Page 55
Christian Churches of God
No. 58
FAQ Bible Study
New Testament
(Edition 2.5 20000630-20011206-20091125-20150906)
The Frequently Asked Questions on New Testament texts are listed herein.
Christian Churches of God
PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA
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(Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2009, 2015 Wade Cox)
This paper may be freely copied and distributed provided it is copied in total with no alterations or deletions. The publisher’s name and address and the copyright notice must be included. No charge may be levied on recipients of distributed copies. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles and reviews without breaching copyright.
This paper is available from the World Wide Web page:
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FAQ Bible Study New Testament Page 3
CONTENTS
The Messiah…Son of man-Only son- Begotten son-Jesus God-Prophet-Sin offering-Faith in Christ-Christ’s baptism-Only way to Father-Priest-Joshua-Others named Jesus-Pilate’s letter-Crucifixion year-Strauros-Cross-Resurrection-Physical or Spiritual-Jesus’body-Israel married to Christ-Sacrifice-Subgroup disciples-Jesus Saviour-Teaching-Vegetarian-Jesus Word/God-Arche-Angel of Revelation-Jesus/Bible
Holy Spirit…Holy Spirit person-God gives Holy Spirit-Soul/Spirit-Kingdom of God-Water/rocks
Matthew…Mat 2:2;-2:13;-2:17-18;-6:5-15;-12:50;-17:21;-20:13;-28:19
Mark…Mark 5:21-43;-7:15;-10:18
Luke…Luke 12:36;-17:11;-19:12;-23:43
John…John/Genesis-Jn 5:1-24;-5:18;-7:52;-Chapter 10;-12:12-13;-19:31
Acts…No amen-Acts 1:15;-15:24-29;-15:28:29
Romans…Rom ch.1-Rom3:20;-10:4;-Chapter 14;-16:16
1Corinthians…1Cor 5:5-6;-11:10-15
Galatians…Gal 4:9-11;-4:10
Ephesians…Eph 3:15
Philippians…Phil 2:10
Colossians…2:14;-2:16;-2:18;-4:3
2Thessalonians…2Thes 2:3-4,6
1Timothy…1Tim 4:1-3
Hebrews…Heb 7:3
James…Origin of James-James 1:17
1John…1Jn 5:7
Revelation…St John-Apocalypse-Rev 1:4;-5:6;-2:17;-2:20;-2:28;-3:7;-3:12;-4:2-6;-5:12-17;-6:2;-6:4;-6:5;-6:8;-7:14;-8:10;-chapter 9;-chappter 10;-13:18;-chapter 14;-17:5;-20:10;-20:15;-21:18;-21:1;-Jacob’s Trouble-State of earth-What happens at resurrection-first-Children know parents-Under rule of Jesus-Marriage supper-Who will attend-City of God-
Calendar…When is 3rd hour-Equinox-New Moon-Conjunction-Crescent-False calendars-Tithe year-Evidence for conjunction-New Moon at time of Christ-Karaite calendar-Dateline-Passover: Night of watching-Omer count-Bread & Wine-Footwashing-Lord’s Supper
The Church…Christian holy days-Kingdom of God-Authority to change doctrine-Phases to becoming a Christian-Second chance-Elect-Where is God-Sabbath or Sunday: Any evidence for Sunday worship-Any support for negative case for Sabbath-Most worship on Sunday-Sunday worship/heaven-Every day Sabbath-Why Sunday now-What did original church do-Four Councils-Church Fathers God’s plan for us-
Pagan Worship: Easter-Trinity
Antichrist…Antichrist & Moses’ Law-Doctrine-Jesus accused of being antichrist.
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FAQ NEW TESTAMENT
The Messiah
Who is the Son of man? Why is he called the Son of Man?
A: There were multiple sons of God of whom Christ was one (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:4-7). Only one of those was to be born a man. That was the monogenes theos or only born god of John 1:18 and Proverbs 30:4-5.
This is the concept behind the text in Hebrews 1:8-9 taken from Psalm 45:6-7. In Hebrews it then goes on to identify that this elohim was no longer simply only one of the angelic host called sons of God. He was a new high priest as the son of man.
