Understanding Yeshua in Philippians 2 and John 1

Understanding Yeshua in Philippians 2 and John 1

Yosher Ganon  |  Hebrew House  |  5786

Elohim's Ultimate Representative

Introduction: Two Ways to Read the Bible's Highest Claims About Yeshua

Two passages in the New Testament—Philippians 2:5-11 and John 1:1-18—are often used to argue that Yeshua is Elohim himself. These passages use incredibly high language about Yeshua: they speak of him existing before creation, being involved in making the world, and receiving worship from everyone. The question is: what does this high language actually mean?

There are two main ways Christians have understood these passages:

1. The Traditional View: Yeshua is literally Elohim in human form. He's the second person of the Trinity, equal to the Father, who became a man.

2. The Agency View: Yeshua is Elohim's ultimate representative—a human being given the highest possible authority to speak and act for Elohim, but not Elohim himself.

This article explains why the agency view makes better sense of what these passages actually say and fits better with how the Bible talks about Elohim throughout the Old Testament.

Part 1: Philippians 2 — Following Yeshua's Example of Humility

Why Paul Wrote This Passage

Paul wasn't trying to teach complicated theology about Yeshua's divine nature. He was telling the Christians in Philippi to be humble and work together. He said: "Look at Yeshua as your example. He humbled himself, and Elohim honored him for it. You should do the same."

This means the passage is primarily about following Yeshua's example, not about explaining how Yeshua can be both Elohim and human. That's an important clue for understanding what Paul is saying.

The Story Paul Tells

Here's the story in simple terms:

• Yeshua had a Elohim status and authority

• He didn't use that status for his own benefit

• Instead, he became a servant and died on a cross

• Therefore, Elohim raised him to the highest place

• Elohim gave him the highest name

• Everyone will bow to Yeshua and confess he is Lord

• All of this brings glory to Elohim the Father

The Key Detail Everyone Should Notice

The most important part of this passage is the ending: "to the glory of Elohim the Father." When everyone bows to Yeshua and declares him Lord, where does that glory ultimately go? To Elohim the Father.

This is crucial. If Yeshua were Elohim himself, Paul could have just said "to the glory of Yeshua" or left it at "every knee will bow to Yeshua." But he didn't. He made sure to say that even this incredible honor given to Yeshua ultimately brings glory to Elohim the Father. This keeps the honor flowing in the right direction: from Yeshua back to Elohim.

Think of it this way: if you honored an ambassador who represented a king perfectly, your honor for the ambassador would really be honoring the king who sent him. That's what's happening here. Yeshua is Elohim's ultimate ambassador, and honoring him means honoring Elohim who gave him all this authority.

Notice Who's Doing What

Pay attention to the verbs—the action words—in this passage:

• Elohim highly exalted him

• Elohim gave him the name above every name

If Yeshua already was Elohim, why would Elohim need to give him anything? Why would he need to be exalted? The natural reading is that Elohim promoted Yeshua, installed him in the highest position, and gave him authority he didn't have before—because Yeshua faithfully obeyed, even to death.

The Old Testament Background

Paul is quoting from Isaiah 45, where Elohim says "every knee will bow to me, every tongue will swear allegiance." In Isaiah, this is Elohim talking about himself—everyone will recognize that the Lord is the only true Elohim.

So when Paul applies this language to Yeshua, he's making a huge claim. But the question is: Is Paul saying Yeshua is Elohim, or is Paul saying that Elohim is now accomplishing his purposes through Yeshua?

The answer comes from how the Old Testament already worked. Elohim often gave his authority to representatives:

• Moses — Elohim told Moses, "I have made you like Elohim to Pharaoh" (Exodus 7:1). Moses represented Elohim so completely that obeying Moses was obeying Elohim. But Moses wasn't Elohim himself.

• Cyrus — In Isaiah 45 (the same chapter Paul quotes!), Elohim calls the pagan king Cyrus "my anointed one" and says he will use Cyrus to accomplish his purposes. Elohim gave Cyrus authority over nations, but Cyrus wasn't Elohim.

• The Servant in Isaiah — Isaiah talks about Elohim's servant who will bring justice to the nations and be "raised and lifted up and highly exalted" (Isaiah 52:13). This servant acts for Elohim, speaks for Elohim, and accomplishes Elohim's purposes—but the servant is distinct from Elohim.

So the Old Testament already had a pattern: Elohim could give someone incredible authority to represent him without that person being Elohim. The Bible calls this "agency"—representing someone else with their full authority.

Paul's Pattern in His Other Letters

If we look at how Paul talks about Yeshua in his other letters, we see a consistent pattern. In 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, Paul describes what will happen at the end:

"Then the end will come, when [Yeshua] hands over the kingdom to Elohim the Father... When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that Elohim may be all in all."

This is remarkable. Paul says that after Yeshua accomplishes his mission, he will hand the kingdom back to the Father and will himself be subject to Elohim. This doesn't sound like someone who is equal to Elohim. It sounds like someone who was given a job to do, and when the job is complete, he returns the authority to the one who gave it to him.

Summary: What Philippians 2 Is Really Saying

Philippians 2 teaches that:

1. Yeshua chose the path of humble obedience rather than self-promotion

2. Elohim honored Yeshua's faithfulness by raising him from death and giving him the highest authority

3. Everyone will recognize Yeshua's authority and bow to him

4. This brings glory to Elohim the Father, not to Yeshua as a separate Elohim

5. Yeshua is Elohim's ultimate representative—the supreme agent through whom Elohim is now ruling the world

This reading honors everything the passage says about Yeshua while keeping Elohim's oneness intact, just as the Old Testament insisted: "The Lord is one."

Part 2: John 1 — The Word Became Flesh

What John 1 Says

The opening of John's Gospel is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim... And the Word became flesh and lived among us."

Christians have traditionally read this as proof that Yeshua is Elohim himself—an eternal divine being who became human. But there's another way to understand it that fits better with how Jewish people in Yeshua's time talked about Elohim.

How Jewish People Talked About Elohim

Before Yeshua came, Jewish writers regularly talked about Elohim's Wisdom, Elohim's Word, and Elohim's Spirit as if they were persons. They would say things like:

• "Wisdom was with Elohim when he made the world" (Proverbs 8)

• "Elohim created everything through his Wisdom" (various Jewish writings)

• "The Word of the Lord" acted, spoke, saved, and judged

• Wisdom was called "a breath of the power of Elohim" and "a reflection of eternal light"

But here's the key: no Jewish person thought this meant there were multiple Elohim These were poetic ways of talking about how Elohim's power, word, and wisdom work in the world. They were describing Elohim in action, not separate divine beings.

When John calls Yeshua "the Word," he's using this familiar Jewish way of speaking. He's saying that what Elohim's Word and Wisdom always were—Elohim expressing himself to the world—has now been perfectly expressed in a human life: Yeshua.

"The Word Was Elohim" — What Does That Mean?

The phrase "the Word was Elohim" is the part people focus on most. It sounds like John is saying Yeshua isElohim. But let's look at how this fits with the rest of what John says.

First, notice that just a few verses later, John writes: "No one has ever seen Elohim; the only Son has made him known" (John 1:18). If Yeshua is Elohim, this verse is confusing. John says Elohim has never been seen, but Yeshua shows us Elohim. That's the language of representation, not identification.

The Greek word translated "made him known" literally means "explained" or "interpreted." Yeshua interprets Elohim to us. He reveals what Elohim is like. He makes the invisible Elohim visible. But the verse carefully maintains that Elohim himself remains unseen—Yeshua is the one who shows us who Elohim is.

Second, later in John's Gospel, Yeshua himself makes a distinction. After his resurrection, he tells Mary: "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my Elohim and your Elohim" (John 20:17). Yeshua calls the Father "my Elohim." If Yeshua is fully and equally Elohim, why would he have a Elohim?

Third, John summarizes the whole purpose of his Gospel this way: "These are written so that you may believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of Elohim" (John 20:31). He doesn't say "so you may believe Yeshua is Elohim." He says "Messiah" and "Son of Elohim"—titles for Elohim's chosen representative.

So what does "the Word was Elohim" mean? It means the Word is divine—it comes from Elohim, expresses Elohim, has Elohim's character and authority. Just like Moses was called "like Elohim" to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1), the Word has Elohim status and authority. But it doesn't mean the Word is a separate Elohim or that Yeshua is the Father.

"The Word Became Flesh" — What Happened?

When John says "the Word became flesh," he's not describing Elohim transforming into a human being. The word "flesh" in Greek (sarx) means human life in its full, physical, mortal reality. It emphasizes the earthly, vulnerable, bodily condition of being human.

What John is saying is that Elohim's Word—his self-expression, his communication with humanity—which had always been active in the world (in creation, through prophets, in Scripture), has now been fully expressed in a human life. Yeshua is Elohim's message made visible, Elohim's wisdom made tangible, Elohim's character made knowable through a person you could see, touch, and follow.

Think of it this way: If Elohim wanted to communicate perfectly with humanity, how would he do it? Through a human life that perfectly embodies his character, wisdom, and will. That's what Yeshua is. He's not Elohim disguised as human; he's Elohim's perfect human representative.

The Comparison with Moses

John makes an important comparison: "The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Yeshua Christ" (John 1:17). Notice the word "through" in both cases. Elohim gave the law through Moses. Elohim gave grace and truth through Yeshua.

This shows that Yeshua, like Moses, is a mediator—someone through whom Elohim works. Moses brought Elohim's law. Yeshua brings something even greater. But both are agents through whom Elohim reveals himself. The difference is that Yeshua is the ultimate agent, the final and complete revelation.

If John wanted to say Yeshua replaced Elohim or was Elohim in a way Moses wasn't, he could have said that. Instead, he maintains the "through" language. Elohim remains the source; Yeshua is the supreme channel.

