Certain Protestant theologians and/or apologists have been desperate to find some justification (pun intended!) for Luther’s doctrine of Sola Fide by quote-mining the early church writers. They do this in order to show that Luther’s teaching on justification wasn’t something novel, or completely unheard of, which inevitably distorted the true Gospel of Christ as believed on and proclaimed by Christians throughout the centuries.

One such early writer that is often cited in support of Sola Fide is Clement of Rome, who is believed to be the very same Clement mentioned by the blessed Apostle Paul in his inspired epistle:

“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to think the same way in the Lord. Indeed, I ask you also, genuine companion, help these women who have contended together alongside of me in the gospel, with also Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” Philippians 4:2-3 Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Clement is said to have authored a letter to the Corinthians rebuking them for having expelled their elders from the church. It is from this work, commonly referred to as “First Clement of Rome”, which these Protestants cite to defend the reformation doctrine of justification through faith alone.

Here’s the relevant section of Clement’s letter, which is often presented as evidence that Sola Fide was known and taught in the early church. All emphasis will be mine:

Chapter 32. We are Justified Not by Our Own Works, But by Faith.

Whosoever will candidly consider each particular, will recognise the greatness of the gifts which were given by him. For from him have sprung the priests and all the Levites who minister at the altar of God. From him also [was descended] our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh. Romans 9:5 From him [arose] kings, princes, and rulers of the race of Judah. Nor are his other tribes in small glory, inasmuch as God had promised, Your seed shall be as the stars of heaven. All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (First Epistle)

Reading this in isolation from the entire context of the epistle does seem to affirm that Clement, much like Martin Luther after him, held to Sola Fide.

However, when one actually reads Clement in context a totally different picture emerges, as the following quotations all show. Once again, all emphasis will be mine:

Chapter 30. Let Us Do Those Things that Please God, and Flee from Those He Hates, that We May Be Blessed.

Seeing, therefore, that we are the portion of the Holy One, let us do all those things which pertain to holiness, avoiding all evil-speaking, all abominable and impure embraces, together with all drunkenness, seeking after change, all abominable lusts, detestable adultery, and execrable pride. For God, [says the Scripture], resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Let us cleave, then, to those to whom grace has been given by God. Let us clothe ourselves with concord and humility, ever exercising self-control, standing far off from all whispering and evil-speaking, BEING JUSTIFIED BY OUR WORKS, AND NOT OUR WORDS. For [the Scripture] says, He that speaks much, shall also hear much in answer. And does he that is ready in speech deem himself righteous? Blessed is he that is born of woman, who lives but a short time: be not given to much speaking. Let our praise be in God, and not of ourselves; for God hates those that commend themselves. Let testimony to our good deeds be borne by others, as it was in the case of our righteous forefathers. Boldness, and arrogance, and audacity belong to those that are accursed of God; but moderation, humility, and meekness to such as are blessed by Him.

Chapter 31. Let Us See by What Means We May Obtain the Divine Blessing.

Let us cleave then to His blessing, and consider what are the means of possessing it. Let us think over the things which have taken place from the beginning. For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because HE WROUGHT RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH through faith? Isaac, James 2:21 with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was to happen, cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice. Genesis 22:6-10 Jacob, through reason of his brother, went forth with humility from his own land, and came to Laban and served him; and there was given to him the sceptre of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Chapter 34. Great is the Reward of Good Works with God. Joined Together in Harmony, Let Us Implore that Reward from Him.

The good servant receives the bread OF HIS LABOUR with confidence; the lazy and slothful cannot look his employer in the face. It is requisite, therefore, that we be prompt in the practice of well-doing; for of Him are all things. And thus He forewarns us: Behold, the Lord [comes], and His reward is before His face, to render to every man according to his work. He exhorts us, therefore, with our whole heart to attend to this, that we be not lazy or slothful in any good work. Let our boasting and our confidence be in Him. Let us submit ourselves to His will. Let us consider the whole multitude of His angels, how they stand ever ready to minister to His will. For the Scripture says, Ten thousand times ten thousand stood around Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, Daniel 7:10 and cried, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord of Sabaoth; the whole creation is full of His glory. Isaiah 6:3 And let us therefore, conscientiously gathering together in harmony, cry to Him earnestly, as with one mouth, that we may be made partakers of His great and glorious promises. For [the Scripture] says, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which He has prepared for them that wait for Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

Chapter 35. Immense is This Reward. How Shall We Obtain It?

How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are the gifts of God! Life in immortality, splendour in righteousness, truth in perfect confidence, faith in assurance, self-control in holiness! And all these fall under the cognizance of our understandings [now]; what then shall those things be which are prepared for such as wait for Him? The Creator and Father of all worlds, the Most Holy, alone knows their amount and their beauty. Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for Him, in order that we may share in His promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our understanding be fixed by faith towards God; if we earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to Him; if we do the things which are in harmony with His blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vain glory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also those that take pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:32 For the Scripture says, But to the sinner God said, Wherefore do you declare my statutes, and take my covenant into your mouth, seeing you hate instruction, and castest my words behind you? When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and made your portion with adulterers. Your mouth has abounded with wickedness, and your tongue contrived deceit. You sit, and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I kept silence; you thought, wicked one, that I should be like to yourself. But I will reprove you, and set yourself before you. Consider now these things, you that forget God, lest He tear you in pieces, like a lion, and there be none to deliver. The sacrifice of praise will glorify me, and a way is there by which I will show him the salvation of God.

