The Godhead according to Jesus
John is often badly misunderstood is because the way that the Greek word "en" is translated to the English word "in" by some trinitarians translators, who would translate the Greek word "en" to the English word "in" in favour of supporting Jesus divinity, because Jesus cannot be inside a large group of people simultaneously unless he is some sort of divine spirit.
The Greek word "en" could mean "in" (like inside), but it could also mean on, at, by, with or among.
It radically changes the meaning of John 13 to 17 when we consider the original meaning of the Greek word "en":
Scripture (NKJV, but ἐν also translated as "by" or "with") | John | Simplified |
---|---|---|
So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified by him. If God is glorified by him, God will also glorify him by Himself, and glorify Him immediately. |
13:31-32 | God (the Father) is glorified when His son is glorified |
Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. | 13:33 | Jesus will go away |
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. | 13:34-35 | Love proof discipleship |
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in (trust) God, believe (trust) also |
14:1 | Jesus' disciples should trust what he is about to say... |
In My Father’s house are many mansions (dwelling places); if it were not so, I would have told you. | 14:2 | The Father has capacity to dwell with many |
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place (seat/opportunity) for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” | 14:2-4 | Jesus will prepare his disciples to be with his Father |
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” -- John 14:5 (NKJV)
Scripture | John | Simplified |
---|---|---|
Jesus said to him, “I am the way (or journey), the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through (because of) me. | 14:6 | Jesus is the key to life with the Father, because... |
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. | 14:7 | Jesus represent the Father |
Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” -- John 14:8 (NKJV)
Scripture (NKJV, but ἐν also translated as "by" or "with") | John | Simplified |
---|---|---|
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? | 14:9 | The Father's representative demonstrates the Father's character |
Do you not believe that I am with the Father, and the Father with me? | 14:10 | Jesus and his Father are partners |
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father Who |
14:10 | For example: Jesus speaks and act only in obedience to his Father |
Believe (trust) me that I am with the Father and the Father with me, or else believe me for the sake of the |
14:11 | Jesus' deeds proof that he represents the Father |
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in (trust) me, the |
14:12 | Those who trust Jesus would follow his example |
And greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father | 14:12 | Unlike his multitudes of disciples, Jesus is only 1 person that needs to return |
And whatever you ask (request) in my name (under my authority), that I will do, that the Father may be glorified by the Son. | 14:13 | Jesus will support those who act under his authority, which is to glorify the Father |
If you ask anything in my name (under my authority)*, I will do it. | 14:14 | Jesus would do anything for those who obey him, which is: |
If you love me | 14:15 | 1. to love him |
keep my commandments | 14:15 | 2. to keep his commandments |
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever | 14:16 | This is possible by God's helping Spirit |
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees (experience/discern) Him nor come to know Him; but you come to know Him | 14:17 | Only those who want to know God will receive His Spirit |
for He |
14:17 | God's Spirit stays or endures in our presence... |
and will be with you. | 14:17 | ... so that God can be "with" us (like He was "with" Jesus) |
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. | 14:18 | Jesus will return... |
A little while longer and the world will see me no more but you will see me. | 14:19 | ... but only to his disciples. |
Because I live, you will live also. | 14:20 | Like Jesus, his disciples will also be resurrected. |
At that day you will know that I am with my Father, and you with me, and I with you. | 14:20 | That day the Father, Jesus and his disciples will be "with" each other. |
He who has my commandments (orders/instructions) and keeps them, it is he who loves me. | 14:21 | Those who loves Jesus would obey him |
And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him | 14:21 | Those who loves Jesus is also loved by Jesus and his Father |
and I will manifest (appear in person to declare) myself to him. | 14:21 | Jesus will appear to those who love him. |
Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” -- John 14:22 (NKJV)
Scripture (NKJV, but ἐν also translated as "by" or "with") | John | Simplified |
---|---|---|
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep (guard/heed/comply with) my word and My Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. | 14:23 | Those who loves Jesus would obey his commands, therefore the Father will love them and make them part of His home. |
He who does not love me does not keep (guard/heed/comply with) my words | 14:24 | Those who does not love Jesus disobey his commands |
and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s Who sent me | 14:24 | Jesus words are not his own ideas, but the Father's instructions |
These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things | 14:25-26 | Likewise, the Holy Spirit will also teach only what the Father instructed in the same authority |
and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. | 14:26 | The Holy Spirit will remind Jesus' disciples of his teachings |
Peace (or Wholeness) I leave (permit) with you, my peace (or wholeness) I give to you; | 14:27 | Jesus' teachings will restore wholeness or peace |
not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. | 14:27 | Jesus will not disappoint like the world |
You have heard me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for my Father is greater than I. | 14:28 | It is to our own benefit that Jesus' greater Father can teach us in his absence |
And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. | 14:29 | Jesus had revealed the future so that his disciples can trust his teachings |
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing with me. | 14:30 | The ruler of this world is not in a good relationship with Jesus |
But that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment, so I do | 14:31 | Jesus love his Father, therefore he obeys him |
Arise (Wake up), let us go (drive/lead) from here (on that). | 14:31 | Jesus disciples need to be attend to lead according to his teachings and not any deceptions |
Then Jesus provide analogies to explain what he just taught:
I am the true vine (vine of truth) and my Father is the vinedresser (farmer).
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away;
and every branch that bears fruit He prunes (cleanse/purify), that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.Abide (stay/endure) with me, and I with you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide (stay/endure) in (with) the vine, neither can you, unless you abide (stay/endure) with me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who Abide (stay/endure) with me, and I with him, bears much fruit;
for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide (stay/endure) with me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.If you abide (stay/endure) with me, and my words abide (stay/endure) with you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.
