1stjohn0666 wrote:There are many "Lords" in the bible, many "kings" also. Artexerxes was called "king of kings" Ezra 7:12 As for Lord in the divine sense I see 2 Lords, Lord God the Father and Lord Messiah Jesus. I see one God the Father and one Messiah Jesus. The Father is not the messiah as some believe, who I disagree with.
Ah, thank you for this full response. It is interesting that Artexerxes was called "king of kings," isn't it? Although, I'm sure we could agree that it's not in the same Divine sense as when it refers to G-d (Psalm 136:3) or the Messiah (1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:4). In Hebrew, that kind of expression (Lord of lords, King of kings, Song of Songs, et cetera) is simply a way of communicating something's superiority, and although the New Testament was written in Greek, it was written by Jewish men in a Hebraic mindset, and phrases and sentence construction that parallel the Hebrew language are often found in the Gospels and the epistles.
Btw, a question, how are both G-d and the Messiah Lord of lords? They can't both be supreme to each other.
To your next point, you say you believe in two Lords. Interesting, let's look at this. I think once we look at a few Scriptures you may have to rethink this view. Recall the Sh'ma, a famous and central prayer in Judaism that recites portions from Deuteronomy, firstly and most importantly Deuteronomy 6:4. Jesus quotes it when asked what the most important commandment is, so He affirms it as well.
He says at Mark 12:29,
"Hear, O Isra'el! The Lord our G-d is One Lord."
So Jesus says that there is one Lord, Who is G-d. Recall also His words recorded at John 10:30, "I and the Father are One" (not in the sense of being the same Person, but of being of the same nature and united in a way so closely that they are of one essence).
Next the apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 4:5-6 that there is "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One G-d and Father of all who is over all [Father] and through all [Word] and in all [Holy Spirit]" (brackets my additions). These mirror his words at 1 Corinthians 8:6, where he states, "..yet for us there is but One G-d, the Father, from Whom are all things and we exist for Him; and One Lord, Jesus the Messiah, by Whom are all thing, and we exist through Him." Again he affirms there being only One G-d and One Lord. Yet, both the Father and Jesus are called G-d (Jesus is called G-d in these passages, for a few examples: Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1, 14, 20:28) and Lord (both are called Lord so often specific verses aren't necessary).
It seems that there can be no denying that, according to the Scriptures and the apostles, there's only One G-d and One Lord. And yet, the Messiah and G-d both hold these titles.
To make matters worse, the Spirit of G-d, the Holy Spirit, is called the Lord too! Paul does so at 2 Corinthians 3:17, saying, "Now the Lord is the Spirit.."
So it seems you must disagree with Scripture to affirm that there are two or more Lords, and to say that the Messiah isn't the same Lord as the Father, Who are both the same Lord as the Spirit.
I do agree with you, though, that those who say that the Father is the Messiah are in error. As Byblos pointed out, that's a central belief in the Trinitarian framework.
"The prophet is a man who feels fiercely. G-d has thrust a burden upon his soul, and he is bowed and stunned at man's fierce greed. Frightful is the agony of man; no human voice can convey its full terror. Prophecy is the voice that G-d has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profaned riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of G-d and man."
- Abraham Joshua Heschel
