Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - Great Substitutions
The greatest substitution ever was Jesus for us, His sinlessness for our sin. And this greatest of all great substitutions was only possible and effective because of the other substitutions that demonstrated and proved that Jesus is truly the Christ and God.
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This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today, the full lesson from Jeremy Thomas.
Speaker 2:Here's a hint of what's to come. Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins? But God alone?
Speaker 1:It's almost as if God the Father really wanted us to know, to be absolutely assured, that Jesus is God, that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity. I mean, look at how many ways he tried to prove this to us through name substitutions between the Old Testament and New Testament, through function substitutions between what God did and what Jesus has claimed to have done, between other grammatical rules. I mean, is there really any discussion possible when God, through so many ways and means and techniques, has tried to and proven that Jesus is God, that Jesus is God, how is it that we can deny that? We can't only if we choose to be blind toward the truth. Today, Jeremy looks at all these different types of substitutions and how God the Father was laying out that Jesus is the Son and part of the triune Godhead.
Speaker 2:So Christ for Yahweh's substitutions and deity of Christ. Now, last week what we did is we looked at the three streams of Old Testament revelation that converge in the Messiah, meaning you've got these three, basically streams or ribbons that run through the Old Testament and they all get tied or converge together in the Messiah. The first of those strings that I took you through was just God's desire to dwell with man. I started you off in Genesis and I just walked you through showing you from Genesis in the Garden Temple and then the Tabernacle in the Temple of Solomon on down to the New Testament time, that God's desire is to dwell with us and that in the very end, in the new heavens and new earth, it even says and he will dwell with us. And so this terminology of dwelling, which is a fundamental theme of the Bible, one of the most basic themes, is that God wants to dwell with us. The problem, of course, now is sin. So part of the resolution of history is how the sin problem gets dealt with so that he can dwell with us, right? The second stream is that God will be king. In fact, we were in the enthronement psalms today in Psalm 90s. Some of those are the enthronement, psalms. They're talking about the time when God is going to reign as king, and so that's a stream of revelation through the Old Testament. We know, ultimately, in the Messianic kingdom, jesus will be king of kings, right and lord of lords. That type of terminology is talking about the concept of God being his king. But we also know there's a stream, a third stream of revelation that relates to David and his house being the royal house. And so a king who would be a human, who would come from David and he would rule over the face of the whole earth. And so a king who would be a human, who would come from David and he would rule over the face of the whole earth. And so the question becomes how is it that you have passages that say God will be king but you have other passages that say that man will be king? And the fundamental resolution to this is that the one who will rule is God and man. And so it's resolved in the concept of Emmanuel, right God with us. A child will be born, a son will be given. That's another passage Isaiah 9, 6, that discusses these two aspects. The child being born is the humanity, it's the human king. The son being given is deity, god himself in the second person of the Trinity. So obviously some of the outworking of this first event in the New Testament, the birth of the King, is that we will talk about Trinity, because we're obviously today going to talk about the deity of Christ and if this is so, then you've got at least two persons right in God. And of course, later we talk more about the Spirit of God. But anyway, we'll already go ahead and start to look at doctrines next week, starting with the Trinity. So let's look at some reasons and these are really just the tip of the iceberg reasons for why we believe in the deity of Christ, the deity of the Messiah.
Speaker 2:Well, the first line of evidence is what we call Christ for Yahweh name substitutions. So let me say a little bit about these names, especially Yahweh. The letters there, yhwh, which are the Hebrew consonantal name of God, sometimes called the tetragrammaton, because four letters, the Old Testament Hebrew is a consonantal language. It didn't have vowels, so can you imagine, but that was the language. And later in their history, the Masoretic scribes added vowel pointings for pronunciation purposes and things like that. But at any rate, this was the quote-unquote name of God.
Speaker 2:Now many people say well, there's many names of God. You might see books called the Names of God and things like that. I think technically there's only one name of God and I think that the rest are titles. So this is the way that I divide it up. It's the easiest for me. I would say this is the name of God, yahweh, and that other things like Yahweh, tzidkenu, yahweh, our righteous, or righteous Yahweh, that's like a title of God, or, you know, some people also use Jehovah. So you'll see Jehovah.
