The Gift of Speaking in Tongues

The gifts of the Spirit are a major fixture among Pentecostal Christians, especially the gift of tongues. The term "Pentecostal" is derived from the word "Pentecost", which is the Jewish holiday on which the Holy Spirit was first poured out among believers in Acts 2, being manifested with the gift of tongues. In this particular incident, the Jewish Christians were speaking in various languages that would not have been known to them.

But there were men dwelling in Jerusalem who were worshipers of God, Jews from every nation under Heaven. And when that noise occurred, the entire populace gathered and was agitated, because each one of them heard that they were speaking in their dialects. And they were all marveling and were amazed as they were saying, each to the other, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?” “How are we hearing, everyone, his own dialect in which we were born?” “Parthians and Medes and Elanites, and those who dwell in Bayth- Nahrayn, Judeans and Qapodoqians and those who are from the regions of Pontus and of Asia,” “And from the regions of Phrygia and of Pamphylia and of Egypt and of the countries of Libya which are near to Cyrene and those who came from Rome, Jews and proselytes”, “And who are from Crete, and Arabians, behold, we are hearing from those who are speaking in our own dialects, the wonders of God.”- Acts 2: 5-11

Speaking in tongues is recorded several times in the Book of Acts, almost always in conjunction with someone receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-46, 19:1-6). In I Corinthians, the Apostle Paul goes more into detail about speaking in tongues and how it is to be used in the church. Paul first begins to talk about the Spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12.

But about spiritual things my brethren, I want you to know, that you were pagans and you were being led without discrimination to those idols which have no voice.- I Corinthians 12:1-2

Paul's statement might sound strange, mentioning the former idolatry of the Gentile Christians before going into the spiritual gifts. The best explanation of this I heard is from a friend of mine, who believes that this was talking about not over-emphasizing the gifts of the Spirit. This is reminiscent of Israel beginning to worship the bronze serpent created by Moses at the command of God in the desert (Numbers 21:4-8), which was later destroyed because of the people worshiping it (II Kings 18:4). I believe much of Pentecostalism has come to over-emphasize the gift of tongues, but I will go into that more later.

But there are diversities of gifts, however The Spirit is One. And there are diversities of ministries, however, THE LORD JEHOVAH is One. And there is a diversity of miracles, but God is One who works all in every person. But the revelation of The Spirit is given to each man as He helps him. There is given to him by The Spirit a word of wisdom, but to another the word of knowledge by The Spirit; To another faith by The Spirit; to another the gift of healing by The Spirit; But to another, miracles and to another, prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another, kinds of languages; to another, translation of languages; But all these things, that One Spirit does and distributes to every person as he pleases.- I Corinthians 12:4-11

The gift of tongues and the other gifts all come from God, distributing these gifts through the power of His Spirit. Tongues is not placed above the other gifts, and is mentioned merely as one of the many gifts given by the Holy Spirit to the church. This translation translates the Aramaic word leshana as "languages" rather than the usual "tongues", which is more correct for modern English vernacular.

For in like manner, because the body is one and there are many members in it, while all of them are many members, they are one body; thus also is The Messiah. For we also are baptized by The One Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Aramaeans or Servants or free men, and we are all made to drink The One Spirit.- I Corinthians 12:12-13

Despite the diversity of the body, we are all united as one through the Holy Spirit.

For also the body is not one member, but many. For if a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body”, is it therefore not of the body? And if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body”, is it therefore not of the body? For if all the body were an eye, where would the hearing be? And if it all were hearing, how would there be smell? But now God has set everyone of the members in the body just as he has chosen. But if they were all one member, where is the body? But now there are many members, but the body is one. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you”; neither can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.” But all the more, those members that are considered weak, on the contrary are needful. And those which we think are shameful in the body, we increase greater honor to these and for those that are contemptible we make greater attire. But those members which we honor do not need honor, for God unites the body and he has given greater honor to the small members, Lest there would be divisions in the body; but all the members should be caring equally one for another. So now, when one member shall suffer, all of them shall share the pain. And if one member rejoices, all the members shall rejoice.- I Corinthians 12:14-26

Just because we are not gifted in a particular way or placed in a particular position in the church, we should not feel inferior to anyone else. If everyone had the same function in the church, the church would not be effective. We should also not treat with dishonor those who seem to be less in stature than someone else, but treat them with more honor because they are lesser in stature. We should all esteem each other equally and operate with unity, compassion, and empathy.

But you are the body of The Messiah and members in your places. For God has set first in his church, Apostles; after them Prophets; after them, Teachers; after them, miracle workers; after them, gifts of healing, helpers, leaders, different languages. Are they all Apostles? Are they all Prophets? Are they all Teachers? Are they all miracle workers? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all of them speak with languages, or do all of them translate? But if you are zealous for great gifts, I again shall show you a better way.- I Corinthians 12:27-31

God has set everyone in a particular place in the Body of Christ. Not everyone is gifted in the same way and not everyone will do the same thing. Notice that Paul says that not everyone speaks in tongues, just like not everyone works miracles or healings, or interprets tongues. Not everyone is called to be an apostle, prophet, or teacher also. Everyone should abide in their particular calling and gifting, as God has placed you there.

If I shall speak with every human and Angelic language and have no love in me, I shall be clanging brass or a noise-making cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and I know all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so that I may remove mountains, and I have no love in me, I would be nothing. And if I should feed everything that I have to the poor, and if I hand over my body to be burned up and I have no love in me, I gain nothing.- I Corinthians 13:1-3

Paul's statement about speaking in human languages and angelic languages seems to show that not every "tongue" is a human language on earth as in Acts 2, but sometimes unknown languages. Paul's real point is not this about the different kinds of tongues, but about the fact that no matter what you do, if it is not done in love it is meaningless and vain. 

