1God Series 1Timothy 3:16 The Simple Truth

 

Does it really say (or mean) "JESUS IS GOD"?

1 Timothy 3:16 21st Century King James Version 
And beyond controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

As a former "oneness", aka "Modalist" adherent for 35 years, 1 Timothy 3:16-16 was my "go to" verse for years to affirm Jesus wis God. God was manifest in the flesh, "incarnate" as some say.

But upon contextual examination it fails to prove Jesus is God for several reasons.

1. 1Tim 2:5 just prior, tells us Jesus is a man, the mediator between God and man. That is very clear and straight forward. If Jesus is God, that was the perfect place to say it.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.*
Here are various *renderings:
CSB For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus

CEB There is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the human Christ Jesus,
CJB For God is one; and there is but one Mediator between God and humanity, Yeshua the Messiah, himself human,
CEV There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us.

2. the mystery is not God became a man, it is that "GODLINESS" was the mystery manifested in the mans words and actions. "And beyond controversy, great is the mystery of godliness:"

3. "God" is from the Greek word "Theos", and not in many of the reliable manuscripts. Rather "He" is used in them. The Messiah was made known in flesh.

4. God was not "justified in the spirit". -think about that one.. God needs no justification. And who can possibly justify God?

5. "God" was not "preached among the nations", Jesus the CHRIST was. The salvation message they preached in ACTS was: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and they said he was a "man" in three places. Acts 2:22, Acts 13:38, Acts 17:31 The Spirit-empowered disciples could have taken every opportunity to declare "Jesus is GOD" if it were so, but they never did.

6. 1Tim 3:16 itself does not state "Jesus is God".

7. and "received up into glory". The risen Christ was taken up to God, as Jesus said. "‘I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”"

In 1Timothy 5, as Paul is concluding, notice: " I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of chosen angels, to maintain these without bias, doing nothing with partiality.". Yes, he distinguishes at the end the distinction between GOD, Jesus Christ, and angels. 1Timothy 3:16 does not say or mean "Jesus is God".