Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) trusted in a superior one, Almighty God (YHWH) to resurrect him. After he died, he was dead and in a tomb for parts of three days. If he were God (YHWH) the Bible would be at odds with itself as " Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction." (Habakkuk 1:12 AV) would be wrong. Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves), however, was resurrected by God (YHWH) and this is made clear at " Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." (Acts 2:24 AV), i.e., the superior, Almighty God (YHWH) did indeed resurrect the lessor one, his son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves).
Now Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) prophecy about the end-times stated, " But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (Mark 13:32 AV). If Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) had been the Almighty God (YHWH) he would have known the exact time for the end-times; however, since he was not, he did not know it. Likewise, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (Hebrews 5:8 AV). Now can we imagine that Almighty God had to learn anything; this is patently ridicules. Also, God (YHWH) does not have to obey anyone as he is the supreme one whether those deluded in believing in a trinity recognize it or not.
Many misinformed individuals point to "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:" (John 5:18-22 AV) as support for a Trinity; however, it clearly says that the Jews wanted to kill Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) because he said "God was his Father, " but who said that he was making himself equal to God (YHWH). Definitely not Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) as he defended himself against this false accusation "The answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do" in the very next verse, see above. Thus Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) showed the Jews that he was not equal to God and thus could not act on his own initiative. Also, "I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;" (John 10:30-35 AV). Here Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) was showing the Jews they were one in purpose, but not the same entity as he made clear in what sense he was using the title God, "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;" thus anyone trying to use this scripture to prove a trinity or even a duality is definitely coming to a wrong conclusion.
To gain a better understanding of what Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) meant by being "one" with the Father (YHWH) "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:21-26 AV), clearly shows as previously stated they were one in purpose just as Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) is one in purpose with his genuine follower. As an example let's consider "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 AV) clearly drives home about how they are 'one' just as Apollos and Paul are 'one.' They were definitely two different individuals. It is interesting to note that Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) says "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one," he uses the word 'one' (Jewish, hen) in these cases, which proves he was speaking of unity of thought and purpose, but not two individuals existing as one entity.
PART 3
Now let's consider the thoughts of his Apostles and Disciples as the earliest Christians.
The Apostle Paul clearly believed that Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) and Almighty God (YHWH) were two distinct individuals for he wrote, " For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:" (Hebrews 9:24 AV), and it would clearly be absurd to believe an individual would appear before himself.
Likewise the Apostle Peter believed they were two separate entities and made this clearly known when speaking of the resurrection of Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves), "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." (Acts 5:31-32 AV), and Paul also says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11 AV). If he was also God (YHWH), how could Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) be exalted to a superior position?
See Part 2: