“I and My Father Are One” in John 10:30

That’s in the Bible – “I and My Father Are One” in John 10:30

Brother Bob Pellien: Is Jesus God, when Jesus said He was “one” with God in John 10:30? And did He mean He was God, or part of God? 

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Brother Bob: The Bible, the basis of our faith in the Church Of Christ, which answers questions about proper worship, the right relationship with God, and most importantly, salvation. That’s in the Bible!

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That’s in the Bible

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Brother Bob Pellien

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Bob:  I’m Bob Pellien, and welcome to the program That’s in the Bible. We received a comment from a viewer on YouTube who viewed one of our programs. It was regarding their belief in the Trinity and specifically pointed to John 10:30 as proof. 

She said: Wrong teaching. John 10:30, the disciples said, “Show us the Father.” Jesus said, “How long will I be with you? I’m in the Father, and the Father is in me. We are one.” Be careful of false teachings and doctrines that sound right.

• Ruth Amy  

Brother Bob: Now that was from Ruth Amy.

First, dear friends, thank you very much, Ruth Amy, for your engagement with our content and your interest in the topic of Jesus and God. To clarify, it looks like Ruth Amy is actually mentioning three different verses. 

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John 10:30

John 14:7-9

John 17:21-23

Brother Bob: The first is John 10:30, then John 14, verses 7 through 9, as well as John 17, verses 21 through 23. All of these verses are used by Trinitarians, those who believe that Jesus is also God, to justify their beliefs. 

For today’s study, we’re going to take a look at the first verse she brought up, John 10:30 and then we’ll discuss the others in future programs. So, to start off, let’s read together the verse that Ruth Amy was pointing to, as we mentioned, John 10:30. And it says, let’s open up the Holy Bible, John 10:30 reads simply this way:

I and My Father are one.”

[John 10:30 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: Very simple, short, very direct. Ruth Amy and others believe that Jesus, because of that verse, is therefore teaching that He is God the Father. To frame our study together today of John 10:30, let’s address three important questions. 

1. Does John 10:30 teach that Jesus and the Father are “one” as God?
2. Does John 10:30 teach that Jesus and the Father are “one” and the same being?
3. If Jesus and the Father are not one God in John 10:30 then what did Jesus mean when he said he and the Father are “one”?

Brother Bob: There are many people that mistakenly add meaning to this verse based upon, well, their own understanding rather than what the Bible actually is teaching us.

For example, some will say that Jesus was teaching in John 10:30, that He and the Father are one and the same being. You know, others would teach that Jesus is teaching there in that verse, John 10:30, that He and the Father are one and the same as God, and then often make the jump to use such conclusions as a basis to uphold a Trinitarian concept of God. 

So today, dear friends, let us allow the Holy Bible to explain itself. Let’s read it again. Does John 10:30 teach that Jesus and the Father are “one” as God? Let’s, again, take a very good close look at John, chapter 10, Verse 30. It says:

I and My Father are one.”

[John 10:30 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: The verse simply, dear friends, it does not say that Jesus and the Father are one God. And here’s the thing, adding the word God, after the words of Jesus, would violate the Lord’s instruction recorded in Deuteronomy 12:32, which tells us not to add to it or take away from it. Regarding of course the teachings in the Holy Bible, don’t add to it, don’t subtract from it. 

[On-screen Bible verse graphic Deuteronomy 12:32 New King James Version]

 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Brother Bob: Further, does being “one” establish that Jesus and the Father are “one and the same being”? Oh no, no. And why are we so sure?  Because John, chapter 17, verses 21-23, once again we quote from the Lord the following:

that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

[John 17:21-23 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: This is the prayer of Jesus about His disciples. The disciples are the “they” being referred to. And what is important to notice here, dear friends? They are also described here as being “one” with Jesus and “one” with the Father. 

If every time a disciple was identified as being “one” with Jesus and “one” with the Father, if every time was given the same treatment as Trinitarians are giving to Jesus when He said that He is “one” with the Father in John 10:30, then that would make all the disciples gods. If we will follow that way of thinking, which you know, of course, we can easily agree how wrong that would be. 

So, dear viewers, what some false preachers say is that Jesus was teaching that He and the Father have one and the same state of being. So, what’s the proof then that they are not of the same state of being? Well, we can also turn to the Holy Bible for answers to that question as well. And we do so, turning to John, chapter four, verse 24:

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

[John 4:24 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So, the state of being of God is made clear—He is a spirit. And we can continue with the statement of our Lord Jesus Christ recorded in John, chapter 8, verse 40. What about Jesus? 

But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God…

[John 8:40 New King James Version]

Brother Bob: So, the Bible teaches what? The state of being of Jesus is that of a man. The Bible teaches, the state of being of God is Spirit. So, dear friends, they are clearly different from each other, distinct, and thus not one in state of being, either. 

