Christ.
I believe the evidence favors the second choice, though certainly the
first choice remains a valid possibility. But in light of the possibilities,
one cannot be dogmatic on the passage.
THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE
The same must be said regarding an inability to be dogmatic concerning the last passage we will examine, where the specific word
"God" may be used of Christ, that being 1 John 5:20:
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us
understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are
in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God
and eternal life.
Two possible understandings are easily seen: the phrase "the true
God and eternal life" can refer, logically and grammatically, to either
the Father ("Him who is true") or to Jesus Christ. The demonstrative
pronoun "this one" normally refers to the closest antecedent, in this
case, "Jesus Christ." But one can even argue that "His Son Jesus Christ"
would make the "His" (i.e., the Father) the antecedent. In either case,
we cannot say with absolute certainty what the antecedent is, nor,
really, do we have to be overly concerned to know. Why? The relationship between the Father and the Son in John's writings is so close,
so intimate, and so perfect, that in reality, the description "the true
God and eternal life" can be used of either one or both. Think about
it: Jesus said that it is eternal life to know the Father and to know the
One sent by the Father, Jesus Christ (John 17:3). It is not eternal life,
in John's theology, to know the Father without the Son. He had just
written these words:
The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in
himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar,
because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given
concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given
us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has
the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the
life. (1 John 5:10-12)
So to have eternal life, one must have both the Father and the Son (cf.
1 John 2:23!). Thus, we might well be completely missing the point in
trying to find out whether it is the Father or the Son who is being
referred to in 1 John 5:20. There is a third possibility that has the added
advantage of explaining why John would allow the phrase to be ambiguous. He may well have done so on purpose, for the phrase may
need to be understood as describing both the Father and the Son, for
to know them is to have eternal life. Given the established fact that
John has already referred to Jesus as God (John 1:1, 20:28), we should
not be surprised to find such a usage in 1 John.
OTHER TESTIMONIES TO HIS DEITY
There are literally hundreds-no, thousands-of passages that testify to the deity of Christ once we understand that no creature could
possibly do or say the things that the Lord Jesus did and said. And we
certainly cannot catalog them in this brief work. Instead, I would like
to focus upon just a few more passages that, while not using the term
"God" of Jesus, communicate the very same idea but in different
terms.
When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he emphasized over and over
again the supremacy of Jesus Christ. I again remind my fellow believers
that the descriptions of our Lord found throughout the New Testament
defy any attempted application to a mere3" creature. Only true deity
can be described as our Lord is. This is especially true in Paul's description of Christ to the Colossians as the one in whom are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). Paul then
makes Jesus Christ the standard of all human knowledge and thought:
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and
empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to
the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to
Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in
I believe the evidence favors the second choice, though certainly the
first choice remains a valid possibility. But in light of the possibilities,
one cannot be dogmatic on the passage.
THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE
The same must be said regarding an inability to be dogmatic concerning the last passage we will examine, where the specific word
"God" may be used of Christ, that being 1 John 5:20:
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us
understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are
in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God
and eternal life.
Two possible understandings are easily seen: the phrase "the true
God and eternal life" can refer, logically and grammatically, to either
the Father ("Him who is true") or to Jesus Christ. The demonstrative
pronoun "this one" normally refers to the closest antecedent, in this
case, "Jesus Christ." But one can even argue that "His Son Jesus Christ"
would make the "His" (i.e., the Father) the antecedent. In either case,
we cannot say with absolute certainty what the antecedent is, nor,
really, do we have to be overly concerned to know. Why? The relationship between the Father and the Son in John's writings is so close,
so intimate, and so perfect, that in reality, the description "the true
God and eternal life" can be used of either one or both. Think about
it: Jesus said that it is eternal life to know the Father and to know the
One sent by the Father, Jesus Christ (John 17:3). It is not eternal life,
in John's theology, to know the Father without the Son. He had just
written these words:
The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in
himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar,
because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given
concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given
us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has
the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the
life. (1 John 5:10-12)
So to have eternal life, one must have both the Father and the Son (cf.
1 John 2:23!). Thus, we might well be completely missing the point in
trying to find out whether it is the Father or the Son who is being
referred to in 1 John 5:20. There is a third possibility that has the added
advantage of explaining why John would allow the phrase to be ambiguous. He may well have done so on purpose, for the phrase may
need to be understood as describing both the Father and the Son, for
to know them is to have eternal life. Given the established fact that
John has already referred to Jesus as God (John 1:1, 20:28), we should
not be surprised to find such a usage in 1 John.
OTHER TESTIMONIES TO HIS DEITY
There are literally hundreds-no, thousands-of passages that testify to the deity of Christ once we understand that no creature could
possibly do or say the things that the Lord Jesus did and said. And we
certainly cannot catalog them in this brief work. Instead, I would like
to focus upon just a few more passages that, while not using the term
"God" of Jesus, communicate the very same idea but in different
terms.
When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he emphasized over and over
again the supremacy of Jesus Christ. I again remind my fellow believers
that the descriptions of our Lord found throughout the New Testament
defy any attempted application to a mere3" creature. Only true deity
can be described as our Lord is. This is especially true in Paul's description of Christ to the Colossians as the one in whom are hidden
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). Paul then
makes Jesus Christ the standard of all human knowledge and thought:
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and
empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to
the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to
Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in
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