To the Reader: This article touches on an important view that were debated not only by the early church, but by today’s churches as well. And that view would be concerning the person and nature of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, to find the truth we must study God’s word and see what it has to say. So, after reading this article I encourage you to do a further study on you own. For we shouldn’t take everything we hear and read as facts. This would be true whether it’s coming from the pulpit, a seminary teacher, or even from articles such as this one. Therefore: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) May God help us to have a deeper understanding of His word. Amen.

“The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” ... But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:7-10, 17-18 ESV)

So, did Jesus really break the sabbath in that passage above by healing a crippled man and others as well? Also, did Jesus really claimed to be equal to God the Father while being flesh and blood like us? Well, to answer these questions, we must see what other passages have to say. First, let’s see if he broke the sabbath: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19 NET) So, we see that Jesus came to fulfill the law. Therefore, since obeying the Sabbath was part of the Ten Commandments, shouldn’t we all agree that Jesus didn’t break it?

Now, let’s take note to another passage where the Jews falsely accused Jesus of breaking the sabbath. “Then Jesus left that place and entered their synagogue. A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” so that they could accuse him. He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, as healthy as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate him.” (Matthew 12:9-14 NET) So, Jesus said it not wrong to do good on the sabbath which would include doing miracles of healing.

Next, did Jesus claim to be equal with God by saying that God is his Father? Well, didn’t Jesus say to his followers to: “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10 ESV). So, if we pray that prayer, are we making ourselves equal with God by calling him Father as well? No, of course not. Now, we can see the same thing happening where the Jews wanted to stone Jesus for saying: “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30 KJV). For: “The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” (John 10:33 ESV) But again, didn’t Jesus say: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:20-21 KJV) So, does this make us Christians also equal with God because we are one in both God the Father and Jesus as well? Again, of course not.

So, wouldn’t all this be a misconception that was made by the Pharisees? For we must always test scripture with scripture my fellow Christians. Below are some comments by others on what was mentioned above.

• As we have seen, when John wrote that Jesus “broke the Sabbath” (John 5:18), he was describing Jesus’ actions from the Pharisees’ perspective (compare 9:14-1 6). Those who say Jesus did actually break the Sabbath are agreeing with Christ’s enemies - His accusers - that Jesus’ miraculous works of healing was a breach of the Sabbath law. They are agreeing with Jesus’ accusers that He was a Sabbath-breaker. To be consistent, they must also agree with the Pharisees when they said of Christ: “We know that this man is a sinner” (v. 24). The blind man who had been healed knew better than that, saying that “we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him” (v. 31). When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He was not violating the law of God. By His actions, He demonstrated the true application of God’s laws - rather than Pharisaic traditions - that “it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:12). The “law” that Jesus violated was a man-made rule that was itself against the principles of God’s law. Remember: Had Jesus Christ actually broken the Sabbath, He would have been sinning. But the Scripture says that He “committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22). Had He sinned, He could not be our Savior. But He, being undefiled and separate from sinners, offered Himself without spot and without blemish to God for our redemption (Hebrews 7:26; 9:14; 1 Peter 1:18 - 19). No, Jesus did not break the Sabbath. He spent the Sabbath preaching, teaching, healing, honoring God and doing the good work of His ministry - the work of God. (The Bible Sabbath Association by Rob Reynolds)
• When Jesus says to the apostles, “you in me, and I in you” (John 14:20), he is using the same wording that he used when he speaks of being “in” the Father. In fact, Jesus prayed in John 17:21 that people will believe so “that they also may be in us” (in the Father and Jesus). A study of Jesus’ teaching at the Last Supper shows that he placed a lot of emphasis on he and the Father being “in” each other (John 14:10, 11, 20; 17:21-22), and similarly taught about the disciples being “in” him and he “in” them (John 15:4-7). Thus, just as God and Jesus have an intimate relationship and are in union with one another, so God, Jesus, and believers are to be in an intimate relationship with one another. … Another word in John that expresses the union and fellowship between God, Jesus, and the believer is the word “one.” Jesus said that He and the Father were “one” (John 10:30), meaning one in purpose, unified, in intimate relationship with each other. … Jesus expanded what he said about He and his Father being “one” at the Last Supper when three times he prayed about the believers being “one” just as God and Christ were one. He prayed, “that they may be one, just as we are” (John 17:11), and “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us” (John 17:21), and “so that they may be one, just as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one” (John 17:22-23). It is clear from all the uses of “one” that Jesus and God being “one” does not refer to them being “one God and of the same essence,” but rather one in purpose. John 10:38, REV Bible and Commentary (revisedenglishversion.com

“Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28 KJV)

Jesus in that passage above is declaring that God the Father is greater than he is. Also, in Hebrews 2:9 we read: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. ... Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:9, 14-15 KJV) So, it clearly says above that Jesus “was made a little lower than the angels.” And concerning his humanity, it also says: “he also himself likewise took part of the same.”

And finally, let’s take heed to what Jesus himself said: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” (John 17:3-4 NIV) So, while being flesh and blood like us, Jesus was declaring that God the Father is the only true God. We can see John pointing this out later in one of his epistles where he said: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20 ASV).

So, wouldn’t the words: “that we may know him who is true,” “we are in him who is true” as well as: “This is the true God and eternal life” be referring to God the Father himself? I encourage you to examine and study the scriptures closely for yourselves my fellow Christians. For Jesus did say to “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” (Matthew 11:29 ESV)

Below are a few of other bible versions from 1 John 5:20:

• "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us insight to recognize the True One; and we are in union with the True One through His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life." (Williams)
• "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, so that we may know Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true, and in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God, and the eternal life." (AFV)
• "And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and Eternal Life." (KJ21)
• "And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life." (NLT)
• "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we can know the True One, and we are in union with the True One by being in union with his Son Jesus Christ. This One is the true God and the life of the age to come." (REV)

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ; Jesus became like us in order to show us the way to God the Father. And not only that, he came to take upon himself the sins of the world. So then: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 NASB95) This is a true act of love by both God our Father and Jesus our Savior as well. 

• “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:5-6 NIV)
• “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 NIV)

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11 ESV)

Now, that all being said, we shouldn’t think of Jesus as some ordinary prophet that has come and gone. For according to John’s gospel we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 KJV) And we know that the: “Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV) Yes, the Word became flesh as the man Christ Jesus. Therefore, we shouldn’t be challenging his relationship with God nor who he was before coming to this earth. For Jesus did say: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5 ESV)

And let’s remember that we’re all in a learning process. Therefore, we may not have everything down perfect yet. However, if we believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior who died for our sins and after three days he rose for our justification, then we’re heading down the road that leads to eternal life. So then, let’s do our best to test everything my fellow Christians. That would include not only what's written in this article, but what’s coming from the pulpit as well. Therefore, I encourage all of you to study the bible for yourselves. For that’s what the Berean Jews did, for we read: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11 ESV)

So, that all being said I pray: "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:17-23 ESV)

So as said before; I encourage you to: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV) And a good place to start is by going through these bible passages below with an open mind and heart, ready to hear what God has to say. 

• "Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:1-5 NASB95)
• "Have this mindset in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who, though being in the appearance of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped at, but instead he emptied himself by taking the appearance of a servant, becoming like the rest of humankind. And being found as an ordinary human, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death - even death on a cross! And therefore God raised him to the highest place of honor and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow - in heaven and on earth and under the earth - and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 REV)
• "He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:15-16 RSV)

Below are some other scriptures showing that Jesus became just like us. I encourage you to go through them all and take to heart what’s being said as well:

