Some notes of Max Hatton which reveal that Jesus Christ is the Yahweh of the Old Testament. It can be shown that each Member of the Trinity is Yahweh but in this paper we will confine our study to the person of the Lord Jesus. Scriptures quoted will be from the New International Version.

My purpose in providing these notes is to show the impossibility of Jesus being a literal Only Begotten Son of God. First of all an example of an Old Testament reference that is applied in the New Testament to Jesus:

Joel 2:32

NIV ³² And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls. KJV ³² And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

Romans 10:13

NIV ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” KJV ¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Without doubt Joel 2:32 refers to calling on the name of Yahweh. Paul now applies the same phrase to the Lord Jesus. In effect Jesus is being designated as Yahweh. The evidence requires us to accept that He is Yahweh - the context of Romans 10:13 insists that this is so.

Jesus is Yahweh

Now some other interesting evidence of the fact that Jesus is Yahweh:

Yahweh says that He created everything alone, by Himself — Isaiah 44:24

NIV ²⁴ “This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself,

KJV ²⁴ Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

The apostle Paul advises that Jesus created everything and all was for Himself. Additionally, He preserves everything - Jesus is the Creator — Colossians 1:16-17

NIV ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

KJV ¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: ¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Zechariah advises that Yahweh is the Lord, who created the heavens and the earth — Zechariah 12:1

NIV ¹ A prophecy: The word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares:

KJV ¹ The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

In Hebrews, the apostle Paul advises that Jesus was responsible for the foundation of the earth and the creation of the heavens — Hebrews 1:10

NIV ¹⁰ He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

KJV ¹⁰ And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

Yahweh is the first and the last — Isaiah 44:6

NIV ⁶ “This is what the Lord says — Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.

KJV ⁶ Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

..See also Isaiah 48:12

NIV ¹² “Listen to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.

KJV ¹² Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

..Of Jesus, Revelation says: Revelation 1:17-18

NIV ¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

KJV ¹⁷ And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: ¹⁸ I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

..See also Revelation 2:8

NIV ⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.

KJV ⁸ And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

Revelation 22:12-13

NIV ¹² “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

KJV ¹² And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. ¹³ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

..It is only possible to have one First and one Last. Yahweh and Jesus are the same.

Yahweh will not share His glory — Isaiah 42:8

NIV ⁸ “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.

KJV ⁸ I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

..Note what Jesus prayed in John 17:5

NIV ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

KJV ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

How many can be “King of kings and Lord of lords”? Read what Deuteronomy says of Yahweh in Deuteronomy 10:17

NIV ¹⁷ For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

KJV ¹⁷ For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:

..Read what Paul refers to God as in 1 Timothy 6:15

NIV ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time — God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

KJV ¹⁵ Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

..Read what title Revelation declares about the Lamb in Revelation 17:14

NIV ¹⁴ They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

KJV ¹⁴ These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

..Read the similar statement in Revelation 19:16

NIV ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.

KJV ¹⁶ And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

Who alone is able to read the hearts of men? Read what the following passages have to say about Yahweh — 1 Kings 8:39

NIV ³⁹ then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart),

KJV ³⁹ Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men; )

Psalm 7:9

NIV ⁹ Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure — you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.

KJV ⁹ Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

..In Revelation we find Jesus claiming to be the one who has the ability to do this Revelation 2:23

NIV ²³ I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

KJV ²³ And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

..See also John 2:24-25

NIV ²⁴ But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. ²⁵ He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

KJV ²⁴ But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, ²⁵ And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

..Again it is quite clear that Jesus is Yahweh.

Who was the God of Israel? Of course it was Yahweh who was Jesus — 1 Corinthians 10:4

NIV ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

KJV ⁴ And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

..This verse applies to the God of Israel who accompanied them at the time of the Exodus. That God was Yahweh – that God was Jesus.

The apostle John reveals that Jesus was the great I AM of Exodus — John 8:58

NIV ⁵⁸ “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

KJV ⁵⁸ Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Exodus 3:14

NIV ¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

KJV ¹⁴ And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

..The Jews knew very well that Jesus was making the claim to be the God of the Old Testament and they took up stones to stone Him for committing blaspheme.

It hardly needs saying that Jesus cannot be the Yahweh of the Old Testament and at the same time be His own literal Son.

The King James Version translates the Greek word monogenes as “Only-Begotten” at John 3:16

NIV ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. KJV ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
..This is an incorrect rendering as many modern translations show clearly. The word monogenes should be rendered as only or unique. The false rendering comes from confusion among early Christians, which was transmitted through the Roman Catholic Church past the Reformation into the Protestant Churches. Modern Scholarship has corrected the error. The following is from The Only One Unique by Angel Manual Rodriguez, one of our Scholars at the Biblical Research Institute:

“When the term is used to describe Jesus, it simply means ‘unique,’ or ‘one and only.’ It describes the uniqueness of His nature.”

Many other authorities could be cited, this is just one further example:

Newman and Nida in their A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of John, United Bible Societies, New York, 1980, were able to confidently state on page 24:

There is no doubt regarding the meaning of the Greek word used here (monogenes); it means “only” and not “only begotten.”

Conclusion

We can say without the slightest doubt that Jesus is Yahweh and therefore He cannot be his own only begotten son. Anti-Trinitarians in our Church do Him a great disservice when they try to make out that He is an inferior god who was born from God at sometime in the ancient past.

God says, “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.” Isaiah 43:10

NIV ¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. KJV ¹⁰ Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.