“And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His Form, nor does His Word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one He sent.” (John 5:37-38)
Could Jesus still be God after saying this?
Jesus is clearly stating here that he is not God. His statement clarifies that Jesus is God’s messenger. He says the Supreme Being sent Jesus: “And the Father who sent me…”How much clearer can this statement be? How can some teachers of today's organized sects possibly teach that Jesus is the Supreme Being when Jesus clearly indicates that God sent him?
From this statement, there are two persons being identified: "The Father" and "me." If "the Father" was "me" then Jesus would have not said that "the Father sent me." He would have said "I sent myself" or "I decided to come" or something like that.
Some might answer that it is because "God" is more of a term covering a sort of multi-governing authority. Such a theory would negate monotheism in itself. This would be saying there is more than one God - which is polythesism - the worship of multiple gods.
From this statement, there are two persons being identified: "The Father" and "me." If "the Father" was "me" then Jesus would have not said that "the Father sent me." He would have said "I sent myself" or "I decided to come" or something like that.
Some might answer that it is because "God" is more of a term covering a sort of multi-governing authority. Such a theory would negate monotheism in itself. This would be saying there is more than one God - which is polythesism - the worship of multiple gods.
The issue took shape when the Roman government under Emperor Constantine organized the political First Council of Nicaea, and created the Nicene Creed. This implied that God was made up of God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
This means they decided on a doctrine of polythesism. Jesus did not teach polytheism. He taught that there was one singular Supreme Being - the "Father," translated from the Greek word πατήρ (patēr) which is better translated to "Creator" in this context.
Jesus wanted us to focus our attention on the Creator. He wanted us to love the Creator. He didn't want us to forget about the Creator and think that Jesus was the Creator.
Jesus actually directly addressed this:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:21-23)
How has God 'testified' about Jesus?
What if we, on a job application, put ourselves down as one of our personal references. Maybe we put our nickname down as the name instead of our legal name. This would be unacceptable “testimony” for the prospective employer. Why?Because we cannot testify for ourselves in this situation. There would be no use for such a reference: Of course, we would testify for ourselves.
It would be a lie to say that someone else is testifying for us when really it is us. As soon as the prospective employer would find out we put ourselves as a personal reference, they would dismiss our application. The only way someone could testify for us is if they were a separate individual.
It would be a lie to say that someone else is testifying for us when really it is us. As soon as the prospective employer would find out we put ourselves as a personal reference, they would dismiss our application. The only way someone could testify for us is if they were a separate individual.
So is Jesus fibbing when he says that God testifies for him? Certainly not.
This indicates that God has a voice, and God has a form. Why would Jesus criticize the institutional temple clerics he was speaking to that they had never heard God or seen Him if God couldn’t be seen or heard? It would be a false statement otherwise.
And furthermore, we know that Jesus is not God, because they were seeing Jesus in front of them, yet Jesus was saying that they had never seen God.
Let’s say that someone says that we have no spouse when we do. We can simply say to them that they think we have no spouse because they have never seen our spouse. Once they saw our spouse, they would know that our spouse exists, right?
In the same way, we know from Jesus’ statement that not only does God have a voice, but God has a form; and that Jesus has heard God's Voice and seen His Form.
Why, then, do some sectarian teachers speak of the Supreme Being as either being Jesus or being some formless, vague force?
Does God have a 'form' and a 'voice'?
Jesus says: “You have never heard His voice nor seen His Form.” What does this clearly state about God?This indicates that God has a voice, and God has a form. Why would Jesus criticize the institutional temple clerics he was speaking to that they had never heard God or seen Him if God couldn’t be seen or heard? It would be a false statement otherwise.
And furthermore, we know that Jesus is not God, because they were seeing Jesus in front of them, yet Jesus was saying that they had never seen God.
Let’s say that someone says that we have no spouse when we do. We can simply say to them that they think we have no spouse because they have never seen our spouse. Once they saw our spouse, they would know that our spouse exists, right?