Love is patient and sweet; love does not envy; love is not upset neither puffed up. Love does not commit what is shameful, neither does it seek its own; it is not provoked, neither does it entertain evil thoughts, Rejoices not in evil, but rejoices in the truth, Endures all things, believes all things, hopes all, bears all.- I Corinthians 13:4-7

This is true love. This isn't romantic love like between a husband and wife, but godly love. Godly love leads to righteousness.


Love never fails; for prophecies shall cease, tongues shall be silenced and knowledge will be nothing; For we know partially and we prophesy partially, But when perfection shall come, then that which is partial shall be nothing. When I was a child, I was speaking as a child, I was led as a child, I was thinking as a child, but when I became a man, I ceased these childish things. Now we see as in a mirror, in an allegory, but then face-to-face. Now I know partially, but then I shall know as I am known. For there are these three things that endure: Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of these is Love.- I Corinthians 13:8-13

Paul is saying that there will be a time prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will be meaningless. This is at the coming of Christ, when we will receive an understanding of everything from our Lord Jesus Christ. Love is greater than all spiritual gifts, and as such, it will endure throughout eternity.

Run after love and be zealous for the gifts of The Spirit, but especially that you may prophesy. For whoever speaks in languages does not speak to men, but he is speaking to God, for no man understands what he speaks, but by The Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification, encouragement and comfort to children of men. He who speaks in languages builds himself up, and he who prophesies builds the church up. I wish that all of you might speak in languages, but all the more that you may prophesy, for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in languages, unless he translates; but if he translates, he edifies the church.- I Corinthians 14:1-5

Contrary to popular belief, tongues is not the most important spiritual gift a Christian could have. Love is greater than all, but prophecy is better than tongues. If tongues was the initial evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, then why would Paul state that he would rather the Corinthian church prophesy than speak in tongues?  Paul clearly states that the tongue does no good to the church at large (it does edify the individual) unless it is interpreted. 

And now my brethren, if I come to you and speak languages with you, what do I benefit you, unless I shall speak with you either by revelation or knowledge or by prophecy or by teaching? For even inanimate things which give sound, whether a flute or harp, if they make no distinction between one tone and another, how will anything that is played or anything that is harped be known? For if a trumpet make a sound which is not distinct, who will be prepared for battle? So you also, if you will say words in languages and you will not translate, how will anything be known that you say, for you yourselves will be as one who is speaking to the air. For behold, there are many kinds of languages in the world, and there is not one of them without sound. And if I do not know the import of the sound, I am a foreigner to him who speaks, and also he who speaks is a foreigner to me. So also you, because you are zealous of the gifts of The Spirit, seek to excel for the edification of the church.- I Corinthians 14:6-12

Again, tongues do not good to the body unless they are interpreted. When addressing a crowd, it is obviously imperative to be understood, and you will not be understood when speaking in tongues unless it is interpreted into the language of the church. Paul says to to seek to edify the entire church, and not just yourself.

And he who speaks in languages, let him pray to translate. For if I should pray in languages, my spirit is praying, but my understanding is unfruitful. What therefore shall I do? I shall pray with my spirit, and I shall pray also with my understanding. I shall sing with my spirit, and I shall sing also with my understanding. Otherwise, if you say a blessing in The Spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say amen for your giving of thanks, because he does not know what you said? For you bless well, but your neighbor is not edified. I thank God that I am speaking in languages more than all of you, But in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also, than 10,000 words in languages.- I Corinthians 14:13-19

If you address a crowd in the gift of tongues, it must be translated. This is a reiteration of Paul's point that you need to edify the church, and you can't do so if you are speaking in an untranslated language unknown to the believers. Pray for the interpretation/translation of the language so that you can edify the church. 

My brethren, do not be children in your intellects, but be infants in evil and be fully mature in your intellects. It is written in the law, “With foreign speech and with another language I shall speak with this people, and not even in this way will they hear me, says THE LORD JEHOVAH.” So then languages are established for a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers, but prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe. If therefore it should happen that the whole church assembles and everyone would speak in languages, and the uninitiated or those who are unbelievers should enter, would they not say that such have gone insane? But if all of you would prophesy and the unlearned or an unbeliever should enter, he is searched out by all of you and he is reproved by all of you. And the secrets of his heart are revealed and then he will fall on his face and worship God and he will say, “Truly, God is in you.”- I Corinthians 14:14-24

This is again showing the superiority of prophecy over tongues. Tongues is used by God to confirm the Gospel message to those who don't believe, which is why the gift of tongues sometimes occurs when someone first receives the Spirit (or is saved, see Romans 8:9). Prophecy is always understood, therefore someone who comes from outside the church and sees prophecy in action will be convinced of the truth of the Gospel message. If tongues are used but not interpreted, they will walk away thinking that you are insane.

I say therefore, my brethren, that whenever you gather, whoever among you has a Psalm, let him speak, or whoever has a teaching, or whoever has a revelation, or whoever has a language, or whoever has a translation, let all things be done for edification. And if any speak in languages, let two speak, or as many as three, and let each one speak and let one translate. And if there is no translator, let him who speaks in a language be silent in the church and let him speak to himself and to God. But let two or three Prophets speak and the others discern. And if something is revealed to another while the first is sitting, let him be quiet. For you can all prophesy one by one, that each person may teach and everyone may be comforted. For the spirit of the Prophet is subject to the Prophet, Because God is not chaotic, but peaceful, as in all the assemblies of The Holy Ones.- I Corinthians 14:25-33

Paul's point is that everything should be done in order so that the church can be edified. Tongues should be interpreted when addressed to the crowd, but if the tongue is not interpreted the speaker should speak to himself. Paul says that two or three at most should address the church in tongues, one after the other in the tongue and then in the translation given to the person by God. Prophecy should also be done in order, not a whole bunch of people should speak at once. The rest of the body should remain silent and judge the prophecy to see if it is true or not. 

