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“I and the Father are one.”
When someone quotes
that scripture to us in the ministry
or when we’re talking to a religious person
and they quote the scripture,
what are they usually trying to do?
Well, in many cases, they believe
that Jehovah’s Witnesses are not Christians
because we don’t believe that Jesus is God.
So this is one of the verses
that is often quoted
by persons who believe in the Trinity
to try to convince us
that Jehovah and Jesus are one, the same.
Well, what can we do
to answer a question like that?
Perhaps it’s been a while
since we’ve had someone mention it.
Well, one thing we can do
is turn to our Study Bible.
So if you have your Study Bible there
and if you turn to John 10:30
(if you don’t have your copy handy,
you can check later),
at John 10:30,
we have a very nice study note that helps us.
Looking partway down the note,
you’ll notice it says:
“The Greek word here rendered ‘one’
“is not in the masculine gender
(denoting “one person”)
“but in the neuter gender
(denoting “one thing”),
“supporting the thought
that Jesus and his Father
“are ‘one’ in action and cooperation,
not in person.”
Don’t you wish you had that the last time
you were answering that question?
Well, that’s a very interesting point
that gives support to our explanation
that this oneness is a matter of harmony.
But as we read on, the study note
then gives us a Scriptural reason
that we can show very simply
to someone without going into grammar.
It says: “That Jesus referred,
“not to equality of godship,
“but to a oneness of purpose and action
“is confirmed
by comparing the words recorded here
“with his prayer
recorded in John chapter 17.
“This is especially evident when he prays
that his followers ‘may be one
just as we are one.’”
So we don’t necessarily need
to go into Greek grammar to prove this point,
but by turning to John 17,
we have an opportunity there
to show someone
that if they take this to mean
that Jesus is God,
well, then, what about the disciples?
Are they God as well
if they had to be one with God
the same way as Jesus is one with God?
You’ll notice
that at the end of the study note
it refers us to 1 Corinthians 3:8.
So let’s turn across to that
—1 Corinthians 3:8—
and this is another usage of the word “one.”
It says: “Now the one who plants
and the one who waters are one.”
And you’ll notice there the footnote says,
“Or ‘have one purpose.’”
So perhaps using a scripture like that
would help us to simply convey to someone
the real meaning of this oneness.
But it’s true
—isn’t it?—
that if someone has presented
this scripture to us,
John 10:30,
usually there’s another verse in the Bible
they’re going to refer to.
Which one?
You guessed it, John 1:1.
And of course, as they read it from their
copy of the Bible, it probably says:
“The Word was God.”
So they’ll ask us, “Well, is the Word Jesus?”
“Yes.”
“So it says that Jesus is God.”
Well, how do we answer
that question simply?
Again, if we turn
to the study note at John 1:1
(and as we look at the study note,
it’s quite long,
so we don’t have time
to read that this morning),
it mentions the point
that there are plenty of good reasons
for saying that John did not mean
that the Word was the same
as Almighty God.
And then it makes a comment
that “a number of Bible translations
“in English, French, and German
render the text
“in a way similar
to the New World Translation,
“conveying the idea
that ‘the Word’ was ‘a god; divine;
a divine being;
of divine kind; [or] godlike.’”
So that’s a good thing
for us to have in mind.
But you’ll notice
that as we look down the study note,
there’s another line of reasoning
that helps us.
Because a person might say:
“Well, ‘divine,’ what’s the difference?
That still means that he’s God.”
Colossians 2:9 is referred to.
So let’s look at that together
—Colossians 2:9.
And notice this is talking about Jesus.
It says: “Because it is in him
that all the fullness
of the divine quality dwells bodily.”
So here it mentions this “divine quality”
as being with Jesus.
Does that mean that he is God himself?
Well, the study note then refers us
to another scripture to compare,
and that’s at 2 Peter 1:4.
And here it’s talking about those
who would rule with Jesus in heaven.
And 2 Peter 1:4 says:
“Through these things he has granted us
“the precious and very grand promises,
so that through these
you may become sharers in divine nature.”
Well, we see the logic here
—that obviously if someone argues
that Jesus is God
because he is divine
and has divine qualities,
then what about his followers who,
as it says here,
will “become sharers in divine nature”?
Well, truly this helps us
to reason with this.
But it could be the person
still has problems.
They may look at
the New World Translation,
and they say, “But ‘the Word was a God.’
What does that mean?”
Well, in English we can use
a simple illustration.
A person might say
of another, “He’s a devil.”
They might even say, “He’s a real devil.”
But do they really mean
that he is Satan the Devil?
Of course not.
So this helps us to see
that when a translation is made
saying that “the Word was a God,”
if we see the footnote, it says “divine.”
So in other words,
it’s talking about the qualities,
not who “the Word” is exactly,
not saying that he is God himself.
And as you realize,
there’s a difference in the Greek there
with regard to the article.
The definite article is missing
before the reference to God.
Now, are we the only ones
who appreciate that?
No.
As the study note mentions,
quite a number of other Bible translations
in various languages
acknowledge this as well.
I’d just like to share with you this morning
one publication
that was prepared a number of years ago.
It’s called The Translator’s New Testament,
and this Bible is a special one
designed by the British and Foreign
Bible Society.
This is the society that’s comparable
to the American Bible Society,
which is very much involved
with promoting Bible translation
and Bible distribution throughout the earth.
Now, this Bible was prepared for translators
who really don’t speak English
as their first language
and are translating the Bible
into their own local languages.
So the Bible is designed
to be put in a very simple way
and has little notes that help the translator
to see how to translate difficult verses.
John 1:1 is one of those verses.
Notice how it says that these translators
should translate John 1:1.
It says: “The Word was with God
and shared his nature”
—very interesting.
And then the note goes on to say:
“There is a distinction in the Greek here
between ‘with God’ and ‘God.’”
And then makes the point:
“In the first instance,
the article [the equivalent of “the”]
“is used and this makes
the reference specific.
In the second instance
[that’s where it says “Word” and “God”],”
it says, “there is no article
and it is difficult to believe
“that the omission is not significant.
“In effect it gives an adjectival quality
“to the second use of Theos (God)
so that the phrase means
‘The Word was divine.’”
Isn’t it interesting?
Here we have those
who believe in the Trinity
preparing a Bible to help translators,
and yet they’re honest enough to admit
that this should mean a divine quality
rather than saying
that Jesus is God himself.
So if we meet someone
who argues with us on John 1:1,
perhaps we could ask them—
They may say they know some Greek.
If they do, we could ask them,
“Do you admit that perhaps
it could be translated as ‘divine’?”
Now, if they have any honesty at all,
they’d have to say yes.
So then, we could say:
“Well, if it could be translated
this way or that,
“really, is that a good basis
to use as an argument
“to prove whether Jesus is God or not?
Perhaps we could go
to other scriptures in God’s Word.”
And that may give us a chance, then,
to show the bigger picture to others.
So when we look at the Study Bible,
we can be very happy that it’s there for us
to help us in all types of need.

Geoffrey W. Jackson: “I and the Father Are One” (John 10:30)