Look at the papers Psalm 8 (No. 14); The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243); How God Became a Family (No. 187); and The Purpose of the Creation and the Sacrifice of Christ (No. 160).
Why does the Bible say "for God so loved the world that He gave His only born (monogene) son"? How can He be the only one when there are many sons?
A: There are many sons of God as Scripture allows. However, he was the only one to be born. The others were all generated as sons in the Host. He was the Prototokos of the Creation of God and he is Arche of the Creation of God. He is also Prototokos from the dead. However he is the only born God; the monogenes theos of John 1:18.
These aspects are covered in the paper Arche of the Creation of God as Alpha and Omega (No. 229); and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).
In Psalms 2:7, Acts 13:33, and Hebrews 1:5 we read: “Thou art my Son and this day have I begotten thee,” and in John 1:14 “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” What is the meaning of “begotten”? When exactly was Christ begotten and why is he the “ONLY” begotten Son when the angels are also sons of God? Is this talking about being transformed from spirit to human and then human to spirit?
A: It is deliberately obscured by Trinitarians. There are two terms: one of “Prototokos” meaning “first begotten” and the other is “monogenes” meaning “only born.” The term that relates to Christ as firstbegotten and firstbegotten from the dead is “Prototokos.”
He is referred to as the “only born God” in John 1:18 from “Monogenes Theos.” This text was changed in the Receptus to read “only born son” or “monogenes uion” and then translated as “only begotten son.” This was done to disguise the distinction between the fact that there were many sons of God in the host, of which Christ was the “prototokos”, but only one of those sons had been born and hence, he was the only born “god” or “theos.”
These terms have been examined in detail in the papers The Elect as Elohim (No. 1) and The Angel of YHVH (No. 24); Arche of the Creation of God as Alpha and Omega (No. 229) and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243).
Is there anywhere in the Bible that Jesus calls Himself God?
A: He is called God in a number of Bible texts. He does not refer to himself as God, but the texts do that and refer to him as a subordinate god. For example the text in Psalm 45:6-7 is clearly identified as Christ being anointed as God by his God with the oil of gladness above his partners from Hebrews 1:8-9. The relationship of the Great Angel of the Old Testament as an elohim is an important part of the Bible Theology.
The structure of this relationship is covered in the papers The Elect as Elohim (No. 1); The Angel of YHVH (No. 24); and The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243). The creed of Ulfilas, bishop of the Goths, discussed in this paper also explains that relationship. The paper Early Theology of the Godhead (No. 127) will show you what the early Church taught and understood by this aspect.
Was Jesus a prophet?
A: Moses said that he was. He said that God would raise up a prophet like him and he was to be obeyed. He was Priest, Prince and Prophet. Look at Jesus The Christ, King, Priest and Prophet (No. 280). His words, as recorded, show prophecy, and they came true as he said. He spoke according to the Law and the Testimony (Isa. 8:20). That is the test of a prophet.
Genesis 4:7 reads: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” The Companion Bible notes sin = sin offering. Is this an indirect reference to Messiah being the sin offering from Psalm 22 and the door from Revelation 3:20 and the blood on the door-posts and lintel from Exodus 12:7?
A: Yes, this is an important text. The Hebrew puts emphasis on the first “well” and the second “if”. Bullinger states in the Companion Bible notes to the text that it marks a solemn and important alternative. The Hebrew is “chat'a” and means a sin offering as it is added in Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 4:3; 6:25; 8:2; Psalm 40:6 (cp. 2Cor. 5:21; Eph. 5:2).
The word “lieth” is masculine and the sin offering is feminine. The Hebrew reads: “at the entrance [a male] is lying, a sin offering.” Look also at Genesis 3:16 for “rule over.” Messiah, as we know, is the sin offering. Look at the papers: The Doctrine of Original Sin Part I The Garden of Eden (No. 246); and Doctrine of Original Sin Part 2 The Generations of Adam (No. 248).
All Christians seem to believe that they need to have faith, but faith in what? What does it mean to have faith in Christ?
