Wednesday, October 28, 2020

The Meaning of θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως in 2 Peter 1:4

The Meaning of θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως in 2 Peter 1:4

2 Peter 1:4 explicitly speaks of persons "participating in the divine nature" (θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως). Anyone who is called "god" by Yahweh logically participates also in his own nature because it is how the agent can perform god-like functions (i.e. miracles). For to be a god necessitates to have powers and attributes i.e. nature that is essential to a god (cf. Exodus 7:1, Psalm 82:6, John 10:34). A man that only has the essence of man cannot do what a god can do unless he is truly "made a god" , as in the case of Moses, who was explicitly described as having been made god by Yahweh in the Hebrew Bible, with supporting Biblical evidence such as his participation in divine glory as well as performing 40+ miracles. 

How is Moses being god different from Jesus being God? Moses is a generic god, made so by Yahweh, who is the God of Israel and who is explicitly described as the "God of gods" in Scripture. Thus, Moses' godhood is different from that of what Jesus himself possesses. Jesus is the same God as Yahweh. In John 20:28, Jesus acknowledges that he is both Lord and God.

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