• “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32 ESV) 
• “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 ESV)
• “Jesus grew in wisdom and maturity. He gained favor from God and people.” (Luke 2:52 GW)
• “And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:18-19 ESV KJV)
• “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28 KJV)
• “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3 ESV)
• “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:” (Acts 2:22 KJV)
• “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:7 KJV)
• “For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:5-6 NKJV)
• “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21 ESV)
• “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV)
• “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Hebrews 2:9 KJV)
• “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.” (Psalm 8:4-5 NKJV)
• “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17-18 ESV)
• “Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.” (1 John 3:2 NET)
• “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20 NIV, ASV)
• “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25 NASB95
• “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:4-6 ESV)
• "‘The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” (Revelation 3:12 NASB20)

(Note: The bible versions used in this article are listed to assist in your study of God’s word)

• ESV = English Standard Version
• KJV = King James Version
• NIV = NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
• NASB20 = New American Standard Bible, 2020 edition
• NASB95 = New American Standard Bible, 1995 edition
• ASV = American Standard Version
• NET = New English Translation
• NKJV = New King James Version
• GW = God's Word
• REV = Revised English Version
• KJ21 = The 21st King James Version
• AFV = A Faithful Version
• Williams = Williams New Testament

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To the Reader: So, who raised who? Did Jesus raise himself out of hell, or was it an act of God the Father? Well, to find that answer we must dig deep into the scriptures. And the only way we can do this is to examine the scriptures for ourselves. This way we can know the truth and put away any false teachings that are out there. So, let us pray and always follow the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. Therefore: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB20)

May God’s love and mercy be with you all. Amen.

“So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”.” (John 2:18-19 ESV)

Above is one of those passages that needs to be examined closely. For just a casual reading of it makes it sound like Jesus raise himself. So, to find that answer we need examine what other bible passages have to say. And the first one we come to is: “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:23-24 RSV)” (Acts 2:23-24 KJV)

Now, further on in this same chapter Peter said: “Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” (Acts 2:29-32 RSV)

So, we can see that it was God the Father who raised up Jesus. And let’s remember that Jesus himself was a prophet and spoke the words of God. For Moses himself declared this when he said: “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.” (Deuteronomy 18:15 KJV) Therefore, when Jesus said in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” wouldn’t he be simply prophesying what God the Father was going to do? And wouldn’t that be the fact that God the Father would raise him up from the dead? For we also read: “When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” (John 2:22 KJV)

Below are some scriptures showing that Jesus was a prophet as Moses foretold:

• “And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. ... But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.” (Matthew 21:11 ,46 KJV)
• “But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4 KJV)
• “And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.” (Luke 7:16 KJV)
• “Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’” (Luke 13:33 ESV)
• “And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Luke 24:19 ESV)
• “Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.” (John 4:16-19 ESV)
• “Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.” (John 6:14 KJV)
• “Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.” (John 7:40 KJV)
• “They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.” (John 9:17 KJV)
• “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.” (Acts 3:22 KJV)
• “This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.” (Acts 7:37 KJV)

Below are some comments from others:

