Thank you all for your posts.
Please help me understand why this question is important.
Also, From scripture—
Colossians 2:9 : "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form."
So, apparently this verse is open to more than one interpretation?
Blessings.
Sorry Bob, did not yet back with you...until now
It's seems you have the verse Col 2:9 locked in as a prooftext as the key to the definition of divinity for Jesus - as God Almighty? Nothing could be further from the truth...for these and other reasons..a little long-winded..I would reread my post again to maybe grasp what I'm saying here..
For your way of thinking, Colossians 2:9 basically rests, or lives or dies on two words: θεοτης (
theotēs, 'deity') and κατοικεω (
katoikeō, 'to dwell').
theotēs =>divinity or divine nature..used only once in the entire Bible
We must look at the context therefore to know how Paul used this Greek word for his audience and the local culture.
Also, Katoikeō (to dwell) does not imply that the Godhood (whatever that really means)
inherently dwells in Christ, so therefore Christ is inherently God.
Katoikeō is also used to describe
the spirit of God dwelling within believers (see James 4:5) and
Christ dwelling within believers (see Ephesians 3:17).
Similarly, God is said to "dwell" (
katoikein) in Jerusalem (Psalm 67:17 LXX), but he
doesn't inherently dwell there.
Additionally, the word
theotēs does not imply
being God (YHWH), although it can refer to a
lesser level of divinity.
Although this word is a
hapax legomenon in the New Testament, in contemporary Koine Greek texts
theotēs describes a secondary, derived divinity which can be given and taken away (e.g., from demigods of Greek myth) (Plutarch,
De defectu oraculorum 10 [415C]; Lucian,
Icaromenippus 9). Also the expression '
dia theotēs' => for religious reasons...
So, in Colossians 2:9, Paul isn't saying that Jesus is
inherently God (YHWH); instead, he seems to be saying that
the quality of divinity somehow dwells within Jesus. In or alongside his own human spirit and in his mind.
It can easily be best understood by reflecting this same reality written in John 1:32: "I saw the Spirit coming down as a dove, and it remained upon him." And also in John 3:34: "
The one whom God sent speaks the words of God, because God gives the spirit to him without measure."
God gave Jesus authority to perform all types of miracles and even forgive sins. He was filled (without measure) with the Spirit of God.
So therefore, Jesus had the fullness of God's divine nature within him. He literally walked, ate and slept with it as his invisible power.
And it may surprise you that every genuine believer also has this same 'fullness' of the God's divine nature in them (see 2 Peter 1:4) as Christ (because of Christ's indwelling).
(Eph 3:19) and to truly know and understand the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that
you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
And of course we are not God either...or of his divine nature either, intrinsically...
Further, this 'fullness' is a partial possession, meaning one can only have a portion of it. And it make nonsense to say the fullness of something/someone that is indivisible, as God is this one. This is why you never will read the fullness of the Father, God, because by definition he is already intrinsically full of himself, his own nature already. So verse 9 is not talking about Jesus the Christ being God with his divinity at all.
It all about God GIVING Christ part of his fullness for his purpose here.
Read Col 1:18-20..
(Col 1:18) And he is
the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; so that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.
(Col 1:19) For it was the good pleasure of
the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell,
(Col 1:20) and through him
to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross- yes, to reconcile all things through him, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. The Context of Paul’s Preaching
And then John 3:34-35 for more clarification.
(Joh 3:34) For he whom
God has sent speaks the words of God; for He does
not give him the Spirit by measure.
(Joh 3:35) The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
To cut this short....
If Christ were God Almighty of his level of divinity, then it would make nonsense to say 'the fullness' of God dwelt within him, because he being God already.
Think about that one for a few minutes...
last note....Paul was saying to the Colossians, stop with your philosophies and traditions, look to Christ as he is complete IN God, In HIS FULNESS, In HIS divinity and IN HIS power. We draw from Christ this way IN our walk IN Christ.
Blessings...APAK