17 I will raise it again in three days

Last updated 7/26/15 this study is five pages long

Some say if Jesus raises himself from the dead in John 2:19, he must be God
On the face of it this might seem like a valid argument, however I will show that this interpretation is an incorrect
conclusion and that John 2:18-21 does NOT show Jesus to be God.
Whether you agree or disagree, in part or in whole, big or small, please email me any feedback to help improve this
study. I would also appreciate any help with its logic, grammar, typos, editing etc.
Before analyzing the passage in question in John 2:18-21, and the relationship of Christ with God, I am going to
provide some evidence that has to be taken into account when interpreting our passage.
Part 1A
Part 1B
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Jesus is Under the Authority of God (15)

Jesus was given Authority to Raise Himself from the Dead
There is no Equality with God (02E)
Who did the Miracles (24)
God Raised Jesus From the Dead
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life
John 2:18-22

Part 1A Jesus is Under the Authority of God (15)

There is an in depth analysis at 15 Jesus is Under The Authority of God xxxx linked here 2016
God established all authority:
God gave Jesus all authority in heaven and earth:
God gave Jesus authority to forgive sins:
God gave Jesus authority to judge:
God gave Jesus the authority to perform miracles:
God put his seal of approval on Jesus:
Jesus suffered under the authority of God:

Romans 13:1-2
Mathew 28:18, John 17:2,
Mathew 9:6-8, Mark 2:10-11, Luke 5:24,
John 5:27
Mathew 21:23,
John 6:27
Hebrews 5:8,

Colossians 1:15 says Jesus is the firstborn over all creation and the KJV says of every creature. The definition of
firstborn in 02A OT and 02B NT says the firstborn has everywhere the first place after his father This being the
case then Jesus had authority after he was born in heaven and before creation.
John 5:
Jesus had authority to Judge after Bethlehem and because he is the Son of Man
John 17:
Jesus had authority over all people before the cross
Mathew 28: Jesus definitely had all authority after the cross.
It might seem that if Jesus had to be made perfect through the cross, Hebrews 5:9, then he was not in a place to have
complete authority until that happened, that does not have to be so. The perfection he attained at the cross was the
perfection needed to give eternal life to the masses, not to have authority over the universe.
Summary:
Because Jesus was given authority then it stands to reason that there was a point before it happened and therefore a
point when he didn't have the authority. This being the case then he wasn't God before he was given it, because God
has always had authority. And he wasn't God after he was given the authority because God doesn't need giving
authority to do anything!
There is an in depth analysis, section 15 Jesus under the authority of God xxxx linked here 2015.

Part 1B Jesus was given Authority to Raise Himself from the Dead
John 10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have
authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.
Summary:
Jesus does everything by the authority of his Father, God. Jesus specifically tells us that he raises himself from the
dead because God gave him the authority to do such a thing. This is the same as the OT men of God doing great
miracles.

Part 2 There is no Equality with God (02E)

This is the Final Conclusion from 02E Jesus has No Equality with God xxxx linked here
There are several problems that make it biblically impossible for Jesus to be equal with God and be God.
Equality implies plurality; and one is not equal to itself.
Equality implies duality when we all agree that God is one and not two.
Because there was a point before he had all authority he cannot be God who always had authority and doesn't need to
be given authority as He doesn't need to be given anything.
There cannot be equality between Jesus and God if Jesus submits to Gods commands.
There cannot be equality if Jesus might not remain in God's love.
Jesus is a servant, God is not a servant.
The Father is greater than the Son while he was on earth and now he is in heaven, therefore no equality.
God puts all things in position for Jesus, Jesus cannot be God if he needs this doing for him
Jesus is subject to God at the end of times, he will not be equal to God at that time.
Summary:
There are numerous reasons, stated here, why Jesus is not equal with God for Jesus to be God.

Part 3 Who did the Miracles (24)

There is an in depth analysis at 24 Who Did the Miracles, God or Jesus? xxxx linked here 2016
Luke 5:17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village
of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to
heal the sick.
The power of the Lord (God) was present in order for the healing miracles to be able to happen
What would have happened if the power of the Lord (God) was not present?
This implies there were times when the power of God was not with Jesus and he could not do miracles, there were
times when Jesus could not heal the sick?
How then can Jesus be God?
Acts 10:38 Peter said How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went
around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
Vs36 God sent the message to the people regarding peace through Jesus
Vs38 God anointed Jesus with the HS and power, God did not anoint himself.
Jesus did miracles because God was with him, not because Jesus is God
Was it the anointing that caused the miracles?
Jesus anointed with the Holy Spirit by God, what about before Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit?

Acts 2:21-24 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
22
"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders
and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
23
This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked
men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
24
But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death
to keep its hold on him.
(Accredited: give official authorization to) He was given authorization by God. God did the miracles through Jesus.
Jesus died. God raised Jesus.
Jesus was freed from death, means he was dead
Summary:
In order for Jesus to do any miracles the following had to be in place for him
The power of God had to be with him, meaning it wasn't always there, and he had to be anointed by God with the HS
and power which did happen but also did not have to happen if it was God's will. After this happened it was God who
did the miracles through Jesus just as he had done through several other people in the bible.
Jesus did the miracles due to, and because of, the power of God. Disciples also did miracles with this same power
they also performed miracles through the name of Jesus. This was possible because all authority in heaven and on
earth was given to Jesus.
If Jesus were God he would have just done the miracles on his own and not needed another power. There was never a
time when God relied on the power of another.