Continuing further on, Clement writes:

Chapter 41. Continuation of the Same Subject.

Let every one of you, brethren, give thanks to God in his own order, living in all good conscience, with becoming gravity, and not going beyond the rule of the ministry prescribed to him. Not in every place, brethren, are the daily sacrifices offered, or the peace-offerings, or the sin-offerings and the trespass-offerings, but in Jerusalem only. And even there they are not offered in any place, but only at the altar before the temple, that which is offered being first carefully examined by the high priest and the ministers already mentioned. Those, therefore, who do anything beyond that which is agreeable to His will, are punished with death. You see, brethren, that the greater the knowledge that has been vouchsafed to us, the greater also is the danger to which we are exposed.

Now pay close attention to how Clement interprets Psalm 32:1-2, which Paul cites in Romans 4:6-8:

Chapter 50. Let Us Pray to Be Thought Worthy of Love.

You see, beloved, how great and wonderful a thing is love, and that there is no declaring its perfection. Who is fit to be found in it, except such as God has vouchsafed to render so? Let us pray, therefore, and implore of His mercy, that we may live blameless in love, free from all human partialities for one above another. All the generations from Adam even unto this day have passed away; but those who, through the grace of God, have been made perfect in love, now possess a place among the godly, and shall be made manifest at the revelation of the kingdom of Christ. For it is written, Enter into your secret chambers for a little time, until my wrath and fury pass away; and I will remember a propitious day, and will raise you up out of your graves. Isaiah 26:20 Blessed are we, beloved, IF WE KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD in the harmony of love; that so through love our sins may be forgiven us. For it is written, Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not impute to him, and in whose mouth there is no guile. This blessedness comes upon those who have been chosen by God through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

According to Clement, God will not impute sins to any person who earnestly keeps his commandments, not simply those who profess faith!

It is therefore clear that an accurate, fair and honest reading of Clement shows that this holy disciple of Paul and early church bishop DID NOT preach Luther’s doctrine of Sola Fide. Rather, this blessed servant of Christ taught that a person is initially justified by faith, a justification that must be maintained by obedience to God’s commandments. Clement, like the Christians who came after him, proclaimed that final justification comes from a person’s faithfulness to the commands of Christ, a faithfulness which the Lord will then reward with the gift of immortality.

In other words, Clement taught the Orthodox-Catholic understanding of justification, NOT the Protestant view introduced by Luther and the other magisterial reformers.

FURTHER READING

IGNATIUS, POLYCARP & SOLA FIDE

 TRUE FAITH IS FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE PT. 1

CHRIST’S FAITHFULNESS AS AN EXAMPLE OF SAVING FAITH

BIBLICAL VERSES ON FAITHFULNESS/OBEDIENCE

In this post I will provide further evidence from the inspired Scriptures that Christ is the true God, even though he is not the Father or the Holy Spirit.

The Hebrew Bible describes YHWH as the God of truth, i.e., the God who is the truth, to whom believers entrust their spirits, e.g., entrusting their lives to him who is faithful.

“Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O Yahweh, God of truth (El emeth).” Psalm 31:5

Note how the Greek versions called the Septuagint render this verse:

“Into thine hands I will commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth (Kyrie ho theos tes aletheias).” Psalm 30:6 LXX

According to the inspired [N]ew [T]estament writings, Jesus is the very truth and life whom believers commit their spirits/lives to:

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth (he aletheia), and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6

“They went on stoning Stephen as he was calling out and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:59-60

Shockingly, Stephen who was a Spirit-filled Jew steeped in the Jewish Scriptures prayed to Jesus in the exact same manner that the Psalmist prayed to YHWH!

The [O]ld [T]estament further depicts YHWH as being the Amen, meaning the God who is faithful to always carry out his promises:

“Those who pronounce a blessing in the land will do so by the God called Amen (belohe amen); those who make a solemn pledge in the land will do so by the God called Amen(belohe amen). Past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my sight. Look! I’m creating a new heaven and a new earth: past events won’t be remembered; they won’t come to mind.” Isaiah 65:16-17 Common English Bible (CEB)

Pay attention to the fact that YHWH is said to be the Amen in the context of his creating a new heavens and earth for the righteous to dwell in.

Once again, here’s the Greek rendering of this text:

“which shall be blessed on the earth; for they shall bless the true God (ton theon ton alethinon): and they that swear upon the earth shall swear by the true God (ton theon ton alethinon); for they shall forget the former affliction, it shall not come into their mind.” Isaiah 65:16 LXX

The translators took the expression Amen as a reference to YHWH being the true God, the only Deity whom the nations are to swear by and bless.