Speaker 2:That is a Latinized version of Yahweh. It's a Latinized version of Yahweh. Hebrew doesn't have a J. You know Jehovah. Of Yahweh, hebrew doesn't have a J. You know Jehovah. Neither did Latin. Really it had an I, but anyway it got changed to a J in our language. So anyway, it's a Latinized, englishized version of Yahweh.
Speaker 2:But I prefer to use Yahweh and so I'm pronouncing it using vowels from another name for God. Otherwise, how can you pronounce YHWH? You just have to say YHWH. So I'm addingcing it using vowels from another name for God. Otherwise, how can you pronounce YHWH? You just have to say YHWH. So I'm adding vowels as I say it from another name for God in the Old Testament, or title. Okay, so we have Christ for Yahweh name substitutions and then, after this, we'll look at Christ for Yahweh function substitutions to show that they do the same thing. So let's start with the name substitutions. These are interesting Acts 2.17-21 and verse 33, in that passage, christ poured forth the Spirit, that's on the day of Pentecost, whereas in Joel 2.28-32, yahweh would pour forth the Spirit.
Speaker 2:So that's a Christ for Yahweh substitution. The Old Testament predicted Yahweh would do it. In the New Testament, christ does it. Therefore, christ is Yahweh. Okay, so let's look at Joel 2.28 first and we'll just go through these. These are really actually really, really exciting. I love these.
Speaker 2:This is the passage that Peter quotes on the day of Pentecost, coming right out of Joel 2, 28 to 32. But before we read it, let's look at verse 27 to see who is saying this In verse 27,. Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel Remember, god wants to dwell with us here he's speaking about dwelling among Israel and that I am the Lord, your God, lord there. And you see, probably in your version it's capitalized. Each letter is capitalized, even though some of them are smaller. Whenever you see, this all caps Lord in the English Bible it is translating Yahweh, okay, that is the word underneath it in the Hebrew. So the person here that is speaking is Yahweh, right?
Speaker 2:And in verse 28, yahweh says it will come about after this that I'll pour out my spirit on all mankind. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions, even on the male and female servants. I will pour out my spirit in those days. I will make wonders in the sky and on the earth blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. Before the great and awesome day of the Lord. Wednesday night class day of the Lord. Okay, this is great and awesome. Okay, so it's amended by an adjective great and awesome. Okay, so this by an adjective great and awesome. So this talks of the day of the second coming, but before the great and awesome day of the Lord, it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered, for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, there will be those who escape, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls, because that's the Old Testament passage. It's talking about God delivering Israel While we're here.
Speaker 2:Just ask yourselves a question Did these things happen on the day of Pentecost? Before we go, look at the day of Pentecost. Did the moon turn to blood? Did the sun turn to darkness on the day of Pentecost? Did people dream dreams on the day of Pentecost? Did people dream dreams on the day of Pentecost? No, we don't read anything about that. Did people prophesy on the day of Pentecost? No, what did people do on the day of Pentecost? They spoke in tongues. Question did this passage say anything about tongues? Does this message say anything about tongues? Yes, no, maybe no.
Speaker 2:Isn't this interesting that Peter picked this up and quoted it on the day of Pentecost in order to explain tongues, when Joel never even talked about tongues? Joel talked about a lot of other things that would transpire. There is one thing here that did happen on the day of Pentecost, and it's in verse 28 and 29. I will pour out my spirit on all mankind In verse 29,. I will pour out my spirit.
Speaker 2:On the day of Pentecost, was there a pouring out of the spirit? Yes, was there a pouring out of the Spirit? Yes, that is actually the only thing from Joel that happened on the day of Pentecost in Acts, chapter 2. And so what happened, you know, on the day of Pentecost, speaking in tongues, how did the people try to explain it? You remember how they tried to explain it? Oh, these people are drunk, you know, or something like that, or out of their mind. So what is Peter doing by quoting Joel 2? He's saying no, they're not drunk, they're not out of their mind. There's been a pouring forth of the Spirit. Okay, he's not saying this has been fulfilled. The sun will turn dark, the moon will turn to blood, all before the great and terrible day of the Lord, which is the day of the second coming. So these events that Joel predicted actually occur during the 70th week of Daniel.
