Tuesday, September 24, 2013

JESUS DECLARED IN PLAIN LANGUAGE THAT HE WAS ONLY A PROPHET AND THE SON OF MAN

JESUS DECLARED IN PLAIN LANGUAGE THAT HE WAS ONLY A PROPHET AND THE SON OF MAN

I have deliberately culled the relevant verses of Matthew 13 from the Original Language the Bible was written before all the translations and versions began. Any serious-minded Bible student will do well to cross-check these and acquire the skills of reading Aramaic as it is shown here! RSV translations into English are added!

Jesus Declared In Plain Language That He Was Only A Prophet And The Son Of The Man Joseph, So Why Was The Universal Idolatry Of Deifying Him By Constantine The Great, A Pagan Emperor, Accepted By The Early Church Fathers?
Jesus was a prophet adopted and anointed by the Almighty Creator through the hands of John the Baptist. He was the first-born son of Joseph/Mary, the Carpenter and he had four junior brothers and un-named number of sisters. He was purely human. He never claimed divinity. He declared that he was the Son of Man and finally in the Gospel of Matthew 13:57, he unequivocally affirmed that he was a prophet. So, why deify him?

Mathew 13 verses 36 – 58

36 Then <tote> Jesus <Iesous> sent <aphiemi> the multitude <ochlos> away <aphiemi>, and went <erchomai> into <eis> the house <oikia>: and <kai> his <autos> disciples <mathetes> came <proserchomai> unto him <autos>, saying <lego>, Declare <phrazo> unto us <hemin> the parable <parabole> of the tares <zizanion> of the field <agros>. (KJV)

36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." (RSV)

37 He answered <apokrinomai> and <de> said <epo> unto them <autos>, He that soweth <speiro> the good <kalos> seed <sperma> is <esti> the Son <huios> of man <anthropos>; (KJV)

37 He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; (RSV)

38 <de> The field <agros> is <esti> the world <kosmos>; <de> the good <kalos> seed <sperma> are <houtos> <eisi> the children <huios> of the kingdom <basileia>; but <de> the tares <zizanion> are <eisi> the children <huios> of the wicked <poneros> one; (KJV)

38 the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, (RSV)

39 <de> The enemy <echthros> that sowed <speiro> them <autos> is <esti> the devil <diabolos>; <de> the harvest <therismos> is <esti> the end <sunteleia> of the world <aion>; and <de> the reapers <theristes> are <eisi> the angels <aggelos>. (KJV)

39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. (RSV)

40 As <hosper> therefore <oun> the tares <zizanion> are gathered <sullego> and <kai> burned <katakaio> in the fire <pur>; so <houto> shall it be <esomai> in <en> the end <sunteleia> of this <toutou> world <aion>. (KJV)

40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. (RSV)

41 The Son <huios> of man <anthropos> shall send forth <apostello> his <autos> angels <aggelos>, and <kai> they shall gather <sullego> out of <ek> his <autos> kingdom <basileia> all things <pas> that offend <skandalon>, and <kai> them which do <poieo> iniquity <anomia>; {things...: or, scandals} (KJV)

41 The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, (RSV)

42 And <kai> shall cast <ballo> them <autos> into <eis> a furnace <kaminos> of fire <pur>: there <ekei> shall be <esomai> wailing <klauthmos> and <kai> gnashing <brugmos> of teeth <odous>. (KJV)

42 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. (RSV)

43 Then <tote> shall the righteous <dikaios> shine forth <eklampo> as <hos> the sun <helios> in <en> the kingdom <basileia> of their <autos> Father <pater>. Who <ho> hath <echo> ears <ous> to hear <akouo>, let him hear <akouo>. (KJV)

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (RSV)

44 ¶ Again <palin>, the kingdom <basileia> of heaven <ouranos> is <esti> like <homoios> unto treasure <thesauros> hid <krupto> in <en> a field <agros>; the which <hos> when a man <anthropos> hath found <heurisko>, he hideth <krupto>, and <kai> for <apo> joy <chara> thereof <autos> goeth <hupago> and <kai> selleth <poleo> all <pas> that <hosos> he hath <echo>, and <kai> buyeth <agorazo> that <ekeinos> field <agros>. (KJV)

44 ¶ "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (RSV)