There is nothing in the New Testament that shows that tongues is essential for salvation or that it is the "initial evidence" of receiving the Spirit. If this was true, how would we know if someone was saved until they spoke in tongues? Even if they speak in tongues, could we be certain? Demons often manifest themselves in those possessed and mimic speaking in tongues. How do we tell if someone is truly living with the Holy Spirit abiding within? We examine their lives.

"There is not a good tree that produces bad fruit, neither a bad tree that produces good fruit,” “For every tree is known by its fruits, for they do not pick figs from thorns, neither do they gather grapes from a bush.” “A good man brings forth good from the good treasure that is in his heart and the evil man brings out evil from the evil treasure that is in his heart. For the lips speak from the fullness of the heart.”- Luke 6:43-45

Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of the flesh in the following passage:

But I say that you should be walking in The Spirit and the craving of the flesh you will never do. For the flesh craves anything that opposes The Spirit and The Spirit craves whatever opposes the flesh, and they both are contrary one to another, lest you would be doing whatever you want. But if you are led by The Spirit, you are not under The Written Law. For the works of the flesh are known, which are fornication, impurity, whoredom, The worship of idols, witchcraft, hate, contention, rivalry, rage, insolence, dissensions, divisions, Envy, murder, drunkenness, reveling and all such things; those who are committing these things, as I said to you from the first, I say now also, that they shall not inherit The Kingdom of God. But the fruits of The Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, sweetness, goodness, faith, Humility, endurance; the law is not set against these things. But those who are of The Messiah have crucified their flesh with all its weaknesses and its cravings.- Galatians 5:16-24

All scriptural quotations from The Original Aramaic New Testament in Plain English by Reverend Glenn David Bauscher.

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Is Jesus the Father? Properly Understanding the Terms "Father" and "Son"

Oneness Pentecostals hold the belief that Jesus Christ is the same Person as God the Father and the Holy Spirit. This is in stark contrast to the mainstream Christian dogma that teaches that Jesus Christ ("God the Son") is the second Person in the Godhead, distinct but not separate from God the Father and "God the Holy Spirit", while all three exist in the same divine essence. As a result, Jesus is referred to by Apostolic Christians as the Father. This also causes Trinitarian Christians to accuse the Oneness crowd of teaching that Jesus is His own Father. This is not what we believe at all.

Many Oneness people do not completely understand that there is distinction between the manifestations of the Father and the Son. The term "Father", in relation to the incarnation, refers to deity alone, while "Son" refers to humanity and deity united in Jesus Christ. The terms "Father" and "Son" refer to how these two ways in which God is subsisting relate to one-another. While they are the same divine Person (Yahweh), in the context of the incarnation the Father cannot be called the Son, nor can the Son be called the Father.

The term "Father" is used in various different ways when referring to God. God refers to Israel as His Son in Hosea 11:1: "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." God is the Father of Israel in the sense that He redeemed Israel and chose that nation. God is also our Father in creation. Malachi 2:10 says, "Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?" This is further shown in Luke 3:38 when Adam is referred to as the son of God. We are also the spiritual children of God, like in Galatians 4:6 which states, "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father." King David is also referred to as a son of God in Psalms 2:7, "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." David is called this because God chose him and anointed him as the king of Israel, and also because of David being a man after God's own heart (I Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). 

Jesus is referred to not only as the Son of God, but as the only begotten Son of God. The term "only begotten" comes from the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic words monogenes, yachid, and ekhidaya. This word is better translated as "unique", as Jesus is the unique Son of God. The term "Son of God" when referring to Jesus is also a confession of His divinity. 

"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God."- John 5:17-18

"I am my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?"- John 10: 30-36

The Jews understood that Jesus was claiming to be of the same essence as Yahweh, and they reacted as if He was blaspheming because they did not believe that His Words were true. The term "Son of God" is used similarly to "Son of man". "Son of man" does not mean that Jesus is not human, but it is a Semitic idiom for a human being. "Son of God" does not mean that He isn't God, but that He is God Himself made manifest. 

Jesus's close relationship to the Father is also a reason behind His being called His Son. John 1:18 says, "No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." The phrase "in the bosom of the Father" is the same one used of John the Apostle in John 13:23. This denotes a special relationship and a place of prestige. Because Jesus has such an intimate relationship to the Father, He is able to communicate and reveal Him to us. Matthew 101:27 says, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him."

Now that we have established the meaning behind "Father" and "Son" in relation to Jesus and Yahweh, now let's see how Jesus can be referred to as the Father. Jesus cannot be referred to as the Father, as stated previously, in the same way as "Father" is used when speaking of the incarnation. Jesus is however the Creator (John 1:3), therefore He can be called the Father in that way. We are also the children of Christ, as Isaiah 53:10 speaks of Christ seeing His seed (posterity). Jesus has no physical descendants, so this must be speaking of those who have faith in Him. So yes, Jesus Christ is the same Person as God the Father, but is distinct from Him. A simple way of putting it would be "The same Person, different manifestation." Jesus is our Father through creation and adoption through the Holy Spirit, but Jesus is not His own Father. I hope this article was a blessing and brought a greater understanding of the Father and Son's relationship!

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The Old Syriac Gospels and Their Relationship To the Peshitta

The Old Syriac is composed of two ancient versions of the Gospels written in the same Aramaic dialect as the Peshitta (Syriac). The two versions are called the Curetonian Gospels and the Sinaitic Palimpsest. These manuscripts both appear to have originated in the fourth century, while the mainstream scholarly view is that they originated in the 2nd century, predating (in their view) the Peshitta, which is the standard text of the New Testament used by Assyrian Christians in the Assyrian Church of the East, Ancient Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox Church, and Syriac Maronite Church.

