Jesus and His Dependence on the Father

Reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend;

Friend "Can God do anything?"

Me "yes"

Friend "Can he make a rock so big that even he could not pick it up?"

what comes to mind is 2 Tim 2:23 "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes."

I'm outa here.

 

Jesus in His deity is not "dependent" on God;however, Jesus in His humanity, and as an example for us, was fully and continually dependant on God. As was stated, His dependence was a necessary part of His obedience.


PS "Can God make a rock so big that even He could not pick it up?"

Questions like this are asked by people who don't really want an answer. Incidentally, the question is based on a false view of omnipotence. God's omnipotence means He can do all things that are actually possible. Even God cannot do the impossible (i.e. the rock thing, God cannot sin, God cannot overlook sin, etc, etc.)

 

Jesus is God come in the flesh. He is both Lord and master and servant.
The only answer for your friend is the Scripture.
Philippians 2 in particular.

May God illuminate his mind with who Jesus Christ IS.

Philippians 2:5-11
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Notice that the Scripture says that He "made Himself of no reputation" and not that the Father made Him of no reputation.

In John 13 Jesus the Lord and Master washes the feet of the disciples as the Servant of God.

John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

Isaiah 53:10
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

[ June 22, 2004, 10:42 AM: Message edited by: HankD ]

 

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AMEN! Very nice

 

Biblebob, I agree with you assessment. A hand cannot do anything unless it is connected to the brain. Likewise with the Son and the Father. In fact, Jesus made it clear that it was not His will, but His Father's will that he was doing. However, I also agree with psr.2 in regards to the topic being in the realm of "Could God make a rock so bich he can't move it". I think your friend is trying to explain something that doesn't really need explaining.

 

I happen to think Jesus's dependence on the Father is part and parcel with the very definition of faith itself. Jesus lived by faith in God.