In the same way, we know from Jesus’ statement that not only does God have a voice, but God has a form; and that Jesus has heard God's Voice and seen His Form.
Why, then, do some sectarian teachers speak of the Supreme Being as either being Jesus or being some formless, vague force?
It is because - like the people Jesus was speaking to - they also have not heard His Voice nor seen His Form.
If they had, or if they simply believed Jesus’ words, then they would accept that God has form, and can speak to them.
The issue here is that God’s form is not physical. It is spiritual. The spiritual world is another dimension. It is a dimension that cannot be seen by the physical eyes. Those living in that dimension can see the Form of God as He goes about His activities and exchanges relationships.
The issue here is that God’s form is not physical. It is spiritual. The spiritual world is another dimension. It is a dimension that cannot be seen by the physical eyes. Those living in that dimension can see the Form of God as He goes about His activities and exchanges relationships.
Does Jesus have a relationship with God?
The second understanding that is derived from Jesus’ statement is that Jesus and the Supreme Being have a relationship. When one person “testifies” for another, this is called, in today’s conversation, a personal reference.Let’s say that we fill out an application for a job, and we list three personal references. What does this indicate about those references? It indicates that they know us personally and that we have some sort of relationship with them. In fact, very likely, the application form will have a column right next to their name and contact information that actually says: “relationship.”
Should the prospective employer call our references, our references will “testify” concerning us. Why should they spend the time answering the phone and testifying for us? Because we have a relationship with them.
Why are they missing Jesus' message?
Ironically, many professional preachers, reverends, popes, cardinals, bishops, and deacons that line many institutions of today have missed Jesus' message in this statement. Why so many miss his message, even though it is so clearly written in the Bible?Because so many are enmeshed in the materialistic aspects of their institutions: Like the Pharisees and the Chief Priests of Jesus' time, these teachers do not want to give up their positions of authority. They don't want to give up their positions of power and their followers - which effectively binds them and blinds them.
Unfortunately, as a result, "nor does His Word dwell" in them.
Most of these institutional officials accept the Nicene Creed.
Most of these institutional officials accept the Nicene Creed.
This Nicene Creed was accepted by all of the churches under the order of the Roman Empire. If they didn’t accept it, they would be disbanded and persecuted as heretics.
This is also why the Gnostic texts were all burned or destroyed—except for a few copies of some of the texts that miraculously made it after they were buried in the desert or in graves.
In those Gnostic texts, we find clues to a completely different view of Jesus, even though most of his statements were consistent with Jesus' statements we find in the Bible. (The Gospel of Thomas, for example).
Even though many teachers in the organized sects of today teach that Jesus is God, and God is a vague impersonal entity, we do not have to accept these teachings as facts.
In those Gnostic texts, we find clues to a completely different view of Jesus, even though most of his statements were consistent with Jesus' statements we find in the Bible. (The Gospel of Thomas, for example).
Even though many teachers in the organized sects of today teach that Jesus is God, and God is a vague impersonal entity, we do not have to accept these teachings as facts.
This is because, by God’s arrangement, some of the words of Jesus survived all the misinterpretation and mistranslation* through centuries of political maneuvering, materialism, and greed that surrounded and impacted the politically formatted Bible.
Jesus’ message was very clear. Not only does the Supreme Being exist, but the Supreme Being has form - a form perceived with spiritual eyes.
Jesus’ message was very clear. Not only does the Supreme Being exist, but the Supreme Being has form - a form perceived with spiritual eyes.
The Creator can thus speak to us. We can have a relationship with Him. We can love Him and serve Him and please Him just as Jesus taught. This is summed up by the most important commandment, taught by Jesus, Moses, and all of the other prophets, and many of Jesus' disciples:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)
*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement according to the Lost Gospels of Jesus:
"And the Creator who sent me has Himself testified about me. You do not hear His voice nor perceive His Form, nor does His wisdomC dwell within you, for you do not trust the person He sent." (John 5:37-38)