The first one to be discovered was the Curetonian text, discovered by William Cureton (after whom the text is named). This text of the Gospels was discovered among many other manuscripts, brought from a Syrian monastery of Egypt in 1842. Currently it is being preserved in the English Library. Cureton noted that the manuscript was extremely different from any known version of the Gospels, and believed it was not a translation from Greek, but Henry Herman later concluded that they were translations from the Greek. Cureton published the manuscript in 1858, calling the book Remains of A Very Ancient Recension of the Gospels in Syriac, Hitherto Unknown in Europe. Francis Crawford Burkitt later published the Aramaic text with an English translation (now known as the standard text of the Curetonian text). The Sinaitic Palimpsest was used in order to replace the missing portions of the Curetonian manuscript. 

The Sinaitic Palimpsest (also called Syriac Sinaiticus) was discovered in the library of Saint Catherine's Monastery during the year 1892 by sisters Agnes Smith Lewis and Margaret Dunlop Gibson. They later returned with other scholars to photograph the manuscript and transcribe it. Agnes Smith Lewis published some pages of the original manuscript in her book Some Pages of the Four Gospels Re-transcribed From the Sinaitic Palimpsest With A Translation of the Whole Text. She published the translation alone in A Translation of the Four Gospels From the Syriac of the Sinaitic Palimpsest. A palimpsest is a text that has had another text written over it, in this case, this version of the Gospels was overwritten by a biography of saints and martyrs from the 778 AD. Because of this, the Sinaitic Palimpsest is frequently referred to as "Old Scratch" by Peshitta primacists. Ironically, the Sinaitic Palimpsest is better preserved than the Curetonian Gospels. This text has several notable readings, including one that denies the Virgin Birth by saying that Joseph begat Jesus in Matthew 1:16. This manuscript was also dated to the 4th century AD and is held by many to be the oldest copy of the Gospels in Aramaic.

The Curetonian appears to be a revision of the Sinaitic Palimpsest. It's said by scholar E. Jan Wilson (who published a comparative translation of the Old Syriac Gospels) that the Curetonian Gospels tend to have better grammar than the Sinaitic also. They are also very similar, but also disagree about as much as the Greek manuscripts. Most scholars believe that the Peshitta is a revision of the Old Syriac Gospels, but I, along with other Peshitta enthusiasts, disagree. Both of the Old Syriac versions are referred to as Evangelion de Mapharreshe ("The Separated Gospels"). 

Many people say that the Old Syriac versions appear to be quoted by Assyrian Christians like Ephrem the Syrian instead of the Peshitta, but several Peshitta scholars have analyzed this popular claim and found it to be false. Assyrian scholar Paul Younan has observed that sometimes Ephrem will quote the Peshitta, and sometimes he will paraphrase, and sometimes he appears to quote the Old Syriac. Younan shows that this is the same case with Aphrahat, who quotes the Peshitta quite a bit instead of the Old Syriac. The Arabic version of the Diatessaron (the only surviving complete version of Tatian's 2nd century harmony that is written in a Semitic language and was translated directly from the Aramaic) also agrees with the Peshitta against the Old Syriac. Aramaic scholars James Scott Trimm, Steve Caruso, and George Anton Kiraz follow the mainstream belief that the Old Syriac predates the Peshitta, but Trimm is the only one of the three that believe that the Old Syriac represents an original version of Mark, Luke, and John (holding that Shem-Tob Matthew is the original version of Matthew, written in Hebrew). Peshitta scholars Paul Younan, Andrew Gabriel Roth, Glenn David Bauscher, Janet Magiera, and the late William Norton hold the Peshitta to predate the Old Syriac Versions.

Peshitta primacists hold that 4th century Syriac Orthodox bishop Rabulla created the Old Syriac in order to combat the Diatessaron, which was popular among Aramaic-speaking Christians and appears to use the Peshitta. The most damning evidence for this is a statement from Rabulla himself: "Let the presbyters and deacons give heed that in all the churches there be provided and read a copy of the Distinct Gospel [Aramaic: Evangelion d' Mapharreshe]." The name "Distinct" or "Separated" Gospels was given in order to distinguish it from the Diatessaron, which is referred to as Evangelion d'Amhalte ("Mixed Gospels") in Aramaic. This is the argument that really convinces me that the mainstream opinion is incorrect. 

As stated before, Francis Crawford Burkitt and Agnes Smith Lewis published translations of the Old Syriac Gospels. George Anton Kiraz of Gorgias Press published A Comparative Edition of the Syriac Gospels, which contains the Aramaic text of the Western Peshitto, Harklean, Curetonian, and Sinaitic Palimpsest. Another Gorgias Press affiliate, E. Jan Wilson, published The Old Syriac Gospels: Studies and Comparative Translations in two volumes. Wilson's publication includes the Aramaic text of both the Curetonian and Sinaitic Gospels, with translations of both verse-by-verse in a format perfect for easy comparison.

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The Importance of Being Baptized in the Name of Jesus

Baptism is a significant religious rite in Christianity. The meanings and methods of baptism given by the various Christian denominations differ in many ways. Oddly, one of the most controversial things about baptism is whether we should do it in the name of Jesus or use the "Trinitarian" formula given in Matthew 28:19. Oneness Pentecostals go with the former.

Baptism began in ancient Judaism and is was most widely used in order to bring new converts into the Jewish religion. Those who were baptized were viewed as new individuals. Baptisms among the Jewish people were usually done in body of water that had a naturally flowing current ("living water") or in a specially designed mikveh pool. It was also a method of ritual cleansing. Before entering the temple to pray, devout Jews would wash themselves in the mikveh pool. Baptism was also used when you became a follower of a certain rabbi or prophet, and it identified you with them, their mission, and symbolized your submission to them.

