“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before [in the face of] me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he comes!” says Yahweh of hosts. — Malachi 3:1, World English

The two prophecies above speak of John the Baptist and his work. Many, in seeing the application of John the Baptist as being the forerunner of Jesus, have thought that these scriptures offer proof that Jesus is Yahweh. This idea, however, is due, in part, to a misreading of what these scriptures are actually saying. We will consider the scriptures in the NT that apply the above two scriptures to John the Baptist and his work.

In Malachi 3, two messengers are referred to. The first is the messenger who goes before Yahweh, and then there is the other messenger, spoken of as the “messenger of the covenant. The Hebrew translated “messenger” in both instances is malak, angel. Neither of these are of the order of spirit beings that are normally referred to as “angels”, but both are messengers for Yahweh. The Lord (adon) whom Israel was seeking was the Messiah, who came suddenly to his temple. He came unexpectedly to test and prove Israel as a people, and as such he came to the temple in Jerusalem, but more specifically, Jesus came to his temple, his church, which has been given to him by his God. — Ephesians 2:20-22; John 6:37,39; 10:29.

Matthew 3:1-3

In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of Yahweh, Make his paths straight.” — Holy Name supplied.

Like most quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament, this is not a direct quote, but an indirect quote. The phrase “in the wilderness” is removed from the comand to the people and applied directly to the one who is delivering the message.

It should be clear here that the one crying in the wilderness is John the Baptizer. He, in effect, tells the people: “Make ready the way of Yahweh, Make his paths straight.” The method by which John the Baptist tells the people this message is by his preaching to the people: “Repent, for the Kingdom of the Heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:1-3; see also Acts 20:21, which shows that repentance is toward God.) In other words, ‘The Royal Majesty from heaven is at hand!’ Thus the method in which the people make ready the way of Yahweh, and make his paths straight is through repentance toward Yahweh, in preparation for the one coming in Yahweh’s name, the one who spoke for Yahweh, the one appointed as King by Yahweh. — Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalm 2:2,6; 45:6,7; 110:1,2; Isaiah 9:6,7; 61:1; Daniel 7:13,14; Matthew 21:9; 23:39; 28:18; Luke 24:19; John 4:25; 5:43; 8:28; 10:25; 12:49,50; Acts 2:34-36; 3:17-26; 5:30,31; Ephesians 1:22; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:2,9; 3:1,2.

Some often refer to the verse in Isaiah 40:3 as though the message to prepare the way was actually addressed to John the Baptist, rather than being the words attributed to John the Baptist which are addressed to the people. Thus some would read the prophesy as an address to John the Baptist to prepare the way of Yahweh, who they claim to be Jesus. In reality, in Isaiah, the messenger [John] directs the message to the people of Israel. (Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1 — see also Genesis 18:19; Proverbs 10:29; Jeremiah 5:4,5) The command given to prepare the way is not to one person, as John the Baptist, but the Hebrew is in the plural, not singular. Thus in Matthew 3, the “one” before foretold is John the Baptist, who is the one in the wilderness who declares a message to the people: “Prepare the way before Yahweh”, which was a message to the people of repentance toward Yahweh.

Of course, Jesus is the representative of Yahweh, and John did come before Jesus, and did, by means of preaching repentance toward Yahweh, prepare the people to receive Jesus, not as Yahweh the Almighty, but the Anointed One of Yahweh the Almighty, the one whom Yahweh. sent to speak his words in his name. — Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 1:32; John 3:16,17; 17:1,3.

Thus, by telling the people to prepare the way of Yahweh by means of repentance toward Yahweh, a way was also being prepared for Jesus, the representative of Yahweh. It could be said that John, in making the way, so to speak, for Jesus, was also preparing the way for the one who sent Jesus. The Messiah was sent by Yahweh as the representative of Yahweh. Those who received him received Yahweh also, just as any who receives a true disciple of Christ, also receives Christ. — Matthew 21:9; 23:39; Mark 9:37; Luke 2:26; 9:20,48; John 3:17; 4:34; 5:24,30,36-38; 6:29,38-44,57; 7:16,18,28,29,33; 8:16,26,29,42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44-49; 13:20; 17:1,3; Hebrews 1:9.

One would have to read into the verse that Jesus is Yahweh.

Matthew 11:9,10

But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before [in the sight of] you.’

Jesus quotes indirectly from Malachi 3:1, and rewords the prophecy. Jesus is speaking to the multitudes of Jews concerning John the Baptist. In verse 9, he uses the plural “you” in address of his audience; the same is done verse 11. However, in the reference to the prophecy of Malachi he uses the singular “your” and “you”. It is possible that by “your face” and “your way before you”, he is referring to Israel as a whole, and as represented by the multitude whom he was addressing. If so, then Yahweh speaks of sending his messenger (John) to prepare the face and way of Israel in the sight of Israel.