YHWH is even identified as the true and faithful witness, an expression which brings out the implicit meaning of his being the God of truth and the Amen:

“And they said to Jeremiah, ‘May Yahweh be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which Yahweh your God will send you to us.’” Jeremiah 42:5

Remarkably, it is the glorified Christ who identifies himself as the Amen, and the true and faithful witness, and does so in the very Revelation which speaks of God ushering in the new heavens and earth!

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: This is what the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says:” Revelation 3:14 – Cf. 21:1-7

Here’s another translation:

“To the messenger of the church in Laodicea, write: ‘The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God’s creation, says this:’” International Standard Version (ISV)

It is evident that the risen Jesus is claiming to be the true God by ascribing to himself the very unique titles and functions, which the OT attributes to YHWH.

Note how this works out logically:

1. YHWH is the Amen and the faithful and true witness.
2. The Jews interpreted YHWH’s title Amen as an affirmation of his being the true God.
3. The glorified, heavenly Jesus claims to be the Amen and the true and faithful witness.
4. The risen Christ is, therefore, claiming to be the true God.

This is further confirmed by some of the other names and roles which Revelation assigns to the risen Lord:

“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not fear; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” Revelation 1:17-18  

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: This is what the first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says:” Revelation 2:8

The glorified Jesus claims to be the First and the Last and the Living One who has power over life and death. And yet according to the Hebrew Bible, these are abilities and titles that belong to YHWH alone:

“Who has worked and done it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning? ‘I, Yahweh, am the first; and with the last, I am He.’” Isaiah 41:4

“Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: ‘I am the first, and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.’” Isaiah 44:6

“Hear Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.” Isaiah 48:12

“When that period of time was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven and my sanity returned to me. I blessed the Most High, praising and honoring the one who lives forever: For his sovereignty is eternal, and his kingdom continues from generation to generation. All who live on the earth are nothing compared to him. He does what he wishes with the heavenly armies and with those who live on earth. No one can hold back his power or say to him, ‘What did you do?’” Daniel 4:34-35

Jesus further refers to himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End who comes to judge and reward every single individual for what s/he has earned:

“‘Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end… I, Jesus, sent My angel to bear witness to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’… He who bears witness to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Revelation 22:12-13, 16, 20-21

Not only does the immediate context affirm that these are the words of the risen Christ, this is also corroborated by the following biblical texts:

“For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” John 5:22-23  

“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay each one according to his deeds.” Matthew 16:27

Since the Father judges no one, but rather it is the Son who comes to judge and reward all men, this only reinforces the point that it is Christ that is speaking in Revelation 22:12-13.

This means that Jesus does what the prophets explicitly testify is the very thing that YHWH himself comes to personally do!

“Behold, Lord Yahweh will come with strength, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him And His recompense before Him.” Isaiah 40:10

“Behold, Yahweh has announced to the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.’” Isaiah 62:11

“And that to You, O Lord, belongs lovingkindness, For You repay a man according to his work.” Psalm 62:12

“If you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ Does not He who weighs the hearts understand? And does not He who guards your soul know? And will not He render to man according to his work?” Proverbs 24:12

“For God will bring every work to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14

The risen Christ even takes the following words of YHWH,

“I, Yahweh, search the heart; I test the inmost being, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:10

And applies them to himself in order to highlight the fact of his being the One that beholds all things and determines who lives and dies!

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: This is what the Son of God, the One who has eyes like a flame of fire and His feet are like burnished bronze, says: ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your last deeds are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and deceives My slaves so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent, and she does not wish to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.’” Revelation 2:18-23

The foregoing merely reinforces the fact that the NT writings do indeed describe Jesus as the only true God, the Son who is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit in essence, power, glory and honor (but not in Person). It is only those who refuse to let the Bible speak, or do not allow God to be who says he is, that seek to deny and/or explain away this unambiguous teaching of the God-breathed Scriptures.

Unless indicated otherwise, scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

FURTHER READING

Christ as the Divine Amen

Jesus Christ: The God Whose Glory Isaiah Beheld

JESUS CHRIST: TRUE GOD FROM TRUE GOD

REVISITED: JESUS THE TRUE GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE

REVEALING THE IDENTITY OF ISRAEL’S LORD GODJesus is Jehovah God According to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible! Pt. 4

The following is taken from this post, “Luther’s Treatment of the Disputed Books of the New Testament”. I include it here in its entirety since it exposes Martin Luther’s disdain of James and a few other NT writings simply because he felt they did not agree (and could not be harmonized) with HIS interpretation of Paul’s teaching on justification. The readers will see the arrogance of Luther in assigning to himself the right to criticize the NT canon and to determine which books were to be viewed as having greater authority and value.

All emphasis shall be mine.