The earliest recorded baptism I can think of in the Scriptures would probably be when the Israelites passed through the parted Red Sea in Exodus 14. The Apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:1-4, "Moreover, brethren, I want you to know, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized by Moses, both in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." The phrase "baptized by Moses" can also be translated as "baptized into Moses".

John the Baptist used baptism in order to wash away the sins of the people. Mark 1:4 says that John's baptism was for the forgiveness of sins. This baptism was part of repentance from sin. John the Baptist himself, however, said that the Messiah, who was coming after him and was superior to him, would not baptize the people with only water, but also with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11). Jesus Himself submitted to baptism in order to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15) and to give an example to those who would follow Him.

After Jesus the Messiah was crucified and risen from the dead, He commanded His disciples to go and preach the Gospel to all creation, and also to baptize the converts (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15-16). The disciples went forward and did just that. After Peter preaches to the people after being baptized with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the people respond. Acts 2:37-39 says, "When they heard these things, their hearts were touched and they said to Simon and the rest of the apostles, Our brethren, what shall we do? Then Simon said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of the LORD Jesus for the remission of sins, so that you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise was made to you and to your children, and for all of those who are far off, even as many as the very God shall call."

Many people see a contradiction between Peter's command of the people to be baptized in the name of Jesus instead of the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no contradiction here. Jason Dulle, an Apostolic theologian and Christian apologetic gave a very good explanation to this perplexing issue. 'Why did they baptize in the name of Jesus, rather than in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? What clued them in to the fact that Jesus did not mean for them to literally repeat His exact words, if it wasn't His use of the singular "name"? I would suggest that it was what Jesus said immediately before. He prefaced His command concerning baptism by saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore…” (28:18). And after Jesus issued His command concerning baptism, He continued to speak exclusively of Himself: “Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always” (28:20). The emphasis throughout the Great Commission was on Christ alone. Together with the disciples' recognition that Jesus encapsulates our experience of God, they understood His words to mean that they were to baptize in His name. The name (authority) into which we are baptized is the same name who had just claimed all authority in heaven and earth: Jesus Christ. Because Jesus possesses all authority, we are to be baptized in His name.'

Based on Peter's statement, it is clear that baptism is a part of the conversion process. I can't really say that if you aren't baptized that you aren't saved, but it does seem very clear that baptism is a commandment. Acts 10:48 says that Peter "commanded" Cornelius and the other new Gentile converts to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. But why is it so important to be baptized in the name of Jesus?

Read here what Paul says about baptism in Romans 6:1-6. "What shall we then say? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Far be it. How shall we who are dead to sin, continue to live in it? Do you not know, that those of us who have been baptized into Jesus Christ have been baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: so that as Jesus Christ arose from the dead by the glory of his Father, even so we also shall walk in a new life. For if we have been planted together with him in the likeness of his death, so shall we be also in the likeness of his resurrection: for we know, that our old selves are crucified with him, so that the sinful body might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

Baptism is not something we do, per say. Baptism is all about identifying the believer with the work of Christ on the cross and with His resurrection. As stated earlier in the article, baptism also signified to the Jews that you were a follower of a specific prophet or rabbi. By being baptized in the name of Jesus, you are being specified as a follower of Jesus the Messiah and you are showing your submission to Him. When you are being baptized, you are, by the grace of God, submitting to Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life.

The "name" of Jesus is not a magic trick. The "name" of a person in Semitic cultures represents the character and authority of the person bearing that name. Jesus Christ is holy and righteous in character, being the only sinless human being. Jesus is also the one who bears the name above all names, meaning that He is the highest authority in the universe (Philippians 2:9). By being baptized in the name of Jesus, you are "putting on" Christ and taking on His character. Being baptized in the "name" of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit does not accomplish this. Satan himself could ever claim to be a father (because he is the father of all lies as Christ said in John 8:44), a son (because he is an angel and angels are referred to as "sons of God" in Job 1:6) and he could pretend to be a holy spirit (he disguises himself as an angel of light as Paul said in II Corinthians 11:14). My point is that there are many fathers, many sons, and many spirits that claim holiness, but there is one Lord Jesus Christ who is Yahweh, who is Himself the Father, Son and the true Holy Spirit.

All Scripture quotations from The Holy Bible From the Ancient Eastern Text by Dr. George M. Lamsa

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"Who Created God?"

Christians and Atheists alike are strained in order find the answer to this question. The concept of an eternal God is difficult to comprehend as finite beings. Since everything else had a beginning, why shouldn't God have a beginning as well? I believe that God gave me the answer to this question.

Time itself has a beginning, as does the physical universe and everything that it is made up of. Genesis 1:1 opens with the words B'reshit bara Elohim, which is commonly translated as "In the beginning God created" (though Artscroll's translation of the Tanach suggests it should be translated as "In the beginning of God's creating"). "The beginning" is clearly the beginning of time. If God is creating at the beginning of time, then this means that God existed before time and the rest of creation. My belief is that God is able to transcend time because He is ultimately the Master of it, being the creator of time. All created beings are bound by time because we are created in it. God is not bound by time or it's limitations. Eternity is the absence of time, and God is eternal. So God, unlike every other intelligent being, does not have to have a beginning because of His transcendence of time. I know this was a brief article, but I hope everyone enjoyed it! This really helped me and strengthened my faith in the God who is eternal: Yahweh. 

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The Relationship Between Faith, Obedience, and Grace

Salvation by faith is one of the cornerstone's of Christian faith. In the Scriptures it is not emphasized by anyone more than the Apostle Paul. Paul did this because of his many contentions with legalistic Jewish believers (most from the sect of the Pharisees). Salvation by faith is also one of the most misunderstood aspects of Christian doctrine, especially when it is not interpreted correctly with it's relationship to obedience and grace, which can (and most likely will) effect how the believer lives his wife.

