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Actually this verse is easier to understand then most.
A simple word study of the word “name” in hebrew reveals that the word is “shem” which literally means character or character trait or reputation.the verse is about Jesus and the fact that he will have the character/reputation of the mighty God, everlasting father etc.
It is about the character of christ and not his identity.
To All……….The sign was given to Ahaz, Emanuel was the sign that GOD was with us (Ahaz and the Jews).
peace and love…………….gene
Quote This has nothing to do with what I want to believe. The question is “Was Jesus God or was he not?” –country boy
It is undeniable that Jesus is called “Mighty God” in Isaiah 9:6.
But, why don't we look at the whole Bible for a second and put some things in context.
One day I went through the whole Bible. So, this might not be 100% accurate. But here's what I found:
Expressions we find in the Bible:
Jehovah God–50 times
the [true] God Jehovah–4 times
Jehovah their God–39 times
Jehovah the [true] God–8 times.
Jehovah is in truth God–1 time
Jehovah is God–1 time
Jehovah is my God–1 time
Jehovah is our God–1 time
Jehovah your God–455 times
Jehovah our God–105 times
Jehovah my God–40 times
Jehovah his God–29 times
Jehovah is a God–7 times
Jehovah the God of–204 times
Jehovah a God–1 timeAbout 1000 Times “Jehovah” is unquestionably called “God.” And anther 6000 times, he is also referred to as God, but it's not as unquestionable, because his name does not appear in connection with “God” although pretty much everyone agrees that those other 6000 times, it's also referring to the Father, Jehovah.
Literally, 3-9 times (9 if you stretch it, because about 4 or 5 of those times, it's extremely questionable) Jesus is referred to by the word “God.” But even of those 3 times, it's not even 100% certain. Bodharta, for example, questions whether Is 9:6 is referring to “Jesus.” Certainly, no mention is made of “Jesus.” (I of course believe it was referring to Jesus, but I'm mentioning this just to compare how clearly Jehovah is called “God” and how often Jesus is.)
7000 times vs. 3-9 times. Why is one so clear and the other so very unclear?
How many hundreds of times was Jesus referred to as God's “Son”? That is clear.
Whenever the …..QUESTION OF IDENTITY….., the question that we are concerned with came up……………………………WHAT DID INSPIRED BIBLE WRITERS SAY?
LUKE 1:32
“This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.” (How did the angel announcing his birth refer to him? Compare Ps 83:18, where it says that Jehovah alone is the Most High.)
LUKE 1:34
“For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God’s Son.”MATTHEW 3:17
“Look! Also, there was a voice from the heavens that said: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.”” (Who does Jehovah God’s testimony tell us Jesus is?)JOHN 1:34
“And I have seen [it], and I have borne witness that this one is the Son of God.””
(What did John the Baptist bear witness to regarding Jesus?)JOHN 1:49
“Nathańael answered him: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel.”” (How did Nathanael identify Jesus?)MATTHEW 16:16
“In answer Simon Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.””
(Jesus himself asked who they thought he was. With this response of Peter, Jesus pronounced him happy, because his Father had revealed this to him.)JOHN 11:27
“She [Martha] said to him: “Yes, Lord; I have believed that you are the Christ the Son of God.”” (What did Martha believe about Jesus?)JOHN 20:31
“But these have been written down that YOU may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God.” (Why did John write what he did? What did he want us to believe?)JOHN 1:34
“I have borne witness that this one is the Son of God.” (Did John bear witness that Jesus was God Almighty, or God’s Son?)1 JOHN 4:15
“Whoever makes the confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God . . .” (According to John, if we are to remain in union with God, what must confess?)1 JOHN 5:5
“Who is the one that conquers the world but he who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God?” (According to John, what must we have faith in–that Jesus is God, or the “Son of” God?)
(It seems that John bore witness that Jesus was the “Son of” God, that he wrote what he did so that we would believe that Jesus was the “Son of” God, telling us to have faith that Jesus is the “Son of” God, and to confess that Jesus is the “Son of” God.)ACTS 9:20
“he [Peter] began to preach Jesus, that this One is the Son of God.” (What did the apostle Peter preach about Jesus?)MARK 1:24
“What have we to do with you, Jesus you Nazarené? Did you come to destroy us? I know exactly who you are, the Holy One of God.” (The demons certainly knew “exactly” who Jesus was: the Holy One “of” God, and hence, not God Almighty himself.)
MATTHEW 8:29
“What have we to do with you, Son of God?”
MARK 3:11
“Even the unclean spirits, whenever they would behold him, would prostrate themselves before him and cry out, saying: “You are the Son of God.”“
LUKE 4:41
“Demons also would come out of many, crying out and saying: “You are the Son of God.”JOHN 5:18
“On this account, indeed, the Jews began seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also CALLING GOD HIS OWN FATHER, making himself equal to God.”
(He was not saying that he was equal to God, but rather “he was also calling God his own Father,” and in the minds of the Jews, this was tantamount to making himself equal with God.)
