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The "unless" makes all the difference. Irenaeus knew that righteous men had seen God in the past (see {{s||Acts|7|55-56}}, {{s||Genesis|32|30}}, {{s||Genesis|17|1}}, {{s||Genesis|18|1}}, {{s||Acts|7|2}}, {{s||Exodus|3|6}}, {{s||Exodus|19|11}}, {{s||Exodus|33|11}}, {{s||Numbers|12|7-8}}, {{s|1|Kings|9|2}}, {{s|1|Kings|11|9}}, {{s||Isaiah|6|1,5}}, {{s||Exodus|24|10-11}}, {{s||Deuteronomy|34|10}}, {{s||Deuteronomy|5|4}}, {{s||Judges|13|22}}, {{s|Genesis|3||}}, {{s||Hebrews|11|27}}, {{s||Job|42|5}}, {{s||Job|33|26}}, {{s||Job|19|26}}, {{s||Ezekiel|1|1}}, {{s||Ezekiel|8|1-4}}, {{s||Joshua|5|12-15}}, {{s||Revelation|22|4}}). | The "unless" makes all the difference. Irenaeus knew that righteous men had seen God in the past (see {{s||Acts|7|55-56}}, {{s||Genesis|32|30}}, {{s||Genesis|17|1}}, {{s||Genesis|18|1}}, {{s||Acts|7|2}}, {{s||Exodus|3|6}}, {{s||Exodus|19|11}}, {{s||Exodus|33|11}}, {{s||Numbers|12|7-8}}, {{s|1|Kings|9|2}}, {{s|1|Kings|11|9}}, {{s||Isaiah|6|1,5}}, {{s||Exodus|24|10-11}}, {{s||Deuteronomy|34|10}}, {{s||Deuteronomy|5|4}}, {{s||Judges|13|22}}, {{s|Genesis|3||}}, {{s||Hebrews|11|27}}, {{s||Job|42|5}}, {{s||Job|33|26}}, {{s||Job|19|26}}, {{s||Ezekiel|1|1}}, {{s||Ezekiel|8|1-4}}, {{s||Joshua|5|12-15}}, {{s||Revelation|22|4}}). | ||
− | Furthermore, by adopting this approach, Irenaeus' interpretation of {{s||John|1|18}} | + | Furthermore, by adopting this approach, Irenaeus' interpretation of {{s||John|1|18}} harmonized with the rest of the Bible and the qualifications which the Bible provides for those who may see God. The requirements are: |
# Must be "of God" “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.” ({{s||John|6|46}}.) | # Must be "of God" “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.” ({{s||John|6|46}}.) | ||
#Must have "peace and holiness" within you "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which, no man shall see the Lord" ({{s||Hebrews|12|14}}.) | #Must have "peace and holiness" within you "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which, no man shall see the Lord" ({{s||Hebrews|12|14}}.) | ||
#Must be pure in heart "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" ({{s||Matthew|5|8}}.) | #Must be pure in heart "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" ({{s||Matthew|5|8}}.) | ||
− | Philo the Jew taught that the name Israel was compounded of 3 words “ish” “rah” “El”, which means “man seeing God”. {{NeedCite}} | + | As the numerous Biblical references demonstrate, the idea of seeing God is hardly foreign to Hebrew or early Christian thought. There are also non-scriptural examples: Philo the Jew taught that the name Israel was compounded of 3 words “ish” “rah” “El”, which means “man seeing God”. {{NeedCite}} |
==Conclusion== | ==Conclusion== |
This article is a draft. FairMormon editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.
Critics claim that the Bible teaches that God cannot be seen by mortals, and so claims by Joseph Smith and others to have seen God the Father or Jesus Christ must be false.
The most commonly used Biblical citation is probably John 1꞉18, which reads “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
Early Christian author Irenaeus wrote in A.D. 180 that this scripture should be read “For "no man," he says, "hath seen God at any time," unless "the only-begotten Son of God, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared [Him]."[1]
The "unless" makes all the difference. Irenaeus knew that righteous men had seen God in the past (see Acts 7꞉55-56, Genesis 32꞉30, Genesis 17꞉1, Genesis 18꞉1, Acts 7꞉2, Exodus 3꞉6, Exodus 19꞉11, Exodus 33꞉11, Numbers 12꞉7-8, 1 Kings 9꞉2, 1 Kings 11꞉9, Isaiah 6꞉1,5, Exodus 24꞉10-11, Deuteronomy 34꞉10, Deuteronomy 5꞉4, Judges 13꞉22, Genesis 3 , Hebrews 11꞉27, Job 42꞉5, Job 33꞉26, Job 19꞉26, Ezekiel 1꞉1, Ezekiel 8꞉1-4, Joshua 5꞉12-15, Revelation 22꞉4).
Furthermore, by adopting this approach, Irenaeus' interpretation of John 1꞉18 harmonized with the rest of the Bible and the qualifications which the Bible provides for those who may see God. The requirements are:
As the numerous Biblical references demonstrate, the idea of seeing God is hardly foreign to Hebrew or early Christian thought. There are also non-scriptural examples: Philo the Jew taught that the name Israel was compounded of 3 words “ish” “rah” “El”, which means “man seeing God”. [citation needed]
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