• New Testament scholar and historian, Larry Hurtado, examined the New Testament evidence and offers this observation: “So, Jesus’ resurrection is presented, not as Jesus’ act, but God’s… Actually, a survey of all the NT references to Jesus’ resurrection will confirm this pattern, in which it is posited as the crucial act of God, not the act of Jesus.” Taken from: christianitytoday.com article concerning Larry Hurtado New Testament early Christian worship.
• I will put MY Words in his mouth. Deuteronomy 18:18; see Acts 2:22-26. This was a message from God the Father to these Jews. … And the Word having become flesh, God the Father speaks to these Jews by means of his Word, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” … And we find in the Gospel of John that Jesus tells us by what authority that he says the things he says and does the things he does. He came in the name of his Father and the Father abiding in him did the works (14:10). His words were not his own but the Father’s who sent him (14:24). … Jesus tells us many times in John's Gospel that he spoke the words of the Father. He kept his Father’s word (8:55) for eternal life. “For I did not speak from myself, but the Father Himself who sent me has given me commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.” John 12:50. The word Jesus had spoken at John 2:19 were the words of the Father. The Father’s word is “the word of life” (1 John 1:1) … Therefore, being the Father’s word, what then did you expect the Father to say when these men asked Jesus by what authority he had cleared the Temple? “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it.” up.” (Taken from the website: angilefire.com)
• So what Jesus said was very unusual and cryptic, but thankfully there is a key in the context that shows that Jesus was not contradicting the clear teaching that God would raise him from the dead. Only a few verses after John 2:19, John 2:22 says that Jesus “was raised,” and the Greek verb is passive voice, indicating that someone [God!] raised Jesus and that he did not raise himself. The fact that Jesus’ statement in John 2:19 is followed closely by the statement that Jesus “was raised” shows us that the author of the Gospel of John did not think that Jesus was saying that he would raise himself from the dead. Furthermore, the Gospel of John continues teaching that Jesus “was raised,” as we see in John 21:14. … “Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up” is that he was speaking directly for the Father. Jesus said in John 14:24, “the word that you are hearing is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.” So, Jesus could have been speaking the words of God the Father directly in the same way that often the prophets of old said, “Thus saith Yahweh,” and then spoke directly for God. We should note that when Jesus cleansed the Temple in Matthew and Mark, he quoted from Scripture: for example, in Matthew 21:13 and Mark 11:17 he quotes Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11. Furthermore, in the verses that Jesus quoted, Isaiah and Jeremiah were speaking in the first person for God. It is quite possible that Jesus, being the Son of God and a prophet, could have been speaking first person for God just as the prophets he quoted had done many years earlier. (Taken from the Revised English Version commentary)

“Therefore, the Father is loving Me, seeing that I’m laying down My soul that I may be getting it again. No one is taking it away from Me, but I am laying it down of Myself. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to get it again. This precept I got from My Father.” (John 10:18 CLNT)

Now, is this another passage that declares that Jesus raise himself? Well, to find this answer we must look again to see what the scriptures have to say. But first I would like to point out that most translations do not use the word “power” as the KJV and a few others do. For they use the more clearer word “authority” or “right” instead. And what’s interesting is the fact that these few translations that use the word “power” in John 10:18, don’t use it everywhere else. For they use the word “authority” as well in some other places. But that all being said, we have many passages that clearly show that God himself is the one who raised Jesus from the dead. And the reason God could raise Jesus up is because Jesus lived a sin free life. Therefore, Jesus had the right (authority) to lay down his life and the right (authority) to receive it back again.

Below are some more Scriptures showing that it was God the Father who raised Jesus out of hell:

• “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. ... This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” (Acts 2:24, 32 KJV)
• “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” (Acts 3:13-15 KJV)
• “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.” (Acts 4:10 KJV)
• “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.” (Acts 5:30 KJV)
• “And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.” (Acts 10:39-41 KJV)
• “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.” (Acts 13:29-31 KJV)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9 KJV)
• “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.” (1 Corinthians 6:14 KJV)
• “Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.” (1 Corinthians 15:15 KJV)
• “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:1-5 KJV)
• “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:17-20 ESV)
• “Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12 NET)
• “For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 ESV)

“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:17-21 ESV)

So, form all what was mentioned above, I hope we can clearly see that Jesus did not raise himself from the grave. Instead, he trusted that God would perform it for him. Therefore, let us hold fast to the truth of word of God. For we must test everything we hear and see through the God of word. Therefore brothers and sisters in christ: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)

• For David says about him, 'I saw the Lord always in front of me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body also will live in hope, because you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor permit your Holy One to experience decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of joy with your presence.' "Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. (Acts 2:25-33 NET)

God bless you as you seek to do his well. Amen

Note: The different bible versions used in this article are listed below to assist you in your study of God’s word:

• KJV = King James Version
• ESV = English Standard Version
• CLNT = Concordant Literal New Testament
• NASB20 = New American Standard Bible, 2020 edition
• NET = New English Translation
• RSV = Revised Standard Version

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