45 Again <palin>, the kingdom <basileia> of heaven <ouranos> is <esti> like <homoios> unto a merchant <emporos> man <anthropos>, seeking <zeteo> goodly <kalos> pearls <margarites>: (KJV)

45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, (RSV)

46 Who <hos>, when he had found <heurisko> one <heis> pearl <margarites> of great price <polutimos>, went <aperchomai> and sold <piprasko> all <pas> that <hosos> he had <echo>, and <kai> bought <agorazo> it <autos>. (KJV)

46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (RSV)

47 Again <palin>, the kingdom <basileia> of heaven <ouranos> is <esti> like <homoios> unto a net <sagene>, that was cast <ballo> into <eis> the sea <thalassa>, and <kai> gathered <sunago> of <ek> every <pas> kind <genos>: (KJV)

47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; (RSV)

48 Which <hos>, when <hote> it was full <pleroo>, they drew <anabibazo> to <epi> shore <aigialos>, and <kai> sat down <kathizo>, and gathered <sullego> the good <kalos> into <eis> vessels <aggeion>, but <de> cast <ballo> the bad <sapros> away <exo>. (KJV)

48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. (RSV)

49 So <houto> shall it be <esomai> at <en> the end <sunteleia> of the world <aion>: the angels <aggelos> shall come forth <exerchomai>, and <kai> sever <aphorizo> the wicked <poneros> from <ek> among <mesos> the just <dikaios>, (KJV)

49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, (RSV)

50 And <kai> shall cast <ballo> them <autos> into <eis> the furnace <kaminos> of fire <pur>: there <ekei> shall be <esomai> wailing <klauthmos> and <kai> gnashing <brugmos> of teeth <odous>. (KJV)

50 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. (RSV)

51 Jesus <Iesous> saith <lego> unto them <autos>, Have ye understood <suniemi> all <pas> these <tauta> things <pas>? They say <lego> unto him <autos>, Yea <nai>, Lord <kurios>. (KJV)

51 "Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." (RSV)

52 Then <de> said <epo> he unto them <autos>, Therefore <dia> <touto> every <pas> scribe <grammateus> which is instructed <matheteuo> unto <eis> the kingdom <basileia> of heaven <ouranos> is <esti> like <homoios> unto a man <anthropos> that is an householder <oikodespotes>, which <hostis> bringeth forth <ekballo> out of <ek> his <autos> treasure <thesauros> things new <kainos> and <kai> old <palaios>. (KJV)

52 And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." (RSV)

53 ¶ And <kai> it came to pass <ginomai>, that when <hote> Jesus <Iesous> had finished <teleo> these <tautais> parables <parabole>, he departed <metairo> thence <ekeithen>. (KJV)

53 ¶ And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, (RSV)

54 And <kai> when he was come <erchomai> into <eis> his own <autos> country <patris>, he taught <didasko> them <autos> in <en> their <autos> synagogue <sunagoge>, insomuch that <hoste> they <autos> were astonished <ekplesso>, and <kai> said <lego>, Whence <pothen> hath this man <touto> this <houtos> wisdom <sophia>, and <kai> these mighty works <dunamis>? (KJV)

54 and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? (RSV)

55 Is <esti> not <ou> this <houtos> the carpenter's <tekton> son <huios>? is <lego> not <ouchi> his <autos> mother <meter> called <lego> Mary <Maria>? and <kai> his <autos> brethren <adelphos>, James <Iakobos>, and <kai> Joses <Ioses>, and <kai> Simon <Simon>, and <kai> Judas <Ioudas>? (KJV)

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? (RSV)

56 And <kai> his <autos> sisters <adelphe>, are they <eisi> not <ouchi> all <pas> with <pros> us <hemas>? Whence <pothen> then <oun> hath this man <touto> all <pas> these things <tauta>? (KJV)

56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?" (RSV)

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57 And <kai> they were offended <skandalizo> in <en> him <autos>. But <de> Jesus <Iesous> said <epo> unto them <autos>, A prophet <prophetes> is <esti> not <ou> without honour <atimos>, save <ei me> in <en> his own <autos> country <patris>, and <kai> in <en> his own <autos> house <oikia>. (KJV)

57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." (RSV)

58 And <kai> he did <poieo> not <ou> many <polus> mighty works <dunamis> there <ekei> because <dia> of their <autos> unbelief <apistia>. (KJV)

58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. (RSV)

EVIL SPIRITS ARE SUPERNATURAL BEINGS AND THEY RECOGNISED JESUS AS A ‘PROPHET’ AND AS ‘THE HOLY ONE OF GOD’ BUT NEVER “GOD THE SON”

Mark 1:21-28

21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

Original KJV

Mark 1:21-28

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

NKJV

Mark 1:21-28

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.