Luther’s Treatment of the ‘Disputed Books’ of the New Testament

Lutheran theologians like to make a distinction between the books of the New Testament which were unanimously received as canonical in the early church (the so-called Homologoumena or undisputed books) and the books which were disputed by some (the Antilegomena). In this class of ‘disputed books’ are the Epistle to the Hebrews, James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and the Revelation of John. These books are considered to be canonical in modern Lutheran churches, with the caveat that they are not quite on the same level as the other books as complete expressions of evangelical truth, and should be used with care.

Luther himself took the liberty of criticizing some of these books in a polemical manner which few Lutherans today would find completely acceptable. He had a low view of Hebrews, James, Jude, and the Revelation, and so when he published his New Testament in 1522 he placed these books apart at the end. In his Preface to Hebrews, which comes first in the series, he says, “Up to this point we have had to do with the true and certain chief books of the New Testament. The four which follow have from ancient times had a different reputation.”

Luther’s criticism of these books will perhaps be found disgraceful and even shocking to modern Christians, but it should be pointed out that his attitude was not so shocking in the context of the late Middle Ages. Erasmus had also called into question these four books in the Annotationes to his 1516 Greek New Testament, and their canonicity was doubted by the Roman Catholic Cardinal Cajetan (Luther’s opponent at Augsburg. See Reu, Luther’s German Bible, pp. 175-176). The sad fact is, the Roman Catholic Church had never precisely drawn the boundaries of the biblical canon. It was not necessary to do so under the Roman system, in which the authority of the Scriptures was not much higher than that of tradition, popes, and councils. It was not until the Protestant Reformers began to insist upon the supreme authority of Scripture alone that a decision on the ‘disputed books’ became necessary.

If Luther’s negative view of these books were based only upon the fact that their canonicity was disputed in early times, we would have expected him to include 2 Peter among them, because this epistle was doubted more than any other in ancient times. But it is evident from the prefaces that Luther affixed to these four books that his low view of them had more to do with his theological reservations against them than with any historical investigation of the canon.

We give below Luther’s prefaces to James, Jude and the Revelation, from the first edition of his New Testament. The English translation and notes are derived from the American edition of Luther’s Works, vol 35 (St. Louis: Concordia, 1963), pp. 395-399.

Preface to the Epistles of St. James and St. Jude (1522)

Though this epistle of St. James was rejected by the ancients,¹ I praise it and consider it a good book, because it sets up no doctrines of men but vigorously promulgates the law of God. However, to state my own opinion about it, though without prejudice to anyone, I do not regard it as the writing of an apostle; and my reasons follow.

In the first place it is flatly against St. Paul and all the rest of Scripture in ascribing justification to works. It says that Abraham was justified by his works when he offered his son Isaac; though in Romans 4 St. Paul teaches to the contrary that Abraham was justified apart from works, by his faith alone, before he had offered his son, and proves it by Moses in Genesis 15. Now although this epistle might be helped and an interpretation² devised for this justification by works, it cannot be defended in its application to works of Moses’ statement in Genesis 15. For Moses is speaking here only of Abraham’s faith, and not of his works, as St. Paul demonstrates in Romans 4. This fault, therefore, proves that this epistle is not the work of any apostle.

In the second place its purpose is to teach Christians, but in all this long teaching it does not once mention the Passion, the resurrection, or the Spirit of Christ. He names Christ several times; however he teaches nothing about him, but only speaks of general faith in God. Now it is the office of a true apostle to preach of the Passion and resurrection and office of Christ, and to lay the foundation for faith in him, as Christ himself says in John 15, “You shall bear witness to me.” All the genuine sacred books agree in this, that all of them preach and inculcate [treiben] Christ. And that is the true test by which to judge all books, when we see whether or not they inculcate Christ. For all the Scriptures show us Christ, Romans 3; and St. Paul will know nothing but Christ, I Corinthians 2. Whatever does not teach Christ is not apostolic, even though St. Peter or St. Paul does the teaching. Again, whatever preaches Christ would be apostolic, even if Judas, Annas, Pilate, and Herod were doing it.

But this James does nothing more than drive to the law and to its works. Besides, he throws things together so chaotically that it seems to me he must have been some good, pious man, who took a few sayings from the disciples of the apostles and thus tossed them off on paper. Or it may perhaps have been written by someone on the basis of his preaching. He calls the law a “law of liberty,” though Paul calls it a law of slavery, of wrath, of death, and of sin.³

Moreover he cites the sayings of St. Peter: “Love covers a multitude of sins,” and again, “Humble yourselves under the hand of God;” also the saying of St. Paul in Galatians 5, “The Spirit lusteth against envy.” And yet, in point of time, St. James was put to death by Herod in Jerusalem, before St. Peter.⁴ So it seems that this author came long after St. Peter and St. Paul.