The Biblical definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1. "Now faith is the persuasion of the things that are in hope, as if they were in act; and [it is] the manifestness of the things not seen." The author of Hebrews then goes on to discuss the results that faith brought forth in the lives of the Old Testament saints. Here are two of the author's examples:

"By faith, Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than that of Cain; and on account of it, he is testified of that he was righteous, and God bore testimony to his offering; and in consequence thereof, though dead he yet speaketh. By faith, Enoch was translated, and did not taste death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for, before he translated him, there was testimony of him, that he pleased God."- Hebrews 11:4-5

The author then says in Hebrews 11:6, "But, without faith, a man cannot please God. For he that draweth near to God, must believe his existence, and that he will recompense those who seek him." 

Now let's go beyond the English translation of what we've read so far. My focus here is Hebrew 11:1, so I'll be merciful and only break this one down:

Aramaic for "faith" is hemanuta (ܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬ݂ܳܐ). This word represents a gift from God that gives assurance that what He says is true. Paul says that God gave us faith in Romans 12:3: "And, by the grace given to me, I say to you all: Do not carry thoughts, beyond what ye ought to think; but think with modesty, as God hath distributed to each one his measure of faith."

"Persuasion" in Aramaic is payasa (ܦ݁ܝܳܣܳܐ). Dukhrana defines this as, "Compliance, persuasion, assurance, persuasiveness". It could also be translated as "substance". This is also a "conviction" that what God says is true. 

"Manifestness" in Aramaic is gelyana (ܓ݂ܶܠܝܳܢܳܐ). This is the word from which "Galilee" is derived. It is defined by Dukhrana as "manifestation, revelation, assurance". This is a paradox, as "manifestation" implies that this thing is seen, but the author then says that it is the "manifestness" of the things that are unseen. Faith allows us to see results through spiritual sight and not always through the eyes of the flesh. The word gelyana can also be translated as "evidence". Faith does not require evidence because faith is the evidence.

Considering the fact that the author of Hebrews gives examples of the results of faith, this shows that true faith is not just believing what is said by God, but also responding to it. James 1:19-25 says, "And be ye, my beloved brethren, every one of you, swift to hear, and slow to speak, and slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore, remove far from you all impurity, and the abundance of wickedness; and, with meekness, receive the word that is implanted in our nature, which is able to vivify these your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only' and do not deceive yourselves. For if any man shall be a hearer of the word, and not a doer of it, he will be like one who seeth his face in a mirror: for he seeth himself, and passeth on, and forgetteth what a man he was. But every one that looketh upon the perfect law of liberty and abideth in it, it nos a hearer of something to be forgotten, but a doer of the things; and he will be blessed in his work." In James 4:17, James says, "He that knoweth the good, and doeth it not, to him is sin."

This is an echo back to what Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27. "Every one therefore that heareth these my discourses, and doeth them, will be like to a wise man, one that built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew; and they rushed upon that house; and it fell not, for its foundations were laid upon a rock. And every one that heareth these my discourses and, and doeth them not, will be like a foolish man that built his house upon sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew; and they rushed upon that house, and it fell; and great was the ruin of it."

In James 2:14-26, the apostle tells us how you can tell if a person truly has faith. "What is the use, my brethren, if a man say, I have faith; and he hath no works? Can his faith vivify him? Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say to them, Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full; and ye give them not the necessaries of the body, what is the use? So also faith alone, without works, is dead. For a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show to me thy faith that is without works; and I will show to thee, my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou dost well; the demons also believe, and tremble. Wouldst thou know, O frail man, that faith without works is dead? Abraham our father, was not he justified by works, in offering his son Isaac upon the altar? Seest thou, that his faith aided his works, and that by the works his faith was rendered complete? And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God. Thou seest, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone. So also Rahab, the harlot, was not she justified by works, when she entertained the spies, and sent them forth by another way? As the body without the spirit, is dead; so faith without works, is dead also."

In Romans 4, Paul teaches the same thing about Abraham (using different terminology). "What then shall we say concerning Abraham the patriarch, that by the flesh he obtained? But if Abraham was justified by works, he had [ground of] glorying; yet not before God. For what saith the scripture? That Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. But to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as a debt to him. Whereas, to him that worketh not, but only believeth in him that justifieth sinners, his faith is accounted to him for righteousness. As David also speaketh of the blessedness of the man, to whom God reckoneth righteousness without works, saying: Blessed are they, whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sins are covered up: and, Blessed is the man, to whom God will not reckon his sin. This blessedness, therefore, is it on the circumcision ? or on the uncircumcision? For we say, that Abraham's faith was reckoned to him for righteousness. How then was it reckoned to him ? In circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. For he received circumcision, as the sign and the seal of the righteousness of his faith while in uncircumcision: that he might become the father of all them of the uncircumcision who believe; and that it might be reckoned to them also for righteousness: and the father of the circumcision; not to them only who are of the circumcision, but to them also who fulfill the steps of the faith of our father Abraham in [his] uncircumcision. For the promise to Abraham and to his seed, that he should become the heir of the world, was not by the law, but by the righteousness of his faith. For if they who are of the law were heirs, faith would be made void, and the promise of no force. For the law is a worker of wrath; because where no law is, there is no transgression of law. Wherefore, it is by the faith which is by grace, that we are justified: so that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all: as it is written: " I have constituted thee a father to a multitude of nations ;" [namely] before God, in whom thou hast believed; who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which are not, as if they were. And without hope, he confided in the hope of becoming the father of a multitude of nations; (as it is written: So will thy seed be.) And he was not sickly in his faith, while contemplating his inert body, (for he was a hundred years old,) and the inert womb of Sarah. And he did not hesitate at the promise of God, as one lacking faith; but he was strong in faith, and gave glory to God; and felt assured, that what God had promised to him, he was able to fulfill. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. And not for his sake alone, was it written, that his faith was accounted for righteousness; but for our sakes also; because it is to be accounted [so] to us, who believe in him that raised our Lord Jesus Messiah from the dead; who was delivered up, on account of our sins; and arose, that he might justify us."

