Why did Jesus say the Father is greater than I in John 14:28? How do we respond to Jehovah’s Witnesses, biblical unitarians, Muslims, and others when they use John 14:28 to prove Jesus is not God and to refute the Trinity doctrine. The Bible teaches that Jesus is God in numerous places such as John 1:1, John 1:14, John 1:3, John 5:18-23, John 8:24, John 8:58, John 10:30, John 14:9, John 20:28, Acts 20:28, Romans 10:9-13, Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1, 1 John 5:20, Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:17-18, Revelation 22:12-13, and there are other Scriptures proving that Jesus is God in the Bible. So then how do we understand what Jesus meant in John 14:28 when He said the Father is greater than Him? Did Jesus deny being God in John 14:28? Below will be links on how to effectively witness to Jehovah's Witnesses and others. In John 14:28 Jesus taught that God the Father was greater in the sense that He was glorified in the heavenly realm. Jesus is the Word of God, the Son of God who took on the likeness of human flesh in which He set aside His glorified body for a time and He willfully submitted Himself unto the Father (John 1:1, John 1:14, Philippians 2:5-11). God the Father was greater than Jesus which means that while Jesus was on the earth He had limitations in His flesh where as the Father was in the heavenly realm in His glorified state with no limitations. Jesus speaking to His disciples in John 17 said Father glorify Me with the glory which I had with You before the world was (John 17:5). Jesus was praying to the Father knowing His time had come to give His life as an atonement for sin and to sacrifice Himself upon the cross. Therefore Jesus was praying to the Father in that He would be gloried again with the glory He had before (John 17:5). After Jesus was raised from the dead 3 days later He was gloried and there were no more limitations for Him in the flesh (Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 24:36-47, Revelation 1:8-18, Revelation 19, Revelation 22:12-13).
How to respond to Jehovah’s Witnesses, biblical unitarians, Muslims, and others when they quote John 14:28 to prove Jesus is not God and to refute the Trinity doctrine will depend on a few facts. First, it is important for Christians to know what they believe and why they believe it according to the Scriptures. Second, it is important for Christinas to be in prayer and prepared in advance on what other non Christian cults and regions believe so that they are not taken by surprise or off guard when they are asked questions like this. Third, Christians need to learn how to be be patient, listen, ask questions that will lead them to study the Scriptures more on the Deity of Jesus Christ and to lead them to a saving knowledge of putting their trust in Him for their salvation. When talking about the Deity of Jesus Christ and the Trinity doctrine (one God in three persons known as God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) it is important to learn how to focus on one topic at a time and not jump around in the Scriptures.
The proper way to interpret John 14:28 or other Scriptures is to look at the context of what is being said by examining the versos before and after the Scripture in question. When examining John 14:28 for the proper and accurate context one can look back to John 14:9 where Jesus claimed that if anyone has seen Him they have seen the Father, which proves Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh. Now that does not mean Jesus is literally God the Father, that is a false doctrine from Modalism also known as Oneness Pentecostalism (UPCI, Oneness Pentecostals, Jesus Only). When Jesus said if anyone has seen Him they have seen the Father means Jesus was claiming that He was Word of God in flesh before them (John 1:1, John 1:14, John 8:58, Philippians 2:5-11).
What did Jesus mean when He said the Father is greater than I in John 14:28? Jesus was speaking about going to the Father soon in which the Father is in the heavenly realm glorified, and Jesus would soon be going to Father when He goes to the cross (John 14:1-3, John 19:30, Luke 23:46). John 14:28 does not refute the Trinity doctrine, John 14:28 does not teach Jesus is not God, but when John 14:28 is properly interpreted it does mean that Jesus knew His time was at hand and He was going to God the Father. Links below on how to effectively witness to Jehovah's Witnesses and others.
with articles, audios, videos
How to Explain the Trinity Doctrine in Simple Terms! There is One God Revealed through Three Persons God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit
2 Jehovah’s Witnesses Ladies Shocked the Bible Teaches Jesus is God in Hebrews 1:8-12
Jehovah’s Witnesses Stunned the Kingdom Interlinear Translation Proves Jesus is God in John 1:1 John 8:58 John 20:28
Berean Perspective Apologetics
Kelly Powers
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