In a word, he wanted to guard against those who relied on faith without works, but was unequal to the task in spirit, thought, and words. He mangles the Scriptures and thereby opposes Paul and all Scripture.⁵ He tries to accomplish by harping on the law what the apostles accomplish by stimulating people to love. Therefore, I will not have him in my Bible to be numbered among the true chief books, though I would not thereby prevent anyone from including or extolling him as he pleases, for there are otherwise many good sayings in him. One man is no man in worldly things; how, then, should this single man alone avail against Paul and all the rest of Scripture?⁶

Concerning the epistle of St. Jude, no one can deny that it is an extract or copy of St. Peter’s second epistle, so very like it are all the words. He also speaks of the apostles like a disciple who comes long after them and cites sayings and incidents that are found nowhere else in the Scriptures. This moved the ancient fathers to exclude this epistle from the main body of the Scriptures. Moreover the Apostle Jude did not go to Greek-speaking lands, but to Persia, as it is said, so that he did not write Greek. Therefore, although I value this book, it is an epistle that need not be counted among the chief books which are supposed to lay the foundations of falth.

Preface to the Revelation of St. John (1522)⁷

About this book of the Revelation of John, I leave everyone free to hold his own opinions. I would not have anyone bound to my opinion or judgment. I say what I feel. I miss more than one thing in this book, and it makes me consider it to be neither apostolic nor prophetic.

First and foremost, the apostles do not deal with visions, but prophesy in clear and plain words, as do Peter and Paul, and Christ in the gospel. For it befits the apostolic office to speak clearly of Christ and his deeds, without images and visions. Moreover there is no prophet in the Old Testament, to say nothing of the New, who deals so exclusively with visions and images. For myself, I think it approximates the Fourth Book of Esdras; ⁸ I can in no way detect that the Holy Spirit produced it.

Moreover he seems to me to be going much too far when he commends his own book so highly — indeed, more than any of the other sacred books do, though they are much more important — and threatens that if anyone takes away anything from it, God will take away from him, etc. Again, they are supposed to be blessed who keep what is written in this book; and yet no one knows what that is, to say nothing of keeping it. This is just the same as if we did not have the book at all. And there are many far better books available for us to keep.

Many of the fathers also rejected this book a long time ago;⁹ although St. Jerome, to be sure, refers to it in exalted terms and says that it is above all praise and that there are as many mysteries in it as words. Still, Jerome cannot prove this at all, and his praise at numerous places is too generous.

Finally, let everyone think of it as his own spirit leads him. My spirit cannot accommodate itself to this book. For me this is reason enough not to think highly of it: Christ is neither taught nor known in it. But to teach Christ, this is the thing which an apostle is bound above all else to do; as Christ says in Acts 1, “You shall be my witnesses.” Therefore I stick to the books which present Christ TO ME clearly and purely.

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1. Luther’s statement that the epistle was “rejected by the ancients” is only partly true. Its canonical status was doubted by some. Eusebius (died 339) in his Ecclesiastical History (II, xxiii, 25) writes “Such is the story of James, whose is said to be the first of the Epistles called Catholic. It is to be observed that its authenticity is denied, since few of the ancients quote it, as is also the case with the Epistle called Jude’s.” Eusebius also includes both epistles in his list of ‘Disputed Books’ (History, III, xxiv, 3). See also the statement by Jerome (d. 420) in his Liber de Viris Illustribus (II) concerning the pseudonymity ascribed to the epistle of James and its rather gradual attainment of authoritative status.

2. By Glose (literally “gloss”) Luther means an interpretation which explains away the apparent meaning.

3. Cf. Rom. 3:20; 4:15; 5:13, 20; 6:15-22; 7:5-13; 8:2; I Cor. 15:58; Gal. 3:23-5:1.

4. The James to whom the book is traditionally ascribed is not the brother of John martyred by Herod (Acts 12:2), as Luther seems to think, but the brother of the Lord (Matt. 13:55) who became head of the apostolic church at Jerusalem (Acts 15:13; Gal. 1:19).

5. The edition of 1530 omitted “in spirit, thought, and words. He mangles the Scriptures and thereby opposes Paul and all Scripture.”

6. The edition of 1530 put instead of these last two sentences, “Therefore, I cannot include him among the chief books, though I would not thereby prevent anyone from including or extolling him as he pleases, for there are otherwise many good sayings in him.”

7. This short preface appeared in the September Testament of 1522 and in other editions up to 1527. It was supplanted from 1530 on by a much longer preface which offers an interpretation of the symbolism of the book.

8. Luther means II Esdras, which was called IV Esdras in the Vulgate.

9. The canonicity of Revelation was disputed by Marcion, Caius of Rome, Dionysius of Alexandria, Cyril of Jerusalem and the Synod of Laodicea in A.D. 360, though it was accepted by most as Eusebius reports. In the annotations of his edition Erasmus had noted in connection with chapter 4 that the Greeks regarded the book as apocryphal.

FURTHER READING

Luther & Mary’s Perpetual Virginity: More Context

LUTHER’S PRAISE OF MARY

THE REFORMERS ON MARY’S PERPETUAL VIRGINITY

FRANCIS TURRETIN ON THE PERPETUAL VIRGINITY OF MARY

REFORMERS ON THE ASSUMPTION

REFORMERS ON THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION

In this post I will show the places in the Hebrew Bible which the NT writings testify are instances of the Father speaking to the Son. These cases will demonstrate that Jesus is preexistent, that he had a prehuman existence, and/or that he is fully divine in the same sense that the Father is divine.

