Data Over Dogma

Episode 42: Is Jesus God?

Jan 22, 2024

In this podcast, the hosts tackle the question of whether Jesus is God, exploring the gospel of John and its implications. They also delve into the concept of the Trinity, its origins, and the debate around it. The chapters discuss the significance of 'I am' in connection to Jesus, the divine name in relation to angels and exalted humans, and Jesus' claim to existence before Abraham. They also explore the concept of oneness between God and Jesus and discuss metaphors for the Trinity.

01:04:39

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The concept of the Trinity developed in the 4th century CE as a way to unify different ideas about the nature of Jesus and God found in the New Testament.

The New Testament, including the Gospel of John, uses figurative language to describe the relationship between Jesus and God, highlighting Jesus' special relationship and manifestation of God's presence rather than explicitly stating that Jesus is God in the same sense as the Trinity.

Defining the Trinity faced challenges in reconciling Jesus' subordination and coexistence with God, as well as his human and divine nature, leading to the use of Greek philosophical concepts to make the Trinity more coherent and enforceable by the Church's institutional authority.

Deep dives

Development of the Trinity

The concept of the Trinity developed in the 4th century CE. It was a result of the need to unify various ideas about the nature of Jesus and God found in the New Testament. The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE established the idea of consubstantiality, asserting that God the Father and Jesus the Son are of the same substance and equal. This unifying framework was imposed by the institutional power of the church and the Roman Empire.

Introduction

2min

Is Jesus God in the book of John?

19min

A Historical Anecdote, Introduction to 'History of Everything', and Analyzing John 8:58

2min

The Significance of 'I am' and its Connection to Jesus

3min

The Divine Name and Its Relation to Angels and Exalted Humans

4min

Exploring Jesus' Claim to Existence Before Abraham

2min

The Concept of Oneness between God and Jesus

30min

Exploring Metaphors for the Trinity

2min

Hooooo boy. This week, we're asking one of the biggest questions in Christianity. Is Jesus God? Specifically, we'll be looking at two questions. First, we examine the gospel most frequently cited to support the idea: the gospel of John. Literally, the first verse of John says "The Word was with God, and the Word was God", doesn't that kind of end the debate? Well, if you know this show, you KNOW it's going to be more complicated than that! We'll go verse by verse discussing why what you've always been told may not be the full story. It may not be the story at all!

And since we're courting controversy already, why not go whole-hog? In our second segment, we're going after the Trinity. Where did the concept of a triune God come from? Is it in the Bible? If not, is it at least the best solution to the problem it was trying to solve? How did the idea become canon? Are we finally going to talk about something that actually happened at the Council of Nicaea?

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