Whether we are reading from the Old Testament (Hebrew text) or the New Testament(Greek text), we should know that God does not change.

“”For I am the LORD (Hebrew “Yahweh,” this is God’s personal name forever according to Exodus 3:15), I do not change;” Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬a

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬

The Lord (Greek “kurios” usually translated lord or master) Jesus Christ taught many things about God and the Kingdom of God in the New Testament gospels. We would do well to believe what he believed and taught about “who God is.” We can see from his response to the scribe in the book of Mark, that he believed what the Jews believed about God from the Old Testament scripture. The “most important of all the commandments” is something we might want to pay attention to.

“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.” Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬-‭34‬

Jesus and the scribe are quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4 and 4:35 that “Yahweh our God is one Yahweh” and “there is no other besides him.” “He” and “him” are singular personal pronouns referring to Yahweh our God as one person.

“”Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬-‭5‬

“To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God ; there is no other besides him. know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.” Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭35‬, ‭39‬

Jesus confirmed that the scribe answered wisely and was not far from the Kingdom of God. In the passages above, “he” and “him” refer to the LORD God as one person. According to Jesus, who is that one person?

“I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” John‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭44‬

Most commentators understand “the only God” in v. 44 to refer to the Father. The immediate context points that way.

“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬-‭18

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭3‬

“Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” John‬ ‭20‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

According to Jesus, his God and Father is the “only” true God. Throughout the Gospels Jesus repeatedly speaks of God as my Father, the Father, your Father, and our Father. A commonly cited estimate is that Jesus refers to God as “Father” about 65 times in Matthew, Mark and Luke, over 100 times in the book of John, and a handful of times in Acts chapter 1 and the book of Revelation.

“And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭49‬

“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;”John‬ ‭10‬:‭29a

Mark Rohde can be reached at Marklrohde@gmail.com.