This page features a list of 150 posts through the year 2023 here on my Kermit Zarley Blog that are mostly about the Bible not saying Jesus is God. A few are about the church doctrine of the Trinity not being biblical. Scroll down and click titles in this list to see these posts. If a post is about a certain biblical text, its reference is appended in bold. Bible quotations in earlier posts are from the NASB unless otherwise noted. I soon began using the NRSV later in my blog.
I was a Trinitarian for 22 years before reading myself out of it in the Bible. Since then, I have continued to believe all that the church teaches about Jesus, especially that he is Lord and risen Savior, but not that he is God. To learn more, see a 12-part series of posts, βMy Christological Journey.β
As of 2023, I had ten books published that are all available at amazon.com. To see all listed together, enter search term βKermit Zarley books.β Learn more about me, my pro golf career, and my books at kermitzarley.com. I have been a serious Bible student since my late teens. In my biblical studies, I have specialized in eschatology and Christology.
I have a conservative view of the Bible. I accept it as accurate and truthful. Yet I honor the work of textual critics who examine ancient manuscripts to compile Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) texts from which translators provide us with English Bibles. Thus, I subscribe to the apostle Paul writing, βAll scripture is inspired by Godβ (2 Timothy 3.16). Dr. Scot McKnightβs blurb about my book, The Restitution, says, βZarley combines a high view of scripture with a thoroughly human Jesus.β
These posts often are two or three pages in length. They usually represent condensations of my book, The Restitution: Biblical Proof Jesus Is NOT God (570 pp.), without including its many scholarly references. This book cites the writings of more than 400 scholars. It was first published in 2008 with the pseudonym Servetus the Evangelical and the title The Restitution of Jesus Christ. It was republished in 2023. The title was changed and the pseudonym was discontinued without having to make it a second edition since its text remained unchanged.
The Restitution has some notable, scholarly endorsements on its back cover. Dr. James Tabor alleges it is βa mortal wound to the doctrine of the Trinity. β¦ a towering work that will stand for a long time.β Others say it is βa tour de force β¦ thorough and systematic, β¦ very readable. β¦ Itβs the best Unitarian apologetic on the market.β Dr. Scot McKnight asserts, βNo one can read this book without being challenged.β
The following table shows numbered posts that feature certain Bible texts.
Bible Text | Post # | Bible Text | Post # |
Genesis 1.26; 3.22; 11.7 | 4 | John 10.33 | 44, 55 |
Isaiah 7.14 | 98 | John 14.9 | 154 |
Isaiah 9.6 | 34 | John 17.3 | 35 |
Daniel 7.13-14 | 56, 78, 99 | John 20.28 | 29 |
Matthew 1.18-25; Luke 1.26 ff | 82 | Acts 20.28 | 100 |
Matthew 16.16; Mark 8.27 | 26 | Romans 9.5 | 91 |
Matthew 24.36; Mark 13.32 | 1, 11 | Philippians 2.6-11 | 52 |
Matthew 26.63-64 | 37 | Philippians 2.7 | 2 |
Matthew 28.19 | 107 | Philippians 2.9-11 | 32 |
Mark 2.1-12; Matthew 9.1-8 | 74 | Colossians 1.15-19 | 76 |
Mark 10.17-18 | 42 | 1 Timothy 1.17; 6.16 | 30 |
John 1.1-3 | 9 | 1 Timothy 2.5 | 18, 92 |
John 1.1c | 12 | Titus 2.13 | 93 |
John 1.18 | 13, 16 | Hebrews 1.8 | 94 |
John 5.18 | 25, 55 | Hebrews 2.17 | 19, 46 |
John 6.32-64 | 81 | 2 Peter 1.1 | 95 |
John 8.24, 28, 58 | 77, 116 | 1 John 5.20 | 96 |
John 10.30 | 24 | Revelation 1.8 | 132 |
John 10.30-38 | 14 | Β | Β |