Part 4 God Raised Jesus From the Dead

Romans 4:24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousnessfor us who believe in him who raised
Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our
justification.
God raised Jesus our lord, Jesus died and was raised, he did not raise himself.
1 Corinthians 6:14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
Jesus was raised from the dead by Gods power, God will raise us from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified
about God that he raised Christ from the dead.
God raised Christ from the dead. Paul said God did it, was this the truth?
Ephesians 1:19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his
mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right
hand in the heavenly realms,
God exerted his strength in Christ, when God raised Jesus from the dead.
God was not dead. God did not raise himself.
God seated Jesus next to himself. God did not seat himself next to himself.
Summary:
Between 20-30 times the NT says God will raise Jesus up to life, only once in John 2:19 does the Bible say Jesus
raised himself. Even if we say that Jesus raised himself from the dead we have seen that he performs miracles only

with the help of God the Father. This is exactly the same as when people do miracles such as Elijah or Moses or
Samson, they only do them because God gave them the power to do them.

Part 5 Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life:

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet
shall he live,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
Summary:
Jesus is "the resurrection and the life." If he has such a large part of resurrecting other people to life it would seem
logical that he could have a large part in raising himself from the dead.

Part 6 John 2:18-22

John 2:18-21 Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your
authority to do all this?"
19
Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
20
The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three
days?"
21
But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
22
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture
and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Vs18 The Jews did not ask Jesus to prove that he was God, but that he had authority from God. There is a world of
difference between the two questions and how Jesus answered.
Vs19 Jesus tells them, in veiled terms, that the miracle he will do to prove his authority would be to raise the temple
of God from the dead. The "temple of God" had up until this point been a man made structure and Jesus was about to
change that. He was the first human physical temple, after him all disciples are the temple of God. There is an in
depth analysis of this in 01F God and His Glory is Coming to Live with the People linked here
Vs20-21 The Jews misunderstood Jesus' reply.
Summary:
As he had done in the past to prove he was sent and given authority from God, Jesus was again asked to do another
miracle. This time he said he would raise the temple of God if it were destroyed, meaning his own body from death,
which later happened.
Summaries and Final Conclusion:
Part 1A Because Jesus was given authority then it stands to reason that there was a point before it happened and
therefore a point when he didn't have the authority. This being the case then he wasn't God before he was
given it, because God has always had authority. And he wasn't God after he was given the authority
because God doesn't need giving authority to do anything!
Part 1B Jesus does everything by the authority of his Father, God. Jesus specifically tells us that he raises himself
from the dead because God gave him the authority to do such a thing. Again this is the same as the OT men
of God doing great miracles.
Part 2 There are numerous reasons, stated here, why Jesus is not equal with God for Jesus to be God.
Part 3 In order for Jesus to do any miracles the following had to be in place for him

The power of God had to be with him, meaning it wasn't always there, and he had to be anointed by God
with the HS and power which did happen but also did not have to happen if it was God's will. After this
happened it was God who did the miracles through Jesus just as he had done through several other people
in the bible.
Jesus did the miracles due to, and because of, the power of God. Disciples also did miracles with this same
power they also performed miracles through the name of Jesus. This was possible because all authority in
heaven and on earth was given to Jesus.
If Jesus were God he would have just done the miracles on his own and not needed another power. There
was never a time when God relied on the power of another?
Part 4 Between 20-30 times the NT says God will raise Jesus up to life, only once in John 2:19 does the Bible say
Jesus raised himself. Even if we say that Jesus raised himself from the dead we have seen that he performs miracles
only with the help of God the Father. This is exactly the same as when people do miracles such as Elijah or Moses or
Samson, they only do them because God gave them the power to do
them.
Part 5 Jesus is "the resurrection and the life." If he has such a large part of resurrecting other people to life it
would seem logical that he could have a large part in raising himself from the dead.
Part 6 As he had done in the past to prove he was sent and given authority from God, Jesus was again asked to do
another miracle. This time he said he would raise the temple of God if it were destroyed, meaning his own body
from death, which later happened.
Final Conclusion
Jesus was given authority by God, before he had authority he didn't have it. Without the authority Jesus could have
done nothing. God doesn't need authority. Jesus only did the miracles because he had the authority from God, he had
the power of God, and he was anointed with the Holy Spirit. This is how Jesus did the miracles which included
raising from the dead.
Between 20-30 times the NT says God will raise Jesus up to life, only once in John 2:19 does the Bible say Jesus
raised himself. Even if we say that Jesus raised himself from the dead we have seen that he performs miracles only
with the help of God the Father.
Because of this nothing in John 2:18-20 says that Jesus is God