Speaker 2:But because of this similarity of the pouring out of the Spirit, he quotes this passage. And so let's go over to Acts, chapter 2. Now, that's all things that Yahweh said he would do. Right, in acts, chapter 2, we've already had the tongues. You'll notice, in verse 16, where peter says you know, verse 15 these men aren't drunk. You know, it's only 9 am, is what he's saying. I mean, what do you mean? They're drunk already. I mean, my goodness, they haven't even had their scrambled eggs yet. Um, he says verse 16, but this is what? Or tuta esen, this is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel. And then he quotes what we just read, okay, from Joel 2.28, and following Now, in that passage, yahweh would pour out the Spirit. But come down to chapter 2, verse 33, as he's explaining it 2.33, therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God. Now, who was exalted to the right hand of God? Right, christ. Verse 32, right, this Jesus, god raised up again, to which we're all witnesses. Therefore, this Jesus, of course, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this, which you both see and hear. Who? Who poured forth Jesus? Now, wait a minute. The Old Testament said Yahweh would do this On the day of Pentecost. It says Jesus did this. What does that indicate to us? That Jesus is Yahweh. Okay, this isn't that complicated, right, you can see a Christ for Yahweh substitution.
Speaker 2:Let's go to another one. 1 Corinthians 10.9. Well, let's do the Old Testament first. Right, numbers 21.5-6. Numbers 21.5-6. Genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, fourth book, numbers 21.5-6.
Speaker 2:You know, you remember, there in the wilderness, there's a lot of grumbling that goes on, god delivers them, and so forth, through a lot of this. In verse 4, they set out from Mount Hor, by the way, the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. The people became impatient because of the journey. In verse 5, the people spoke against God and Moses because of the journey. In verse 5, the people spoke against God and Moses. Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water. We loathe this miserable food, I can kind of imagine. And so the Lord? Okay, and you see, it's all kept right.
Speaker 2:Yahweh sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people so that many people of Israel died. So who sent the fiery serpents? Yahweh, because who were they tempting or testing? Who were they tempting or testing, testing the Lord Yahweh? Now let's go over to 1 Corinthians in the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 9. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 9. And I might ask a few of you if you have a different. I have the New American Standard Bible 1995 version, so I may ask some of you if you have a different reading here. In verse 9, it says nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. So that's the same story in Numbers 21,. Right, they tried the Lord, they tested Him. Right, they tested Yahweh, and they were destroyed by serpents.
Speaker 2:That word Lord there in verse 9, does anybody have another translation? Yes, the Net Bible. Let us not put Christ to the test. Anybody else have anything else, let us not tempt Christ. You say, well, why does one of them translate Lord and the other one Christ? Usually when you see Lord in the New Testament, it's a Greek word, kurios, lord. But this is actually the word Christos in the Greek text, all Greek text. So who did they test in the wilderness? The Messiah, the Christ. This is a Christ for Yahweh, substitution showing that Christ is Yahweh. These are really powerful evidences for the deity of Christ.
Speaker 2:Let's look at another one that's interesting on the outline D Philippians 2.9, with Isaiah 45. So go to Isaiah 45, 23, verse I won't do all these because we won't get very far, which that's okay. We won't get very far, which that's okay. These are all very good things to study. Isaiah 45, 23. And again, I always like to find out well who is speaking before we get to that verse. So in Isaiah 45, verse 21, we see who is speaking. So let's look at that verse Isaiah 45, 21.
Speaker 2:Declare and set forth your case. Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I? And here it is the Lord.
Speaker 2:All caps right, meaning Yahweh, and there is. This is important. There is no other God besides Yahweh, right, besides me, a righteous God and a Savior. There is none except me. That's it. There's only one God, yahweh right, verse 22,. Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other. In other words, there's right, verse 22,. Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other. In other words, there's salvation, no other name. But in the New Testament we say well, that name is Jesus, right, but that Jesus is God. That's very clear. I have sworn by myself. The word has gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, righteousness, and will not turn back. That to me.
Speaker 2:Every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance or confess, and everybody says well, I know, that's over in the New Testament. It also says that in the New Testament, right, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess. So let's go to that passage in Philippians, chapter 2. Here it was Yahweh. Every knee will bow and swear allegiance to Yahweh, right. But in the New Testament, philippians chapter 2, who will everyone bow the knee to and whose name will everyone confess? Verse 5 tells us who's being talked about Philippians 2, 5.
Speaker 2:Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in who, christ, jesus, messiah, yesu, who, although existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself. Taking the form of a bondservant being made in the likeness of men, being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. So who died on the cross? You say, well, that's an easy one. It hasn't always been easy In church history. Some people said that the father died on the cross.
