God the Son: What John’s Portrait of Jesus Means and Why it Matters

by Randy Rheaume, Michael L. Brown (Foreword)

John's portrait of Jesus is breathtaking yet bewildering. In the first verse he's called ""God."" At the climax of the book he's worshiped as Lord and God (20:28). On the other hand, he says he can't do a thing without the okay of his Father (5:19, 30). How are we to understand this profound yet puzzling figure? Uniquely equipped as both a New Testament scholar and engaging pastoral communicator, Randy Rheaume shows how the contrasts in John's portrait of Jesus (especially his deity and his sonship) fit together and are meaningful and helpful for the Christian life. Is Jesus really God? If so, what difference does it make? How can he be God and yet in submission to God? Why didn't he ever say, ""I am God! Worship me!""? How does the Son's role differ from the Father's? If God is more than one person, how do prayer and worship work? How can I know God better? What will make eternity with God so fun that we'll never get bored? Is the Trinity truly biblical? And where does the Holy Spirit come into the picture? Rheaume's exploration probes John's Gospel and provides profound insight into these and related questions. ""Rheaume is a fine scholar who has done a masterful job in communicating lofty theological concepts in understandable, everyday terms. Amply illustrated with numerous analogies throughout, this text truly allows the comprehension and mastery of substantial theological doctrine in terms that may be grasped readily. Highly recommended."" --Gary R. Habermas, Distinguished Research Professor & Chair, Dept. of Philosophy, Liberty University Randy Rheaume is the founder and senior pastor of Stony Creek Church in Utica, Michigan, where he serves as the lead pastor and teacher. He holds a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, a DMin from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a PhD in New Testament Studies from the University of Wales. He is the author of An Exegetical and Theological Analysis of the Son's Relationship to the Father in John's Gospel: God's Equal and Subordinate.

218 pages, Paperback

Published August 10, 2018

Reviews

[Troy Naeyaert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a deeper understanding of the book of John and the relationship of God the father, Jesus and the holy spirit, do yourself a favor and read this book!

[Adam Balshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars [Theology]
(W: 3, U: 3, T: 3.5)
Exact rating: 3.17
#18 out of 39 in genre
#13 out of 17 on Trinity

Rheaume writes a welcome book on the meaning of μονογενης θεος and succeeds in demonstrating his thesis. Rather than "the one and only God" or "the unique God," the phrase in John 1:18 is better translated "God The Only Son" (which can be shortened to "God The Son").

The reader can enjoy rare references to Jewish scholarship and eminent biblical scholars (like Heiser and Segal); notable truth on Old Testament theophanies; debunking of popular, facile objections to Jesus's divinity; and an ample Bibliography. Rheaume knows more about the triunity of God than most theologians, but he fell short of genuine mastery at several points, particularly concerning the full scope of the OT theophanies. Truth rating ranged between 3 (uncommon) and 4 (rare).