22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,

24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!"

25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching-and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

NIV

I, DR JIDEOFO KENECHUKWU DANMBAEZE, AM ONLY A HUMAN BEING AS ARE ALL MY READERS AND SO I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO DOUBT THAT THESE SPIRITUAL BEINGS WITH SUPERHUMAN KNOWLEDGE WOULD BE IGNORANT OF THE TRUE NATURE OF JESUS. THEIR VERDICT SEALS ALL THE ARGUMENT ON THE EQUALITY OF JESUS, THE CHRIST WITH THE FATHER ANS HOLY SPIRIT OF CHRISTENDOM!

QUOT ERAT DEMONSTRATUM

Rev. Prof. J. J. Kenez, D.Sc.

JESUS IN UNAMBIGUOUS TERMS SAID THAT HE WAS A PROPHET JUST LIKE ELIJAH & ELISHA

By:

Rev. Prof. J. J. Kenez, D.Sc.

The Humble Vessel of the Holy Spirit of the Almighty Creator of the Universe

ABSTRACT

1. Christendom, for now, is confused! The doctrine of ‘Holy Trinity’ is demonic and very idolatrous in respect of equating Jesus with the Creator!

2. It violates the first three commandments Moses received on Mount Sinai!

3. A pagan emperor deified him in order to marry a Christian lady centuries ago and to date Christians join him in the idolatry of trying to set Jesus up against his father!

4. Jesus never called himself the ‘Son of God’ rather he always insisted on ‘Son of Man’ all through the gospel narratives. Both ‘Jesus’ and ‘Christ’ are Greek words, not the Aramaic names the angel gave him!

5. There is not one place ‘Jesus Christ’ is used as a double-barrelled name for Jesus in all the original texts of King James Version of the Christian Bible!

6. Saul of Tarsus always referred to him thus: ‘Christ Jesus’. Why? ‘Christ’ is a title he earned for total obedience till death on the cross, “for which reason he was given a name above all names so that at the mention of the name every knee shall bow”.

7. ‘Prof. Kenez’ is not the same thing as ‘Kenez Prof.’ Think about this for a while! Pope Paul is not same as Paul Pope. Or is it?

8. Adam was definitely the ‘Son of God’, and only he could rightly claim it!

9. God re-named Solomon ‘Jedidah’ and only he could also claim the title!

10. But for Jesus, he was never a god nor was he equal to ‘God, the Almighty Father’ as many misinformed Christians portray in the fanatical prayers and commercial lyrics of worship songs marketed today!

THERE IS NO NEED TO DEIFY ONE WHO CONSISTENTLY STATED THAT HE WAS;

“Son of Man”; that was mentioned 194 times in both the OT and NT as against “Son of God” mentioned only 47 times, with Jesus referring to himself 48 times in the gospels) and
“A Prophet” as he stated in Matt 10:40-41, "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives Him who sent me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward”.
It beats my reasoning faculties when religious fanatics are blindly followed just because they call themselves pastors, evangelists, priests or bishops.
Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, never referred to Jesus as co-equal to God, the Creator and Father of all human beings! He never reversed the order he always used to refer to him; Christ Jesus.
In all the four gospels in original King James Version, there was not a single use of Jesus with any other attachment or appellation; only Jesus! Moreover, the word ‘JESUS’ is Greek, not the Aramaic name the angel gave him!
St John

The “Saviour” or “Messiah” was a title he earned since his predecessors failed to achieve the status. This he achieved by total obedience to the Will of the Almighty, whereas others fumbled!

