Originally Posted by aron
A cursory glance at the day's headlines strongly suggests that the human species isn't very good at solving problems. So how am I supposed to figure out the 'intrinsic' or 'essential' nature of God? Or count 'persons' of the God-head? James advised, "Do not be many teachers" and that's more true here.
Having said that, here are some tentative observations: 1. I was saved in the local baptist 'Bible church' & am thankful the gospel reached me, and am not eager to sweep away the past into a dustbin. 2. Having said that, if the Bible says that there are seven spirits, or an angel is a ministering spirit, and that "He comes with myriads of His holy ones", I'm not going to ignore that because it doesn't perfectly match our notions. The Bible comes first, not our conceptual schema.
3. I already listed my schema and will try to recap. Jesus said, "Even as the Father sent me, so I send you". This shows a chain of representative subservience. Jesus said, "Even as I kept my Father's commands, so you must keep my commands." Ditto. Jesus said, "They'll persecute you for my namesake even as they hate me for keeping the Father's name. The servant is not above the Master."
Jesus said, "Even as I am one with the Father, so you should be one with one another". This 'one' doesn't violate the Great Jewish Sh'ma, which Jesus affirmed. This is an absolute obedience to dictates of God thru scripture. How many times does the NT say, "That the scripture might be fulfilled"? This is alluded
The Centurion testified and Jesus marveled at his understanding. The Centurion being under authority gave him authority to to those under him. Same thing: a chain of representative subservience. Yet nobody conflates the Centurion with his supervisor, or for that matter the Centurionwith his slaves. Each one is distinct, yet when the servant speaks, the master's will is known. "No one has ever seen God, yet the Only Begotten Son has revealed God". Likewise, the Centurion was 'Caesar revealed' to the servants. I.e., When you see me, you see him who sent me.
Jesus even took the chain of representation further, saying, "Whatever you do to the least of these my brothers, you do to me." Yet no one conflates Jesus with them.
Seems to me that most of this would have been easily understood by first-century readers.
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