In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul talks about salvation by faith again. "For it is by his grace we are rescued, through faith; and this is not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any one glory. For we are his creation; who are created in Jesus the Messiah, for good works, which God hath before prepared for us to walk in."

Paul also teaches that faith brings forth works. In Galatians 5:19-22, he distinguishes the sinful works of the flesh from the holy fruits of the Spirit. "For the works of the flesh are known, which are whoredom, impurity, lasciviousness, idol-worship, magic, malice, contention, rivalry, wrath, strife, divisions, discords, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelling, and all the like things. And they who perpetrate these things, as I have before told you, and also now tell you, do not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruits of the Spirit are, love, joy, peace, long suffering, suavity, kindness, fidelity, modesty, patience." 

According to the teachings of the Apostles, faith brings forth good works. Obedience is a sign of true faith and love for God. The writings of the Apostle John also show obedience to the words of Christ as evidence of true faith and love. John 14:22-24 says, "Judas, not Iscariot, said to him: My Lord, how is it that thou art to manifest thyself to us, and not to the world? Jesus answered, and said to him: He that loveth me, observeth my instruction; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him. But he that loveth me not, observeth not my instruction. And the instruction which ye hear, is not mine, but the Father's who sent me."

In John 15:1-10, Jesus gives another parable relating to the works of the believer. "I am the true vine; and my Father is the cultivator. Every branch in me, which yieldeth not fruits, he taketh it away: and that which yieldeth fruits, he cleanseth it, that it may yield more fruits. Ye henceforth are clean, on account of the discourse I have held with you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot yield fruits of itself, unless it abide in the vine; so also, neither can ye, unless ye abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in me, and I in him, he yieldeth much fruit; for without me, ye can do nothing. And if a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a withered branch; and they gather it up, and cast it into the fire to be burned. But if ye shall abide in me, and my instructions shall abide in you, whatever ye shall be pleased to ask, it will be given to you. In this is the Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and ye will be my disciples. As my Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in the love of me. If ye shall keep my commands, ye will abide in the love of me, as I have kept the commands of my Father, and abide in his love."

The Aramaic word for "fruit" is pera (ܦܐܪܐ). This word is also used in Matthew 7:15-23. "Beware of false prophets; who come to you in the garb of sheep, but internally they are rapacious wolves. And from their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes; or figs from thistles? So every good tree beareth good fruits; but a bad tree beareth bad fruits. A good tree cannot bear bad fruits; nor can a bad tree bear good fruits. Every tree that beareth not good fruits, is cut down and consigned to the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them. Not whoever may say to me, My Lord, my Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, My Lord, my Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast out demons? And in thy name wrought many works of power? And then I will declare to them; I never knew you. Depart from me, ye doers of evil."

In the passage from John 15, Jesus states we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in him. Without Christ in our lives, we are unable to do any good in this world. Only by the grace of His Spirit are we able to do anything truly productive. We abide in Christ through faith, and this faith brings for fruit. In Matthew 3:8, John the Baptist says, "Bring forth the fruits therefore, that accord with repentance." John's Gospel clearly does not teach salvation by works either, as he also emphasizes salvation through faith (John 3:16, for example). If you read I John (written by the same John who wrote the fourth Gospel), he still tells us to examine ourselves and others in order to tell whether or not we/they walk in the Light of God in Christ or in the darkness of sin.

Now what is grace? Grace is a word that has many meanings. One of these meanings is "unmerited favor", but that is not all that grace is. Grace is also defined as, "Divine influence upon the heart, and it's reflection in the life." John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled with us: and we saw his glory, a glory as of the only begotten from the Father, that he was full of grace and truth." Jesus did not have "unmerited favor", the favor of God upon Jesus Christ His Son was very merited because He obeyed the Father in all things. Jesus has the divine influence on the heart and it's reflection in the way He lives. 

Paul discusses what grace does in II Corinthians 12:7-10. "And, that I might not be uplifted by the excellency of the revelations, there was imparted to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan, to buffet me, that I might not be uplifted. Respecting this, I thrice besought my Lord, that it might depart from me. And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is perfected in weakness. Gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore I have pleasure in infirmities, in reproach, in afflictions, in persecutions, in distresses, which are for the Messiah's sake: when I am weak, then am I strong."

Jesus's statement "My grace is sufficient for you," does not make sense if it is understood only as unmerited favor. Jesus says right after that, "My power is perfected in weakness." So the grace of God is the power of Christ shown in the life of the believer. It is the divine enabler. By grace, Paul (therefore all Christians) are able to endure and overcome. Later, in Titus 2:11-14 says, "For the all-vivifying grace of God, is revealed to all men; and it teacheth us, to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts, and to live in this world in sobriety, and in uprightness, and in the fear of God, looking for the blessed hope, and the manifestation of the glory of the great God, and our Life-giver, Jesus the Messiah; who gave himself for us, that he might recover us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a new people, who are zealous in good works."

Let's also examine a verse where grace is unmerited favor. Romans 3:24-26 says, "And they are justified gratuitously, by grace, and by the redemption which is in Jesus Messiah; whom God hath preconstituted a propitiation, by faith in his blood, because of our sins, which we before committed, in the space which God in his long suffering gave to us, for the manifestation of his righteousness at the present time; that he might be righteous, and might with righteousness justify him who is in the faith of our Lord Jesus Messiah." The unmerited favor of God is clearly shown in God giving His only Son on the cross that we, sinners, might have eternal life. 

