“Is it not quite apparent that the problem texts become problems only when one assumes an exclusively literalistic interpretation of such expression as ‘Father,’ ‘Son,’ ‘Firstborn,’ ‘Only Begotten,’ and so forth? Does not such literalism go against the mainly figurative or metaphorical meaning that the Bible writers use when referring to the persons of the Godhead?” Whidden, Moon, Reeve, The Trinity, p. 106, Review and Herald, Hagerstown, MD. 2002
According to these scholars there is no such thing as literalism in the bible. The Bible must be interpreted in a metaphorical sense. This echos Origen: "The Scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written.”
But what does the spirit of prophecy say regarding Jesus? Was He only pretending to be the Son of God?
“Christ, at an infinite cost, by a painful process, mysterious to angels as well as to men, assumed humanity. Hiding His divinity, laying aside His glory, He was born a babe in Bethlehem. In human flesh He lived the law of God, that He might condemn sin in the flesh, and bear witness to heavenly intelligences that the law was ordained to life and to ensure the happiness, peace, and eternal good of all who obey. But the same infinite sacrifice that is life to those who believe is a testimony of condemnation to the disobedient, speaking death and not life.” Bible Commentary Vol. 7 p. 915
“Was the human nature of the Son of Mary changed into the divine nature of the Son of God? No; the two natures were mysteriously blended in one person—the man Christ Jesus. In Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Bible Commentary Vol. 7 p. 926
“Only humanity could reach humanity. He lived out the character of God through the human body which God had prepared for Him. He blessed the world by living out in human flesh the life of God, thus showing that He had the power to unite humanity to divinity (RH June 25, 1895)” Bible Commentary Vol. 7 p. 924
“This was not done by going out of Himself to another, but by taking humanity into Himself. Thus Christ gave to humanity an existence out of Himself. To bring humanity into Christ, to bring the fallen race into oneness with divinity, is the work of redemption.” Bible Commentary Vol. 7 p. 927
“How wide is the contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethlehem's manger! How can we span the distance between the mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of worlds, He in whom was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and humanity were mysteriously combined, and man and God became one.” Bible Commentary Vol. 5 p. 1130
“Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His position in the courts of God. He hated Him the more when he himself was dethroned. He hated Him who pledged Himself to redeem a race of sinners. Yet into the world where Satan claimed dominion God permitted His Son to come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity. He permitted Him to meet life's peril in common with every human soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.” Desire of Ages p. 49
“In Christ were united the divine and the human—the Creator and the creature. The nature of God, whose law had been transgressed, and the nature of Adam, the transgressor, meet in Jesus—the Son of God, and the Son of man.” Bible Commentary Vol 7 p. 926
“Christ lived and died as a man, that He might be God both of the living and of the dead. It was to make it impossible for men to lose eternal life if they believe on Him.” Bible Commentary Vol. 7 p. 926
“He became subject to temptation, endangering as it were, His divine attributes. Satan sought, by the constant and curious devices of his cunning, to make Christ yield to temptation.” Bible Commentary Vol 7 p. 926
“Jesus Christ laid off His royal robe, His kingly crown, and clothed His divinity with humanity, in order to become a substitute and surety for humanity, that dying in humanity He might by His death destroy him who had the power of death. He could not have done this as God, but by coming as man Christ could die.” Bible Commentary Vol. 7 p. 925
“The Captain of our salvation was perfected through suffering. His soul was made an offering for sin. It was necessary for the awful darkness to gather about His soul because of the withdrawal of the Father's love and favor; for He was standing in the sinner's place, and this darkness every sinner must experience. The righteous One must suffer the condemnation and wrath of God, not in vindictiveness; for the heart of God yearned with greatest sorrow when His Son, the guiltless, was suffering the penalty of sin. This sundering of the divine powers will never again occur throughout the eternal ages (MS 93, 1899).” Bible Commentary Vol 7 p. 924
In these statements we can clearly see that there is nothing about pretending or role playing idea. Christ together with His Father really suffered for our salvation. Unfortunately, we have allowed men to tell us what to believe. My prayer is that we allow Jesus and His word speak to our hearts and not men so He can direct us to the Father. L.
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