The Divinity of Jesus Christ: Paul & The Jewish Shema
Question: Does the New Testament identify Jesus as God?
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Overview
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Jesus claimed to be the Almighty God on several occasions by applying to himself the exclusive titles and descriptions of God from the Old Testament. Familiarity with the Old Testament is therefore vital for understanding and recognising Jesus' self-identification as the Almighty God in the New Testament. The decision of Jesus to communicate his identity by using the thought categories and religious texts of Judaism makes perfect sense, for Jesus came as the Jewish Messiah and to minister firstly among the Jewish people. Like Jesus, the New Testament authors also describe Jesus as the Almighty God by applying to Jesus the exclusive titles and descriptions of God from the Old Testament.​
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The following is an example of Jesus being identified as the Almighty God (in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit) by applying to Jesus a title or description of God from the Old Testament.​
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Paul & The Jewish Shema
The Old Testament states that God existed before anything was created and through God all things came into existence and were given life (Genesis 1:1 & Exodus 20:8-11). It is also specified that God made all things alone or by Himself, meaning that God was without help or partner when He created (Job 9:8 & Isaiah 44:24). God’s unique identity as the Almighty Creator is why God revealed the ‘Jewish Shema’ to Israel (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) and why the Israelites were instructed to remain faithful to its monotheistic (One God) declaration (Deuteronomy 5:6-7). Israel was to worship God alone as the Almighty Creator and reject the false gods of the pagan nations.
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The New Testament states that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are the One God of the Jewish Shema (1 Corinthians 8:4-6). According to the Apostle Paul, the ‘God’ of the Jewish Shema is the Father and the ‘Lord’ of the Jewish Shema is Jesus. The Almighty Creator and One God of the Jewish Shema is thus God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Paul says that it is from God the Father “all things came and for whom we live” and it is through the Lord Jesus Christ “all things came and through whom we live”. Paul attributes the same creative work and divine power to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ by emphasising their co-creatorship and co-divinity as the One God of the Jewish Shema.
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Paul’s inclusion of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ does not violate the monotheism of the Jewish Shema. This is because the English word “one” in Deuteronomy 6:4 is the Hebrew word ‘echad’ and can be used to convey the idea of unity between parties (a compound unity). For instance, ‘echad’ is used in Genesis 2 when God states that “a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one [echad] flesh” (Genesis 2:24). God requires the husband and wife (although two distinct persons) to be united (one/echad). Paul takes the Hebrew word ‘echad’ and applies it to the unity that exists between God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as the One God. In short, Paul is highlighting that the One God is Multi-Personal.
Bible Passages
Genesis 1:1
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(1) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.​
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Exodus 20:8-11
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(8) Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (9) Six days you shall labour and do all your work, (10) but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. (11) For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
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Deuteronomy 5:6-7
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(6) I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (7) You shall have no other gods before me.
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Deuteronomy 6:4-5
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(4) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. (5) Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
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Job 9:8
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(8) He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.​
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Isaiah 44:24
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(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.​​
1 Corinthians 8:4-6
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(4) So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” (5) For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), (6) yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
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