IS JOHN 17:3 A PROOF THAT JESUS CHRIST IS NOT GOD?

September 19, 2014 by Aquino Bayani

7

Before the mountains were born, the earth and the world brought forth, from eternity to eternity you are God (Ps 90:2). The Greek letters alpha and omega surround the halo of Jesus in this mural painting from the catacomb of Commodilla. One of the first bearded images of Jesus, late 4th century.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS:

17:1 When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,

17:2 just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him.

17:3 Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

17:4 I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.

17:5 Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began.”  (Jn 17:1-5)

The enemies of Christ often quote John 17:3 to prove that Jesus Christ is not God.  According to them, since the Father is the only true God, then it follows that there is no other true God except the Father.  Ergo, to the enemies of Jesus Christ He is not true God.

Are the antichrists correct?  No, they are dead wrong!  On the contrary, John 17:3 proves that Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life with the Father.

The Lord Jesus Christ said:

“I and the Father are one.”  (Jn 10:30, Douay-Rheims Version)

DRV Footnote on John 10:30: I and the Father are one: That is, one divine nature, but two distinct persons.

Note: Unless otherwise specified, all Biblical quotes are taken from New American Bible.

GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING IN ETERNITY WE SEE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS GOD AND THE OVERALL CREATOR, INFINITE TIMES BEFORE HE BECAME A MAN:

Jesus said:

“Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began (Jn 17:5).”

What is that glory Jesus is missing and yearning from the Father?

The glory that the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ had with the Father before the world begun was when the Father:

1.  Begot Him;

2.  Let all His angels worship Him;

3.  Praised Him as God twice;

4.  Ensured His everlasting throne;

5.  Made Him Christ (Anointed) and Lord;

6.  Appointed Him as the Creator of the heavens and the earth;

7.  Made Him His coequal in power and authority; and,

8.  Made Him the conqueror of His enemies.

All those eight glories of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ He had with the Father in eternity before the world begun are taken from the testimonies of the Father Himself in this wise:

1:5 For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you”?  Or again: “I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”?

1:6 And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says: “Let all the angels of God worship him.”

1:7 Of the angels he says: “He makes his angels winds and his ministers a fiery flame”;

1:8 but of the Son: “Your throne, O God (Son), stands forever and ever; and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.

1:9 You (Son) loved justice and hated wickedness; therefore God (Son), your God (Father), anointed (made Christ) you with the oil of gladness above your companions”;

1:10 and: “At the beginning, O Lord (Son), you established the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands.

1:11 They will perish, but you remain; and they will all grow old like a garment.

1:12 You will roll them up like a cloak, and like a garment they will be changed.  But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

1:13 But to which of the angels has he ever said: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool”?

1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?  (Heb 1:5-14, emphasis mine)

Thus, the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ aka the Word was God and Lord who created the heavens and the earth with His own hands, and not with the hands of the Father, eternities before He became a Man but only few recognized Him as the Creator, the Author of life, and the Source of all God’s creation:

1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1:2  He was in the beginning with God.

1:3  All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.  What came to be

1:4  through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;

1:9  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

1:10  He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.

1:14 And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.  (Jn 1:1-4, 9-10, 14)

1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.  (Jn 1:18)

For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him.  (Col 1:16)

“The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.”  (Acts 3:15)

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea, write this:” ‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this:’ (Rv 3:14)

WHILE STILL IN THE FORM OF GOD AND BEFORE HE WAS FORMED INTO A MAN, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SAID, “I AM GOD”:

43:10 You are my witnesses, says the LORD, my servants whom I have chosen To know and believe in me and understand that it is I.  Before me no god was formed, and after me there shall be none.

43:11 It is I, I the LORD; there is no savior but me.

43:12 It is I who foretold, I who saved; I made it known, not any strange god among you; You are my witnesses, says the LORD. I am God,

43:13 yes, from eternity I am He; There is none who can deliver from my hand: who can countermand what I do? (Isa 43:10-13)

And who is He who was from eternity?  He is none other than the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ:

AND THOU, BETHLEHEM Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda: out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity.  (Micah 5:2, Douay-Rheims Version)

DRV Footnote on Micah 5:2: His going forth: That is, he who as man shall be born in thee, as God was born of his Father from all eternity.

