The divine “contradiction”

The divine “contradiction”

Many atheists claim there is a divine contradiction in the words that Jesus spoke on the cross. They refer to "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" as meaning that Jesus was not God incarnate but this is a reference to Psalm 22 "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" which was considered by ancient Jews to be a Messianic prophecy. First his referral to the Psalm was for those present and not for himself so that all prophetic reference of the "suffering servant" (Read Isaiah) can be fulfilled.

Now atheists also allude to a belief that Jesus perhaps questioned his divinity or perhaps that he was not divine at all. I suggest that you read through my article on the deity of Christ found at http://jettrooper357.blogspot.com/2012/06/deity-of-christ.html.

Philippians 2:5-10 says: "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." (KJV)

This explains how Jesus continued to exist in God’s “form” (i.e., nature), but relinquished His right to enjoy equality with God so that He could limit Himself to the human nature he had adopted in order to redeem mankind. Thus, by adding a human dimension to His Divine person, Jesus became the visible “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

Remember that Christ did NOT remove divinity from himself but only ADDED humanity.