Moses was a saviour for the enslaved Israelites in Egypt, but he struck the rock twice instead of once and so failed.
Samson was a saviour for the Israelites maltreated by the Philistines, but despite his anointing from the womb, he permitted Delilah to lead him astray.
Solomon was a saviour king chosen by God to build him a temple and restore peace in Israel, but despite the enormous wisdom bestowed on him for the assignment; he became an easy prey for the Queen of Sheba!

However, Jesus earned the coveted title due to his compliance with the Will of the Almighty Father; Matt 7:21; 21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. and total obedience to His dictates; Matt 12:50; 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother;" all through his ministry to merit the elevation to a salvific prophet, the Messiah of his people promised from the time of Abraham. He defeated the devil and so he excelled where others had failed.

Matt 4:1-11; 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. …. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." …. 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

By citing only Elijah and Elisha, 24 "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. …. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed-only Naaman the Syrian;" Jesus was emphatically declaring that only three of them came closest to the demands of ultimate elevation to “Christhood”! What he forgot to tell us or that he deliberately left to tell us was; what he did others failed to do properly, why he had the will power to say no to the devil all through his ministry and how he grabbed the title whereas others did not!

He meticulously studied the Laws, the Prophets and digested all the books on Judaism; Matt 5:17-18; 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”

From age twelve to thirty, which was missing in all his biographies, he lived a monastic life outside his community! On graduation and return to his native land, he allowed John to baptise him in the River Jordan, where he was anointed as “Son of God”; Matt 3:17-4:1; 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Here, he was adopted as a perfect master to redeem Israel. Dry fasting for forty days and nights preceded his ministry. He practised as an itinerant preacher and by the dint of hard labour and loyalty to the Omnipotent and Omniscient God we all worship as the Creator of the Universe, he attained the ultimate in Messiahship and became the “Christ”!

My thesis is that Jesus, the Christ, achieved the climax of stewardship by a detailed observance of all the details that were foretold about the Messiah!

HERE IS A VERBATIM QUOTATION FROM THE BIBLE THAT AGREES WITH AND SUCCINTLY CORROBORATES MY ASSERTION

Luke 4:20-32

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,

21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.

Capernaum

24 "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

Israel

Sidon

Israel

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.

29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.

30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

Capernaum

From the New International Version of the Christian Bible

LET US LISTEN TO ADAM CLARKE, A BIBLE SCHOLAR COMMENT ON THEM!

20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. (RSV)

20 And shutting the book he gave it back to the servant and took his seat: and the eyes of all in the Synagogue were fixed on him. (BBE)

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 20. Were fastened on him.] Were attentively fixed on him. The proper import of atenizontev autw.

21 And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (RSV)

21 Then he said to them, Today this word has come true in your hearing. (BBE)

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22 And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" (RSV)

22 And they were all giving witness, with wonder, to the words of grace which came from his mouth: and they said, Is not this the son of Joseph? (BBE)

Ps 45:2; Mt 13:54; Mr 6:2; Lu 2:47; Joh 6:42

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 22. At the gracious words] To the words of grace, epi toiv logoiv thv caritov, or the doctrines of grace, which he then preached. It is very strange that none of the evangelists give us any account of this sermon! There was certainly more of it than is related in Lu 4:21. To-day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears; which seems to have been no more than the first sentence he spoke on the occasion. Had it been necessary for our salvation, it would have been recorded. It was a demonstration to those Jews, that Jesus, who preached to them, was the person of whom the prophet there spoke: it was not designed for general edification. Let us make a good use of what we have got, and we shalt not regret that this sermon is lost. The ear is never satisfied with hearing: we wish for another and another revelation, while sadly unacquainted with the nature and design of that which God's mercy has already given us.

23 And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here also in your own country.'" (RSV)

23 And he said to them, Without doubt you will say to me, Let the medical man make himself well: the things which to our knowledge were done at Capernaum, do them here in your country. (BBE)

Mt 4:13; 11:23; 13:54; Mr 6:1

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 23. Physician, heal thyself] That is, heal the broken-hearted in thy own country, as the latter clause of the verse explains it; but they were far from being in a proper spirit to receive the salvation which he was ready to communicate; and therefore they were not healed.

24 And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. (RSV)

24 And he said to them, Truly I say to you, No prophet is honoured in his country. (BBE)

Mt 13:57; Mr 6:4; Joh 4:44

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 24. No prophet is accepted] See on Mt 13:55-57.

