World Blog by humble servant.JESUS, THE MESSIAH

JESUS, THE MESSIAH

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will,but the will of the One who sent me. (John 6:38)

The first commandment in the Old Testament is essentially that we are required to worship God alone, that we should not defy God by having other gods besides Him. The two greatest commandments as preached by Jesus were first to “love your Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest commandment. The second is like unto it, that “thou shall love your neighbor as thyself.” Jesus explains from these two commandments, all the laws are derived.

Is Jesus Divine?

In Isaiah 45:5, we read. “I’m the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me.” The major emphasis of Isaiah 45 is to know that God is One, worship Him alone, and have no gods beside Him. There are numerous verses which follow along the same lines as that of Isaiah 45. This brings us the question of how is it possible for the Councils in the fourth and the fifth century to conclude that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are to be worshipped as one and the same?

The argument presented to support the trinity seems to be that the three beings equal to one does not violate the law. And three are also to be thought of as separate. The next question follows: If God is to be worshipped as three in the same or thought of as vice versa, why was this quality not “clearly” revealed by one of God’s prophets, messengers, or even Jesus, since it is such a vital component of the practice of Christianity today?

When Jesus states that “I and the father are one,” is it not possible to interpret this as Jesus doing the will of God, and therefore his will and God’s will coincide to be one? A similar scenario would be a man completely devoted to his work, living through his work thus becoming like one with it.

Common Christian thought is that the only way to heaven is through Jesus, whether through intercession in prayer or devotion in worship as part of the trinity. It causes one to wonder if this requirement would exclude God’s prophets and messengers who came prior to Jesus. The Old Testament clearly states that they worshipped and prayed to God alone. Or, is this a new requirement that was placed on humanity only after Jesus.

The practice of Christianity today is focused around Jesus. The Sunday service in a Catholic mass comes to a climax around the communal services. The practices of the religion are obviously very different from the practices prior to, during, and directly following the life of Jesus. Nowhere in the Bible, either the New or the Old Testament, is the word trinity mentioned; yet it is vital to Christian beliefs today. At no point does Jesus say “I am God” or “I am divine.”

The issue of Jesus’ divinity was extremely controversial within the church in the third and fourth century, and has remained a controversial issue until today. These issues which are so important to the practice and beliefs of Christianity today were concluded upon some 400 years after the death of Jesus by Councils of the Church. Why would something so important as an issue which would question

 the unity of God not have been “clearly” stated by Jesus himself, or other prophets of God?

Never would a human being whom GOD blessed with the scripture and prophethood say to the people, “Idolize me beside GOD.” Instead, (he would say), “Devote yourselves absolutely to your Lord alone,” according to the scripture you preach and the teachings you learn. (3:79)

O people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of your religion, and do not say about GOD except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was a messenger of GOD, and His word that He had sent to Mary, and a revelation from Him. Therefore, you shall believe in GOD and His messengers. You shall not say, “Trinity.” You shall refrain from this for your own good. GOD is only one god. Be He glorified; He is much too glorious to have a son. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on

earth. GOD suffices as Lord and Master. (4:171)

The Messiah, son of Mary, is no more than a messenger like the messengers before him, and his mother was a saint. Both of them used to eat the food. Note how we explain the revelations for them, and note how they still deviate! (5:75)

(On The Day Of Resurrection) GOD will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary,** did you say to the people, `Make me and my mother idols beside GOD?’ “ He will say, “Be You glorified. I could not utter what was not right. Had I said it, You already would have known it. You know my thoughts, and I do not know Your thoughts. You know all the secrets. (5:116)

**It is noteworthy that the Quran consistently calls Jesus “son of Mary” and the Bible calls him “son of man.” God knew that some will blaspheme and call him “son of God”!

This text presents a theological argument challenging the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus. Below is a summary of the core arguments presented by the author:This reflection invites a deeper look into the nature of spiritual inquiry and the historical evolution of religious doctrine. By examining the tension between institutional theology and foundational scripture, it provides a valuable opportunity to develop critical thinking skills regarding faith and history.

