Less Simple Hermeneutics For John's Gospel Chapter One Verse Eighteen

1 Peter 1: 8

The previous article expanded upon the following verse in reaching to resolve 'how' and 'why' Yeshua is the Lord thy God (God with us / God manifested on earth):

No one has ever seen God, but the One and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known. 

- John 1: 18

The previous article also mentioned the proclamation that the Son is Himself God.

In one of the letters to the early Church, we read:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Yeshua: 

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 

- Philippians 2: 5-8

The Philippians letter rudimentarily explains what God did when becoming a man, and why.

To mention or invoke the Lord is to identify and acknowledge God - the One and only true God.

This is a repetitive theme throughout Scripture and is understood by the faithful.

From the response to the angel that Mary is going to birth the Messiah, Joseph understood what this meant:

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. 

- Luke 1: 68

Joseph equates the Lord as the God of Israel, having arrived in the flesh for a set purpose (redemption / salvation) with He has come to His people.

Although some minds, somehow, interpret the Lord and God as being separate or uniquely different, notice how the Scriptures always resolve to consider and proclaim God as One.

The prophet Isaiah forwarded the mystery in ways later affirmed and quoted in the Gospel and letters to the Church.

Notice how God speaks of Himself as the manifestation of Messiah:

“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I Am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, Am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you. You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I Am God. Yes, and from Ancient Days I Am He. No one can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” 

- Isaiah 43: 10-13

Consider how witnesses is plural, while servant is singular.

In these four verses (10, 11, 12, 13) we can see how God describes the affirmation that will take place... that one day the believer will know and believe and understand the phrase I Am He when acknowledging the Messiah as the Lord.

Was God trying to prove to Isaiah and his contemporaries that God is God (a nonsensical redundancy)?

Rather, God is speaking to a time when something unprecedented and, as history shows, something very much misunderstood and a point of contention among religious people the world over, will occur.

What other human has proclaimed themselves to be God?

Those who have, notice they have all been historically revealed to have been liars or lunatics or tyrants.

No prophet of God has made that claim, but have always separated themselves as human with human frailty and sin, and declaring God to be Holy and Almighty.

However, only Yeshua claimed to be God and this claim being affirmed from Above.

The fact that God appeared in the flesh (while never vacating heaven nor becoming divided in any fashion) is the issue that people have a difficult time reconciling... because they have not been allowed to see (yet, I pray all will and do).

Notice how in Isaiah 43 it mentions there is no Savior besides God.

Consider how salvation is promised from Yeshua's lips to those who believe in Him.

For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 

- John 6: 40

Very significant how Yeshua claims that it is He who will raise up the believer from death at the last day.

Isaiah mentions how no one other than God can deliver out of His hand.

There is no other 'power' or force or entity or being that can reverse or refuse God's will.

Thus, if something is in His hand, it cannot be removed therefrom.

Consider another claim of Yeshua:

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are One. 

- John 10: 28-30

It is interesting how this verse (and countless others) is manipulated when quoted out of context to prove the exact opposite by the deniers, the confused, and the enemies of God.

The portion often quoted by heretics is My Father... is greater than all, while the message's context is ignored for the sake of a heretical argument desiring to separate the Lord (Yeshua) from God (the Lord)..

Conveniently ignored is how Yeshua is One with the Father and that both Yeshua's hand and God's hand are One in the Same and succinctly explained.

This is why only God saves... because it is through Yeshua that He established salvation.

This is why only Messiah saves... because it is through God that He established salvation.

Notice again how Yeshua gives eternal life, not in competing with God or being an alternative form of salvation, but being God Himself (the I Am He proclaimed from Isaiah) and, thus, the source of salvation.

Shortly after the birth of Yeshua, angels declared to a group of men the significance of this birth:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

- Luke 2: 8-12

God is the only Savior, thus why Yeshua Messiah is the Savior mentioned by Joseph, an angel of the Lord, and several others:

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for Him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God, saying: 

“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your Salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” 

- Luke 2: 25-32

God's Spirit (God Himself) prophesied through Simeon in declaring His Salvation having arrived in the form of Yeshua the Messiah... as did the angel proclaim to the shepherds, as did the angel proclaim to Joseph.

What was one of the many contentions against Yeshua?

This:

“I and the Father are One.”

Again His Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone Him, but Yeshua said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?” 

“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 

- John 10: 30-33

It was plainly understood the claims Yeshua made throughout His ministry on earth.

His ministry continues on earth as His Holy Spirit continues to bring forth the kingdom of God.

The various miracles affirm the claims and the prophecies have been fulfilled when they came to pass.

Since before the Law was given to Moses, prophetic messages were affirmed by their occurrence (coming to pass).

Since Messiah established the kingdom on earth, signs and miracles accompany the testimony still Today.

This article mentions only a very small portion of the prophetic fulfillments and the miracles affirming Messiah as the Lord thy God: the He from I Am He when “You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I Am God. Yes, and from Ancient Days I Am He ”  was mentioned.

The world's history, when viewed through eyes given from Above, reveals how the kingdom has enveloped the world's kingdoms... and often enough does the news declare miracles occurring in His Name and to His glory... but more often from first-hand witnesses, sharing with the body, the Church, how the Lord Yeshua is Messiah and the I Am He.