For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. - (Col 1:19–20).
Is this true? Is Jesus God?
As a Jehovah's Witness, I vividly remember going door-to-door with them and repeatedly hearing that Jesus never claimed to be God. Famously, Jehovah’s witnesses deny the doctrine of the Trinity, claiming that the doctrine of the Trinity is a result of the pagan import of the Roman Catholic Church. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that Jesus is inferior to God and that he had a beginning. But is that claim valid?
The doctrine of the United Pentecostal church may not be widely known to some readers. This group takes a different stance from historic Christianity regarding the doctrine of the Trinity by denying it altogether. However, they take an extreme position by asserting that Jesus is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In essence, they claim that Jesus is the name of God. This group is often known as oneness Pentecostals.
Although both groups take the extreme view and deny the Trinity, both groups represent two different sides of a doctrine that the church condemned called Monarchianism, which seeks to defend the unity of God based on Scripture found in Deuteronomy “hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord.”
Both extremes are rooted in false premises.
Monarchianism is a doctrine condemned by the early Christian church in the second and third centuries. It denied the Trinity and sought to defend the unity of God by asserting that God is one person with one will and that Jesus was not truly divine but merely a human being. The church condemned Monarchianism because it contradicted the orthodox understanding of the Trinity, which teaches that God exists as three persons in one Godhead.
One form of Monarchianism was Sabellianism, which held that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were different modes or aspects of God's activity rather than distinct persons. Another form was Adoptionism, which held that Jesus was merely a human being adopted by God and given special powers. Both forms of Monarchianism were deemed heretical by the church and were rejected as incompatible with the Christian faith.
Old Testament points to a trinity.
The concept of Yahweh being a plurality is consistent in the Old Testament, as evidenced by passages such as Deuteronomy 6:4, which states, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." While "one" in this verse might suggest singularity, the Hebrew word here is "echad," which denotes a complex unity rather than a singular entity.
A modern example of complex unity could be a team working together to achieve a common goal. Each team member may have their own unique skills, personalities, and perspectives, but they come together to form a unified whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The team may have diverse backgrounds and experiences but they share a common purpose and work together towards a shared vision. Despite their individual differences, the team members recognize the value of working together and strive to complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. This is an example of a complex unity where diversity and unity coexist.
This idea of a complex unity is further supported by other Old Testament passages that depict Yahweh using plural pronouns, such as in Genesis 1:26 ("Let us make man in our image") and Genesis 3:22 ("Behold, the man has become like one of us"). These passages suggest that Yahweh is a plurality of persons or aspects within a single divine entity, foreshadowing the later concept of the Trinity in Christian theology.
While it's true that we do not have a recorded instance in the Scriptures of Jesus directly saying he was God, he did and said things that strongly implied his divinity. Furthermore, as we delve into the writings of the earliest Christians preserved and documented in the New Testament, it becomes clear that all of Jesus' disciples believed that he was God.
Does the Bible Teach Jesus was God?
Paul says in the text that we are considering today that God the Father was happy to have all his divine characteristics and qualities, like wisdom, power, and love, dwell in Jesus Christ. So, Jesus is considered fully divine because he possesses all of God's fullness.
This verse is important in Christian beliefs because it emphasizes that Jesus is not just a regular human or prophet but the embodiment of God in human form. This belief is a crucial part of the Trinity, which says that God exists as three persons in one, including the Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit.
In Him, all the fullness should dwell.
The Greek word used in Colossians 1:19 for "fullness" is "pleroma." In this context, it refers to the totality of divine attributes and qualities in God. So, the verse states that Jesus Christ has all the divine qualities of God, making him fully divine.
The term "pleroma" is also used in other places in the New Testament. In Ephesians 1:23, the Apostle Paul uses it to describe the Church as the body of Christ, which is the fullness of Christ who fills all in all. Here, "pleroma" refers to the complete expression of Christ in the Church.
In Colossians 2:9, Paul again uses "pleroma" to describe the deity of Christ, stating that in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. This verse is similar to Colossians 1:19 in emphasizing the divinity of Christ.
The term "pleroma" is used in the Gospel of John to describe the fullness of grace that believers receive through Christ (John 1:16) and the fullness of truth and revelation that comes through him (John 1:14; 16:13). Overall, "pleroma" conveys the idea of completeness, fullness, or totality of something, mainly related to divine attributes or qualities.
The doctrine of the Trinity is biblical and historically accepted as fundamental to the Christian faith.
Although many people have argued that the Bible does not teach that Jesus was God, the concept of the Trinity is consistent with the writings of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and early church history. While the Bible does not use the word "Trinity," the idea of one God in three persons is evident in various passages, such as the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17), where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all present. Similarly, in the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks about his relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, emphasizing unity and oneness. Early Christian writers like Tertullian and Augustine also wrote about the Trinity, and the concept was ultimately affirmed as orthodox doctrine in the early church councils. So, while the word "Trinity" may not appear in the Bible, the notion behind it is consistent with the overall biblical teachings and Christian tradition.
Wrapping it Up
As we reflect on the doctrine of the Trinity and the divinity of Christ, we must ask ourselves: do we truly understand the implications of these beliefs for our lives? Do we fully grasp the significance of Jesus is not just a human but fully divine? And most importantly, do we place our faith in Him as the only way to salvation? Let us meditate on these questions and seek to deepen our understanding and commitment to Christ, who embodies all the fullness of God.
Comments