Speaker 2:Patrapassionism is the specific heresy, patra, father passion, the crucifixion. Some claim that the father heresy Patra, father passion, the crucifixion. Some claim that the Father was crucified. But we know it's Christ. For this reason, his humiliation and his death, for this reason also, god highly exalted him. I mean, if you want to be exalted, what do you have to first? Do you have to become humble. Humbleness leads to exaltation, leads to falling right. So he humbled himself and therefore god highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.
Speaker 2:So that at the name of jesus, I thought, the old testament said, at the name of yahweh, okay, every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So the Old Testament said every knee would bow and tongue confess allegiance to Yahweh. The New Testament says every knee will bow and tongue will confess Jesus as Lord over all. So that means there, by name substitution, that Christ is Yahweh. And so again, this is powerful, powerful evidences. In addition, let's just flip back to the left, to Romans 14, because I thought this was really powerful, just to tack on to the end of this evidence.
Speaker 2:Romans 14, 11 through 12, where it also quotes Isaiah 45 passage. In verse 10, it says that we're all going to stand before the judgment seat of God, doesn't it? And everybody is thinking well, that's Yahweh. Except in the Gospels, all judgment has been given to who? To whom has all judgment been given? Will the Father judge anyone? Question no, the Father will not judge anyone. All judgment has been given to the Son. So when it says here in verse 10, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. And then it quotes in verse 11, isaiah 45, where it is written as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall give praise to God.
Speaker 2:And then it quotes in verse 11, isaiah 45, where it is written as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall give praise to God. So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Who is it talking about? Is it talking about the Father or is it talking about the Son, to whom all judgment has been given? It's talking about the Son. So this is another powerful reference to the deity of Christ. All right, how about? We'll do Revelation 1.17, but let's turn to Isaiah 44.6. So back to Isaiah, isaiah 44.6.
Speaker 2:These are maybe not the typical ones that you're thinking of using when a Jehovah's Witness comes to your door or a Mormon comes to your door, but they're very, very powerful. They're accustomed to Christians. Turning to John 1.1, or something like that, they are ready for you. Okay, by the way, they are ready for you on that one. So you might want to stay away from those types of verses I'll talk about it later but you might stay away from that and go to some of these that they're not going to be familiar with, okay? So Isaiah 44, verse 6. Thus says who the Lord? That's Yahweh, all caps, the King of Israel there's that King theme we talked about earlier and his Redeemer, yahweh of hosts. I am the first and I am the last. There is no God besides me. Okay, very clear. He's the first, he's the last. There is no God besides me. Okay, very clear. He's the first, he's the last. There's no other God, yahweh. That's it. End of story. Now go to Revelation, because not end of story, right, revelation would be close to the end of the story.
Speaker 2:Revelation, chapter 1, verse 17. John has had a vision on the Isle of Patmos right of a very interesting individual who's described in verses 12, 13, and 14. Here's a voice, it's someone who has seven golden lampstands and one is walking like a son of man in between these lampstands. He's, you know, white wool, hair like white wool and snow. All this imagery of whoever this individual is. And when you come to verse 17, it says when I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man and he placed his right hand on me saying Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last. Now in your mind you say well, we just read that in Isaiah. That's Yahweh. Yahweh is the first and the last. So whoever's talking here is Yahweh, right. Then it says verse 18, and the living one? I was dead and behold, I'm alive forevermore. Who died and now lives forevermore? Yeah, jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ is Yahweh.
Speaker 2:Look over at chapter 2, verse 8. 2, verse 8, he's still speaking In this context to the church at Smyrna. And he says to the angel of the church in Smyrna right, the first and the last who was dead and has come to life. There it is again. So Jesus is Yahweh. These are Christ for Yahweh name substitutions, and I have some more here for you that you could look at. I don't think we did the Ephesians 4 one, but these go on and on. Let's look at the next category. This is Christ, for Yahweh function substitutions, in other words Christ doing things that only Yahweh can do, which means he's equal to Yahweh.
Speaker 2:So let's go to John 1.3. Now we're going to converge on the Gospel of John. We'll save 1-1 for later when we look at some passages. But you're familiar with it right.