A: Faith is a confident belief that God will bring about the salvation of the individual, within a plan He has determined, which will work to the betterment of all mankind. God will work to the salvation of all His creation such that no flesh should perish.
This faith was expressed in the actions of the Church through history from Adam to the present. Hebrews chapter 11 gives you a list of the key people of faith, and of their constant expectations and actions. Salvation is not through an expressed faith in Christ. Salvation, as a saint of the Church, is by keeping the Commandments of God and the Testimony or Faith of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17; 14:12). Christ himself had faith in God who could save him.
It is faith in God that saves through the activities of Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3). Many have called him “Lord, Lord” and he will say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” If you love Christ, keep the commandments.
Christians are baptised in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit but what do you think John the Baptist’s words were when he baptised Christ?
A: John’s Baptism was for the repentance of sins and for an instruction to prepare the way of Yahovah and to make his paths straight, from Isaiah 40:3 and quoted in Matthew 3:3. His baptism was not to salvation. Christ was baptised for receipt of the Holy Spirit, which he received, as had the prophets of old. His words seem to have been: “I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance but He that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.”
His comments to Christ were: “Behold the Lamb of God; (which taketh away the sins of the world” (Jn. 1:29)) and he said I have need to be baptised of thee and thou comest unto me.
The words of the first section are the ones most likely to have been uttered by him. That is: “I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance.” Luke records that Christ was also praying there (Luke 3:21). The heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him as a dove, and God said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Mark has more or less the same account as Matthew. We are not given the exact words.
Is Jesus Christ the only way to the Father?
A: In John 14:1-6 Christ said that he was the only way to the Father. There are a number of objections to this statement, but they are all based on false theology and a misunderstanding of the Bible text.
First objection: God spoke to Moses and the Patriarchs and prophets and thus, they did not need Christ. The answer is that no man has ever seen God. The only born God, being in the bosom of the Father, spoke (Jn 1:18). The early Church taught that Christ was the Angel of the Old Testament who gave the Law to Moses and who spoke to the prophets. Justin Martyr is quite clear on that point in his “First Apology.” Look also at the paper Early Theology of the Godhead (No. 127).
The structure of the resurrection of the dead ensures that no one can attain immortal life except by standing before Christ in judgment as a resurrected being. Look at the paper The Soul (No. 92); and The Resurrection of the Dead (No. 143). That is why the doctrine of the Immortal Soul and Heaven and Hell is such a godless and blasphemous doctrine.
It was the true test of a Christian in the first and second centuries. Anyone who said they were Christian and that when they died they went to heaven, were not to be believed. They were not Christians. Through the physical resurrection of the dead, every knee will bow to Christ and no man can come to the Father except through him.
Besides Jesus Christ being our Messiah or Saviour, should we also consider him to be a priest, or possibly a prophet or even a king? Or could he be God Himself?
A: Yes, he is all of these things. He is priest and high priest after the order of Melchisedek. He is a prophet, as Moses said. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords by delegation from the Father.
The One True God also appointed him as god with the oil of gladness above his comrades (Ps. 45:6-7 and Hebrews 1:8-9). This was shown also in Zechariah 12:8 when the Angel of YHVH at our head was elohim as we ourselves will be elohim and Scripture cannot be broken (Jn 10:34-35). Look at: The Elect as Elohim (No. 1); The Pre-Existence of Jesus Christ (No. 243); The Angel of YHVH (No. 24).
Why is it that the Greek word for Joshua is translated into English as Joshua except when referring to Jesus Christ where it’s translated Jesus? Shouldn’t the same name in the Greek be translated as the same name in English?
A: Yes, it should be translated uniformly. The distinction was induced by the Greco-Romans who wished to separate the Old Testament from the New Testament so they could do away with the Law of God. The matter has been examined at length in the paper Joshua, the Messiah, the Son of God (No. 134) (see the 2nd ed.). Changes were also made to the names of Christ’s entire family in the Bible as well. Look at the paper The Virgin Mariam and the Family of Jesus Christ (No. 232).
Were there other men named Jesus besides the Jesus of Nazareth?