Is Jesus equal to His Father?

[shad]

John 17:1-26 (New International Version)

John 17
Jesus Prays for Himself
1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6"I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your nameâ€â€the name you gave meâ€â€so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

There you have it, Jesus makes it very clear that He is not equal with His Father. He is very submissive in all His testimony about His relationship with His Father. On the other hand, His Father does not pray to anyone, not even to Jesus does He not?

 

[Paidion]

Jesus is essentially equal to His Father, but not positionally equal.

 

[shad]

Jesus is essentially equal to His Father, but not positionally equal.

Would you elaborate it please, Paidion?

 

[Free]

Jesus is essentially equal to His Father, but not positionally equal.

I agree, depending on exactly how you define those terms of course.

 

[shad]

Jesus is essentially equal to His Father, but not positionally equal.

I agree, depending on exactly how you define those terms of course.

Father is above Jesus in power. Jesus is absolutely under Him. Jesus is Lamb of God and Savior of the world because His Father let Him be. His Father is source of everything.

 

[Free]

All right, I'm tired of all of this. Here is a key passage that is continually overlooked by anti-trinitarians, and for good reason:

Phi 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Phi 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Phi 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Phi 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

It clearly shows that Christ, though God in nature and therefore equal with "God" (the Father), voluntarily submitted himself to the Father as part of the Godheads plan for the salvation of mankind.

Put that together with:

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

and

Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Col 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
Col 1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and it all forms a cohesive whole pointing to the obvious eternal nature of Jesus.

As I have stated many times, the doctrine of the Trinity best takes into account all that the Bible reveals of Jesus, while other doctrines ignore or twist certain passages that don't fit.

 

[MISFIT]

All right, I'm tired of all of this. Here is a key passage that is continually overlooked by anti-trinitarians, and for good reason:

Phi 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Phi 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Phi 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Phi 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

It clearly shows that Christ, though God in nature and therefore equal with "God" (the Father), voluntarily submitted himself to the Father as part of the Godheads plan for the salvation of mankind.

Put that together with:

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

and

Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Col 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
Col 1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and it all forms a cohesive whole pointing to the obvious eternal nature of Jesus.

As I have stated many times, the doctrine of the Trinity best takes into account all that the Bible reveals of Jesus, while other doctrines ignore or twist certain passages that don't fit.

Great post Free.

 

[Cornelius]

Joh 14:28 Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.

Just read what the Bible says, without adding your own "interpretations"

 

[shad]

Joh 14:28 Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.

Just read what the Bible says, without adding your own "interpretations"

You are right, trinitarians add their own doctrine and ignoring what Jesus has to say about Himself and His Father. It is really sad the way they are messing around with the Scripture.

 

[oneisgod]

John 17:1-26 (New International Version)

John 17
Jesus Prays for Himself
1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6"I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your nameâ€â€the name you gave meâ€â€so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

There you have it, Jesus makes it very clear that He is not equal with His Father. He is very submissive in all His testimony about His relationship with His Father. On the other hand, His Father does not pray to anyone, not even to Jesus does He not?

What you say in the above is well supported in The bible:-


1 Corinthians 15:24-28

The reading from the New International Version (note the bold type) is as follows :-

"24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 For he "has put everything under his feet". Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all."

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

In the following added to help understanding who is being refereed to their name has been inserted into the ( ) as an identity aid.

1 Cor. 15:24 "Next, the end, when he (Jesus) hands over the kingdom to his God* (Jehovah) and Father* (Jehovah), when he (Jesus) has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. [*See John 20:17]
25 For he (Jesus) must rule as king until (Jehovah) [God] has put all enemies under his (Jesus') feet.
26 As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing.
27 For (Jehovah) [God] “subjected all things under his (Jesus') feet.†But when he (Jehovah) says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that it is with the exception of the one (Jehovah) who subjected all things to him (Jesus).
28 But when all things will have been subjected to him (Jesus), then the Son (Jesus) himself will also subject himself (Jesus) to the One (Jehovah) who subjected all things to him (Jesus), that (Jehovah) God may be all things to everyone.
[N.W.T. ftn. 1 Corinthians 15:28 Or, “will be subjected.â€Â]