Speaker 2:In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And then verse 3 says All things came into being through Him, that is, through the Word, whoever this Word individual is, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. So would you say from this that the Word created everything, yes, or that he was the agent through whom everything came into being? However you exactly want to articulate it, but there's no question that the Word is being stated to be the creator of everything. Now, in Genesis 1.1, who created everything? It says in the beginning, the very first verse of the Bible. You probably have it memorized In the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth.
Speaker 2:Now, that name for God, that's the very first word used of God in the whole Bible is Elohim. Elohim, that's actually an interesting word because in Hebrew if you put im on the end, an I-M, it's like putting an S on the end of our word. If I said gods, you'd think I'm talking about more than one god, gods plural. That's basically what this word Elohim is. It is a plural word, yet of course it translates just singular. In the beginning, god singular created. But technically that Hebrew word is gods and there's a lot of discussion in the literature about the meaning of this.
Speaker 2:Does it refer to angels and all sorts of things? There's lots of discussion. But there's this type of thing as a plural of majesty. Even some people refer to themselves with a plural of majesty. Someone who's great might refer to themselves as we with a plural of majesty. Someone who's great might refer to themselves as we, we think, because they are presenting their majesty before you.
Speaker 2:This is a plural of majesty. It is talking about the majesty of God as creator, but it does also open the door, right, it opens the door not for multiple gods. We just read several verses that say I am God and there is no other. There's not more than one God, but the Elohim concept of God, this plural majesty does open the door for there being more than one person in God. And that's why later, when he creates man, he doesn't say, let me create God in my own image, but he says let us create God in our own image, in our image in life. Who is our? Who is us? Is it not elohim, this majestic god, who is but one god, but within him there are three persons.
Speaker 2:Even in genesis 1 it becomes quite clear by the third or fourth verse that there are three people in god, just by the third or fourth verse. In the beginning god created the heavens and the earth right. And the beginning God created the heavens and the earth right and the earth was without form and void, and darkness covered the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God, the what, who, what, the Spirit, hovered over the surface of the waters. Then God said what, let there be light, said is this the Word? Is this the word? Who John 1.1 is talking about In the beginning? Was the word speech? Is that not him in Genesis 1.3? You've got the whole trinity.
Speaker 2:I would say let's just say carefully, we don't want to go proving the trinity from Genesis 1.1 through 3. But these doors are being opened for us very early in the Bible to understand the nature of God as having one essence but three persons within himself, and when we get to Trinity Doctrine next week and the next week we will talk about some of these in the Old Testament. So we have this concept, though, that he's the creator, but in the Old Testament, elohim is the creator of all and there's only one God, and yet within this God there's plurality, and so Genesis is opening up for us the door that there is source of creation, father. There is agent of creation, son, there is revealer of creation, spirit. Okay, all three persons playing a role in creation. Okay, so that's interesting.
Speaker 2:Now let's go to Mark 2.5. Mark 2.5, mark 2.5. Gospel of Mark Matthew. Mark, so the second of the fourfold gospel, mark 2 in verse 5. Actually, we'll be here for a couple of these real quick. There's a paralytic right. He's being carried by four men being brought into the house. They couldn't get him in the house, it's so crowded. Right, he's being carried by four men being brought into the house. They couldn't get him in the house, it's so crowded right verse four. So they had to remove the roof and lower him down into the room where christ was right.
Speaker 2:In verse five it says jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic Son your sins are forgiven. Now, who forgives sin? God, you're as smart as all the Jews that were in the room that day. Because what do they say in verse 5? It says some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, saying no reasoning. Where In their hearts, not out loud in their hearts.
Speaker 2:Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins? But God alone? Were they right that the Old Testament taught that God is the only one who can forgive sins? Yeah, because God is the only one who has been offended, because he's the standard of righteousness by which sin is measured and he is therefore the only one who has the right to forgive sin.
Speaker 2:And Isaiah, chapter 43, 25, says Yahweh forgives transgression. And that's where they were referring back to Passages like Isaiah 43, 25. But if Jesus is forgiving someone their sins, then who is Jesus? Well, he's God. Now they said he's blaspheming. I mean, you know, he's claiming, in other words, to be who he's claiming to be God, in other words, to be who he's claiming to be God. Now, this is why Lewis made the statement. He's either a liar, lunatic or Lord. I mean, he's either lying here like you're not God or he's absolutely crazy. He's a loon, right Claiming he can forgive sins, or he is the Lord himself. He is God himself in the flesh. Okay, so that's another evidence, christ doing something that only Yahweh can do forgiving sins.
