Jesus Taught Monotheism But Many Ignore Him

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Psa 11:3 

Monotheism is something central to the heart and mind of Jesus – monotheism is what Jesus taught, it is at the foundation of his teaching.  In fact the word “monotheism” is found in the Bible in Jesus’ own words, were in his prayer to God, the Father, he says, “this is eternal life: that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). 

It is important also to notice carefully that Jesus’ words in John 17.3 has to do with eternal life, and that this involves two essential components: (1) that they may know you the only true God” and (2) “Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”  Having eternal life is not merely a matter of “believing in Jesus” as some preachers would have people believe.  Jesus himself tells us that one must first come to know
the one true God, and then also to know him (Jesus) as the one sent by that one God.  Notice, too, Jesus does not say anything about “believe” (which many preachers take the liberty to define in whatever way they choose); the word he uses is “know”, which is much stronger than “believe” as it is usually understood.

Jesus’ words are so clear that no complicated linguistic techniques are needed to explain them.  What Jesus states with crystal clarity is that there is only one God, the One he called “Father”, and asked his disciples to call upon Him in the same way (“Our Father in heaven”).  Jesus speaks of himself as the one sent by “the only true God.”  It should therefore, have been perfectly obvious to anyone truly listening to what Jesus said that if the Father is the one and only true God, then no one else can also be God alongside Him.  It should be absolutely clear from Jesus’ words that he definitely excludes himself from any claim to deity by this absolute “monos” or “only” referring to the Father.  Only the fact that we have been immersed in trinitarianism all our lives prevents us from hearing what Jesus says in these words.

Christians have come to that spiritual state in which we address Jesus as “Lord, Lord” but do not hear or do what he says (Lk. 6:46; cf. Mt. 7.21,22).  We have become accustomed to imposing our own doctrines upon his teaching, and when these doctrines are incompatible with his words, we simply ignore what he actually said.  But whether we like it or not, monotheism is at the very root of Jesus’ life and teaching.

Jesus (in Mark 12:29) also explicitly endorsed the declaration which was (and still is) central to the Biblical faith of Israel:  “Listen, Israel, Yahweh our God is the one, the only Yahweh” (Deut. 6.4).  These words express the uncompromising monotheism of Israel’s faith.  This is immediately followed by the command, “You must love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all  your soul, with all your strength” (Deut. 6.5).  The threefold “all” encompasses man’s total devotion to God, making Him the sole object of worship and love.

Interestingly, in Jesus’ rendering of this command the “all” is fourfold: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your strength” (Mark 12:30); with “all your mind” is added in, thereby evidently heightening the intensity of devotion to Yahweh God.  Jesus described this command (Deut. 6:4,5) as the “first” or “most important” command (Mk 12:30).  This command makes Yahweh the sole object of total devotion, “the one and only one”; indeed, it is not possible in practice to love more than one person with the totality of one’s being.

Consistent with this, it should also be noted that nowhere in his teaching does Jesus make himself the focus of this all-encompassing devotion, for that would contradict his teaching that Yahweh alone is to be accorded such single-minded dedication.  Jesus’ own life as reported in the gospels fully epitomized and exemplified this total devotion to Yahweh.  His life was always consistent with his teaching.  How extremely disappointing and saddening it must be to him that his disciple fail to live by his example and his teaching and, contrary to his teaching make him the center of their religion and worship, and imagine that in so doing they honor and please him.

Excerpts from “The Only True God A Study of Biblical Monotheism” Introduction.

Free book online:  http://www.theonlytruegod.org/