-- John 15:1-8 (NKJV but ἐν restored)
To summarize:
Analogy | |
---|---|
The Father | vinedresser |
Jesus | vine |
Disciples | branches in the vine |
The world | removed branches |
(Note that the Holy Spirit is not mentioned as a separate member of the Godhead in Jesus' analogy)
Then Jesus summarizes what he meant with his analogy:
“As the Father loved me, I also have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain with you, and that your joy may be full.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
-- John 15:9-12 (NKJV)
Then Jesus continue to explain what he means by "love":
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in my name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.
-- John 15:13-17 (NKJV)
Then Jesus contrast his disciples with the people of the world:
If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Remember the word that I said to you, "A servant is not greater than his master."
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept (guard/heed) my word, they will kept (guard/heed) yours also.But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both me and my Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law:
"They hated Me without a cause."
-- John 15:18-25 (NKJV)
Scripture | John | Simplified |
---|---|---|
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds (comes) from the Father | 15:26 | "The Helper" comes from the Father, but on request of Jesus |
He will testify of me. | 15:26 | "The Helper" will testify of Jesus |
And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. | 15:27 | The disciples will testify of Jesus |
These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. | 16:1-2 | Jesus request his disciples to endure persecution |
And these things they will do to you because they have not known (come to known / recognize / perceive the Father nor me. | 16:3 | Persecution happens because people do not recognize the Father nor Jesus |
But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. | 16:4 | Jesus foretold the future to prepare his disciples for persecution |
But now I go away to Him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart | 16:5-6 | Jesus' disciples were sad that he had to go return to His Father |
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. | 16:7 | Jesus' return make it possible for "The Helper" to come |
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: | 16:8 | "The Helper" will also convict the people of the world |
of sin (failure), because they do not believe in (trust) me; | 16:9 | "The Helper" will convict the world that they failed to trust Jesus |
of righteousness (acceptability to God), because I go to my Father and you see me no more; | 16:10 | "The Helper" will convict the world how much they depend on his Father |
of judgment (God's decision), because the ruler of this world is judged | 16:11 | "The Helper" will convict the world that God will decide who He will accept |
The Jesus closed with:
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify me, for He will take of what is mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are mine. Therefore I said that He will take of mine and declare it to you.
A little while, and you will not see me;
and again
a little while, and you will see me, because I go to the Father.-- John 16:12-16 (NKJV)
These words caused some confusion among the disciples:
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”-- John 16:17-18 (NKJV)
Then Jesus explain what he meant:
Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. And in that day you will ask me nothing.
Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you.
Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;
for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.
-- John 16:19-28 (NKJV)
Then Jesus disciples respond that they finally understood what he had meant:
His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now we are sure that you know all things, and have no need that anyone should question you. By this we believe that you came forth from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
-- John 16:29-33 (NKJV)
Then Jesus prays to his Father:
"Father, the hour has come;
- glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You,
- since You have given him authority over all flesh,
- to give eternal life to all whom You have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
- I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave me to do.
- And now, Father, glorify me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.
- I have manifested Your name to the people whom You gave me out of the world.
- Yours they were, and You gave them to me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything that You have given me is from You.
- For I have given them the words that You gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that
- I came from You; and they have believed that You sent me.
- I am praying for them.
- I am not praying for the world but for those whom You have given me, for they are Yours. All mine are Yours, and Yours are mine, and
- I am glorified in them.
- And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You.
- Holy Father, keep them in Your name, which You have given me,
- that they may be one, even as we are one.
- While I was with them, I kept them in Your name, which You have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
- But now I am coming to You, and
- these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
- I have given them Your word, and
- the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world (John 18:36).
- Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
- As You sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.
- And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
- I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one,
- just as You, Father, are with me, and I with You, that they also may be with us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me. The glory that You have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in (with) them and You in (with) me, that they may become perfectly one,
- so that the world may know that You sent me and loved them even as You loved me.
- Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that You have given me
- because You loved me before the foundation of the world.
- O righteous Father, even though the world does not know You, I know You, and these know that You have sent me.
- I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known,
- that the love with which You have loved me may be with them,
- and I with them.”
-- John 17:1-26 (ESV but ἐν restored)
To summarize this prayer:
The Father | The Son | Believers |
---|---|---|
Glorifies the Son (even before the world existed) | Glorifies the Father | Glorifies the Son |
Gives all authority to the Son | Son uses authority to give eternal life to believers | May ask things in the authority of the Son |
Sent the Son | Sent by the Father | Sent by Jesus (John 20:21) |
The only God | Manifested God's name (authority) to the people | - |
Gave the people to the Son, yet still own everything given to the Son | Received the people from the Father | Believers are owned by the Father |
Gave the word to the Son | Gave the word of the Father to the people | Keep the word of the Father |
- | Pray for the believers, not the world | Should pray to the Father |
Omnipresent | Not in the world | Still in the world |
Keep (guard) believers under the Son's name (authority) in Jesus absence | Guard believers under the Son's name (authority) while Jesus was on earth | Guarded by the Father |
Is One with the Son | Is One with the Father | Believers are one |
Sent the Son | Return to the Father | Believers may have joy |
Protect believers in the world against the evil one | Not of this world, therefore hated by the world | Not of this world, but protected by the Father against evil one |
Sanctify believers in the truth (word) | Consecrate himself for current and future believers | Should believe, repent and be baptized in the name (authority) of the Son |
Is with the Son | Is with the Father | Is with the Father and the Son; The Son is with believers |
Loves the Son and believers | Loved by the Father even before the world existed; Desire to be with believers | Loved by the Father |
- | Knows the Father | Knows that Jesus knows the Father |