Speaker 2:Look in verse 8. Let's just continue. We'll pick up the next evidence. Immediately. Jesus, aware in his spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, said to them why are you reasoning about these things in your heart? Uh-oh, what attribute. I mean. How could you know what people are thinking? What people are thinking? Who has access to that? Only Yahweh.
Speaker 2:It's part of his omniscience, right Meaning he knows all things. But he's displaying that here. He's displaying that he knows all things, that he's the. The Greek word is kardio-ganoskis, ganostis, kardio, heart, ganostis, to know. He's the heart-kn word is cardiogonostos, cardiohart, gnostos, to know. He's the heart knower. He knows their hearts, he knows what their reasoning in their heart. By the way, he knows what your reasoning in your heart is too, and mine. He knows all of our thoughts, right? So this is another evidence that he's God, because he can only do the things that God can do. In this sense, omniscience, he's the only one who knows all things right.
Speaker 2:All right, let's look at another one Matthew 8.23. Matthew 8.23. Go to the first of the fourfold gospel. I do think Matthew was written first too. By the way, I don't think Mark was written first and I don't think they depended on some document called Q, if you've ever heard that kind of theory. They tried to explain the harmony of the gospels. I think they wrote independently, under the inspiration of the Spirit. Matthew 8, 23.
Speaker 2:And following Jesus demonstrates another attribute of God here Verse 23,. When he got into the boat, his disciples followed him and behold, there arose a great storm on the sea so that the boat was being covered with the waves. This is out on the Lake of Galilee, right? But Jesus himself was asleep. Are you kidding me? I mean, have you ever been in a boat and you know the water is coming over the boat, into the boat, and you are asleep? No, nobody does that. But he's totally content, he's totally relaxed.
Speaker 2:Verse 25, 25. They came to him and woke him, saying save us, lord, we are perishing. And he said to them why are you afraid, you men of little faith? Then he got up and he rebuked the winds and the sea and it became perfectly calm and the men were amazed and they said what kind of man is this that even the winds and the seal ban? Well, yeah, I mean, who is this? And isn't that the point we're supposed to be asking? Who is this? Who can do this?
Speaker 2:What's kind of interesting is that this word rebuke he says he rebuked that word is used exclusively elsewhere to rebuking people, not inanimate objects, but here he's rebuking what we would just normally say inanimate objects like the sea and the wind, which makes us wonder were there forces, demonic forces, behind the seas and the winds? Because this word is always used of a personal rebuke, not just impersonal rebuke, and so there's a lot going on here in the text about his power and, of course, that's what we're to gain is that no man can do this. He must be God, god in the boat with you. Talk about a fearful moment when the realization strikes you. No man can do this. He must be God, god in the boat with you. Talk about a fearful moment when the realization strikes you. Also an awesome moment. Right To have experienced this. So he is demonstrating his omnipotence.
Speaker 2:The last one let's flip over to John. I mean there's more, but let's flip over to John 8, 58, one of my favorite ones. Right at the end of this chapter he's doing a lot of connections between himself and the Father, like in verse 54,. Jesus is answering and he says If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It's my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say he is our god and you have not come to know him. But I know him and I say that I do not know him. If I say I do not know him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. I mean, who could say that first of all, I keep his word? In another place he says I only and always do only what the Father tells me, like what I mean, I do my best to keep what the Father tells me, but I don't say I always do it. Do you? Here? This guy is like I do it. Okay, I know him and he's not being arrogant, he's speaking truth.
Speaker 2:He says verse 56, your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He says verse 56, your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And he saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him. You're not even 50 years old yet, by the way, about how old was he when he was crucified Early mid-30s? How old did they think he looked Almost 50. You're not yet 50, but you're getting up there.
Speaker 2:Look, the guy was aging. It was showing the pressures, the pressures of being the messiah and all that he was doing it. It took a toll on his human body. They're thinking he's almost 50 years old. The guy's like probably 32 or so, something like that. See, he says you know, yeah, 50 years old.