1. 4/17/13: βAt Forty Years Old I Best Saw the LightβTrinity Doctrine No Longer Seemed Rightβ Matthew 24.36/Mark 13.32
2. 5/1/13: βIf Jesus Emptied Some of His Deity, He Could No Longer Be in the Trinityβ Phillipians 2.7
3. 5/8/13: βIncarnation and Trinity Give Us a ClueβThey Arenβt in the Bible So It Isnβt True (Part 1 of 3)β
4. 5/15/13: βIncarnation and Trinity Give Us a ClueβThey Arenβt in the Bible so It Isnβt True (Part 2 of 3)β Genesis 1.26; 3.22; 11.7
5. 5/22/13: βIncarnation and Trinity Give Us a ClueβThey Arenβt in the Bible so It Isnβt True (Part 3 of 3)β
6. 5/29/13: βIs Trinitarianism Monotheistic?β
7. 6/5/13: βThe Holy Spirit Is Not a Person; Godβs Identity that Only Worsensβ cf. #97
8. 6/19/13: βWas Christ a Liar, Lunatic, or God? None of the Above Says Kermit the Frogβ
9. 6/26/13: βSome Christological Errors Committed by Dr. John Lennoxβ John 1.1-3
10. 7/3/13: βIf the Holy Spirit Is a Person of His Own, Why Isnβt He Sitting on Heavenβs Big Throne?β cf. #97, 135
11. 7/10/13: βSaying Christ Is God is Way Outta Whack, βCause He Didnβt Know When Heβs Coming Backβ Matthew 24.36/Mark 13.32
12. 7/17/13: βYour Gospel of John Says βthe Word Was God.β But that Translation Is Really Quite Oddβ John 1.1c
13. 7/23/13: βThe Word Wasnβt God, Oh Heaven Forbid; What God Was His Word Just Always Didβ John 1.18
14. 8/1/13: βChristβs Enemies Claimed He Said He Was God. But He Only Said, βIβm the Son of Godββ John 10.30-38
15. 8/8/13: βIf Jesus Is God Thatβs Really Quite Odd Since God the Father He Woud Call βMy Godββ
16. 8/14/13: βJohn One Eighteen Calls Christ βGod Begotten;β But that Translation Smells Kinda Rottenβ John 1.18
17. 8/22/13: βJesus Doesnβt Have Two Natures and Wills. Thatβs Anthropology on Steroid Pills!β
18. 8/28/13: βAs Mediator Between God and Man, How Can Trinis Say He Is God-Man?β 1 Timothy 2.5; cf. #92
19. 9/4/13: βJesus Had to Be Made Like His Brothers to Die for the Sins of All Us Othersβ Hebrew 2.17; cf. #46
20. 9/11/13: βIs Jesus Divine Because He Was Worshipped?β cf. #112
21. 9/18/13: βMore Reasons that Only the Father Is God (not in my RJC book)β
22. 9/25/13: βIf Raised from the Dead Proves Jesus Was God, Then Who Are We When We Get Our New Bod?β cf. #41
23. 10/3/13: βIf Christβs Miracles Attest He Was God, Who Are Some Others We Highly Applaud?β
24. 10/9/13: βJesus Said He and His Father Are One. He Meant Godβs in Him to Get All Things Doneβ John 10.30
25. 10/16/13: βJews Thought Jesus Said He Was Godβs Equal; But Jesus Explained That Would Be Evilβ John 5.18
26. 10/23/13: βJesus asked, βWho do People Say I AM?β No One Said He Was Godβ Mark 8.27
27. 10/30/13: βCan Genuine Christians Be Trinitarian or Non-Trinitarian?β
28. 11/3/13: βMore Reasons that Only the Father Is God (not in my RJC book)β
29. 11/7/13: βThomas Said to Christ, βMy Lord and My God.β He Meant βGod in Christ,β to which We Should Nodβ John 20.28
30. 11/14/13: βSince God Almighty Is Invisible, Jesus Being God Is Impossibleβ 1 Timothy 1.17; 6.16
31. 11/21/13: βWhat Are the Claims of Christ?β
32. 12/5/13: βIs Jesus God Because He Is Lord?β Phillipians 2.9-11 and others
33. 12/12/13: βAs a Sinless Man Christ Made Him a Name, But God Become Man Detracts from his Fameβ
34. 12/18/13: βIs Jesus βMighty Godβ or βMighty Warriorβ in Isaiah 9.6?β Isaiah 9.6
35. 1/9/14: βChrist Called his Father βthe Only True Godββ John 17.3
36. 1/16/14: βWhat Must Christians Believe?β
37. 1/30/14: βDid Jesus Tell the Sanhedrin He Was God?β Matt. 26.63-64
38. 3/5/14: βSaying Christ Is God in the Gospel of John Misunderstands that Spiritual Gospelβ
39. 3/19/14: βThe Spirit of God Is Not a Real Personβ etc.
