God Is One:
Jesus said to his disciples, John 14:28, “If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”
John 14:9, Jesus is with his disciples, Philip asks, “Lord, shew us the Father.” Jesus replied, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father…”
John 10:30, Jesus is speaking to the Jewish people, He said, “I and my Father are one.”
In the above three verses, there appears to be a contradiction:
1. Jesus said “my Father is greater than I.” John 13:16, Jesus tells his disciples “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent is greater than he that sent him.”
2. John 14:9, “Jesus said, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” No created being could ever declare this, for who is like God the Father, but God the Son. Jesus made this statement for He alone is Begotten of the Father, and, “heir of all things.”
3. Jesus tells his persecutors that, “I and my Father are one.” If Jesus were not God, could He have said these words without being guilty of blasphemy? Also in ver.29, Jesus comments that the Father “is greater than all.”
We are told that,
1. Jesus came down from heaven.
2. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
3. Though Jesus took on the form of a man, He is God, for He upholds all things by the word of His power. He spoke and all things were created; He speaks, and all things are sustained.
Let’s get a better handle on the above. We need to go back to an Old Testament story in Gen.41. We read of Pharaoh and Joseph. God has given Pharaoh a dream. He dreams of seven lean cows and of seven healthy cows. The lean cows devour the healthy ones.
Pharaoh now has a second dreams. This time he sees seven ears of corn, plump and good. He sees seven ears of thin ears blasted by an east wind. The thin ears devour the good ears, Pharaoh wakens from his sleep. He being troubled by these two dreams, summons his magicians and wise men. He tells them of his two dreams, but none were able to interpret them.
The chief butler speaks to Pharaoh concerning Joseph. The butler had been with Joseph in prison. Pharaoh is told about the powers Joseph has for interpreting dreams. Pharaoh sends for him, reveals both dreams to Joseph, and commands Joseph to reveal the meaning of his dreams. Joseph tells Pharaoh that it is God who will reveal the meaning of the dreams.
Joseph tells Pharaoh that both dreams had but one meaning. He said there would be seven years of plenty throughout the land. Then the seven years of plenty would be forgotten, and a famine would follow that would be very grievous. Pharaoh decrees that all the food from those 7 good years would be gathered and put into stores, this to provide for the seven years of famine. Pharaoh then declares that Joseph would rule over the land, and the people.
The following verse parallel the events between Pharaoh and Joseph, and the Lord Jesus and His Father.
From where does the Father rule? Ps.11:4, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: His eyes behold.” Isa.63:15, “Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory:” Amos 9:6, “It is he that builds His stories (layers) in the heaven, and hath founded His troop = (strata) in the earth; He that calleth for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is His name.” Jesus prayed “Our Father who art in heaven.”
Jesus, throughout the New Testament, continually speaks of His Father being in Heaven. Rev.4, John is taken to the third Heaven and sees one sitting on the throne. In the hand of the one sitting on the throne is a book. The book is received by a Lamb, that Lamb is Jesus. Here we see both the Father and the Son. In Dan.7:9; Daniel sees a vision in Heaven and declares the vision, “I beheld till the thrones be cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garments was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool.”
Also, “One like the Son of man, came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve Him.” Again we have a picture of the Father in Heaven, the Son presenting himself before Him. The Father’s place of rule is now established.
Going back to our illustration in Genesis, Pharaoh now declares to Joseph, “Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.” Only in the place of the throne is Pharaoh to be greater than Joseph.
Joseph was lord over the people and the land to the honor of Pharaoh. When Joseph presented himself to Pharaoh at the throne, Joseph was a servant, yet lord over the people. Jesus said in John 14:28, “I go unto the Father,” that is, Jesus ascended into Heaven where His Father ruled. Jesus then said, “for my Father is greater than I.”
Pharaoh was greater than Joseph, he ruled from the throne. So also is the Father greater than His Son, this by Jesus own words. Yet as Joseph had the power by Pharaoh’s decree, to rule over the people and the land, so also was Jesus given the power first to create, then rule over that creation, this to the glory of the Father.
Concerning the whole of creation, Jesus is Lord and God; that is, Lord, meaning sovereign over the Gospel dispensation, head over the Church, Master, Teacher. As God, He is the Creator, Divine, Supreme, Lord and Father of all, protector, benefactor, and He alone is to be worshipped, this to the glory of His Father.
He is the author, giver and source of all things. As for the creation, both the visible and spiritual, the Father declares, and Jesus is obedient, thus, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” And, “I and the Father are one.”
So, as you can see there really is no contradiction, rather agreement: One throne, one will, one work, one God and one Lord, this to the glory of the Father who hath declared His Son Supreme over the whole of creation.
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com