Here in the above text Jesus Christ is subservient to Jehovah God as is also shown at

N.W.T. 1 Cor 11:3 "Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."-N.I.V

1 Cor 11:3 Good News Bible (T.E.V.)
“But I want you to understand that Christ is supreme over every man, the husband is supreme over his wife, and God is supreme over Christ.â€Â


GREEK WORD STUDY
"subjected" Greek. hypotasso.(in various forms) [Lit. Will be subjected]

Other use's of "subjected" in the English text of the N.W.T. as the above:

Romans 8:20 "For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will but through him that subjected it, on the basis of hope."

Ephesians 1:22 "He also subjected all things under** his feet, and made him head over all things to the congregation."

**"Put All Things Under [K.J.V.] The word "put" is hypotasso. I was originally used as a military term, meaning "to place" or "rank under"; then, "to subject, out in subjection" (A-S***, p.463). "All things" (panta) will not only be placed under Christ's feet, but put there in a state of complete subjection to Him. Only then will there be peace among man.
The verb is in the aorist tense, indicating that this has now been done. But this might almost be called a prophetic aorist. In the mind and purpose of God everything is already in subjection under His Son. But the actual completing of his will, in action, waits for the end of the age (Heb. 2:8-10)."-Word Meanings in the New Testament by Ralph Earle p.297

***G. Abbotts-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Second edition Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1923.

Hebrews 2:5 "For it is not to angels that he has subjected the inhabited earth to come, about which we are speaking.
6 But a certain witness has given proof somewhere, saying: “What is man that you keep him in mind, or [the] son of man that you take care of him?
7 You made him a little lower than angels; with glory and honor you crowned him, and appointed him over the works of your hands.
8 All things you subjected under his feet.†For in that he subjected all things to him [God] left nothing that is not subject to him. Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him;
9 but we behold Jesus, who has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God’s undeserved kindness might taste death for every [man]."


Ephesians 5:21 "Be in subjection to one another in fear of Christ.
22 Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord,
23 because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation, he being a savior of [this] body.
24 In fact, as the congregation is in subjection to the Christ, so let wives also be to their husbands in everything."

In the above we see the scriptural arrangement for the delegation of responsibility within the family with the man being ultimately responsible to Jesus so as to obey him. This section of scripture uses the same Greek word "hypotasso" as used in 1 Cor 15:24-28, thus showing the inspired idea that Paul penned is that Christ in subordinate or subservient to His Farther, Jehovah as a good son should be.


Vine's Exops. Dic. of Bible Words page 606 reads "hupotasso (upotassw, 5293) primarily a military term, "to rank under" (hupo, under," tasso, "to arrange") . . . "

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament page 1159 reads:-
"hypotasso.
A. The Greek World.
1. The Active form of this verb means "to place under," "to affix," "to subordinate" (passive "to be subject").
2. The middle form means "to subject oneself," "to be subservient," "to submit voluntarily."

B. The LXX. The verb is not common in the LXX and stands for 13 Hebrew words in the usual senses "to place under," "to subordinate, "to subject," passive "to be subject," and middle "to subject oneself," to submit," especially to God (Ps 37:7).

C. The NT.
2. a. . . . A play on the active* occurs in 1 Cor. 15:28. In his only use of the absolute "the Son," Paul here shows the Son achieves absolute power only to hand it back to God. All power rightly belongs to God, but to the very limit God has given to "the Son" the precedence that is his due."
*Active = The Active Voice represents the action as accomplished by the subject of the verb.

Note in the above that "ïµï°ï¯ï´ï¡ï¸ï¡ï®ï´ï©" is a military term for some one of lower rank, thus is fitting for Jesus as he is of lower in rank when compared to The Almighty 'Jehovah'.

