@Selah
Please tell me
why and
how do you disagree, I desire to know.
John 1:18 "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, Which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him."
Jesus is in the bosom of the Father because they are One.
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
"No man hath seen God at any time."
John 1:18 and 1:14 must be kept in view together, for they state the same truth. Eternal, invisible, and independent Jehovah took on a human nature for us. These two verses present Jesus the Son of God revealing the invisible God. The Godman Jesus Christ is God’s chosen representation
of Himself to us. This is not a rabbit trail for God’s invisibility, but rather the Son’s revealer role. The greatest goal of a man born of God's Spirit is to see God and His glory
by some means. Jesus Christ is answer to a child of God greatest goal ~ to see and know the true God. God in essence and nature is an invisible Spirit, and
no man has or can see Him. God is a Spirit, so He has no material body to view (
John 4:24; Luke 24:39). The axiom of not seeing God is common (
John 6:46;
Ist John 4:12; Exodus 33:20). The Bible declares God invisible (
IstTimothy 1:17; 6:16;
Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 11:27). Any visual representation of God in the scriptures is assumed for man’s benefit. God is no more a dove (Jesus’ baptism) than a burning bush (Moses’ sight). He is no more the man visiting Abraham than the one that wrestled Jacob. When God revealed His glory to Moses, He declared His moral attributes.
"The only begotten Son."
It simply and only means a Son
by unique birth to make him
one of a kind, in the manner in which he was begotten. The only begotten Son is Jesus of Nazareth, the Godman possessing a body. Jesus, the holy thing of Mary,
is by incarnation God’s only begotten Son.
Jesus, without His human nature, is "Word of God only", not the Son of God. Absurdities and heresies arise if any other view is taken of the Son of God. Apostles used, God’s holy child Jesus (
Acts 4:27,
30). Is God His own child? Declaration is here, but God
did not declare by His Son before (
Heb 1:1-2). Jesus
as Son of God is subject to God, thus not equal to Him (
I Cor 15:28). Sons are begotten through women, so who was His eternal mother (
Gal 4:4).
"Which is in the bosom of the Father."
John wrote this gospel after Christ’s ascension to the right hand of the Father. We assume this for the reason following to understand the present tense. John’s gospel contains the full life of Christ leading up to His ascension. Yet,
in His divine nature Jesus was always in heaven with God, being the God of Genesis 1:1 (John 3:13). The relationship of Jesus Christ to God is one of great intimacy and closeness.
If a bosom relationship is applied to the Word of God and God, it is foolish. This phrase has nothing to do with God and the Word being tight buddies. A bosom relationship, personal and intimate, grew between Jesus and John. One man this close to another is privy to the man’s most intimate secrets. The man Christ Jesus is God’s well beloved Son and deserves this phrase. Consider words God declared from heaven at baptism, transfiguration, etc. Jesus of Nazareth is closer to God than any angel, man, or any creature.
Jesus Christ was very close to God by His divine nature, begetting, and Spirit. Therefore, as it follows, it was easy for Him to declare God to believers. Never before, and never since, and never yet, will a man be so close to God. All hope of intercession, mediation, salvation, and prayers are based on it.
"He hath declared him."
Jesus Christ is the revelation, manifestation, image, and declaration of Jehovah. God has spoken to the fathers by prophets, but
now by His Son (HeBrews 1:1,2). Declaration includes His words (John
3:32-34;
7:16;
8:28;
12:49;
14:10;
17:8). Declaration is also more than words (
Psalms19:1;
John 5:20,
36;
9:4;
10:25,
32,
38). The most we can easily know about God is by learning of Jesus Christ His Son.
Jesus told Philip if he had seen Christ He had seen the Father (
John 14:7-11). Jesus is the express image of the Almighty God of Israel (
He 1:3;
Col 1:15).
No man can come to God the Father but by Jesus Christ revealing Him to him. There is only one Mediator between God and men for it (John 14:6;
Ist Timothy 2:5). Only the Son knows God and those to whom He reveals Him (
Matt 11:27) Natural man cannot grasp either Father or Son
without divine help John
6:44).