Here is the rest of the material I compiled for the debate (https://islamunmasked.com/2020/03/19/debate-material-for-johns-gospel-and-deity-of-christ-pt-1/).

THE DIVINE WORD WHO WAS PERSONALLY WITH THE FATHER

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (kai ho Logos een pros ton Theon), and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (pros ton Theon).” John 1:1-2

 “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He came from God and was going to God (pros ton Theon),” John 13:3

 “‘I have told you these things in proverbs. But the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs, for I will speak to you plainly about the Father. On that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying to you that I shall ask the Father on your behalf. For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. As I said, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father (pros ton Patera).’ His disciples said to Him, ‘Yes! Now You are speaking plainly and with no figure of speech. Now we know that You know everything and do not need anyone to question You. By this we believe that You came from God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe?’” John 16:25-31

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched, concerning the Word of life— the life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and announce to you the eternal life, which was with the Father (hetis een pros ton Patera) and was revealed to us—we declare to you that which we have seen and heard, that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:1-3

“My little children, I am writing these things to you, so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father (pros ton Patera), Jesus Christ the Righteous One.” 1 John 2:1

Just as no unitarian would deny that Jesus went to the Father as an actual Person, a unitarian cannot consistently dent that the coming from the Father into the world was also actual, personal. This also serves to confirm that the use of pros in John 1:1 can only mean that Word is an actual divine Person that personally existed alongside God in eternity and who then became the man Jesus Christ.

THE SON WHO IS ESSENTIALLY ONE WITH THE TRUE GOD

“‘My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them from My Father’s hand. My Father and I are one.’ Again the Jews took up stones to stone Him. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?’ The Jews answered Him, ‘We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, claim to be God.’” John 10:27-33

Compare Jesus’ claims with the following OT texts:

“See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god besides Me; I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; there is no one who can deliver out of My hand.” Deuteronomy 32:39

“O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, and as in the day of Massah in the wilderness,” Psalm 95:6-8

This is why the Jews correctly realized that Jesus was making himself out to be God.

THE DISCIPLES’ GLORY DIFFERENT FROM THE MESSIAH’S GLORY

The glory that Christ gives to the disciples is not the divine glory he possessed before creation, which believers will only behold,

“And now, O Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory which I had with You before the world existed… I have given them the glory which You gave Me, that they may be one even as We are one… Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may see My glory which You have given Me. For You loved Me before the creation of the world.” John 17:5, 22, 24

But that of ministry, where the disciples manifest God’s glory through the works they do like Christ did while on earth.

“This, the first of His signs, Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.” John 2:11

“Now a man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom You love is sick.’ When Jesus heard this, He said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it.’… Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I know that You always hear Me. But because of the people standing around, I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ When He had said this, He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ He who was dead came out, his hands and feet wrapped with grave clothes, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’” John 11:1-4, 40-44

“I will do whatever you ask in My name, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:13-14

THE MISUSE OF AGENCY AND DIVINE INDWELLING

Neither the angelic nor human agents of God or Christ identify themselves as God or Christ, nor can they be identified as God or Christ.

“Truly, truly I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me. And he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” John 13:20

“As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world.” John 17:18

“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.’” John 20:21

“When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought for the meaning. Then there before me stood one who had the appearance of a man. I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, ‘Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.’ So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was afraid and fell upon my face; but he said to me, ‘Understand, son of man, that the vision deals with the time of the end.’ Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face toward the ground. But he touched me and set me upright.” Daniel 8:15-18

“The angel answered him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. And I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.’” Luke 1:19

“As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, ‘Stand up. I myself am a man.’” Acts 10:25-26

“The angel said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show to His servants the things which must soon take place.’ Look, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’ I, John, am he who saw and heard these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. But he said to me, ‘See that you not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brothers the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!’… ‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.’” Revelation 22:7-9, 16

Nor does being indwelt by the Godhead will allow someone to be called or worshiped as God, Christ or the Holy Spirit.

“‘I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Counselor, that He may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be in you… On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father. And I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.’… Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our home with him.’” John 14:16-17, 20-21, 23

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is alive because of righteousness.” Romans 8:9-10

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

“Examine yourselves, seeing whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not know that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” 2 Corinthians 13:5

“which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all things in all ways.” Ephesians 1:23

“and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19

“But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.’ (In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also He who ascended far above all the heavens that He might fill all things.)” Ephesians 4:7-10

“To them God would make known what is the glorious riches of this mystery among the nations. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory,” Colossians 1:27

Despite the fact that God/Christ/Spirit fills all creation, this doesn’t mean that a person can go around claiming to be them or permit others to identify them as if s/he is God/Christ/Spirit.

YAHWEH AS ADONI AND MESSIAH AS ADONAY

Here are places where Yahweh is called Adoni:, as part of a theophoric names (Gr. theoforētos, “bearing a deity”), e.g. proper names which contain or embed a name and/or characteristic of the deity worshiped by a particular individual:

Adonijah (adoniyah) = “My Lord (Adoni) is Yahweh”.

“Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; and his second, Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David at Hebron.” 2 Samuel 3:2-5

“Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,” Nehemiah 10:16

Tobadonijah (tob adoniyah) = “My Lord (Adoni) Yahweh is good”.

“and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.” 2 Chronicles 17:8

Adoniram = “My Lord (Adoni) is exalted”.

“Now King Solomon was king over all Israel. These were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the deputies; and Zabud the son of Nathan, a priest, was the king’s friend; and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor.” 1 Kings 4:1-6

“Now King Solomon levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered 30,000 men. He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home. And Adoniram was over the forced laborers.” 1 Kings 5:13-14

Adonikam = “My Lord (Adoni) arose”.

“Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households and the genealogical enrollment of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes… and of the sons of Adonikam, the last ones, these being their names, Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and 60 males with them;” Ezra 8:1, 13 – cf. 2:13; Nehemiah 7:18

And here is where the Messianic King is called Adonay:

“My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer… Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty (Gibbor), with thy glory and thy majesty… Thy throne, O God (Elohim), is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God (Elohim), thy God (Eloheka), hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows… so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord (Adonayik); and worship thou him… I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.” Psalm 45:1, 3, 6-7, 11, 17

The ik in Adonayik is a second person singular suffix, and literally means “your Adonay.”

What makes this particular Psalm so remarkable is that the Anointed Ruler of Israel is identified with the very names and characteristics that are elsewhere ascribed to Yahweh himself!

For instance, it is Yahweh who is the Lord (Adonay) and God (Elohim) of his people:

“thus saith thy Lord (Adonayik) the LORD, and thy God (Elohayik) that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:” Isaiah 51:22

Further Reading

Jesus Christ: The God of the Patriarchs and Prophets (https://islamunmasked.com/2020/01/17/jesus-christ-the-god-of-the-patriarchs-and-prophets/)

Jesus Christ: The Living Bread From Heaven (https://islamunmasked.com/2020/01/19/jesus-christ-the-living-bread-from-heaven/)

JUDAISMS’ VIEWS ON THE MESSIAH’S PREHUMAN EXISTENCE (https://islamunmasked.com/2020/02/12/judaisms-views-on-the-messiahs-prehuman-existence/)

JEWISH SOURCES ON THE WORD AS A DIVINE PERSON (https://islamunmasked.com/2020/02/12/jewish-sources-on-the-word-as-a-divine-person/)

The Hebrew Bible Testifies that the Messiah is Adonay Elohim! (https://islamunmasked.com/2019/04/29/the-hebrew-bible-testifies-that-the-messiah-is-adonay-elohim/)

 

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