In the above we see the subjection of Christ in his heavenly position to his "Father" and "God" (John 20:17; 1 Cor 11:3), which the Apostle Paul refers to in 1 Cor 15. some 22 yrs after the resurrection of Jesus Christ in his now greater and Glorified Heavenly position (Phil 2:9-11), yet he still submitting to the Almighty God to whom he owes responsible for his position and power which is not out of himself but received from his Father and Creator (Mtt 28:17; Rev 3:14) thus Jesus is Jehovah's subordinate. So this being a scriptural revelation and inspired of Almighty God (2 Tim 3:16-17), thus Jesus cannot be Almighty God as he has to obey HIS God and Father as it states in the N.I.V. in the following texts from the Gospel of John:-

5:19 "Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does."

5:30 "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me."

7:28 "So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me."

8:42 "Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me."


Here Jesus is referring to the things he was taught before he came to the earth, thus, he learned obedience in a new way, on earth as a man (Heb 5:8) and he is are exemplar in that we must submit to Jehovah God's will in all things (1 Peter 2:21-23).

 

[Free]

Joh 14:28 Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.

Just read what the Bible says, without adding your own "interpretations"

You are right, trinitarians add their own doctrine and ignoring what Jesus has to say about Himself and His Father. It is really sad the way they are messing around with the Scripture.

Shad, if you want to add something substantive to this debate, then feel free to do so. But please don't post such comments with nothing to back it up.

My post made clear the relation of the Son to the Father. The trinitarian position not only takes into account the passage you posted in the OP but it also takes into account the passages I posted. Your position takes into account the passage you posted but completely fails to address the passages I posted. Do you see the problem?

 

[shad]

Free,

You and your trinitarian friends are ignoring so many clear statements of Jesus.

 

[cyberjosh]

Joh 14:28 Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.

Just read what the Bible says, without adding your own "interpretations"

You are right, trinitarians add their own doctrine and ignoring what Jesus has to say about Himself and His Father. It is really sad the way they are messing around with the Scripture.

Wait though, if you stick with straight Scripture reading, then you must also admit that Jesus is God. Have I correctly detected that you are hesitant in doing so? If you understand that Jesus is God then the true nature of Jesus' "subordinate" position to His Father comes into clearer focus.

~Josh

 

[oneisgod]

Joh 14:28 Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.

Just read what the Bible says, without adding your own "interpretations"

You are right, trinitarians add their own doctrine and ignoring what Jesus has to say about Himself and His Father. It is really sad the way they are messing around with the Scripture.

Wait though, if you stick with straight Scripture reading, then you must also admit that Jesus is God. Have I correctly detected that you are hesitant in doing so? If you understand that Jesus is God then the true nature of Jesus' "subordinate" position to His Father comes into clearer focus.

~Josh

Almighty God is not "subordinate" to anyone or any thing; Jesus is "subordinate" to God, thus he cannot be God.

 

[Free]

shad and oneisgod,

Have either of you even read the passages I provided? Don't keep making such statements and not even respond to my post.

 

[mutzrein]

Nowhere in scripture is it stated that Jesus is equal to his Father.

Consider these two statements:

I am equal to my father.
I am equal with my father.

It seems obvious that many can’t see the difference because one says that I am the same AS my father while the other shows that I am equal WITH my father.

It is clear that being equal with something does not equate to being the same thing, so when it says, “He thought it not robbery to be equal with God†it is not saying that he thought it robbery to be God.

It is recorded in scripture that a king or ruler would offer to a certain subject, reward because they pleased them. And what was it they offered? They were offered anything up to half of the kingdom. Now scripture records that the subject was content with far less than half the kingdom but why would a king or ruler offer up to half – and not more? You see by offering up to half they were actually making the subject equal. They would be given authority, and dominion over others of the king’s subjects, in fact, being able to stand in his place. But it did not make them the king. You see, the king exalted that subject higher than any other and the only person that did not come under their authority was the King Himself.

And this is the relationship that God, our heavenly Father, has with His son. Not that he has been given half of God’s kingdom but as one who is under subjection to His Father, Jesus is the one to whom has been given all power and authority above all else. All except God Himself of course. Therefore He (Jesus) thought it not robbery to be equal with (but not the same as) God.

