Trinity, Trinity, Trinity...

by Mazzie Brossmann 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  designs

  dig692,

  What you pose about Jesus not knowing the Eschaton is raised often because the formulators of the doctirne known as the Trinity also wrote that Jesus was 'Fully God' in his time on earth so the problem of omniscience comes up. Two persons one being, two beings one person, various attempts were made to reconcile the problem. Filters in the mind, one part doesn't speak to the other part, progressive revelation and on it went. The son 'proceeding from the Father' was the Eastern Oriental solution, homoiousianism and Ariusism were other solutions. The early Jewish Messianics thought the Messiah figure could be a reincarnation of one of the great Prophets or a 'divine exalted being' specially chosen to do God's work.
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  Chalam

  Hi dig692 & slappy,

  particularly the part about omniscience. If each of the three possess that attribute, then how does one account for Matt 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone" or the other scripture that escapes me at this time where Jesus says "the Father is greater than I am" -- Is this because Jesus was in the nature of Man and no longer God?

  Appreciate the responses all!

  Indeed, good question but for me, Philippians 2 has answered this already. Just to break it down, verse by verse.

  Philippians 2:5-11 (New International Version)

  5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
  6 Who, being in very nature God,
  did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

  Simply, Jesus being equal with God (the Father) did not hold on to that position.

  7 but made himself nothing,
  taking the very nature of a servant,
  being made in human likeness.

  Jesus became as a man and came to serve, the Father and us.

  8 And being found in appearance as a man,
  he humbled himself
  and became obedient to death—
  even death on a cross!

  And this is how He served us all. Notice the obedience "to death".

  9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
  and gave him the name that is above every name,

  In serving, He became exalted. Jesus' name it the above every name. None is more significant, not "Jehovah", not YHWH, none.

  
  10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
  in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

  Everyone will worship Jesus one day, in the physical and in the spiritual realm.

  11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
  to the glory of God the Father.

  Note that Jesus is Lord, not the Father but to the glory of the Father.

  Now, I heard and interesting teaching recently with regards to if Jesus is now omniscient and "knows all things".

  OK, notice that Jesus humbled Himself "to death". Note, the NIV is a little loose in the translation stakes. See here for a tighter translation

  Philippians 2:8 (English Standard Version)
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  designs

  It may help some in resolving the 'gap' of omniscience that goes unaswered in Gentile Christian Theology to consdier some works by theologians who looked on the other side of the aisle. Put on the Jewish mindset and a different Praxis and Story emerge. Jesus does not set about to establish a new set of theological propositions. He does not ask for an 'arid reductionism' of Judaism and its beliefs.

  Some attempts at finding the historical Jesus-

  Albert Schweitzer- The Apocalyptic Jesus

  Martin Kahler- The So Called Historical Jesus

  Hermann Reimarus- The Mistake

  Homo Imago Dei- in the 'Image of God' is a study in contrasts from the Jewish and Gentile Churches perspectives that sets in motion why the gap exits.