TOPIC SUMMARIES
Bible Books
YHWH and The Debar-YHWH and The Ruah-YHWH were involved in Creation. These three ascriptions are referred to as One in identity, thereby exhibiting the triunity of God. Throughout the record of Genesis, YHWH manifested visibly to humans in nine theophanies: 4 times to Abraham [12:1-3; 12:6-7; 17:1-22; 18:1-19:24], 1 time to Hagar [16:7-14], 2 times to Isaac [26:2-5; 26:24-25], and 2 times to Jacob [32:24-31; 35:9-15]. His manifestation to Hagar was as The Mal'ak YHWH, whom the inspired narrative labels "YHWH." In the most memorable theophany, YHWH ate Abraham's food, walked with him, and later called down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah from YHWH in Heaven [19:24]. Jacob claimed, correctly, to have seen God face-to-face, and later equated the God of Abraham and Isaac to The Angel of YHWH. These face-to-face encounters do not contradict Exodus 33:20, because it is only God The Father whom terrestrial eyes cannot look upon; visible manifestations of YHWH are in fact the pre-incarnate Son [Prov 30:6; John 1:18; 3:13].
Exodus
YHWH appeared visibly in Genesis as The Mal'ak (God in the form of a man or an angel). In Exodus He appears in a new form: The Kabod (often translated "glory," as in the "Shekinah Glory"), a manifestation of fire or unearthly light [3:2-8; 16:10; 19:3—32:15] who came first within the Burning Bush, then in the Wilderness of Sin, culminating in the great Theophany sequences of Sinai, and then continuing for centuries as the Indweller of the Tabernacle and then the Solomonic Temple. Throughout Exodus YHWH visibly appears 5 times, 3 in discrete instances and 2 habitually (throughout the entire Wilderness journey as cloud and fire, first independently and later over the Tabernacle). In Genesis He appeared to individuals, and this is done one last time at the Burning Bush. But after God promises to redeem the sons of Israel with an outstretched arm [6:6] He starts appearing to multitudes and whole nations, beginning with the Ten Plagues of Egypt: this is done so His Name will be known through all the Earth [9:15]. In the most memorable theophany, YHWH appeared visibly as a "devouring fire" on Mount Sinai and instituted a new covenant of the Law. Understanding who The Kabod is in Exodus provides the necessary background to ill-understood New Testament verses like John 1:23, John 12:41, Acts 7:2, Ephesians 5:14, and Revelation 21:23.
The Word of Yahweh (the Debar-YHWH, or else the message of God) comes to Solomon [6:11] and promises to dwell with the Israelites [6:13], something that The Kabod Yahweh fulfills [8:11]. Even though Yahweh's manifestation is visibly in front of Solomon as fire or unearthly light, Solomon prays towards the Yahweh in Heaven for the Temple dedication, marking yet another theophany where Yahweh is both on Earth and in Heaven simultaneously [cf. Gen 19:24]. Nevertheless, Solomon says, "There is no God like You" [8:23], using a singular pronoun.
The Fire of Yahweh manifests on earth again at Mount Carmel, and shows that Baal is a false god [18:38]. Elijah is brought to Sinai and Yahweh passes by Elijah [19:11] in a way reminiscent of (but not identical to) the passing by in front of Moses on Sinai.
Paul substitutes Jesus's name for Yahweh's name in several Old Testament quotations, including the One whose Name believers call upon [Joel 2:32; 1 Cor 1:2]; regarding the Eschatological Day of Yahweh [Malachi 4:5; 1 Cor 1:8], the Eschatological Judge is Jesus instead of Yahweh [1 Cor 4:4-5]. These amazing declarations are surmounted by a stunning capstone—that Jesus is included within the holiest confession of Judaism, The Shema [8:6]. This would be the highest blasphemy Paul could have possibly written, unless Jesus is Yahweh. Jesus was Yahweh in the Old Testament [10:4], the one whom the ancient Israelites put to the test in the exodus from Egypt [10:9]. He is part of the triune God, who gives humans spiritual gifts, appoints their ministries, and produces different results in them [12:4–6].