So, if Jesus and the Father are not one God, in John 10:30, and they’re not one referring to state of being in John 10:30, then what did Jesus mean when He said He and the Father are one? 

Dear friends, it’s important to know what was the discussion all about that Jesus was having with His disciples at the time, when He said in John 10:30 He and the Father are one. What was he teaching them? We only need to look at the previous verses in that same book of John, chapter 10. Instead of reading only 10:30, let’s go back and read John 10:27, 28, 29, and 30, which read this way:

My own sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one shall snatch them from my care. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s care. My Father and I are one.’  

[John 10:27-30 New English Bible]

Brother Bob: So clearly here, dear friends, the discussion was about what? Caring for the sheep. Jesus was caring for the sheep. The Father was also caring for the sheep. The discussion was about the caretaking of the sheep, members of the flock, the church, not about godhood. Were they taking care of the sheep together because they’re the same being, or were they taking care of the sheep together because they had the same purpose or intention? 

Let’s read the same verse, John, chapter 10, verse 30, but let’s look at the verse as it was translated by some other Bible scholars. First, let’s go to the Lamsa translation of the Bible, and we’ll read the same verse, John, chapter 10, verse 30, as it was translated there. I quote:

I and my Father are of one accord.

[John 10:30 Lamsa] 

Brother Bob: And in The Message translation of the Bible, John, chapter 10, verse 30 reads this way:

I and the Father are one heart and mind.”

[John 10:30 The Message]

Brother Bob: And in yet another, The Simple English Bible, the same verse John, chapter 10, verse 30:

My Father and I are united. 

[John 10:30 Simple English Bible] 

Brother Bob: So clearly, there’s plenty of Bible scholars who understood the Greek text and understood “one”—not as a number of beings but that they were united in heart and mind and of one accord. 

You want more evidence? Okay. Where else can we see this important point in black and white, shared here in the Holy Bible? Let’s take a look at an important statement of Apostle Paul this time. It’s recorded in 1st Corinthians, chapter three. We’ll read verse eight, and we’ll read verse six:

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

[1 Corinthians 3: 8, 6 New King James Version] 

Brother Bob: So clearly here, dear friends, what’s stated is that Apostle Paul planted and Apollos watered, and they were one. In what way was Apostle Paul and Apollos one? Was Apostle Paul saying that he and Apollos were one in the same being, or one in the same person? No, of course not. In fact, take a look at the same citation in another translation of the Holy Bible, the New International Version. 1st Corinthians, chapter 3, verse 8 says:

The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.

[1 Corinthians 3: 8 New International Version]

Brother Bob: So yes, Apostle Paul and Apollos were one, but not one in the same person. They were one in purpose, just as Jesus and the Father are one, not as one person, but one or [the] same in purposeful care for the sheep, as we also read John 10:27 through 30. 

In fact, dear friends, is there any other instance that can be considered, recorded here in the Bible, that would further enlighten us and help us understand regarding the meaning of being “one?” We can all remember the wedding vows of Matthew, chapter 19, in verse six, for example. 

We all know the wedding vows made there where the two shall become one. No one would ever teach that [the] couple being wed become one in the same person, or they are no longer two individuals. No. Everyone knows that as they become “one”, their lives together become one or of one accord. 

We started this discussion with these main questions in mind. So let’s review what we have learned from the Bible about them. 

1. Does John 10:30 teach that Jesus and the Father are “one” as God?  

No, the Bible simply does not state that in the verse. 

1. Does John 10:30 teach that Jesus and the Father are “one” and the same being, or one in state of being?  

No. We also read from the Bible, God is a spirit. Jesus is a man. 

1. If Jesus and the Father are not one God in John 10:30 then what did Jesus mean when he said he and the Father are “one?” 

We learned from the Bible, they are one, or united, in one purpose, in one accord in taking care of the sheep. 

Brother Bob: So to conclude, dear friends, clearly the Bible teaches the differences between Jesus and God the Father. If you are in a religious group that is teaching you a Trinity concept of God, or that God the Father, Jesus the Savior, and the Holy Spirit are all one as God, then you must leave those wrong beliefs behind and join with us here, serving the true God, and the true Jesus, inside the true Church—the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ. 

Brother Bob: We’d like you to invite you to continue learning more about the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ. Do so by visiting us here online.

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Visit 

incmedia.org

Brother Bob: Browse the different topics, or set up an appointment to meet with us, meet with a minister of the gospel. If you have any questions about the Bible, salvation, please email them to us.

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answers@incmedia.org

Brother Bob: I’m Bob Pellien. Thanks for watching. See you next time, right here, on That’s in the Bible!

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