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Biblical Unitarianism & Low Christology

Below you will find a few studies in which I’ve tried to express the position Biblical Unitarians and others with a low christology present to us to consider. I’ve also presented my argument against their position as I’ve done repeatedly on various discussion boards. I welcome comments both to support my position or that of those holding a low christology. If debate is required, I will endeavor to be gentle in my response without using words to condemn or judge. I have singled out the Biblical Unitarian position is some blogs simply because they often present such a unique argument against a high christology, so I had to name them in order to present their point of view. Many Scriptures are used by many folks holding to a low christology and the argument is a general one, so I tried to present the position that way. I realize this is a very emotional and hotly debated issue, so I offer this page for both instruction and invitation for discussion. May the Lord bless all who come here.

 

2 responses to “Biblical Unitarianism & Low Christology”

  1. Berj

    February 22, 2013 at 02:45

    Dear Eddie

    John 20:17″Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” This one is a curious verse in two fold. First of all, Christ here calls God The Father as his father (also her father), and his God (also her God). Is the repetition of words are because of some distinction? Low Christology adherers use this verse as a scriptural proof in order to identify Jesus as a son(not the God the Son as opposed to Jesus’ words: Me and my father are one or who has seen me seen my father.)

    Secondly, Jesus later on asks Thomas to touch him(unless the issue here is not touching but clinging, therefore delaying him as is translated in ESV).

    Keep up the great work, God bless
    Berj

     

  2. Eddie

    February 22, 2013 at 09:16

    Greetings Berj and thank again for reading and for your question.

    I address John 20:17 in my blog above entitled “The Only Begotten”. Basically, Jesus cannot be the **only** begotten Son if he is essentially no different from any of us. We cannot explain the **only** begotten in John 1:18 and make our explanation congruent, if we try to make Jesus merely like us. Jesus never address the Father as “our Father”. He teaches us to pray in this manner, but in public he always refers to him as **My** Father and if he wishes to include other he says something like **your** Father (John 20:17) or the same “is your God” (John 8:54). He always makes a distinction between his relationship with God and ours. He NEVER makes out like we have a ‘common’ relationship. All men are invited to have a ‘common’ relationship with God, but Jesus’ relationship with Him is always unique or a ‘one of a kind’ relationship.

    Secondly, concerning touching Jesus in John 20:17 and John 20:28. We are told that Mary saw Jesus first (Mark 16:9). She came while it was yet dark at the tomb (John 20:1), but when the other women came and saw the angel and ran away afraid, they later met Jesus and held him at his feet (Matthew 28:9). Furthermore, one of Jesus specific commands for all the disciples was to ‘touch’ him (Luke 24:29). ‘Touching’ was part of the witness of knowing Jesus was truly resurrected. So, how are we to understand these ‘touching’ incidents, but Jesus command to Mary that she should NOT touch him? The ‘clinging’ explanation is really pathetic, if you ask me, but we won’t get into that.

    The day of the Resurrection was the First Day of the Weeks, and you will find all the references to be in the plural in the Greek, and it was the 1st day in counting toward the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. So, it is not merely ‘Sunday’ it is a special 1st day of the week. There was only one like it in the year. It was the 1st day of the harvest season for the Jews. It fell on the 1st day of the week that fell between the two annual Sabbath Holy Days of the Passover or Days of Unleavened Bread. It was an eight-day festival. The first holy day was the 15th of the first month and the 2nd was the 21st of the month (see Leviticus 23). The annual harvest could not begin until the ‘Wave Sheaf’ or ‘Firstfruits’ (1Corinthians 15:20, 23) offering was made to God (see Leviticus 23). It was the annual blessing of the harvest. Jesus is our Wave Sheaf offering that blesses the whole harvest of mankind to God. Jesus told Mary she should NOT ‘touch’ him because he had to be ceremonially clean as he arose up to heaven at the time of the Wave Sheaf offering in the Temple (cir. 6 AM) at sunrise. After he was officially accepted by the Father, then anyone could ‘touch’ him. In fact, the witnesses were even commanded to do so.

    Hope this helps, Lord bless you,

    Eddie

     

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