The embodiment or manifestation of the ruler in Israel (king of the Jews) who existed already from eternity was fulfilled in this manner:

2:1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,

2:2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”

2:3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

2:4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

2:5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'”  (Mt 2:1-6)

Biblical testimonies that the Lord Jesus Christ was in the form of God before He became in the form of Man:

Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, (Phil 2:6-7)

For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength!  (Isa 49:5)

In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.  Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; (Heb 5:7-8)

Truly, the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ already exists from eternity and He is the one who moved the prophets of olden times:

In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of (your) faith, the salvation of your souls.  Concerning this salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and investigated it, investigating the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the glories to follow them.  It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you with regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you (through) the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels longed to look.  (1 Pt 1:6-12)

IN JOHN 17:3, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SURREPTITIOUSLY HINTED THAT HE IS THE ETERNAL LIFE AND THE TRUE GOD WITH THE FATHER:

17:1 When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,

17:2 just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him.

17:3 Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”  (Jn 17:1-3)

…

The Lord Jesus Christ has revealed in John 17:2 that His Father has given Him power over all flesh, and that He is the giver of eternal life to all His children, of which God the Father has given His own testimony and has set His seal:

Just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him.  (Jn 17:2)

5:9 If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son.

5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.

5:11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

5:12 Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.

5:13 I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.  (1 Jn 5:9-13)

“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”  (Jn 6:27)

…

According to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ in John 17:3 eternal life is to know not only the Father but also His Son Jesus Christ.  There is no other way to eternal life except to know BOTH THE FATHER AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST because the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are one and inseparable:

“The Father and I are one.”  (Jn 10:30)

All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.  (Mt 11:27)

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, (Mt 28:19)

Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.  (Jn 5:22-23)

What we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  (1 Jn 1:3)

Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.  No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.  (1 Jn 2:22-23)

Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.  And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life.  (1 Jn 2:24-25)

Anyone who is so “progressive” as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son.  (2 Jn 1:9)

In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.  He was present originally with God.  (Jn 1:1-2, Amplified Bible)

No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known].  (Jn 1:18, AMP)

“If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”  (Jn 10:37-38)

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.”  (Jn 14:10-11)

“Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”  (Jn 6:46-47)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (Jn 14:6)

“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.”  Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”  (Jn 14:7-9)

He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  (Col 1:13-15)

…

 If eternal life is to know the Father and the Son, then it follows that the true God is the Father and the Son:

Let us contemplate on John 17:3:

“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”  (Jn 17:3)

Hypothetically, had the Lord Jesus Christ been arrogant and boastful and clings to His equality with God as God Himself and He refused to assume the guise of a servant in the form of a man, He would have said:

“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, Father, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ, the only true God.”

But because of His meekness and humbleness (cf Mt 11:29), the Lord Jesus Christ forgo His equality with God as God Himself, and He willingly lowered Himself to the level of a servant when He agreed to become a human being so that God can taste death for all mankind through Him (cf Heb 2:9):

2:3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,

2:4 each looking out not for his own interests, but (also) everyone for those of others.

2:5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,

2:6 Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.

2:7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance,

2:8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.  (Phil 2:3-8)

But we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, he who “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.  (Heb 2:9)

During His 33 brief years of guise as a servant being in the form of man, the Lord Jesus Christ temporarily set aside His omnipotence as God.  That is the reason why He did not divulge His true identity as the true God with the Father, but rather, He introduced Himself as the humble emissary of God His Father:

“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”  (Jn 17:3)

The fact that both the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are the true God and eternal life was also explicitly declared in this verse:

We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.  (1 Jn 5:20)

“He is the true God and eternal life” refers to Jesus Christ who is the embodiment or manifestation of “the one who is true” in the flesh:

And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory.  (1 Tm 3:16, DRV)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.  (1 Tm 3:16, King James Version)

THEREFORE, JOHN 17:3 AND 1 JOHN 5:20 PROVES BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WITH THE FATHER IS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE:

Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.  (Jn 17:3)

We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.  (1 Jn 5:20)

Source: splendorofthechurch.com.ph