Melchizedek Scroll Does the Melchizedek Scroll (11Q13) Prove That Some Jews Believed the Messiah Was God? One of the Dead Sea Scrolls frequently cited in discussions of Christology is 11QMelchizedek (11Q13). Some have argued that this document demonstrates that certain Jews before the time of Christ expected a divine Messiah Read more…
Daniel 10:16 — Is This Really the Pre-Incarnate Christ? A Textual and Historical Examination Introduction One argument frequently encountered in Trinitarian apologetics is that the heavenly figure in Daniel 10 is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. While the passage itself never makes this identification, some interpreters argue that the figure should Read more…
Divine Illeism and the Trinity: Does Third-Person Divine Speech Demonstrate Multiple Divine Persons? Introduction Among the many arguments advanced in support of Trinitarian theology, one of the more recent and increasingly popular proposals concerns the phenomenon of divine illeism—the use of third-person self-reference by God. Particular attention has been given Read more…
Jesus and the predicated I am statements John’s Stated Purpose: Messianic, Not Metaphysical John explicitly tells us why he wrote his Gospel: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” (John Read more…
Jesus and the I am statements The “I Am” Statements of Jesus Do They Constitute a Claim to Be YHWH? One of the most frequently repeated assertions in Trinitarian apologetics is that when Jesus says “I am” (Greek: ἐγώ εἰμι, ego eimi), he is identifying himself as YHWH, the God Read more…
Plurality Is Not Trinity: Why Old Testament Appeals Beg the Question One of the most common assertions made by Trinitarians is that the Old Testament teaches the Trinity. This claim is usually supported by appeals to passages containing plural language—statements where God speaks in the plural, acts through agents, or Read more…
Rejecting Gods Messenger is Rejecting God: The Biblical Principle of Divine Agency Introduction One of the recurring themes throughout Scripture is that God works through chosen representatives. Prophets, judges, kings, and ultimately the Messiah are all described as being sent by God to speak and act on His behalf. Because Read more…
Sitting on high Hebrews 1:3, Psalm 113:5, and the Category Error of “The Most High” Why “Sitting on High” and “The Most High” Are Not the Same Thing One argument sometimes advanced in defense of Christ’s ontological equality with God appeals to a supposed Greek parallel between Hebrews 1:3 and Read more…
The Maqqef and The Word of the LORD in 1 Kings 19:9 Does the Hebrew Grammar Turn “Word of the LORD” into “Word-LORD”? Introduction Occasionally new arguments arise in theological discussions that, while not widely held in scholarship, still deserve careful examination. One such argument concerns the maqqef (מַקֵּף), a Read more…
Nobody has ever seen God Seeing God and Making Him Known: Representation, Revelation, and John 1:18 Seeing God and Making Him Known: Representation, Revelation, and John 1:18 One of the most persistent theological assumptions imposed upon Scripture is the idea that one person of God can be seen while another Read more…