No. There’s no contradiction. I admit I have to interpret the scripture in a way that supports a belief in omnipotence that is not apparent in the text. Or rather, the text seems to describe God in two ways, one way in which He is not omnipotent. This would lead me to believe, if I don’t believe the 5 books were written by Moses, that at least one author viewed God as omnipotent and one author did not.
Hi, Valke!
Then your argument is totally dependent upon interpretation of the Holy Scriptures–which brings us to the “tomato” rendition: you say nay and I say yea!
This is certainly not omnipotence. There are examples of most, if not all of those things, attributed to rabbis/sages (there were rabbis, for example, who could travel great distances in very little time or make it rain, cast out demons, raise the dead, etc.) This did not make them omnipotent.
I am ignorant of your source–if you are referring to any of the Old Testament prophets, I can understand your confusion… here’s the difference between them and Jesus: every single time that a prophet exacted any supernatural ability he did so through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is One of the Sources of the Holy Spirit!
If I were to believe that Jesus was God and that he did all those miracles, it still does not make him omnipotent, especially given the evidence that he was tortured and killed.
If you are going to argue that an omnipotent being could allow himself to be overpowered, than there is no real reply to that. That’s implictly acknowleding that the being did not appear, to all senses and understanding, to be omnipotent.
If we attempt to discern Yahweh God’s Mind with human understanding we will forever fall short of even reaching the outskirts of His Being… no wonder He chose to reveal Himself through the Holy Scriptures; as simplistic and as confounding as they are they offer us a glimpse into His Existence.
Just look at how difficult it is for you to accept Jesus’ Sacrifice for your Salvation–He asks for nothing, puts away His Omnipotence to suffer on His Human Body the punishment you deserve… He goes to all extremes: He, Who is the Creator of all, allows the creatures to pass judgment upon Him and to sentence Him to debasement and death… He would not even allow His Human Body to be comforted with the customary mixture of myhrr offered to those condemned to death by Crucifixion–He wanted to experience all of the pain so that you could enjoy Life… (“you” is inclusive of man: all of humanity)
It seems quite illogical to you that Omnipotence can choose not to be all Powerful all the Time–you are not alone on this trek and you are not wrong to question Scriptures since only by following your personal quest can you come to true Understanding… I only falter your determined means of acquiring the Truth: intellect!
Only through Faith will you begin to understand God’s Ways; only through true surrendering of your will to His will your doubts receive enlightenment.
Scientists have advanced so much that they have constructed instruments with which to split a snowflake… they recognize that each snowflake is a geometric marvel that even when split it retains its precise form, even in the mirror image… yet, they rather think that chaos, through eons and eons of pure coincidence, engineered such a feat… for no reason at all…
…they may be extremely intelligent… they may even have dissected the Holy Bible… but simple words as “…humble yourself to God and He will lift you up…” just obliterates their intellectualism.
Maran atha!
Angel
