John 17:3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3, KJV).
1. The Jehovah's Witnesses believe when the Lord Jesus said "the only true God" in reference to the Father this proves that the Lord Jesus is not God.
http://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/trinity/
However, the Lord Jesus wasn't denying that He was God but was saying that the Father is the only true God in relation to false gods. The "true God" is always used in Scripture this way.
a. 2 Chronicles 15:3 - Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
b. Jeremiah 10:10-11 - But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
c. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 - For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
d. 1 John 5:20-21 - And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
2. Notable scholars agree:
a. NIDNTT: in Jn. 17:3, monos is linked with alethinos, true, in contrast to the deceptive appearance (pseudos) of all alleged gods and revealers (2:724, One, K.H. Bartels).
b. Thayer: ton theon, the one, true God, in contrast with the polytheism of the Gentiles (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, ginwskw, page 117).
c. Trench: But He is ἀληθινός (1 Thess. 1:9; John 17:3; Isai. 65:16; == ‘verus’), very God, as distinguished from idols and all other false gods, the dreams of the diseased fancy of man, with no substantial existence in the world of realities (Richard C. Trench, alethes, alethinos, #8)
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/...fm?sectionID=8
d. Vine: John 7:28; 17:3; 1 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 6:10; these declare that God fulfils the meaning of His Name, He is "very God," in distinction from all other gods, false gods (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, True, page 1170).
e. NIDOTTE - Asa demonstrated unquestionable religious zeal, even to the point of removing his own (grand)mother (cf. 1 Kgs 15:2, 10) Maacah from her place (15:3 ) - no easy feat, to be sure, given the idolatrous tendencies his father had (15:3) (NIDOTTE 4:413, Asa, Daniel Schibler).
3. The same Greek word for "only" (monos) that is applied to the Father in John 17:3 is used in Romans 16:27 and Revelation 15:4.
a. To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. (Romans 16:27)
The fact that the Lord Jesus shares the same wisdom as what "only" God possesses (omniscience) proves that the Lord Jesus is God.
See Acts 1:24-25; Ephesians 4:10; 1 Peter 2:25 and Revelation 5:6, 12 in http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/sh...ience-of-Jesus
And also see http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/sh...ce%29%E2%80%8F
Jesus as the heart-knower of all (καρδιογνώστης = omniscience)
b. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Revelation 15:4)
The fact that the Lord Jesus shares the same holiness as what "only" God possesses proves that the Lord Jesus is God.
See Peter: The Worship of the Lord Jesus
http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/sh...the-Lord-Jesus
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3, KJV).
1. The Jehovah's Witnesses believe when the Lord Jesus said "the only true God" in reference to the Father this proves that the Lord Jesus is not God.
http://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/trinity/
However, the Lord Jesus wasn't denying that He was God but was saying that the Father is the only true God in relation to false gods. The "true God" is always used in Scripture this way.
a. 2 Chronicles 15:3 - Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
b. Jeremiah 10:10-11 - But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
c. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 - For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
d. 1 John 5:20-21 - And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
2. Notable scholars agree:
a. NIDNTT: in Jn. 17:3, monos is linked with alethinos, true, in contrast to the deceptive appearance (pseudos) of all alleged gods and revealers (2:724, One, K.H. Bartels).
b. Thayer: ton theon, the one, true God, in contrast with the polytheism of the Gentiles (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, ginwskw, page 117).
c. Trench: But He is ἀληθινός (1 Thess. 1:9; John 17:3; Isai. 65:16; == ‘verus’), very God, as distinguished from idols and all other false gods, the dreams of the diseased fancy of man, with no substantial existence in the world of realities (Richard C. Trench, alethes, alethinos, #8)
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/...fm?sectionID=8
d. Vine: John 7:28; 17:3; 1 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 6:10; these declare that God fulfils the meaning of His Name, He is "very God," in distinction from all other gods, false gods (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, True, page 1170).
e. NIDOTTE - Asa demonstrated unquestionable religious zeal, even to the point of removing his own (grand)mother (cf. 1 Kgs 15:2, 10) Maacah from her place (15:3 ) - no easy feat, to be sure, given the idolatrous tendencies his father had (15:3) (NIDOTTE 4:413, Asa, Daniel Schibler).
3. The same Greek word for "only" (monos) that is applied to the Father in John 17:3 is used in Romans 16:27 and Revelation 15:4.
a. To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. (Romans 16:27)
The fact that the Lord Jesus shares the same wisdom as what "only" God possesses (omniscience) proves that the Lord Jesus is God.
See Acts 1:24-25; Ephesians 4:10; 1 Peter 2:25 and Revelation 5:6, 12 in http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/sh...ience-of-Jesus
And also see http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/sh...ce%29%E2%80%8F
Jesus as the heart-knower of all (καρδιογνώστης = omniscience)
b. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Revelation 15:4)
The fact that the Lord Jesus shares the same holiness as what "only" God possesses proves that the Lord Jesus is God.
See Peter: The Worship of the Lord Jesus
http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/sh...the-Lord-Jesus
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