3) LORD or Lord: Does calling Jesus "Lord" mean Jesus is God?

Contrary to some overly zealous Trinitarian preaching, to be “Lord” does not mean you are God. Otherwise the upper house of the British parliament would be the House of Gods. Sometimes LORD/Lord in the Bible does mean God, but there are many lords/Lords in the Bible who are not God.

“Jesus is Lord” is not a claim to deity (Act 2:36, Rom. 10:9).

The confusion over LORD/Lord/lord stems from the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek. The title “Lord” kurios (“master, sir, prince, ruler”), an honorific title acknowledging authority, was substituted for God’s personal name, Yehovah יהוה . English translations of the Old Testament usually indicate Yehovah’s personal name with all capitals LORD. But God’s name Yehovah is very different from the replacement title “Lord”. Yehovah/Yahweh is God’s personal name but the title Lord is adon in Hebrew and kurios in Greek).

Abigail distinguished between her Lord (David) and her God (LORD/Yehovah): “for the LORD will certainly make for my Lord an enduring house, because my Lord is fighting the battles of the LORD” (1 Sam. 25:28, Abigail called David “Lord” 13x in this chapter). In the Hebrew text there is no confusing Abigail’s LORD from her Lord, because they are two very different words. In the Greek text the words are exactly the same, and therefor confusing.

Sometimes God is called “Lord” in the New Testament, using the Greek practice of substituting the title Lord/kurios for Yehovah’s personal name. Context can most often determine if kurios/Lord in the New Testament means God, or the Lord Messiah, or some other lord. Lord/kurios in the Gospel of John, for example, refers to God only in direct Old Testament quotations.

Scriptures referred to in this podcast:

Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...

Ephesians 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

1 Samuel 25:28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.

Matthew 17:4 And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here...."

Mark 9:5 And Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here..."

Luke 9:33 ...Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here..."

Matthew 27:63 and said, "Sir (Lord/kurios), we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.'

Acts 25:26 But I have nothing definite to write to my Lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa...

Psalm 110:1 A psalm of David. The LORD (Yehovah) says to my Lord (adoni): "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."

Revelation 11:15 …"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."