A Moment for Reflection and Study

To turn this into a teaching moment, consider these three areas of inquiry that encourage a deeper understanding of how religious movements develop:

1. The Distinction Between "Primary Sources" and "Secondary Interpretations"

A crucial skill in historical and theological study is distinguishing between a movement's foundational teachings and its later formalization.

• The Lesson: Historians and theologians often study the difference between the charismatic phase (the life and direct teachings of a founder) and the institutional phase (when a movement adopts formal creeds, councils, and dogmas to organize itself).

• Prompt for Inquiry: How does the passage of time affect the way a message is understood? Does formalizing a belief system clarify its original intent, or does it risk obscuring it?

2. The Concept of "Ontological" vs. "Functional" Unity

The author’s interpretation of "I and the father are one" as a matter of will rather than essence highlights a major philosophical divide.

• The Lesson: This teaches the importance of hermeneutics—the study of how we interpret texts. Many debates arise because people are arguing from different frameworks: one side focuses on function (what someone does or represents), while the other focuses on ontology (the fundamental nature or essence of a being).

• Prompt for Inquiry: When reading any complex text—religious, political, or philosophical—how can we identify whether the speaker is describing a role, a relationship, or an essential identity?

3. The Evolution of Consensus

The author points out that major doctrines were often settled by Church Councils centuries after the founder’s death.

• The Lesson: This introduces the concept of Ecclesiastical History. It is a fact of history that religious movements are not static; they navigate challenges, conflicts, and political environments that necessitate defining their boundaries. Understanding this context helps us appreciate why a group believes what it believes, regardless of whether we personally agree with those conclusions.

• Prompt for Inquiry: What factors—social, political, or cultural—influence a community to codify its beliefs? How do we balance the desire for a unified religious tradition with the desire to stay true to original, potentially simpler, roots?

Summary of the Lesson

The "teaching moment" here is not necessarily to choose a side, but to recognize the complexity of human belief. Whether one approaches these questions through the lens of traditional theology, historical criticism, or personal devotion, the act of questioning is a fundamental part of the human experience. It forces us to define what we believe, why we believe it, and how we interact with the long, evolving history of thought that precedes us.Central Thesis

The author contends that the concept of the Trinity—the belief that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one—is not supported by the Bible or the teachings of Jesus himself. Instead, the author argues for a strict monotheism, emphasizing that Jesus was a prophet and messenger of God, rather than divine.

Key Arguments

• The Unity of God: The author points to Old Testament passages (such as Isaiah 45:5) as evidence that God is singular and must be worshipped alone. They argue that if the Trinity were a fundamental requirement of faith, it would have been explicitly revealed by God, the prophets, or Jesus.

• Interpretation of Scripture: The text suggests that when Jesus said, "I and the father are one," it should be interpreted as a unity of purpose and will—that Jesus perfectly aligned his actions with God’s will—rather than a claim of ontological divinity.

• Historical Development: The author highlights that the doctrine of the Trinity was formalized by Church Councils centuries after the time of Jesus. They question why such a critical component of modern Christian faith was absent from the original teachings and practices of Jesus and his immediate followers.

• Exclusion of Past Prophets: The author raises concerns that if salvation is contingent upon believing in Jesus as part of the Trinity, this would retroactively exclude the prophets and messengers who worshipped God alone prior to Jesus’s birth.

• Reference to the Quran: The text cites specific passages from the Quran (3:79, 4:171, 5:75, 5:116) to support the perspective that Jesus was a human messenger, that the Trinity is a deviation from the truth, and that Jesus never instructed his followers to worship him or his mother.

Conclusion

The author concludes that focusing the practice of religion on Jesus as a divine figure is a departure from the essential command to worship God exclusively. The text asserts that God is "too glorious to have a son" and that true faith lies in submitting to the authority of the one, singular God.