25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; (RSV)

25 Truly I say to you, There were a number of widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months and there was no food in the land; (BBE)

1Ki 17:9; 18:1; Jas 5:17

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 25. In the days of Elias] See this history, 1Ki 17:1-9, compared with 1Ki 18:1-45. This was evidently a miraculous interference, as no rain fell for three years and six months, even in the rainy seasons. There were two of these in Judea, called the first and the latter rains; the first fell in October, the latter in April: the first prepared the ground for the seed, the latter ripened the harvest. As both these rains were withheld, consequently there was a great famine throughout all the land.

26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. (RSV)

26 But Elijah was not sent to one of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. (BBE)

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 26. Unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta] The sentence is elliptical, and means this: To none of them was Elias sent; he was not sent except to Sarepta; for the widow at Sarepta was a Sidonian, not a widow of Israel. PEARCE.-Sarepta was a pagan city in the country of Sidon, in the vicinity of Galilee.

27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." (RSV)

27 And there were a number of lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and not one of them was made clean, but only Naaman the Syrian. (BBE)

2Ki 5:14

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 27. None of them was cleansed] This verse is to be understood as the 26th; for Naaman, being a Syrian, was no leper in Israel.

The meaning of these verses is, God dispenses his benefits when, where, and to whom he pleases. No person can complain of his conduct in these respects, because no person deserves any good from his hand. God never punishes any but those who deserve it; but he blesses incessantly those who deserve it not. The reason is evident: justice depends on certain rules; but beneficence is free. Beneficence can bless both the good and the evil; justice can punish the latter only. Those who do not make this distinction must have a very confused notion of the conduct of Divine Providence among men.

28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. (RSV)

28 And all who were in the Synagogue were very angry when these things were said to them. (BBE)

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 28. Were filled with wrath] They seem to have drawn the following conclusion from what our Lord spoke: "The Gentiles are more precious in the sight of God than the Jews; and to them his miracles of mercy and kindness shall be principally confined." This was pretty near the truth, as the event proved. Those who profit not by the light of God, while it is among them, shall have their candle extinguished. The kingdom of God was taken from the Jews, and given to the Gentiles; not because the Gentiles were better than they were, but because, 1st. The Jews had forfeited their privileges; and 2dly. Because Christ saw that the Gentiles would bring forth the fruits of the kingdom.

29 And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. (RSV)

29 And they got up and took him out of the town to the edge of the mountain on which their town was, so that they might send him down to his death. (BBE)

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Adam Clarke's Commentary:

Verse 29. The brow of the hill] Mr. Maundrel tells us that this is still called "the Mountain of the Precipitation, and is half a league southward of Nazareth. In going to it, you cross first over the vale in which Nazareth stands; and then going down two or three furlongs, in a narrow cleft between the rocks, you there clamber up a short but difficult way on the right hand; at the top of which you find a great stone standing on the brink of a precipice, which is said to be the very place where our Lord was destined to be thrown down by his enraged neighbours." Maundrel's Journey, p. 116. Edit. 5th. 1732.

In this protracted discourse, the Biblical Scholar has provided us abundant evidence to show that Jesus performed as other prophets who came before him did!

So, my grouse with modern day fanatics is; DID JESUS EVER CLAIM HE WAS EQUAL TO HIS FATHER? DID HE AT ANY TIME TELL ANYONE THE GENUINE SIGNS OF THE END OF THE WORLD? He emphatically said in one passage that only the Almighty Father knew the end of the world.

Rome

If you doubt Rev. Prof. J. J. Kenez a.k.a Dr Kenez Danmbaezue then Consult Books on Church History. He did not obtain a doctorate in Church History, and even if he did, the aftermath of the Inquisitions and Excommunications of notable scientists who dared tell the truth is enough for him doubt the authenticity of Roman Historians.

NOW, LET US EVALUATE SOME REFERENCES OF “SON OF MAN” IN THE BIBLE

(All the quotations in this section are taken from The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society, for its current English value)

Num 23:19-20; - 19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil? 20 I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot change it.”

Ps 80:17-19; - 17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. 18 Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, O LORD God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

Was Jesus a reincarnation of Prophet Ezekiel?