Summary: What John 1 Is Really Saying

John 1 teaches that:

1. Elohim's Word and Wisdom, which were always active in creation and revelation, have now been perfectly expressed in Yeshua

2. Yeshua reveals Elohim more completely than anyone before him—he makes the invisible Elohim visible

3. Yeshua has divine authority and character, but remains distinct from "the only true Elohim" (the Father)

4. Like Moses but far greater, Yeshua is the one through whom Elohim now reveals himself to the world

5. Yeshua is Elohim's ultimate representative—not a second Elohim, but the human being who perfectly shows us who Elohim is

Part 3: Putting It All Together

The Common Pattern

When we read both Philippians 2 and John 1 carefully, we see the same pattern:

• Elohim is the main actor. In Philippians 2, Elohim exalts Yeshua and gives him the name. In John 1, Elohim's Word becomes flesh, and Yeshua makes Elohim known.

• Yeshua receives authority. He doesn't already possess it as his own right; it's given to him because of his faithfulness.

• Glory goes to Elohim. Even the highest honor given to Yeshua ultimately directs glory back to the Father.

• Yeshua represents Elohim perfectly. He acts with Elohim's authority, speaks Elohim's word, and shows Elohim's character—but he remains distinct from Elohim.

This is exactly how the Old Testament said Elohim would work: through a chosen human representative who would be given all authority to speak and act for Elohim.

Why This Makes Sense of the Whole Bible

This way of reading makes sense of the entire Bible, from beginning to end:

• It keeps Elohim as one. The Old Testament's central message is "The Lord our Elohim, the Lord is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4). Yeshua himself quoted this as the most important commandment (Mark 12:29). The agency view honors this.

• It explains why Yeshua prays. If Yeshua is Elohim, who is he praying to? But if Yeshua is Elohim's ultimate representative, of course he prays to Elohim.

• It explains why Yeshua says things like "The Father is greater than I" (John 14:28) and "Why do you call me good? Only Elohim is good" (Mark 10:18). These statements are puzzling if Yeshua is equal to Elohim, but natural if he's Elohim's representative.

• It makes sense of Yeshua's mission. Yeshua came to do Elohim's will, not his own (John 6:38). He came to bring glory to Elohim, not to himself (John 17:4). He came as one sent by Elohim (John 17:3). This is the language of agency.

• It explains the end of the story. The Bible ends with Elohim being "all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28). Yeshua completes his mission and hands the kingdom back to the Father. Elohim remains the center, as he always was.

Common Questions

"But doesn't this make Yeshua less important?"

Not at all! Yeshua is the most important human being who has ever lived. He's the one through whom Elohim is now ruling the world. He's the one who perfectly showed us what Elohim is like. He's the one we follow, trust, and honor. The difference is that his greatness comes from Elohim giving it to him, not from being a second Elohim.

Think about it this way: Which is more amazing—Elohim disguising himself as a human for 33 years, or Elohim taking a human being and exalting him to share in divine rule? The second option shows what Elohim wanted for humanity all along: to have partners who would represent him perfectly in the world.

"Can we worship Yeshua?"

Yes—but we worship Yeshua as Lord and Messiah, not as Elohim the Father. The Bible shows early Christians honoring Yeshua, bowing to him, and singing songs about him. But this honor flows through Yeshua to Elohim, just like Philippians 2:11 says: "to the glory of Elohim the Father."

When you honor an ambassador who perfectly represents a king, you're honoring the king. When you trust and follow Yeshua, you're trusting and following the Elohim he represents. It's not divided loyalty—it's loyalty to Elohim through the one Elohim appointed.

"What about the Trinity?"

The word "Trinity" doesn't appear in the Bible. It's a teaching that developed over several centuries as Christians tried to explain who Yeshua was. The early church councils created complicated philosophical language about "three persons in one substance" to try to make sense of Yeshua being worshiped while still believing in one Elohim.

But what if there's a simpler explanation that fits what the Bible actually says? What if Yeshua doesn't need to be Elohim himself to deserve our highest honor—because he's Elohim's chosen representative given all authority in heaven and earth?

The agency view suggests that the early church was right to honor Yeshua but that they didn't need to create the complex doctrine of the Trinity to explain it. The Old Testament already had the category they needed: the ultimate representative of Elohim.

Conclusion

Both Philippians 2 and John 1 use incredibly high language about Yeshua. They speak of him with words that were used for Elohim in the Old Testament. But when we read carefully, we see that:

• Elohim remains distinct from Yeshua

• Elohim is the one who acts—exalting, giving, sending

• Yeshua receives authority rather than possessing it eternally

• Glory ultimately flows to Elohim the Father

• Yeshua functions as the perfect representative of Elohim

This pattern matches exactly what the Old Testament taught about how Elohim would work: through a chosen human being who would perfectly represent him to the world. Yeshua is that person—not a second Elohim, but Elohim's ultimate agent, the Messiah, the one through whom Elohim is making everything right.

Understanding Yeshua this way doesn't make him less glorious. It makes his glory more understandable and more consistent with the Bible's story from beginning to end. It shows us that Elohim's plan all along was to have human partners who would represent him perfectly—and Yeshua is the first and greatest of these partners, the one who opened the way for all of us to know Elohim personally.

When we read Philippians 2 and John 1 this way, we're not lowering our view of Yeshua. We're honoring what these passages actually say: that Yeshua is the human being Elohim chose to represent him perfectly, the one given all authority, the one through whom we come to know the one true Elohim.