The Father and The Son jointly give a singular command [1:1]. There is only one mediator between God and humans: Jesus Christ [2:5], the only one who is both. Jesus is "The Living God, who manifested in flesh" [3:15-16]. The Father and The Son are simultaneously the Savior of all mankind [1:15; 4:10]. The Spirit speaks to humans [4:1]. God The Father, the blessed and Only Ruler, will bring about final judgment and the Eschaton via the appearance of The Lord Jesus Christ.
The Father provided salvation for humans by His grace even before He created them: His provision was The Son, who existed before time began [1:9–10]. Paul explicitly lists two Lords [1:18], despite being a monotheist. Jesus Christ, the immutable [1:18] Judge of the Living and the Dead [4:1], is cited in two Old Testament quotations [Num 16:5; Ps 28:4], substituted as Yahweh [2 Tim 2:19; 4:14].
Philemon
Faith in The Lord Jesus [1:5] rather than The Father is possible within monotheism because Jesus is included in the identity of Yahweh. Paul has great confidence that Christ (or, The Spirit of Christ) can influence Philemon to release Onesimus from slavery [1:8].
Supernatural blessings are available from The Father and The Son [1:3], who jointly constitute "God" [1:9], whom one "has" in a salvific sense by remaining in the Christian teaching.
Themes
The Kabod YHWH is marginally distinguished from YHWH, yet constantly conflated. The Kabod YHWH heard and responded to human speech [Exod 16:7], visibly appeared in the Wilderness of Sin [Exod 16:10], descended upon Mount Sinai as a "consuming fire" [Exod 24:16–17], was called "The God of Israel" [Exod 24:10], consecrated offerings [Exod 29:43], passed by Moses in lieu of The Father's "face" which cannot be seen [Exod 34:6], permanently dwelled within the Tabernacle once it was erected, itself within "The Cloud of YHWH" [Exod 40:34–35], physically consumed a burnt offering as a tendril of fire [Lev 9:24], was associated with humans seeing YHWH "eye to eye" [Num 14:14], and spoke to Ezekiel in a vision [Ezek 8:5]. The Kabod YHWH is a visible, tangible, and interpersonal manifestation of YHWH. The Kabod YHWH is YHWH.
"Mystery" means something different in Greek than in English. It means "something unknown in the past but now revealed to certain people." The Mystery of God is this: "Christ in flesh and Christ in you." That is, the one who is called The Living God [1 Tim 3:15] manifested in flesh [1 Tim 3:16] to God's saints [Col 1:26] as Christ Jesus Adonenu [Eph 3:11], and the one who is called The Spirit of God [Rom 8:9b] and The Spirit of Christ [Rom 8:9c; 1 Pet 1:11] and "Christ in you" [Col 1:27b] has been sent from Heaven [1 Pet 1:12] in order to dwell in the hearts of Christians [Eph 3:16-17; Rom 8:9], which was foretold as an action of Yahweh [Ezek 37:26-27]. This mystery was not comprehended by The Darkness [John 1:5] nor known by the rulers of this age [1 Cor 2:8], but now the saints are able to comprehend (καταλαβέσθαι) it and God has made it known to the Gentiles [Col 1:27a] so they too can be partakers in the promise [Eph 3:6].
Where Does Jesus Say, "I Am God"?
Jesus declared something even stronger than, "I am God." He said He was Yahweh, the great I AM, the only God.
John 7-8 sets the stage by repeatedly declaring Jesus's otherworldliness and pre-existence. Most of Jesus's declarations and answers regarded ontology (nature), origin, and derivation. And immediately before His final statement in John 8:58, He was challenged about His greatness, His age, His identity, and His claim to have seen Abraham—a man who lived 2,000 years before the discussion took place. He answered, "I AM." The Greek in John 8:58 points strongly towards a "calque," a direct translation of a word or phrase in one language stiltedly into another to retain the original sense. It is a calque of אֶהְיֶה in Exodus 3:14, a self-designation used exclusively by Yahweh about Himself: the "I AM." His listeners understood that he was claiming to be Yahweh, because they immediately tried to stone him, something they did not attempt the entire week despite His other, veiled claims. During His preaching in John 7–8, Jesus claimed deity not once, but 6 times [8:12; 8:19; 8:23; 8:24; 8:28; 8:58]. His listeners only seemed to uniformly understand the last one. Thus fails the claim that Jesus never said He was God.