Isaiah 9:6
"His name shall be called . .
. The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Problem:
Since Isaiah refers to Christ as "The mighty God, The
everlasting Father", this passage is quoted to prove the deity of Christ.
Solution:
1.Isaiah states that he "shall be called" (i.e., in the
Kingdom Age, vs. 7), not that he is now "The mighty God, The everlasting
Father." Although the work of this kingdom is executed by Christ, it is the zeal
of the LORD {Yahweh} of hosts {which} will perform this." (Isa. 9:7). As Christ
said: "I can of mine own self do nothing". (John 5:30).
2."Mighty
God" - Jesus Christ will be the "mighty God" in the Kingdom Age when he comes
with the power and glory of his Father. (Matt. 16:27). Christ is altogether
worthy of this title. Of an angel, it is written, "my name is in him",1 (Exod.
23:21). But the Son of God has obtained a more excellent name than the angels
(Heb. 1:4, R.S.V.) and is, therefore, worthy to bear the divine titles. But this
does not imply he is "Very God" any more than it did for the angel who bore the
divine name before the children of Israel.
3."Everlasting Father" -
Christ in his reign as King will bear the title, "everlasting Father" for at
least the following two reasons:
a.He will be a father to the mortal nations
in the Kingdom Age. Isaiah prophesied, "he shall be a father to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah . . . and they shall hang upon him all
the glory of his father's house." (Isa. 22:21-24). Like the relationship between
a father and son, Christ will exercise justice, wisdom, might, and knowledge
(Isa. 11) toward the mortal population. Father-like characteristics are
illustrated in the letters of the Apostle Paul: "I write not these things to
shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand
instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers . . ." (1 Cor. 4:14, 15);
"As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a
father doth his children." (1 Thess. 2:11).
b.Although believers are
usually referred to as "brethren" (e.g., 1 Thess. 2:14; Heb. 2:11) it is not
inappropriate to term them "children". For example: "I and the children which
God hath given me." (Heb. 2:13 cf. Isa. 8:17, 18). Christ is the father of these
children since he is the means whereby they are born anew. (John 3:3, 7).3 This
is the seed which Christ shall see and be satisfied. (Isa. 53:10, 11 cf. Psa.
45:16 - The Messianic character of this Psalm is indicated by vs. 6 and Heb.
1:8, 9 where it is quoted in a context referring to Christ.)
4.1
Cor. 15:22-28 is a commentary on Isa. 9:6. The Father gives the Son delegated
authority and power for a limited duration of time. "For he {God} hath put all
things under his {Jesus'} feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him,
it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when
all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject
unto him {God} that put all things under him {Jesus}, that God may be all in
all." (vs. 27, 28). Since the Son is to be subject unto the Father, then he is
clearly not "co-equal" with the Father, and by implication not a person within
the Godhead.
5.This passage in Hebrew tradition is merely making the
point that the Messiah will be named after God, like many Jews were, including
Isaiah. Moreover, the set of titles are not trinitarian: e.g., Jesus is not "the
Father" according to traditional thinking. "Mighty God" is also in the Hebrew El
Gibbor, gibbor being applied to human beings as "hero" in the OT.
Footnotes: 1.Similarly, Christ came in his Father's name. (John 5:43).
2."Everlasting" means "duration; continuity". Robert Young, Analytical
Concordance to the Holy Bible, (London: Lutterworth Press, 1965). The same
Hebrew word "ad", is used of mountains in Hab. 3:6. It does not follow,
therefore, that "everlasting Father" means "eternal Father."
3.The
living word of God is the active agent in effecting the new birth. (Heb. 4:12;
James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23).
Ron Abel
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