1 Timothy 3:16

Jesus is supposedly called God in 1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

However, most other translations use the word ‘HE’ instead of God, so they read like this:

Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

So what is going on here?

First off, one must understand the nomina sacra (sacred names). These are abbreviations, in early manuscripts, of certain names and titles.

In ancient manuscripts 1 Timothy 3:16 had the word “os” which looks like: “OC” and means “he”.

The nomina sacra of God looks like OC but instead it has a horizontal line through the middle of the O and a long horizontal line over both letters.

In one old manuscript (Codex Alexandrinus) it seems to be the nomina sacra, but analysis of the manuscript shows that the two horizontal lines were added centuries later.

Many late manuscripts have the nomina sacra, but all manuscripts earlier than about 800AD instead have OC “He”

So “He was manifest in the flesh” is supported by all ancient manuscripts, whereas “God was manifest in the flesh” appears after 800 AD.”

Finally, even if the above explanation didn’t explain the reasons for the wording in this scripture, even then, the term “God manifest in the flesh” doesn’t prove that God became a man thus proving that Jesus is God, rather that if God was manifest in the flesh, that doesn’t mean that Jesus is God. For example, if God was manifest in you or in us, does that make us God or does that mean that God is in us?

2 Corinthians 5:19
namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Similarly, if a person manifests a demon spirit, does that mean that the person is actually the demon? The answer of course is no. Thus there is no good reason to use 1 Timothy 3:16 as a Trinity proof verse.

← Go back to ‘Supporting the Trinity Doctrine‘.


Discussion

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Viewing 11 posts - 41 through 51 (of 51 total)
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  • #799348
    kerwin
    Participant

    Nick,

    Hi KW,

    You acquit yourself.

    And yet you feel brave enough to say others are controlled by the devil?

    I said I needed to be acquitted in the Spirit.

    The default condition of humanity in this Age of sin is to be controlled by the devil.

    #799349
    kerwin
    Participant

    Nick,

    The topic is 1 Timothy 3:16 and not me. I used myself as an example of humanity as opposed to God.

    #799350
    kerwin
    Participant

    Nick,

    Jesus was acquitted in the Spirit as he lived by it and I hope to live by it and so be acquitted. God has no need to be acquitted by the Spirit because he cannot be tempted by evil.

    #799645
    Proclaimer
    Participant

    @DavidL, anyone who has the arrogance to say that God is a Triune with three equal members is a raving lunatic. Just saying it as it is.

    Study the scripture and let it renew your mind. For us there is one God the Father.

    Do not be like those who follow after the wiles of The Devil. He has his hands in all things of the world.

    Come out of her and be separate. No part of the world is a friend of God. Not the Vatican, the denominations whose foundation is Trinity, nor any cult that departs scripture. If they are not of the truth, then they are of the world. Be wise and test the teachers, teachings, and spirits.

    You will stand before God and give an account for your life. Saying that you believe the Trinity because it was mainstream is not going to cut it. You should know better than that.

    #799647
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi KW,

    Jesus obeyed the law and was clean.

    But he became an anointed servant of God for the sake of your salvation.

    #799651
    kerwin
    Participant

    Nick,

    Hi KW,

    Jesus obeyed the law and was clean.

    But he became an anointed servant of God for the sake of your salvation.

    He did more than that for the salvation of the world but it is true he is the Pioneer of those that walk according to the teachings of the Spirit.

    #799653
    NickHassan
    Participant

    hi KW,

    So the circumcision of the flesh can no longer help.

    The light has come

    #799658
    kerwin
    Participant

    T8,

    The use of a pronoun in 1 Timothy 3:16 is poor English as there is nothing that indicates who or what that pronoun is within the context of the passage. The only possibility is that Paul used it because his audience knew who or what it referred to. We speculate based on our beliefs and our knowledge.

    Using the word God removes that ambiguity but many experts do not even view it as a credible possibility. I agree with them because to my ears the claim “God was vindicated in the Spirit” is absurd. I have other problems with seeing the he as Jesus since the order of events listed is not correctly ordered according to the time it occurred.

    #799659
    kerwin
    Participant

    Nick,

    So the circumcision of the flesh can no longer help.

    The light has come

    It has never been about salvation. It was only an external mark to show the children of Abraham were approved of God. Both Arabs and Hebrews are Abraham’s children but both, except for a remnant, have abandoned the true doctrine Abraham held to.

    They are his servants and God has given them his instructions. We are not to judge them by those instructions.

    #799660
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi KW,

    So belt and braces?

    #799661
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi KW,

    So you are not worried about being called to account over perfect observance of the Law?

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