Speaker 2:And the guy's like probably 32 or so, something like that. See, he says you're not 50 years old and you've seen Abraham. And he said truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, ego and me I am. Have you ever heard those words before anywhere in the Old Testament, moses went to the burning bush and the voice said take off your sandals, for the ground you are standing on is holy ground. And he asked what his name was, what is your name, so I can go back and tell the Israelites? And he said I am. You think the Jews caught that when he said this here Before Abraham was born, I am yeah, because in the context of the burning bush. He also says I'm the God of Abraham, of Isaac and Jacob, and Abraham's.
Speaker 2:The context oh, they knew very well exactly what he was claiming. They knew that he was claiming to be Yahweh. How do we know that? The next verse tells us Therefore, they picked up claiming to be Yahweh. How do we know that the next verse tells us therefore, they picked up stones to throw at him. Why? Because it was blasphemy to claim to be God. They knew exactly what he was claiming.
Speaker 2:Another very powerful passage. And then the most remarkable statement, at the end of verse 59, they pick up stones to throw at him, but jesus hit himself and went out of the temple. What I mean? Let's say you blaspheme right in front of me, me and you are having a conversation. I've been down to pick up stone and you're gone. What? It wasn't just one person. They picked up stone and he concealed himself. The word can also mean disappear, especially in the passive voice. He was invisible, he was gone and he went out of the temple.
Speaker 2:We don't know how this took place, but I mean, who is he? These are his claims to be God. He forgives sins. He does all things that only God can do. See, let's look at a few deity of Christ passages. Let's look at John 20, 28,. Because we're in John, that's a quick one to look at. We'll go over to these. I won't take you through all of them, just a few John 20, 28. This is maybe somewhat humorous a little bit.
Speaker 2:You remember that there are some appearances of Christ after his resurrection. You know, to various women and also to the 12, but well, now it's cut down, you know, because Judas isn't there. But also, on one occasion Thomas wasn't there, remember. So he missed that appearance. But in this passage it was eight days later. And this is his appearance to Thomas, along with the others.
Speaker 2:And in verse 26, after eight days his disciples were again assigned, and Thomas with them. This time Jesus came to the doors having been shut and he stood in their midst, what, what and said peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas reach here with your finger and see my hands. And reach here your hand and put it into my side and do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to him my Lord and my what? My God? And did Jesus say? Did Jesus rebuke him and say Do not call me God? No, he doesn't. He doesn't say that at all. If he wasn't God, he should have said do not call me God, the Jehovah's Witnesses say. Well, he was just shocked and he said like someone would in the 21st century, oh my God. Next, next, titus 2. Verse 13. Well, I always show this one, so let's do 2 Peter 1. 2 Peter 1, verse 1.
Speaker 2:And I'll talk a little bit about a rule. It's called Sharpe's Rule. It's named after a man named Granville Sharpe who discovered this rule in the late 1700ss and, I think, published it around 1798. He was a Greek scholar and basically, you know, greek scholars are a little bit odd, but he found a construction in the Greek text that was consistent let's just say consistent throughout its about 200 uses in the New Testament. And nobody ever since he published this in 1798 has ever shown the rule to be broken anywhere in the New Testament. And it's used in two deity of Christ passages this one, 2 Peter 1.1, and also in Titus 2.13. What the rule states is this I know this is just a little bit advanced, but that's okay.
Speaker 2:If you have a definite article, a single definite article, why is this not writing? Okay, this is a definite article, right, the in our language. If you have this in the Greek language, a definite article followed by a noun, let's say noun one, and then the Greek word and, which is chi, followed by another noun, noun two, and both these nouns are singular and they're personal, singular and personal, then both nouns refer to the same object. It's not that complicated A single article referring to both of the nouns, with the word and in between. As long as these nouns are singular and personal, they both refer to the same object. So that construction is here in 2 Peter, 1, verse 1.
Speaker 2:To those who've received a faith of the same kind as ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior, jesus Christ. Can you guess what the two nouns are? God is noun one. What's the second one, savior? In the Greek they're both singular. In the Greek, obviously, they're both personal God, personal, savior, personal. They are preceded by the definite article, the. Then they refer to the same object. And who's the object? Jesus Christ. So who is our great God and who is our great Savior, jesus Christ. It's not that complicated, right? This rule? Over 200 times in the New Testament. This rule is never broken.
