God as man?

[JSSebastianoP]

I hope I posted this in the right place…

I was with my school on a field trip to a synagogue (we went to other houses of worship too including a couple of Catholic Churches) and the topic of God incarnate arose. The rabbi said that GOD could not become man. I asked the question “Not to say theoretically that Jesus Christ is GOD {which I believe as a Catholic} but, rather, since GOD is all-powerful, why could He not become man?” The rabbi responded by saying, “Because He siad He wouldn’t.” When I asked for a Bible verse, the rabbi said he did not remember it but that in it GOD had said “I am not man.” I just looked this up and the rabbi was probably talking about one of the following but most likely the one from Hosea.
Numbers 23:19:

God is no human being that he should lie, no child of Adam to change his mind…

Hosea 11:9:

I will not give rein to my fierce anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again, for I am God, not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I shall not come to you in anger.

How can I back up not necessarily that Jesus is GOD (I’m speaking to a Jew) but that GOD can become incarnate?

To the bit from numbers I would say that here it is saying that GOD does not lie or change his mind like men do.
How should I respond to the quote from Hosea?

Pax.
-JSSebastianoP

 

[Luke65]

How should I respond to the quote from Hosea?

You simply say that was true - when God said it.

And you can add that this was a true prophecy of a future event:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

 

[Robbinson]

The distinction is that while man can’t become God and no “man” is God - God can become a man. God can do anything.

Also, God became man in the Hebrew scriptures as well when the Lord appeared to Abraham in the form of a man (together with 2 angels) in Genesis on the way to Soddam and Gemmorah.

Blessings,

Brian

 

[JSSebastianoP]

Luke65, Thanks for the Isaiah reference.

Robbinson, That is a good story; thank you.

Thank you both for helping!

 

[Luke65]

Luke65, Thanks for the Isaiah reference.

Robbinson, That is a good story; thank you.

Thank you both for helping!

You’re welcome, and there’s plenty more on this. Here’s one good website (go to The Trinity section).

 

[Ben_Masada]

I hope I posted this in the right place…

I was with my school on a field trip to a synagogue (we went to other houses of worship too including a couple of Catholic Churches) and the topic of God incarnate arose. The rabbi said that GOD could not become man.

Ben: Not in contradiction to the Rabbi, but there is nothing God cannot do, but one: What you wish He did. You Christians claim that God incarnated in Jesus. Why did He, because you wish He did? That’s how the Rabbi was right.

I asked the question “Not to say theoretically that Jesus Christ is GOD {which I believe as a Catholic} but, rather, since GOD is all-powerful, why could He not become man?”

Ben: God can become a man all right but only to those who are dreaming or having a vision.

The rabbi responded by saying, “Because He siad He wouldn’t.” When I asked for a Bible verse, the rabbi said he did not remember it but that in it GOD had said “I am not man.” I just looked this up and the rabbi was probably talking about one of the following but most likely the one from Hosea.

Ben: The idea that God is like a man or acts like a man, or is subject to changes like a man, are anthropomorphic
ideas about the Deity. And that’s just a long word for idolatry.

Ben:

 

[JSSebastianoP]

Thank you for coming here, Ben; I think it is always fruitful to show two sides of an argument!

However, not to be haughty or anything, but what about the quotes given from Isaiah 9:6 and from Genesis 18?

 

[Eucharisted]

In both verses, it is immediately noticed that God is saying He is not man: He dose not sin like man, He dose not lie or give into unjust anger, for God is God, slow to anger and quick to mercy.

However, it dose not say that God cannot become incarnate. Now, we do not believe that, in becoming incarnate, God ceased to be Who He is (God), but rather, we believe He assumed humanity. In saying God became man, we simply mean God became incarnate, since man is incarnate, that is, man is invested with a body, soul, and blood: so, too, God formed for Himself a body, soul, and blood, assuming human nature. But God is not of flesh, so when we say He assumed human nature, we do not mean that He became flesh, but rather, we mean that He became in the flesh - He took on human form, He wore humanity, for it was the humanity of Jesus Christ that was of flesh, which His Divinity had joined to itself, in assuming humanity: for the Divine Nature and the human nature - God and man - were united in God Himself, who always, throughout history, makes the first move toward man, and, in uniting Himself to us, He has forever joined us to Himself in marriage, just as He is forever marriage to Israel, whom He has made universal, opening the door of salvation to everyone, just as He promised His People (Israel).

 

[Nita]

Continuing in the line of Eucharisted’s post, it may help to remember that there was/is ONLY one Person present in Jesus - and that is the Divine Second Person of the Trinity/God. Two natures were present (Divine and human) but only one person. There was no human person in the incarnate Jesus.

 

[Benadam]

Man occupies a place that is first and last. Of living matter the alpha and omega. No other creature occupies a place distinguished in this way. God could become fully human and remain fully divine because of man’s being two realms without admixture. Man’s created state of being earth and heaven with one nature seems a perfect fit for the state of being divine and human in one person. The Incarnation can only make sense if God is man.