The reason I ask this is because no other person was more often referred to as; “son of man” in the entire bible.

Observe that Matthew has 32 references of the label whereas Ezekiel has more that 94! Chapters 2 and 3 alone contain the label 10 times. What’s the linkage?

Ezek 2:1-3:27

2:1 He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you."

2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

3 He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day.

4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.'

5 And whether they listen or fail to listen-- for they are a rebellious house-- they will know that a prophet has been among them.

6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house.

7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.

8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."

9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,

10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.

Ezekiel 3

3:1 And he said to me, "Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel."

2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

4 He then said to me: "Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.

5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel--

6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.

7 But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate.

8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.

9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house."

10 And he said to me, "Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.

11 Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen."

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound-- May the glory of the LORD be praised in his dwelling-place!--

13 the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound.

14 The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.

15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Abib near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days-- overwhelmed.

16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me:

17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.

20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling-block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself."

22 The hand of the LORD was upon me there, and he said to me, "Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you."

23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell face down.

24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: "Go, shut yourself inside your house.

25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.

26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house.

27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Who is a Prophet?

Encyclopædia Britannica Article

“a divinely inspired revealer, interpreter, or spokesman. In Western culture, the classic period of Israelite prophecy has tended to predominate in analyses of the phenomenon, but the figure of the prophet is to be found in numerous manifestations throughout history and worldwide.

The prophet differs from other religious functionaries and representatives of religious authority in that he claims no personal part in his utterance. He speaks not his own mind but a revelation “from without.” He may be “inspired” with his message (as in the case of Jeremiah), or he may be “possessed” by a spiritual power—a god, a spirit, the Holy Ghost—which uses him as an instrument and speaks through him (as in Aeschylus' description of Cassandra in the Agamemnon and of the prophet of Apollo in the Eumenides). Plato defined the prophet as one who speaks in ecstasy, and in the Hellenistic period Philo of Alexandria similarly stated that the prophet “speaks nothing of his own” but resembles the lyre on which someone else plays.

The prophetic or charismatic (from Greek charisma, “divine gift”) state may occur spontaneously, or it may be induced by a variety of techniques: by meditation, by mystico-magical formulas and gestures (the mantras and mudras of esoteric Buddhism, for example), by music (II Kings 3:15, “And when the minstrel played, the power of the Lord came upon him”), by drumming, dancing, or the ingestion of intoxicants or narcotics. Prophets very often resist the call (Amos and Jeremiah among the Hebrew prophets; many prospective shamans) until overcome by the superior power that wants to use them as its instrument.

In contrast to the diviner, who uses or manipulates objective techniques and signs to address what are primarily private needs and anxieties, the prophet, impelled by the spirit, may articulate a message of more general and fundamental import, enunciating principles and norms that are critical of the present, in either a destructive or a reforming sense. He may address his group (tribe, nation) as a whole or may found a new society that will realize his message. The prophetic personality thus frequently becomes a religious founder, reformer, or sectarian leader (Zoroaster, Muḥammad, and others). The “ideal-typical” prophet (in Max Weber's sense) is, however, less concerned with founding a new religion or introducing revolutionary reforms than with criticizing his society from the inside, as it were, and in the light of what he believes to be the divinely established norms underlying its existence. If he is a revolutionary, he very frequently does not know it.

The semantic spectrum of the term prophetic has consequently become rather wide. According to whether the emphasis is on possession and ecstasy, inspired utterance, prediction of the future, visionary experience, ethical fervour, passionate social criticism, sense of absolute commitment, millenarian and apocalyptic expectation, etc., the most diverse phenomena and personalities have been called prophetic: Montanists, Pentecostals, Zoroaster, Muḥammad, Joachim of Fiore, Savonarola, Thomas Müntzer, Jakob Böhme, George Fox, Joseph Smith, and many others. The moral seriousness of the ancient Chinese sages and their profound regard for the law of heaven has suggested comparisons with Hebrew prophecy, and the Egyptian text known as the “Peasant's Complaint” has been claimed as a witness for a prophetic movement in ancient Egypt. Even Marxism has at times been qualified as prophetic, both because of its passionate protest against social injustice and because of the eschatological structure of its doctrine.

