One of the paid ads in the last edition of The Journal asks, “Are you sure you can show that Jesus was the Creator God of the OT?” The author, who is not identified (other than belonging to www.rightly-dividing.net), then wrote:
So how does the ministry handle scriptures that deny this teaching [that Jesus was the Creator, the God of Exodus, the Husband of Israel, and was the Word of God in both OT and in NT times] such as Hebrews 1:1-2a, “1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2aHath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son….”
To see Hebrews 1:1-2a denies this teaching, note that the God who spoke in OT times (Heb 1:1) has a Son (verse 2) and therefore was God the Father rather than Jesus. Therefore, Jesus could not have been the Word of God in OT times!
The author then goes on to state that John 1:3 is a “gross mistranslation”. He states that “ginomai”, translated “made”, means “to become”.
Why He or She is Wrong
Part of the problem, of course, is that the author takes Heb 1:2a out of context. Why not view the entire verse?
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
~ Heb 1:2
Please note that “made” in this context is “poieo”, which the author admits means “to make” in Ac 4:24b. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. If it means to make in Act 4, then it means to make in Heb 1, and taking the verse out of context is disingenuous.
Also note that in John 1:3, Strong’s says of “ginomai”:
1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being
2)to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen
a)of events
3)to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage
a)of men appearing in public
4)to be made, finished
a)of miracles, to be performed, wrought
5)to become, be made
It is quite obvious that it was the Word Who brought things into existence, i.e. “made” them.
The author then ends the ad with this confusing bit:
PS. Paper P5 shows that Jesus had been a Self-existent God until He agreed to become and die as mankind’s Passover Lamb.
Needless to say, I’m totally confused as to what this person believes.