Does the title Spirit of Christ in 1 Peter 1:11 mean that Jesus preexisted? An examination of the context of the passage, as well as Peter's Christology, will help us understand the meaning of the phrase.
Christians who believe Jesus is God will readily acknowledge that he is also the prophet of God. But are these two beliefs compatible? Can God also be the prophet of God? An explanation of what the word prophet means and an examination of how it is used in Scripture will provide us with the answer.What is a Prophet?In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for prophet is transliterated as nabi, which comes from a root word that means ‘“to bubble forth’ like a fountain.” Hence, it…
Many scholars consider Paul's letter to the church in Rome to be his greatest doctrinal treatise. It is no wonder that Trinitarians search its pages for proof of the dual natures of Christ and, by implication, the doctrine of the Trinity. One passage that is often presented as textual evidence is found in chapter 1:Romans 1:1-4 (NASB) Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy…
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes to Gentile believers (who were being persuaded to be circumcised according to the law) about what it means to be children and heirs of God. In chapter four, the apostle writes: Galatians 4:1-7 (NASB) Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So…
The God of Our Fathers When God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush, He referred to Himself as the God of your fathers,[1] more specifically, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Exodus 3:6 (NASB) He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (emphasis added) Moses later related that God manifested miracles so that the…
Isaiah chapter 53 is perhaps the most poignant passage the prophet from 8th century BC ever penned. It is also the most familiar among Christians for it portrays the coming Messiah as one who, although "he had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in his mouth,"[1] would suffer greatly for the sins of man. The beloved passage, which begins in the preceding chapter, is the fourth of Isaiah's Servant Songs.[2] In this post, we will examine who the prophet says the Messiah is…
There are many examples in Scripture of what scholars consider to be the earliest creeds, that is, concise statements of faith. For example, Moses taught the Jews that God is one:Deuteronomy 6:4 (NASB) "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!This foundational creed is known as the Shema because the first word of the creed in Hebrew is shema (or shama), which means to hear. Jesus adhered to this creed and said that to love this singular God was the foremost…
There is a misconception among many Christians that the reason Jesus was arrested, put on trial, and crucified was because he claimed to be God. One pastor writes: [Jesus] died because he acted like the incarnate Son of God, spoke like the incarnate Son of God, and did not deny the accusation when the world hated him for being the incarnate Son of God.[1] Passages such as John 5:18, 8:58-59, and 10:30-33 fuel this speculation thanks to the Platonically-inspired Church Fathers who read Scripture through…
Isaiah is quoted in the New Testament more than any other major prophet and more than all of the minor prophets combined. He is further distinguished as being the prophet who foretold more about the coming Messiah than any other Biblical author. Who then did this trusted prophet understand the Messiah to be? This question can be answered by examining Isaiah's four prophetic messages known as the Servant Songs, in which the coming Messiah is referred to as the Servant of God (Yahweh).[1] In this…
There are four passages in Isaiah that are referred to as the Servant Songs because, in them, the Messiah is referred to as God's servant.[1] The most familiar one is found in Isaiah 53, where the prophet writes of the future Messiah's persecution and suffering, tragic end, and ultimate triumph. But few are familiar with the Servant Song of Isaiah 49, which details the Messiah's commission from God. While an examination of both chapters reveals a decidedly human messiah, chapter 49 demonstrates how the coming…