No. I believe that the Hebrew version of Matthew that Shem-Tob copied is a genuine copy of the original Scripture. Shem Tob did not write the Matthew Gospel in Hebrew, he merely included a copy of it in his treatise - he was including his source, not writing it! George Howard writes in his intorduction:
He {Shem-Tob} revised his work several times - in 1385, around 1400, and even later - by adding another five books or sections to the original twelve. Most manuscripts contain either fifteen or sixteen chapters, not always arranged in the same order. Of the original books, usually the first deals with the principles of the Jewish faith, the next nine deal with passages in the Bible that were disputed by Jews and Christians, the eleventh discusses haggadic sections in the Talmud used by Christians or Jewish proselytes to Christianity, and the twelfth (sometimes thirteenth) contains the entire Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew, with polemical comments by Shem-Tob interspersed throughout the text.
I know you do. I do not because we have very early evidence to the contrary which I have shown you. The didache and the apostolic fathers.. who quoted it as we have it.
And you ignore the very early evidence (or proof) that the original Matthew 28:19 did not contain the Trinity addition, not to mention the Biblical evidence (in the Bible recorded mentions of baptism, the apostles never baptised according to the corrupted version of Matthew 28:19, implying that Jesus never said what is written in the corrupted Greek version of Matthew).
I ignored nothing. You proof isn't convincing given that the earliest evidence proves otherwise.
In both Romans 11:36 and Colossian 1:16 the word 'through' is translated from the same Greek word dia.
No, that's incorrect. Romans speaking of the Father is dia- (di). In Colossians it is "
en" (en: in, on, at, by, with, among)
"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth,.."- Col 1:16
di comes later in the sentence above-so- we we have both by and through.. and we have through pertaining to the Father as well. There are many prepositions and they interchange.
A spirit being is a living being, as is a creature, but technically a creature is a breathing living being. So yes or no, but probably no. Colossians 1:15 WEB:
(15) who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
This could mean that Jesus is a creation of God, or that Jesus is the firstborn over all creation because he created them. He was either a creation of God or he was formed by God by some other means. Consider John 8:42 YLT:
(42) Jesus then said to them, 'If God were your father, ye were loving me, for I came forth from God, and am come; for neither have I come of myself, but He sent me;
The Greek word that's translated as "came forth" is
exerchomai, which can mean "to issue (literally or figuratively): - come-(forth, out), depart (out of), escape, get out, go (abroad, away, forth, out, thence), proceed (forth), spread abroad" (Strong's), or "to go or come out of; to come out; to proceed, emanate" (Mounce). Perhaps Jesus came out from God himself in some way, rather than being created by God.
I lean with your last sentence.-- Jesus stated that He proceeded several times (4?)- and the apostles were surprised at learning something new- and said "now we know that you know all things". They already knew he was sent. That wasn't new.
The Q from human minds then is... when did that happen?- Before time. In eternity.
The earliest church Fathers stated it this way- God from God- Light from Light- Fire from Fire. Picture a candle that is lit. Light another candle with that flame. Same flame- same substance- same "nature"- different candle or person.. but otherwise identical-
exact representation- same fire.
That scenario is a picture, of course - I'm not saying a literal reality-- but it is how it was viewed. Not 2 gods but One- Father & Son- a relationship. Some described Him as emanating from God like a beam from the sun. Truth is no one knows for sure- the details..!
What we do know for sure is beautiful though. He came to show us that He is love- to cleanse us and teach us and to save us by His Spirit. Amazing.
The Spirit is a whole other thing- Paul put it this way-
Romans 8
9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
There is that oneness/separateness again..
Jesus was in existence before the creation of the universe, because he created it.
Amen- Father & Son created. God created all things. I could never discount the Father from creation.
Very similar - Hebrews 10:5 WEB:
(5) Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire, but you prepared a body for me.
He just had DNA from his mother, and not from a human father. But he had a fairly normal physical human body.
I can't speak to DNA but I understand what you are saying. I imagine if we had the Lord's dna it would be totally fascinating and not like ours. I just believe that Jesus had the nature of His human mother- Mary and the nature of His Father.
How that all works I have no idea. I think it's ok to say we don't know. We don't! I think the arguments begin when we say we do.- pride.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us- mind blowing. Clearly he was human but I can't believe that He was only human like Adam- because of who His Father is and He recalled coming down from heaven.
Some things we just don't know.. They say- 2 natures- could be. I don't argue over these things.
Yes, of course Jesus existed before God translated him to become a human. He said so in John 8:58 UASV:
(58) Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am. N3
N3: The Greek (ἐγώ εἰμι egō eimi) is “I am.” However, based on grammar and context, an alternative reading could be, “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I have been in existence.”
Agree
No! Of course I worship my Lord and my King, just as all the angels do - Hebrews 1:6 WEB:
(6) When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
I worship my God and Father too. Romans 8:16-17 WEB:
(16) The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God;
(17) and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:29 WEB:
(29) For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Matthew 12:50 WEB:
(50) For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Amen brother.
22Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
23Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
25And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
26These things I have written to you concerning those who
try to deceive you.
27But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you
]will abide in Him.
Peace be with you-