PSALM 45

The inspired epistle to the Hebrews quotes the Father conversing with the Son where he glorifies Jesus as the God who reigns forever:

“But of the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God (ho theos), is forever and ever, And the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.’” Hebrews 1:8-9

When we look at the initial context of the Psalm, we see that this royal figure is not a mere human authority. Rather, he is depicted as not only being distinct from God but also one who exists as God in an absolute sense:

“Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice. You have loved what is right and hated what is wrong. That is why Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you, rather than your companions, with the oil of joy… The king longs for your beauty. He is your Lord (Adonayik). Worship him.” Psalm 45:6-7, 11 Names of God Bible (NOG)

Notice that the King is worshiped by the queen because he is her Lord. Compare how the Greek renders the verse in question:

“because the king desired your beauty because he is your lord (ho kyrios sou). And daughters of Tyre will do obeisance to him (proskynesousin auto) with gifts; your face the rich of the people will entreat.” Psalm 44[Heb. 45]:12-13 (“Psalms (and Prayer of Manasses),”, translated by Albert Pietersma, A New English Translation of the Septuagint, published by Oxford University Press in 2009, including corrections and emendations made in the second printing (2009) and corrections and emendations made in June 2014, p. 569)

It is interesting to point out that the Hebrew term used here is employed only one other time, and in reference to YHWH himself!

 “Thus says your Lord (Adonayik), Yahweh, even your God (Elohayik) Who contends for His people, ‘Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, The chalice of My wrath; You will never drink it again’.” Isaiah 51:22

Moreover, the King’s reign is described similarly to that of YHWH’s rule:

“You, O Yahweh, sit enthroned forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.” Lamentations 5:19  

A further indication of how glorious this figure is, proving he isn’t merely human, comes from his being eternally praised by all the nations.

“I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.” Psalm 45:17 New International Version (NIV)

Here’s another rendering of the passage:

“ I will make your name known through all generations; thus the peoples will praise you forever and ever.” Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Remarkably, the King receives the same worship that YHWH receives, and for the same duration!

“In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.” Psalm 44:8 NIV

“All the kings of the earth, O Yahweh, will give You thanks, When they hear the words of Your mouth. And they will sing of the ways of Yahweh, For great is the glory of Yahweh.” Psalm 138:4-5

Seeing that Jesus is identified as the Divine King spoken of in this Psalm, it should therefore come as no surprise that the NT writings ascribe to him eternal praise and glory:

“whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 9:5

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom… In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing… The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will save me unto His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:1, 8, 18

“but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

“and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-6  

We are even told that every created thing in the entire creation must (and eventually shall do so) give Jesus the exact same worship that the Father receives:

“Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

“And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.’ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.’ And EVERY CREATED THING which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and ALL THINGS IN THEM, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.’ And the four living creatures kept saying, ‘Amen.’ And the elders fell down and worshiped.” Revelation 5:8-14

PSALM 110

According to Jesus, the Holy Spirit revealed to David that the Messiah is the Lord whom YHWH enthrones alongside himself in heaven:

“And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, ‘How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit, “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.’” David himself calls Him “Lord”; so in what sense is He his son?’ And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.” Mark 12:35-37

Here’s the verse in question:

“A psalm by David. Yahweh said to my Lord (Adoni), ‘Sit in the highest position in heaven until I make your enemies your footstool.’”Psalm 110:1 NOG

The following texts make it abundantly clear that YHWH alone reigns from heaven over all creation:

“He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord mocks them.” Psalm 2:4

“Yahweh is in His holy temple; Yahweh’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.” Psalm 11:4

“Yahweh has established His throne in the heavens, And His kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19

“Who is like Yahweh our God, The One who sits on high,” Psalm 113:5

“The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh, But the earth He has given to the sons of men.” Psalm 115:16

Therefore, since David’s Lord sits at God’s right this means that he, too, is ruling from God’s heavenly throne over the whole creation.  

Moreover, since it is YHWH who is speaking to David’s Lord, and since the latter is identified as Jesus, this means that Psalm 110 is another conversation between God the Father and God the Son, which the prophet was privileged to see and hear!

This is precisely what the inspired NT writings proclaim, e.g., the Holy Spirit enabled David to foresee his Lord Jesus ascending physically into heaven after his resurrection to sit enthroned with the Father in order to reign forever over all creation:

“Men, brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to set one of the fruit of his body on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither forsaken to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.”’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:29-36  

“and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe according to the working of the might of His strength, which He worked in Christ, by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL rule and authority and power and dominion, and EVERY NAME that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put ALL THINGS in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head OVER ALL THINGS to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:19-23  

“… After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven… God never said to any of the angels, ‘Sit at my right side until I make your enemies into a footstool for you!’” Hebrews 1:3b, 13 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

“Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal of a good conscience to God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” 1 Peter 3:21-22

And since YHWH alone is enthroned over all creation forever, this again confirms the fact that Jesus is truly God in essence while also being distinct from God the Father.