Disregarding this wide and at times merely figurative use of “prophetic,” there may be recognized a distinct prophetic type of religion. Its main characteristics are a dynamic conception of a deity, an emphasis on the will (both of God and of man) as a constitutive factor of the religious reality, a basic dualism, a profound awareness of the seriousness of sin (as distinct from breaking a taboo), a radical ethical outlook based on unequivocal choice between good and evil, a positive attitude toward society and toward this world in general, and a relationship to the time process that could crystallize in eschatological and messianic hopes.

To cite this page:

MLA style:

"prophet." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2008.

The contemporaries of Jesus recognised him as the son of Joseph and Mary, a native of Nazareth and were fully convinced he was actually a prophet, an extraordinary teacher “who taught with authority!”

Let us see; John 5: 25 – 43, 7: 40 – 53

John 5:25-43

25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.

27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice

29 and come out-- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

31 "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid.

32 There is another who testifies in my favour, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.

33 "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.

34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.

35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

36 "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.

37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,

38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.

39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,

40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

41 "I do not accept praise from men,

42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.

43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me

(from The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society)

John 7:40-8:1

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is the Prophet."

41 Others said, "He is the Christ." Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee?

42 Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"

43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.

44 Some wanted to seize him, but no-one laid a hand on him.

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?"

46 "No-one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.

47 "You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted.

48 "Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?

49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law-- there is a curse on them."

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked,

51 "Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

52 They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."

53 Then each went to his own home.

(From The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society)

The best example that demonstrates that Jesus was a prophet can be found in Matthew 24. Historians document in minute details how every aspect of this very prediction of the fall of Jerusalem was fulfilled to the letter!

MATT 24:1- 51

24:1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.

2 "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no-one deceives you.

5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

6 You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8 All these are the beginning of birth-pains.

9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15 "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation', spoken of through the prophet Daniel-- let the reader understand--

16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

17 Let no-one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.

18 Let no-one in the field go back to get his cloak.

19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

21 For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now-- and never to be equalled again.

22 If those days had not been cut short, no-one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.

24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-- if that were possible.

25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.

27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 "Immediately after the distress of those days "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'

30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

36 "No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;

39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,'

49 and he then begins to beat his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.

51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(From the Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society)

The shaded areas point out the certainty of the one making the prophetic statements.

Unlike the OT accounts that are woolly and could be interpreted in various fashions, Jesus here demonstrated his extraordinary foresight and authority over the details of how his prophecy would be executed.

My submission is that Jesus was only a prophet who spoke on behalf of the Almighty Father; he was not God and had never claimed to be one throughout his ministry! Here I lay my argument that Christendom is engrossed in unwarranted idolatry until some one proves otherwise!

Note that he equally declared in vv: 36 - 39 that he was not equal to his father. That is the crux of the matter that this discourse set out to prove. Here I rest my case.

If anyone has a better thesis, let him present it!

Now that we have an operational definition of a “son of man” and that of “a prophet”, we can see the error of Christendom equating Jesus with the Almighty Father! The best evidence is the testimony of Jesus regarding his subordinate relationship to the Father at John 8: 12 – 51;

John 8:12-51

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

13 The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."

14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.

15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no-one.

16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.

18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."

19 Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."

20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no-one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

21 Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."

22 This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"

23 But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins."

25 "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied.

26 "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.

28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.

29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."

30 Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it for ever.

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

37 I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.

38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father."

39 "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did.

40 As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.

41 You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me.

43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?

47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

48 The Jews answered him, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

49 "I am not possessed by a demon," said Jesus, "but I honour my Father and you dishonour me.

50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge.

51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

52 At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death.

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"

54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.

55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."

57 "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"

58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

(from The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society)

THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER

Jesus Declared In Plain Language That He Was Only A Prophet And The Son Of The Man Joseph, So Why Was The Universal Idolatry Of Deifying Him By Constantine The Great, A Pagan Emperor, Accepted By The Early Church Fathers?
Jesus was a prophet adopted and anointed by the Almighty Creator through the hands of John the Baptist. He was the first-born son of Joseph/Mary, the Carpenter and he had four junior brothers and un-named number of sisters. He was purely human. He never claimed divinity. He declared that he was the Son of Man and finally in the Gospel of Matthew 13:57, he unequivocally affirmed that he was a prophet. So, why deify him?