40. 4/16/14: βIs Jesus God? A Brief Look at the Main Bible Versesβ
41. 4/20/14: βJesusβ Resurrection Doesnβt Prove He Was Godβ cf. #22
42. 4/23/14: βDid Jesus Say He Was God to the Rich Young Ruler?β Mark 10.17-18
43. 5/17/14: βThe Doctrine of the Trinity Was Not Established at Nicaea, in 325
44. 5/28/14: βDid Jews Accuse Jesus of Claiming to Be βGodβ or βa Godβ?β John 10.33
45. 9/24/14: βA Brief Look at the Primary Bible Verses on Whether or Not Jesus Is Godβ cf. #83
46. 3/24/15: βDid Jesus Have to Be God to Save Us?β Hebrews 2.17;Β cf. #19
47. 4/3/15: βThe Theocentric Book of Revelation Is About Conqueringβ
48. 5/11/15: βPart 1 Interview of Me on βDistinguishing Jesus and Godββ
49. 5/18/15: βPart 2 Interview of Me on βDeity and Preexistence of Jesusββ
50. 8/1/15: βTrinity or Unity: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Placeβ (personal testimony)
51. 8/19/15: βNo βJesus Is Godβ in the Acts of the Apostlesβ
52. 8/29/15: βWhat Name Did God Give the Messiah?β Phillipians 2.6-11
53. 9/6/15: βThe One Who Sends Is Greater than the One Who Is Sentβ
54. 9/13/15: βIs Jesus God Because He Is the Son of God?β
55. 9/18/15: βWas Jesus Making Himself God?β John 5.18 and 10.33
56. 9/23/15: βWho or What Is Danielβs Son of Man?β Daniel 7.13-14; cf. #78 & #99
57. 10/6/15: βThe Christological Confusion of Chalcedonβ
58. 10/9/15: βIs Trinitarianism Properly Defined as God Existing InΒ or As Three Persons?β
59. 11/13/15: βTom Wright Says Jesus Didnβt Know He Was Godβ
60. 11/30/15: βWhy Donβt Christians Say βMost High Godβ?β
61. 12/2/15: βIs the Judeo-Christian Faith Monotheistic or Henotheistic?β
62. 1/13/16: βAm I an Evangelical or Not?β
63. 2/4/16: βDoes Tom Wright Believe Jesus Is God?β
64. 2/11/16: βDo Trinitarian and Non-Trinitarian Christians Believe in Two Different Jesuses?β
65. 3/8/16: βThomas Jefferson and Alexander Campbell on the Trinityβ
66. 6/10/16: βIs the Beginning of Christianity the Trinity?β
67. 6/19/16: βWhat Is the Subordination of the Son?β
68. 8/3/16: βOn Who Jesus Is, Do You Listen to Jesus or Church Fathers?β
69. 8/11/16: βI Am Not a Hereticβ
70. 9/14/16: βPeter Never Said Jesus Was Godβ
71. 9/18/16: βWho Is the God of Heaven?β
72. 9/23/16: βHow Was Jesus More than a Carpenter?β
73. 3/21/17: βSaint Luke Did Not Believe Jesus Was Godβ
74. 3/24/17: βDid Jesusβ Authority to Forgive Sins Mean He Was God?β Mark 2.1-12
75. 4/1/17: βSaint Peter Did Not Believe Jesus Was Godβ
76. 4/16/17: βDoes Colossians 1.15-19 Mean Jesus Preexisted & Created the Universe?β Colossians 1.15-19
77. 4/21/17: βDo Jesusβ βI AMβ Sayings in John 8 Mean Heβs God?β John 8.24, 28, 58
78. 4/24/17: βIs the Son of Man in Daniel 7.13-14 a Divine Being?β Daniel 7.13-14; cf. #56 & #99
79. 4/26/17: βDid Jesus Preexist?β
80. 4/26/17: βDid Jesus Preexist as βthe Angel of the LORDβ?β
81. 5/2/17: βDoes Jesus Mean He Literally Came Down from Heaven?β John 6.32-64
82. 5/2/17: βIs Jesus God Because of His Virgin Birth?β Matthew 1.18-25; Luke 1.26β2.20
83. 5/9/17: βJesus Is God Bible Verses?β cf. #45
84. 5/10/17: βJesus Is Not God Bible Versesβ
85. 5/12/17: βIs Jesus God in the Gospel of John?β
86. 5/17/17: βIs Jesus Yahweh?β
87. 5/18/17: βIs Jesus God or Subordinate to God?β
88. 5/18/17: βIs Jesus God If He Has a God?β
89. 5/26/17: βWhat Do Americans Believe about the Trinity?β
90. 5/29/17: βWhat Was Paulβs Christology?β
91. 6/13/17: βIs Jesus βGodβ in Romans 9.5?β Romans 9.5
92. 6/20/17: βIs Jesus a God-Man in 1 Timothy 2.5?β 1 Timothy 2.5; cf. #18
93. 6/20/17: βIs Jesus God in Titus 2.13?β Titus 2.13
94. 6/21/17: βIs Jesus God in Hebrews 1.8?β Hebrews 1.8
95. 6/21/17: βIs Jesus God in 2 Peter 1.1?β 2 Peter 1.1
96. 6/22/17: βWho Is βthe True Godβ in 1 John 5.20?β 1 John 5.20
97. 6/23/17: βIs the Holy Spirit a Person?β cf. #10, 135
98. 6/23/17: βDoes Calling Jesus βImmanuelβ Mean He Is God?β Isaiah 7.14