Lo and behold, this is precisely what the inspired NT writings affirm!

“Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (tou theou hemon kai soteros ‘Iesou Christou). Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the full knowledge of God AND OF Jesus our Lord… for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (tou kyriou hemon kai soteros ‘Iesou Christou) will be abundantly supplied to you… For we did not make known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, following cleverly devised myths, but being eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’—and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.” 2 Peter 1:1-2, 11, 16-18

“Then He said to Thomas, ‘Bring your finger here, and see My hands; and bring your hand here and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ Thomas answered and said TO HIM, ‘My Lord and my God (ho kyrios mou kai ho theos mou)!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are those who did not see, and yet believed.’ Therefore many other signs Jesus also did in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:27-31

GOD’S ETERNALLY BEGOTTEN SON

This brings me to my next point.

The ancient versions of Psalm 110 and many Hebrew manuscripts preserve a form of the Psalm, which attests to God having begotten David’s Lord from before creation:

“The Lord said to my lord (Eipen ho Kyrios to Kyrio mou), ‘Sit on my right until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ A rod of your power the Lord will send out from Sion. And exercise dominion in the midst of your enemies! With you is rule on a day of your power among the splendors of the holy ones. From the womb, before Morning-star, I brought you forth (egennesa se).” Psalm 109[Heb. 110]:1-3 (A New English Translation of the Septuagint, p. 603)

“The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool. The Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies. With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot thee.” Psalm 109:1-3 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

“LORD JEHOVAH said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies as a stool for your feet.’ LORD JEHOVAH will send the scepter of power to you from Zion and he will rule over your enemies. Your people are glorious in the day of power; in the glories of holiness from the womb, from the first, I have begotten you, Son.” Psalm 110:1-3 Peshitta Holy Bible Translation (PHBT https://biblehub.com/hpbt/psalms/110.htm)

“THE LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD will send forth the sceptre of his power out of Zion, and he will rule over thine enemies. Thy people shall be glorious in the day of thy power; arrayed in the beauty of holiness from the womb, I have begotten thee as a child from the ages.” George Lamsa Bible (LAMSA https://biblehub.com/lamsa/psalms/110.htm)

Here we have God depicted as begetting the Messianic King from before the day or morning star, i.e., before the creation of the heavens and earth. Hence, according to this reading David’s Lord was already existing as the Son of God before creation even came into being!

Again, this is precisely what the NT proclaims in respect to Christ. I.e., Jesus has been existing from before the creation as the uniquely begotten and beloved Son of God, by and for whom all creation exists:

“After Jesus had spoken these things, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you. For you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to all those you have given him… Now, Father, glorify me at your own side with the glory I had at your side BEFORE the world existed… Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am so that they may see my glory—the glory you gave me because you loved me BEFORE the world’s foundation.’” John 17:1-2, 5, 24

“God has saved us from the dark kingdom where Satan rules. He has brought us into the kingdom of his Son, whom he loves. God’s Son, Jesus, paid the price for our sins and made us free. Yes, God has forgiven us. We cannot see God. But Jesus Christ shows us completely who God is. Even before God made anything, Jesus was already there as God’s Son who rules everything. When God created everything, it was his Son who did it. His Son made everything that is on earth and in heaven. He created everything that we can see, as well as the things that we cannot see. He made rulers and leaders. He made everything that has power and authority. God gave his Son the authority to create everything, so that his Son would receive praise. God’s Son was there before anything else was there. And now he causes everything to continue in its proper place. The church is like Christ’s body and he is its head. He is where it all begins. As God’s special Son, he was the first person who became alive again after death. As a result, Christ is first and most important in all things. God chose to put his nature in Christ completely.” Colossians 1:13-19 EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)

“Long ago in many ways and at many times God’s prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. God’s Son has all the brightness of God’s own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together… But God says about his Son, ‘You are God, and you will rule as King forever! Your royal power brings about justice. You loved justice and hated evil, and so I, your God, have chosen you. I appointed you and made you happier than any of your friends.’ The Scriptures also say, ‘In the beginning, Lord, you were the one who laid the foundation of the earth and created the heavens. They will all disappear and wear out like clothes, but you will last forever. You will roll them up like a robe and change them like a garment. But you are always the same, and you will live forever.’” Hebrews 1:1-3a, 8-12 CEV

ADONAY BECOMES FLESH

Not only does the Psalm speak of the divine enthronement of the Messiah, it further describes him as the divine Lord who crushes his enemies in the day of his wrath:

“Adonay is at your right side. He will crush kings on the day of his anger. HE will pass judgment on the nations and fill them with dead bodies. Throughout the earth HE will crush their heads. HE WILL DRINK from the brook along the road. HE will hold HIS head high.” Psalm 110:5-7 NOG

The pronouns clearly refer back to the divine Lord seated at God’s right hand which, in context, must be the Messiah since he is depicted as drinking water from a brook, obviously to refresh himself after his victorious battle. Since this is clearly a human function, and since the Father did not become man, this can only be referring to the Davidic Messiah.