Speaker 2:Two of the passages are Christological, others are not. Ephesians 1.3, our God and Father. That's another usage, but it doesn't relate to Christology, but it's all over the place. Titus 2.13. Titus 2.13. Waiting for the appearing of our great God and Savior, jesus Christ. Let's do the Hebrews 1.8, because I love this one, and then we'll stop with this. Hebrews 1.8. Actually, 7 and 8. And I kind of wish they had translated this differently, so maybe someone else can volunteer a translation that might be superior. In the Greek, another construction that you learn about is called men de. Don't think men like people. It's just a word, and whenever you have this construction, men, separated by a lot of words, and then de, it means on the one hand or on one hand. Let's just put on one hand or on one hand.
Speaker 2:Let's just put on one hand on one hand, on the other hand, we talk like this, right? So the first men would be, on one hand, da-da-da-da-da, but on the other hand, da-da-da-da-da. Well, that happens here in Hebrews 1, 7, and 8. In verse 7, there's a man and in verse 8, there's a day. So I really wish they'd translate verse 7 saying something like On the one hand, of the angels, he says and he quotes an Old Testament passage that says that his angels wins, he makes his angels wins and his ministers a flame of fire. So that's what angels are Okay, they're ministers, they're a flame of fire, okay. But verse eight has a day, and it's what it's saying is. But on the other hand, he says of the son, your throne, o God, o God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of his kingdom. He's contrasting angels with the Son, because the Jews, who this letter is written to, were exalting angels and the author is saying Jesus is way better Angels, on one hand, they're ministers, they're a flame of fire, they're in the winds. You know, this is how God uses them. But the Son, he is God. Who's better? Look at what else he says about him.
Speaker 2:Verse 9,. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore, god, your God, has anointed you. That's an interesting phrase. God, your God, has anointed you. How many people do you see there? God, your God, anointed you. You, one god anointing another god. Is it not talking about the father anointing the son, aren't they both god? Yes, this is super powerful, with the oil of gladness above your companions.
Speaker 2:Verse 10 and you lord, which would be yahweh in the Old Testament in the beginning, did what this is talking about the sun. You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. This is all the sun. They will perish, but you will remain. They will all become old, like a garment and like a mantle. You will roll them up like a garment. They will also be changed, but you are the same and your years will not come to an end. But to which of the angels did he ever say sit at my right hand? No, this is a comparison and contrast between the Son and angels.
Speaker 2:See, and the whole argument of the book of Hebrews is Jesus is better and these Jewish believers need to go away from Judaism, away from angels, and they need to go straight to Jesus. Remember, this is the book that says keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, not on angels, not on the temple, not on all these other things, but on him. Why? Because he's better and more the temple, not on all these other things, but on him. Why? Because he's better and more than that. He is God himself. God in the flesh.
Speaker 2:God came, he dwelt among us you want to talk about condescension? The very God of God who dwells in unapproachable light. He came down here in the world with us the filth, can you believe it? It is amazing that he came down here with us and he walked among us and he was tempted in all things as us, and yet he was found to be without sin and he had no cause of sin, of death residing in himself, and he offered himself for us. That's why Philippians 2 is so great.
Speaker 2:It's the great humility passage and it's telling us if he, who is very God of very God, would come down here like us and go through all this and give himself for us, how much more ought we to be humble? Humble ourselves and serve others, put others ahead of ourselves. That's what he did. That's what the second person of the Trinity did. He didn't have to come down here. He wasn't lonely, he didn't need you, he doesn't need me, he doesn't need anything in this whole creation. He is totally complete in and of himself. So it's not so he can have some friends. Jesus doesn't need any friends, he is complete.
Speaker 2:But he did it. Why? For God so loved he loved the world. For God so loved, he loved the world, he made it. We destroyed it and he's come to restore it. He said I go to prepare a place, right? If it were not so, I would have told you I come again. For you, are you kidding me? For me, a worthless sinner, a piece of stint, filthy rags that's my good stuff Filthy rags in his sight.
Speaker 2:And he did it. And he just says what we believe in, the Lord Jesus Christ, there's nothing more to do. What more could we do, friend? What are you going to put in that formula? You put anything in there. It just messes it up. He's the only perfect one, god in the flesh, infinite value in his death. Because of his deity For humans, because he's true humanity. All right, next week, lovely right. We're going to go right to the Trinity. Hopefully you've seen some wonderful things about the deity of Christ today. Christ for Yahweh's substitutions in name, christ, for Yahweh's substitutions in function and some of the deity of Christ, passages of which there are many and others.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.