We do not deserve God's power working in our lives, and we also don't deserve the favor of God. Grace, no matter which "grace" you are talking about, is always something we don't deserve. Grace is what allows us to place our faith in Christ and come to Him for salvation. In John 6:44, Jesus says, "No man can come to me, unless the Father who sent me, shall draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day."

Faith, grace, and obedience are all part of the process of salvation. True, saving faith brings forth obedience to the word of Christ, while grace is what allows us to come to God and to live according to His word. Without grace, we cannot place our faith in God or repent of our sins. Nothing we do can save us. Faith, grace, and obedience are all the result of Christ's work on the cross and the grace that He gives us. I hope this article really opened your understanding about what salvation by faith truly is. God bless!

All scriptural quotations are from James Murdock's translation of the Aramaic Peshitta.

All Aramaic definitions are from the Dukhrana Analytical Lexicon.

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The Meaning Behind "Messiah"

Many people frequently refer to the Lord Jesus as the Messiah or the Christ without even knowing the meaning behind this word. Many think that "Christ" is Jesus's last name when it is actually a title. Understanding what the word "Messiah" means opens up much more room to understand the person of Jesus and His relationship with His heavenly Father.

The terms "Messiah" and "Christ" both mean the same thing. "Messiah" is a loose transliteration of the Hebrew word Mashiyach, which means "the anointed". This word comes from the Hebrew mashakh, which means "to rub/anoint with oil". "Christ" is an English transliteration of the Greek Christos, which comes from the word chrio. This, as stated before, means the same things as Mashiyach and mashakh. In the Hebrew Bible, King Saul is referred to by David as the anointed (Mashiyach) of Yahweh in I Samuel 26:9. Saul was obviously not the anointed of God in the same way as Jesus, but he was an anointed man of God, chosen by the election of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit upon the believer is referred to as the anointing in the Bible (I John 2:27). Oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit coming upon us and being chosen by Him. God anoints us with His Spirit like one would anoint another with oil.

Jesus is first referred to as the Messiah in Psalms 2:1-3. 'Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed [Messiah], saying, "Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!' This Psalm is also the first to refer to Jesus as the Son of God (Psalm 2:7). The Messiah being referred to as God's begotten Son shows a unique relationship to God, and not only His deity and virgin birth.

Studying King David and other Old Testament types is an interesting way to understand the function of the Messiah. David is a type (or prophetic picture) of the coming Messiah, his descendant. David is well-known as being a man after the very heart of God (I Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), and the same could easily be said against the Messiah, who is in fact sinless, unlike David. In addition to being a king, David (like Christ) was also a prophet (Acts 2:29-30). David also, at times, functioned like a priest (II Samuel 6:13) but never officially occupied the office. David's desire was to dwell in God's Temple (Psalms 23:6, 84:10). Jesus, however, is a prophet (Matthew 13:57), priest after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 6:20), and king (Matthew 2:2). Jesus is unique in His uniting the offices of priest and king in one man (Zechariah 6:11-13). Joshua, son of Jehozadak in these verses is a type of Christ. He is referred to as "the Branch", which is a Messianic title (Jeremiah 23:5-6) and he also has a the same name as Jesus, albeit a longer form of it. "Joshua" in Hebrew is Yehoshua, which was shortened to Yeshua.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote more about Jesus Christ than any other Old Covenant-era prophet. God refers to the coming Messiah in Isaiah 42:1-4 as His Servant. "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; and He will bring justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law."

The Spirit of Yahweh that is upon the Messiah is described in further detail in Isaiah 11:1-2. "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD." This is sometimes referred to as the seven spirits of God. I prefer the term "sevenfold Spirit of God". These spirits represent different aspects of the Holy Spirit that God places upon the Messiah His Servant.

Isaiah 61:1-2 describes why God anointed the Messiah. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God..." In Luke 4:14-20, Jesus reads this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth and claims that He fulfilled it. This is right after Jesus's ministry began. Luke 4:14 describes how Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was most likely anointed with the Holy Spirit when baptized (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23; John 1:29-33). We never hear about Jesus doing miracles before the baptism. The turning of the water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11 is stated to be Jesus's first miracle. This is not to say that Jesus is not God or that He became God/the Son of God at the baptism, this is merely to say that Jesus was anointed for ministry when baptized by John.

Jesus's anointing is unique in that God did not give Jesus the Spirit with limit (John 3:34). Jesus's unique relationship with God as His only begotten Son is part of the reason why He has this unique anointing. He also is anointed in this way because He is sinless and because He needed to be anointed in a special way in order to redeem mankind from sin.

Jesus did not do miracles or cast out demons by His own deity. Jesus is God, but He is functioning as a man. The Messiah has to be God (Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1, 14) because the purpose of the Messiah's coming was to redeem all mankind from sin, and only the unlimited God giving His life on the cross would be sufficient to save all mankind, and the unlimited God had to humble Himself and become a man in order to die for sin. The Messiah also has to be a genuine man in order to be an empathetic high priest (Hebrews 4:15). The Messiahship is clearly not an office that just any man could take.

Anyway, Jesus's miracles were all done by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." In Acts 2:22, Peter says that God did these miracles through Jesus. How did He do this? By the Holy Spirit! In Acts 10:38 Peter says, "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."

Jesus was not anointed merely to eat, sleep, drink, and weep. Jesus was anointed by God for the ministry of reconciliation between man and his Creator. Jesus Christ is not only God Himself, but also a man anointed by God in a special way to do His redemptive work on earth. Jesus was anointed to preach the Kingdom of God, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to open blinded eyes, to set free the demon possessed and oppressed, and also to die for our sins. Without the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Christ, we don't have a Messiah. Jesus is the one that God chose to place His Spirit upon and in. We so often speak of Jesus's deity and emphasize it, that we forget that Jesus is also human. The humanity of Christ is just as essential for our salvation as His deity. I sincerely hope that this article was a blessing you all!

All scriptural quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

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