MATTHEW 26:59-63
“So the high priest said to him: “By the living God I put you under oath to tell us whether you are the Christ the Son of God!”“ (What did the chief priest charge Jesus as saying he was? Surely if there was indication that he was claiming to be God or those around him believed this, then that accusation would have been made. These were the ones who were accusing them of anything they could, making stuff up, bringing in false witnesses. Surely if he was claiming to be God himself, they would have capitalized on this.)
LUKE 22:70
“Are you, therefore, the Son of God?”
MATTHEW 27:43
“let Him [God] now rescue him if He wants him, for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’”
JOHN 19:7
“The Jews answered him: “We have a law, and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself God’s son.”” (What did the Jews tell Pilate Jesus had made himself? If Jesus was claiming to be God, surely they who wanted him done away with would have charged him with this.)
MARK 14:61,62
“Again the high priest began to question him and said to him: “Are you the Christ the Son of the Blessed One?” Then Jesus said: “I am.” (So they were charging him with saying he was the “Son of” the God, and Jesus himself said: “I am.”)JOHN 10:36
“do YOU say to me whom the Father sanctified and dispatched into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, I am God’s Son?” (Who did Jesus himself say he was?)MATTHEW 14:33
“Then those in the boat did obeisance to him, saying: “You are really God’s Son.””
(Miraculously walking on water and calming the winds moved his disciples to what conclusion?)MATTHEW 27:40
“If you are a son of God, come down off the torture stake!” (How did those mocking him while he was dying refer to him?)MATTHEW 27:54
“when they saw the earthquake and the things happening, grew very much afraid, saying: “Certainly this was God’s Son.”“ (What conclusion did the army officer there at Jesus death reach?)
MARK 15:39
“Now, when the army officer that was standing by with him in view saw he had expired under these
circumstances, he said: “Certainly this man was God’s Son.””ROMANS 1:4
“but who with power was declared God’s Son.” (What was Jesus declared to be?)So we have an angel, demons, Jehovah, Jesus, John the Baptist, Nathanael, Peter, Martha, John, Paul, mockers of Jesus, an army officer who saw Jesus die, the Jews, all making very plain what they believed Jesus to be, the “Son of” God, or “God’s Son,” and hence, not God, but someone related to God, the “Son of” God.
It seems that when the specific question of identity came up, the answer was clearly that those listed above knew Jesus was God's “son.”
SO, WHY WAS JESUS CALLED “MIGHTY GOD” THEN?
Simply put, because, he being the very “Son” of God, the title of “mighty God” fits, and fits very well. (That is, if we understand what “god” means.)
If angels were called gods, if human judges were called gods, if Moses was called a god in relation to Pharoah, if Satan is called the god of this world, then certainly Jesus, who has been “given” all authority and power from his Father can be called “mighty God.”
Moses was twice said to be made a god in relation to pharoah. This was because Moses was made a “powerful one” in relation to Pharoah.
Angels are powerful ones, in relation to humans.
Israelite judges were powerful ones in relation to other Israelites.
Satan is a powerful one, over the whole world.But it's all relative. The Isrealite judges aren't powerful ones compared to the angels. The angels are poweful ones compared to God.
And Jesus isn't more powerful that Almighty God. He is more powerful than everyone else though. So that title fits, and fits rather well.
Because “God” is used so often to refer to Jehovah God, we forget that “god” is a word with actual meaning. And that this word can be applied to others.
But, wait, doesn't the Bible say there is only one true God? Wouldn't that mean all other gods are false? Jesus isn't a false god though, so what's up?
Well, I can say: “Bill, you are my only true friend.” It doesn't mean all my other friends are false friends. It means that for me, Bill is the very definition of “friend.”
Similarly, the angels or human judges aren't false gods. When the Bible says Jehovah is 'wise alone' it doesn't mean others aren't wise. It means compared to HIM, no one else is wise. The Bible for example refers to “wise” king solomon. Yet, the Bible says God is wise alone. It's relative.
As a side note, the Bible doesn't use words like polytheist. One definition of polytheist, is someone who “worships” more than one God. I do not do that. But I do understand how the word “god” is used in scripture as a whole.
Country boy, I left some questions in bold. I'm wondering what your answers would be?
Quote This has nothing to do with what I want to believe. The question is “Was Jesus God or was he not?”
I think the question really should be: “Was Jesus “The” God, or was he not?”He was not. When it came to the question of his identity, what did the people quoted above think?
Quote So I am to understand that the term “Mighty God” does not refer to deity? Why use the word “God” then? –country boy.
Because the word “god” doesn't mean “deity.”
The problem occurs because like 99% of the time, it does refer to our Creator, the Father, Jehovah God.So, we get confused and think that “God” = “The Creator.”
But the Bible certainly doesn't show that to be true. Moses was made “god” to Pharoah. Angels were called gods, human judges were called gods. etc.
The word “god” does not necessitate “worship.” Again, it's just that 99% of the time, that word is used with reference to the one we are to worship, so there is confusion.
It's relative.
Moses was made powerful (a god) to Pharoah.
Angels are powerful (gods) to humans.
Israelite judges were powerful (gods) to the other Israelites.
Satan is powerful (a god) to the world.
Jesus is powerful (god) to eveyone, except the Almighty.
The Almighty, Jehovah is powerful (god) compared to everyone else.
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