Bismillah:
first of all lat me thank you so much for this beautiful discussion.
Quote:God had to humiliate Himself and become fully man for people to see him.
to me if God Almighty "humiliate Himself and become <b>FULLY</b> man", then he is not God anymore. God need NOT to come down to HIS CREATION in order for them to see Him.
Quote:As far as John 14:28 is concerned I'd say the following:
"My Father is greater than I."
This statement must be understood in light of the witness of this Gospel fo the full deity of the Son, His equality and oneness with the Father (v. 9; 1:1; 10:30). The Son voluntarily veiled His glory here to follow the way of humble obedience.
Why the Bible always means something different than what it says?
The father is greater than Jesus is <b>obvious </b> in many of Jesus’ statements which appeared in the Bible. To mention few:
"But of that day and hour <b>knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the son
</b>, but the father." (Mark 13:32, and Matt. 24:36)
"Verily, verily I say unto you, <b>the Son can do nothing </b> of himself, but what he seeth the father do..." (John 5:19)
<b>"I can of mine own self do nothing</b>: As I hear I judge, and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which has sent me." (John 5:30)
"I ascend unto <b>my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God</b>." (John 20:17)
"<b>My God, my God</b>, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46)
I LOVE THESE VERSES, Jesus clearly declared that he have a God. Which prove to me at least that he is NOT GOD.
"Why callest thou me good? <b>There is none good but one, that is God</b>..." Luke 18:19
"That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. <b>It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing, He but says to it 'Be', and it is." </b> said the Qur'an (19:34, 35)
"And they say, 'the All-Merciful has taken unto Himself a son.' <b>You have indeed advanced something hideous</b>. <b>The heavens are well nigh rent of it and the earth split asunder, and the mountains well nigh fall down crashing for that they have attributed to the All-Merciful a son;</b> <b>and it behooves not the All-Merciful to take a son. None is there in the heavens and earth but he comes to the All-Merciful as a servant." </b> (Qur'an 19:88-93)
"Truly <b>the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, 'Be', and he was." </b> (Qur'an 3:59)
"People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the Truth. <b>The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a spirit from Him.</b> So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it for you. God is only One God. Glory be to Him - that He should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth; God suffices for a guardian." (Qur'an 4:171)
Salam
Wael