According to the NT, this is precisely what Jesus will do when he comes to destroy his enemies on the great day of his wrath:

“Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’” Revelation 6:15-17

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; having a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself, and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the wrath of the rage of God, the Almighty. And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, ‘Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of strong men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.’ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with Him who sits on the horse and with His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who did the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sits on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.” Revelation 19:11-21

We, therefore, have another OT text where the divine Father addresses his divine Son who became human, being the Messianic King whom the Father begot before the ages!

PSALM 2

The following Psalm is another instance where God addresses the Christ, and which also refers to the divine begetting of the Davidic King:

“Why do the nations rage And the peoples meditate on a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against Yahweh and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord mocks them. Then He speaks to them in His anger And terrifies them in His fury, saying, ‘But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of Yahweh: He said to Me, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like a potter’s vessel.”’ So now, O kings, show insight; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Serve Yahweh with fear And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 2:1-12

It is interesting to note that there are specific Jewish authorities who have viewed Psalm 2 as a prophesy of the enthronement of the Messiah over the nations:

Why have nations gathered: Our Sages (Ber. 7b) expounded the passage as referring to the King Messiah, but according to its apparent meaning, it is proper to interpret it as referring to David himself, as the matter is stated (II Sam. 5:17): “And the Philistines heard that they had anointed David as king over Israel, and all the Philistines went up to seek, etc.,” and they fell into his hands. Concerning them, he says, “Why have nations gathered,” and they all gathered. (Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16223/showrashi/true#v1; emphasis mine)

The aforementioned Psalm has clear affinities with Ps. 110 since, not only do they both refer to the Messianic Ruler being begotten of God, they also speak of the King’s wrath being unleashed on all those nations and their kings who refuse to submit to him.

Once again, the NT documents identify the Son of Ps. 2 as Jesus our Lord!

“On being released, they went to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they lifted their voices in unity to God and prayed, ‘Lord, You are God, who has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, and who by the mouth of Your servant David said: “Why did the nations rage, and the people devise vain things? The kings of the earth came, and the rulers were assembled together against the Lord and against His Christ.” Indeed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were assembled together against Your holy Son Jesus whom You have anointed, to do what Your hand and Your counsel had foreordained to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant that Your servants may speak Your word with great boldness, by stretching out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be performed in the name of Your holy Son Jesus.’” Acts 4:23-30 Modern English Version (MEV)

“And we proclaim to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’” Acts 13:32-33

“For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him And He shall be a Son to Me’?” Hebrews 1:5  

“In this way also Christ did not glorify Himself to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You’;” Hebrews 5:5

“And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne… Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.’” Revelation 12:4-5, 10

“And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the wrath of the rage of God, the Almighty. 16 And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” Revelation 19:15-16

CONCLUSION

Psalms 2, 45, and 110 are clear OT examples depicting two divine Persons conversing with each other. In these Psalms we have God the Father addressing and magnifying his begotten Son who himself is fully divine, being begotten from before all creation, and whom all the nations must submit to and praise forever and ever. These Psalms also depict this same divine Son as being/becoming the Messianic Ruler and, therefore, the physical Heir of David who fulfills all the promises which God made to Israel’s King.

As such, these particular OT texts bear witness to God existing as a multi-Personal Being, as being both the Father and the Son, and further attest to God’s Son being both human and divine at the same time.

This is precisely what the inspired NT authors teach! I.e., the Father and the Son are two distinct divine Persons eternally existing as the one true God, with the Son later becoming the man Christ Jesus via his virginal conception and birth from the blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit (Cf. Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-35; Gal. 4:4-5; Heb. 10:5-9)!   

ADDENDUM: PSALM 110 IN THE NT

Here are the places in the NT where Psalm 110 is either directly cited or alluded to:

“But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him and said to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” Mark 14:61-62

“So then, the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.] [And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable preaching of eternal salvation.] Mark 16:19-20

“This One God exalted to His right hand as a Leader and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31

“But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’” Acts 7:55-56  

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who indeed did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:31-34

“Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, ‘All things are put in subjection,’ it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-27

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily, and in Him you have been filled, who is the head over all rule and authority… Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 2:9-10; 3:1

“who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies As a footstool for Your feet’?” Hebrews 1:3, 13

“just as He says also in another passage, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.’” Hebrews 5:6

“Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the holy places and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. Hebrews 8:1-2

“but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until His enemies are put as a footstool for His feet.” Hebrews 10:12-13

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21

“And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” Revelation 12:4-5

Unless stated otherwise, biblical references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).

FURTHER READING

PSALM 45: THE FATHER’S PRAISE OF HIS DIVINE SON

The Hebrew Bible Testifies that the Messiah is Adonay Elohim!

PSALM 110 IN EARLY CHRISTIAN SOURCES

DAVID’S MULTI-PERSONAL LORD PT. 1, PT. 2

APPEARANCE OF THE TRINITY TO ABRAHAM AND DAVID PT. 3

ISRAEL’S MULTIPERSONAL GOD