99. 6/24/17: βWho Is the Son of Man?β Daniel 7.13-14; cf. #56 & 78
100. 6/25/17: βIs Jesus God in Acts 20.28?β Acts 20.28
101. 6/26/17: βWhen Paul Quotes the Shema, Does He Mean Jesus Is God?β
102. 6/27/17: βIs Jesus God in Other Pauline Texts?β
103. 6/28/17: βIs the Church Doctrine of the Trinity in the New Testament?β
104. 6/29/17: βOur Sun and Moon Disprove the Trinityβ
105. 8/3/17: βThe Biblical Jesus Versus the Christianized Christβ
106. 8/14/17: βTrinitarians Believe What Jesusβ Enemies Claimed More than They Believe Jesus about His Identityβ
107. 9/6/17: βIs the Trinitarian Formula in Matthew 28.19 an Interpolation?β Mt 28.19
108. 10/5/17: βSir Isaac Newton Was Strongly Anti-Trinitarianβ
109. 10/6/17: βHow to Fact-Check Flaky Theology with the Bibleβ
110. 11/26/17: βAll Christians Should Scrutinize the Doctrine of the Trinityβ
111. 11/28/17: βThe Trinity Doctrine Did Not Exist Until the Late Fourth Centuryβ
112. 11/29/17: βDid Early Worship of Jesus Indicate He Was God?β cf. #20
113. 6/29/18: βThe Utility of the Mini-Prologue in the Fourth Gospelβ
114. 8/24/18: βWhat Leading Evangelical Scholars Now Say About Jesusβ Identityβ
115. 9/10/18: βThe Three Main Reasons Jesus Is Not God in the Bibleβ
116. 9/11/18: βMore About Jesusβ βI am Heβ Sayings in John 8β
117. 9/22/18: βWhat Makes Christianity Christian?β
118. 9/24/18: βDo Trinitarians Make the Bible Their Only Rule of Faith?β
119. 10/7/18: βThe Historical Reliability of the Gospel of Johnβ cf. #137-138, 144
120. 10/22/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 1 of 12)β
121. 10/23/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 2 of 12)β
122. 10/24/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 3 of 12)β
123. 10/25/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 4 of 12)β
124. 10/26/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 5 of 12)β
125. 10/27/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 6 of 12)β
126. 10/28/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 7 of 12)β
127. 10/29/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 8 of 12)β
128. 10/30/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 9 of 12)β
129. 11/01/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 10 of 12)β
130. 11/02/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 11 of 12)β
131. 11/03/18: βMy Christological Journey (Part 12 of 12)β
132. 10/29/18: βIs Jesus βthe Lord God . . . the Almightyβ in Revelation 1.8?β
133. 8/03/21: βThe Bible Is Primarily God-Centered, Not Christ-Centeredβ
134. 6/27/19: βTalking About the Doctrine of the Trinityβ
135. 4/22/20: βWas Tertullian the First to Claim the Holy Spirit Is a Person?β
136. 4/7/20: βWhat Does It Mean to βBelieve in the Name of Jesusβ?β
137. 4/11/20: βHistoricity in the Gospel of Johnβ cf, #119, 138, 144
138. 8/27/21: βThe Historical Reliability of the Gospel of Johnβ cf. #119, 137, 144
139. 8/13/21: βMore on Jesus and His Unbelieving Relativesβ
140. 8/3/21: βThe Bible Is Primarily God-Centered, Not Christ-Centeredβ
141. 9/29/21: βJesus Was a Jewβ
142. 10/10/21: βThe Galilean Said, βI Am the Light of the Worldββ
143. 11/15/21: βMust Evangelicals Believe Jesus Is God?β
144. 8/30/22: βThe Veracity of the New Testament Gospelsβ cf. #119, 137-138
145. 12/11/22: βCopyistsβ Harmonizations of the Synoptic Gospelsβ
146. 8/26/23: βWhat Is the Christian Gospel?β
147. 8/10/23: βSeven Reasons Jesus Is Not Godβ
148. 9/3/23: βJesus Was Not βOne Like a Human Beingββ
149. 10/11/23: βMy New Book that Faults Church Fathersβ
150. 11/12/23: βChurch Fathers Changed the Gospelβ
151. 2/3/24: βAs a Trinitarian, βYou Have to Say Dumb Thingsββ
152. 3/15/24: βDr. James Tabor Puts Two of My Books in Elite Companyβ
153. 4/6/24: βThe Lordβs Prayer Shows God the Father Is Greater than Jesusβ
154. 4/10/24: βDid Jesus Say He Was God the Father in John 14.9?β cf. #12
Β