Another great post over at “Scribes of the Kingdom” which I am happy to endorse. I prefer my friend, the late Jimmy Dunn, Christology in the Making (Eerdmans 1966) to Bauckham’s Jesus and the God of Israel (Eerdmans, 2008). Dunn shows that nowhere in the New Testament documents is the Lord Jesus confused with YHVH the God of Israel–in terms of Being. Alex Finkelson, who writes the blog “Scribes of the Kingdom,” sets things out very clearly below.
And before anyone jumps to Philippians 2:5-11 please consider this is an “Adam” Christology–not heaven-to earth-back to heaven–but a flesh and blood human being–“dust and ashes”–as Genesis puts things–being transformed into heavenly glory BY God–not as GOD is God. Further, that the pattern is to be related for the MANY “Offspring of God” soon to come–see Philippians 10-11; 20-21. See my new book, Paul’s Ascent to Paradise for more on this with full notes. Devotion to Jesus as Lord is one thing–what some refer to as “worship,” a totally misleading word in English. The idea in the New Testament is homage or “bowing the knee,” that “GOD may be all things to all–see 1 Corinthians 15:25-28! The subordination is clear–and it never changes. What changes are multitudes of other “Adams” of flesh and blood are transformed and exalted as well, as “life-giving Spirit” beings!
The following is Alex’s post–please read and circulate.
The Lord among lords: Christ’s imperial cult
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