Is Jesus Equal In Authority With God?

"Then cometh the end, when he (Christ) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; and when all things shall be subdued unto him (Christ) , then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him (God the Father) that put all things under him, that God may be all in all" (I Cor. 15:24, 28).

Look at the word "subject."

The word "subject" in the verse above is "hupotasso" in the Greek (#5293 in Strong's Concordance) , and means " subordinate...to be under obedience ." The root word is "hupo" (#5259 Strong's) and means " beneath...in an inferior position ." The Council of Nicea (325 A.D.) declared that Jesus is "co-equal" with God, but the apostle Paul did not know that. He says that Jesus will live eternally "subject" (subordinate, under obedience, and in an inferior position to) God the Father. The Scriptures clearly teach that Jesus has been appointed, anointed, empowered and ordained to build a kingdom and rule over it for 1000 years. But at the end of the millennium he will lay the kingdom at God the Father's feet .

Look at the word "subject - hupotasso" in the context of Scripture.

"And he (Jesus) went down with them (Mary and Joseph) , and came to Nazareth, and was subject (hupotasso) unto them" (Luke 2:51.)

"Let every soul be subject (hupotasso) unto the higher powers" (Rom. 13:1).

"As the church is subject (hupotasso) unto Christ" (Eph. 5:24).

"Principalities and powers being made subject (hupotasso) unto him (Christ)" (I Peter 3:22).

"A bishop must be blameless...having his children in subjection (hupotasso)" (I Tim. 3:2, 4).

My book is written from the KJV but this truth is expressed very well in the New Living Translation. "So you see, just as death came into the world through a man , now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man . After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. For the Scriptures say 'God has put all things under his authority' (of course, when it says 'all things are under his authority,' that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority .) Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God's authority, so that God , who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere." (All a quote from the NLT) (I Cor.15:21, 24-28). Read it in your favorite translation, it will say the same!

Jesus has a "God," a higher power to whom he always has been and always will be subject . There are many Scriptures throughout the N.T. to prove it, but the ones cited above should be sufficient.

In Christian Love,

Joel Hemphill

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