 

[shad]

shad and oneisgod,

Have either of you even read the passages I provided? Don't keep making such statements and not even respond to my post.

You are ignoring what Jesus says too. You are disrespecting Jesus' testimony.

 

[MarkT]

All right, I'm tired of all of this. Here is a key passage that is continually overlooked by anti-trinitarians, and for good reason:

Phi 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Phi 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Phi 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Phi 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

It clearly shows that Christ, though God in nature and therefore equal with "God" (the Father), voluntarily submitted himself to the Father as part of the Godheads plan for the salvation of mankind.

This is saying 'before' Christ became a servant (one of us), he was in the form of God, but that he did not try to make himself equal to God (as Satan did I suppose) or even count equality with God as something that could be attained or grasped. Some Bibles make this harder to understand. Nevertheless, this was 'before' he became a servant.

The KJV uses the word 'robbery' in an awkward way and it sounds like Christ Jesus didn't think it was robbery to be equal to God. But I think if you look at it as, to be equal to God, he didn't think it was 'robbery' (ie a thing to be grasped or attained), then I think you can gain a better understanding. The RSV is better - 'though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.'

Now the question is, what was his form before he took our form? He was the light, and light can take various forms. He was the burning bush, the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. He was the appearance of God in the garden. He was the appearance of God to Abraham. No one has ever seen the Father according to Jesus. But according to Jesus, Abraham saw his Day - God called the light Day. Gen. 1:5 'The Father is greater than I', according to Jesus. John 14:28 It is enough for a son to be like his father to please his father.

Phi 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Phi 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The RSV says he emptied himself taking the form of a servant. Certainly something is implied there - he was immortal - he became mortal.

 

[MarkT]

Satan has the desire to be equal to God. Jesus Christ didn't and we don't. We humble ourselves as he did. Satan told Eve she could be equal to God. Do you think Jesus was like her, believed he was or could be? Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. It's amazing how you can take, 'You are the Son of God', and pass it through the Trinity concept, and have it come out 'Jesus is God'. I'm not saying you can't in some sense. 'Jesus' is God's name. He was God's name incarnate.

 

[Free]

You are ignoring what Jesus says too. You are disrespecting Jesus' testimony.

This is really quite unbelievable and disappointing, although not surprising. Despite my repeated requests, you have not even attempted to address the main passages I gave in my first post.


mutzrein and MarkT,

I will show why your understandings of the passage in Phil. 2 is inconsistent with the other two passages I gave.

Phi 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Phi 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Phi 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Phi 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

A few things to note:

1. Christ existed "in the form of God," that is, he appeared as God. The NIV renders this as "being in very nature God".

2. "a thing to be grasped" is best understood as "a thing to be forcefully retained". This is entirely consistent with point 1 and shows why the KJV renders it as "robbery".
a. being in nature God, Jesus did not consider that something to be held onto
b. look at the language: "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing". The word usage makes little sense if Jesus "did not count equality with God a thing to be attained." It only makes sense if he was already God in nature.

3. He, that is Jesus, "made himself nothing" or "emptied himself". Again, this is consistent with point 1
a. it was he who emptied himself, which shows that he had the power to do so
b. he had been something (as opposed to the "nothing" that he became).

4. Christ took "the form of a servant," that is, he was "born in the likeness of men"
a. this is consistent with all previous points since it would mean that being in "the form of God" would have meant he was in the likeness of God.
b. it is apparent that Jesus existed prior to his "being born in the likeness of men"

5. "being found in human form, he humbled himself"
a. Jesus, the Son, humbled himself to the will of the Father for the salvation of man.


This passage perfectly explains the relationship of the Son to the Father. Although Jesus was in nature God, he chose to humble himself by being born as a man so that he could die on the Cross for the salvation of man, being obedient to the Father. Since he emptied himself to become human, he was dependent on the Father, which is entirely consistent with the statements he makes of himself and his relationship to the Father.

That is an absolutely key passage in understanding the Father-Son relationship.

Now we can move on to John 1:1-3, which I have partially explained in another thread but will do again here for a better understanding and fuller picture of the nature of Christ.