[162]The words translated in our Bibles Holy Ghost should be properly translated holy spirit. The holy spirit is the invisible power, energy and influence of Jehovah. God is holy; therefore his power, energy, and influence are holy. Father means life-giver. Jehovah is the Father of Jesus because he gave life to Jesus; hence Jesus is called the Son of God. The spirit, energy, or influence of Jehovah operating upon earthly substance produced earthly creatures. (Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:47) The same holy power, energy, and influence begat the child Jesus, who was born of his mother Mary. Therefore the life of Jesus was without sin or imperfection. The germ of life of him who was born Jesus was transferred from the spirit plane or nature to the human plane or nature.
[163]Jesus was our Lord's human name. It implied his humiliation and lowly estate, in comparison with the glory which he had with the Father before the world was. (John 17:5) He existed long before he became a human being. His prehuman name was the Logos, which is translated in our common version Bible "the Word". The word Logos is therefore one of the titles of Jesus and should not be translated at all. It means the spokesman, active agent, or messenger, of Jehovah. St. John, writing concerning the Logos, who later became Jesus, says: "In the beginning [which means the beginning of God's creative activity] was the Logos, and the Logos was with God [the God, Jehovah], and the Logos was a God [164]The beginning here referred to could not mean the beginning of God the Father, because he is from everlasting to everlasting and never had a beginning. (Psalm 41:13; 90:2) The work of Jehovah, however, had a beginning, and his creative work is clearly what is here meant. The Logos was the first and only direct creation of Jehovah; and thereafter God's creation was performed through his Logos. This is the thought expressed by the apostle Paul, who says of Jesus: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things and by him all things consist."—Colossians 1:15-17. [165]As further evidence of Jesus' prehuman existence, we have his own words: "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me". (John 6:38) "I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." (John 8:42) Again: "Before Abraham was, I am". (John 8:58) Again: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father". (John 16:28) "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (John 17:5) Again Jesus said: "I am the beginning of the creation of God". (Revelation 3:14) Furthermore, the apostle Paul under inspiration states: "God ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds". (Hebrews 1:1,2) And again he states: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich". (2 Corinthians 8:9) He was in the form of God before he became a man. "Who, though being in God's form, yet did not meditate a usurpation to be like God, but divested himself, taking a bondman's form, having been made in the likeness of men."—Philippians 2:6,7, Diaglott. [166]Some have earnestly believed that Jesus was God himself. But such a conclusion is not warranted by the Scriptures. John said: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand". (John 3:35) Again Jesus said: "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth the Son honoreth the Father which hath sent him.... For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." (John 5:22, 23, 26) Again Jesus said: "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me." (John 8: 17, 18) Thus Jesus definitely fixes the fact that he and the Father are separate and distinct beings. [167]Again Jesus said: "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:29,30) It may be asked, Does this not prove that they were one being? Our answer is that it does not; but that it does show, in connection with the other Scriptures quoted, that Jesus and the Father, Jehovah, are one in spirit, one in purpose, one in harmonious action; just as Jesus subsequently prayed to the Father that the church, his followers, might be made one with him, when he said: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one." (John 17:20-22) Thus Jesus definitely shows what is meant by being one with the Father. [168]Again Jesus prayed to the Father, saying: "Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." (John 12:27,28) Jesus could not have been praying to himself here, but he was praying to Jehovah God, from whom he came. [169]That the Father is greater than the Son, Christ Jesus, he shows when he says: "I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I."—John 14:28. [170]Many others have believed that Jesus, while on the earth, was still a spirit being and that his flesh was merely a covering or house in which that spirit being resided. Otherwise stated, that he was merely an incarnated creature and not wholly a man. The incarnation theory is that a spirit being inhabits for a time the human body, or a human body is created for the express purpose of that spirit being's occupying it for a time. The incarnation of Jesus is Scripturally erroneous. Indeed, if he had been merely an incarnated being, he could never have redeemed mankind. It is not disputed that he could have appeared as a human being; and such is attested to in the instances given in Genesis 18:1,2 and 19:1. [171]Some insist that Jesus when on earth was both God and man in completeness. This theory is wrong, however. We should never formulate a theory concerning God's plan in direct contradiction to his plain Word. We should have faith in God and in his Word. Faith means to have a knowledge of his Word and then to rely upon that Word confidently. The Bible is the revealed Word of God, given to man for his instruction; and where plain statements of the Bible are given, we should take them at their face value. Following this course, we find that the plan of God everywhere appears harmonious and beautiful.