Sabbath, October 29, 2011  - "My Father Is Greater Than I?"

1.       Joh 14:28  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

2.       So what does greater mean?  Does greater here mean greater in nature and essence, or does it mean in position or rank since Jesus was a man and servant?

3.       Php 2:5 - 8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7  But made himself of no reputation (emptied himself), and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8  And being found in fashion as a man, he (Jesus) humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

4.       “Greater”  = G3187  μείζων   meizōn   mide'-zone  Irregular comparative of G3173; larger (literally or figuratively, specifically in age): - elder, greater (-est), more.

5.       Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

 Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

·         Paul reminds us of what John wrote In John 1:3 that Jesus by His nature created all things.  This is of course prior to the humbling of the One who emptied Himself to be a servant to the Father, and man.

·         Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

6.       So Jesus humbled Himself from what?  From the position and glory He had with the Father!    

·         Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Humanity)

·         Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Divinity/Nature)

·         Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

7.       When we look at the President of the United States of America, we see the President in a position of higher rank than all citizens.  In His position we are not greater that the seat he sits in.  His position of office is surely greater.  But as our nature of a human being we are Equal! The President is not better in nature than we are as citizens. 

8.       Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Eph 5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

·         Husbands may have a higher position than his wife, but in nature he is not better than his wife as Eph 5:22 declares. They are equal as our Creator intended it to be a divine decree. It’s not a matter of inferiority verses superiority, but only as rank of position.

1Co 12:4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1Co 12:5  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

1Co 12:6  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

·         We see the unity of the Godhead working together for our salvation.

9.       Here is another example of an instance where “greater” is used. This example is taken from John 14:12-14, and this is the verse Jesus was referring to in John 14:28 when He said…“Ye have heard how I said unto you”.

·         Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be   glorified in the Son.

Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

·         We need to understand here Jesus is referring to the quantity of works, or the extent of it. 

·         Why does Jesus say they will do greater works than He?  Because He is going to the Father! 

·         Remember in John 14:28 Jesus says “If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father:”   

·         We truly rejoice today as He is now One with the Father again interceding for us, so they can come unto us by His Spirit. 

·         Now to think that they would do better works than Jesus, that would just be so ridiculous to except that idea.  Greater does not mean better!  Notice Jesus says the works that I do he shall do also In John 14:12.  The same works and not better works. It is a greater work the disciples shall do by the size or by the amount. 

·         Remember also the New Testament was not yet penned, but it was too soon be, as the Holy Spirit was to come to them and bring all things into their remembrance, as Jesus Himself said in (John 14:26).

10.   Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

11.   Act 5:28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

·         This teaching that the disciples would perform is the “works” that is being mentioned here in John 14;12.  By the disciples witnessing all these miracles and with the power of the Holy Spirit upon them a multiplicity of people turned to Jesus and believed.

12.   Jesus is now present with the Father in the Heavenly Sanctuary where He ministers in behalf of us.  Making these request before the Father for us. He is interceding for us.  This is how He says “anything you ask in my name I will do”, because He intercedes, as our Mediator.

13.   Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

·         Now we see Jesus saying He and the Father will come unto all who keep His Words and love Him.  Jesus says “and we will come unto him”.  

14.   Joh 17:5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

·         So Jesus makes a bold claim that He had shared the same dive glory with the Father before setting it aside.  Before the world was Jesus says He and the Father shared the same glory!  In this seventeenth chapter of John Jesus is praying in regards to the Oneness He had with the Father in His Pre-existence.

·         Isa 42:8  I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. The LORD here in the Old Testament says He won’t give His glory to another, yet Jesus says He had it with His Father! 

15.   Heb 1:8  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Heb 1:9  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Heb 1:10  And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

The Father says it was the Sons hands.

·         BTW for those that use those bogus bibles that change the wording of this verse (such as the New World Translation bible).   This is a messianic prophecy about Jesus from the Psalms.

·         Psa 45:6  Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

·         Psa 45:7  Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.                                                                   The Father is calling the Son God in both passages.

16.   Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

·         This is being said of Jesus Christ.  That He is our Creator, and He Jesus made all things.

17.   Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

18.   Take a look at this verse from the very beginning of His Word.

·         Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

Did God say to an inferior part/image, “Let us make man in our image”?”  Is there a lesser   image of the expression “our” when it says our image?  Is there a lesser nature of God? Of   course not. 

19.   Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

20.   What is “The express image”?

“the express image”

G5481  χαρακτήρ   charaktēr   khar-ak-tar'

From the same as G5482; a graver (the tool or the person), that is, (by implication) engraving ([“character”], the figure stamped, that is, an exact copy or [figuratively] representation): - express image.

21.   Isa 44:24  Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

22.   Heb 1:10  And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

23.   Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

24.   Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

25.   Who shall appear and come?

·         Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

26.   Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

27.   Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.