Revelation 2:23 - I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
This verse is often given by trinitarians as alleged proof that Jesus has omniscience, alleged proof that Jesus is Yahweh., and as alleged proof of the trinity dogma. The thought is evidently assumed that only Yahweh can search the minds and hearts, thus Jesus must be Yahweh, but evidently not Yahweh who sent Jesus (Isaiah 61:1,2), but rather as the alleged second person of Yahweh who was sent by the alleged first person of Yahweh. It is evidently also being assumed that only one who is omniscient could thus search the minds and hearts; and it is further assumed that this offers proof that Jesus is the alleged second person of the assumed trinity.
In truth, Jesus is given this power from his God and Father. Jesus says:
Revelation 2:26 - He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him will I give authority over the nations.
Revelation 2:27 - He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father:
Revelation 2:28 and I will give him the morning star.
Note the words "as I also have received from my Father." Jesus here acknowledges that he receives his power from his Father. In Revelation 3:2, Jesus refers to his Father unipersonally as "my God." Of course, what many trinitarians will say is that when Jesus speaks of his Father as "my God," it is the human being Jesus speaking, but when he speaks words that that they assume to mean that he is God, they claim that it is Jesus the alleged God Being speaking. Thus, they would split up Jesus sentences so as to accord his words in this manner. Many would have his words "I will give to each one of you according to your deeds" and "to him will I give authority over the nations" to mean the alleged Jesus as God Being who speaks, but they would separate the phrases "my God" and "I also have received of my Father" with the claim that this is Jesus the human being speaking. Their claim is that Jesus is still a human being now in heaven (thereby denying the basis of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus, "the man who gave himself." -- 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 10:10) and thus in Revelation (as well as in the Gospels) they claim that sometimes it was the human being Jesus speaking while at other times it was the Jesus alleged to be the Supreme Being speaking. Thus, one assumption upon another assumption has to be placed upon the scripture in order to have scriptures to conform the human dogma that teaches that Jesus is Yahweh.
In reality, all the power and authority that Jesus has to judge, search the hearts and minds, etc., has been given to him from his God and Father. "For neither does the Father judge any man, but he has given all judgment to the Son." (John 5:22) Jesus, having been given this authority and power from his God (John 5:19,22,26,27), also gives to those overcome "authority over the nations," just as he received his authority and power from his God. (Does this mean that all who overcome are the Most High?) In effect, Jesus is Yahweh's appointed agent to judge both the saints and the world. By means of this arrangement, Yahweh comes to judge the world by means of the one whom he has appointed. -- Psalm 96:13, 98:9; Acts 17:31.
However, those overcoming saints also receive the authority to rule and judge the nations (the unbelieving heathen), as Jesus said: "He who keeps my works to the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father." -- Revelation 2:26,27 -- See Daniel 7:22; Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 20:4.
There is nothing, however, in any of this that means that Jesus is Yahweh.
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My recommendation of these books do not mean that I endorse all the conclusions and opinions presented by the authors.
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