Most commentators present the idea that “your way” and “your face” refers to Christ’s face and Christ’s way. In context, however, “your” appears to be referring to those to whom the messenger is sent to, that is, Israel. However, if applied to Yahweh, that is, the way of Yahweh, it would mean that John the Baptist was sent to preach repentance toward Yahweh to the people, as in the other verses. Nevertheless, even if applied to “Christ’s way” the idea that this would mean that Jesus is Yahweh would have to be read into the verse, for the application of the scripture could be applied to Jesus as Yahweh’s representative, as we will see below.

The fact that a prophecy spoken of Yahweh is fulfilled in one who is the representative of Yahweh is not a new thing. Yahweh says in Exodus 3:8: “I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” Yahweh himself says that he himself had come down to deliver Israel, but note what is said later to Moses: “Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10) Although Moses is used by Yahweh to fulfill the earlier statement, it is apparent that Moses is not Yahweh who sent him. Likewise, with our Lord Jesus: it should be apparent that it is Yahweh who sent Jesus to represent and speak for him, and thus that Jesus is not Yahweh who sent him. — Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Matthew 23:39; Mark 11:9,10; Luke 13:35; John 3:2,17; 5:19,43; 6:57; 7:16,28; 8:26,28,38; 10:25; 12:49,50; 14:10; 15:15; 17:8,26; Hebrews 1:1,2; Revelation 1:1.

Mark 1:2-5

As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, Who will prepare your way before you. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of Yahweh! Make his paths straight!’” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5 There went out to him all the country of Judea, and all those of Jerusalem. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. — Divine name supplied.

Both prophecies are referred to here. Again, it is evident that Mark is making an indirect quotation and rewords the prophecies. Malachi 3:1 is quoted similarly to the same way is quoted in Matthew 11:9,10, which see above. Jesus is the representative of Yahweh, the messenger of the covenant, and also was sent by Yahweh. He is not Yahweh who sent him.

It was the through the repentance, or the transmentation, of the people that Isaiah 40:3 was being fulfilled. Verse two shows this, in that the messenger directs the message to the people of Israel, who needed to repent before Yahweh. And thereby the people, through their repentance toward God, did prepare the way of Yahweh by making themselves a prepared people before their Messiah (anointed of Yah) was made known to them. — Acts 20:21.

Please note that it is not only John, who is the messenger to the people, but more importantly the people who prepare the way of Yahweh by means of their repentance. John’s mission was pre-eminently that of a reprover and reformer, telling the people to prepare the way of Yahweh through repentance toward Yahweh symbolized through water baptism.

See Matthew 3:1-3 and Matthew 11:9,10 above.

Luke 1:1-4

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance to remission of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of Yahweh. Make his paths straight.”

This is also another indirect quote of Isaiah 40:3. See Matthew 3:1-3 above.

Luke 1:15-17

For he will be great in the sight of Yahweh, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to Yahweh, their God. He will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for Yahweh.”

Here John is said to make ready a people for Yahweh. This he did by his preaching of repentance toward Yahweh.

See Matthew 3:1-3 above.

Luke 1:76,77

And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, For you will go before the face of Yahweh to make ready his ways, To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins.

See Matthew 3:1-3 above.

Luke 7:26,27

But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, Who will prepare your way before you.’

See Matthew 3:1-3 and Matthew 11:9,10 above.

John 1:23

He [John the Baptizer] said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of Yahweh,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

The same applies here as to the verses already discussed above.

The above examination shows that there is nothing in any of these verses that should lead us to believe that Jesus is Yahweh.

Some Related Writings – We do not necessarily agree with all conclusions presented by these authors.

The above scripture is often used to support the trinity or oneness doctrines, or other teachings that would have us believe that Jesus is Yahweh. However, is John here actually saying that Jesus is Yahweh (Jehovah), the only true God, ?

Without the preconceived notion that Jesus is God Almighty one would naturally conclude from the context that the true God referred to is “him” — the one that Jesus is the Son of, for the very fact that Jesus is said to be the Son of the God referred to. To read it any other way would take it from its natural context, and the only reason we could see to read it any other way would be to have it appear to say that Jesus is the true God (that he is son of).

For reference, let us note a transliteration of the verse below:

oidamen de hoti ho huios tou theou heekei kai
WE HAVE KNOWN BUT THAT THE SON OF THE GOD IS COME, AND
1492_5 1161 3754 3588 5207 3588 2316 2240 2532
dedwken heemin dianoian hina ginwskomen
HE HAS GIVEN TO US MENTAL PERCEPTION IN ORDER THAT WE ARE KNOWING
1325 1473_9 1271 2443 1097
ton aleethinon kai esmen en tw aleethinw en tw
THE TRUE (ONE); AND WE ARE IN THE TRUE (ONE), IN THE
3588 0228 2532 1510_3 1722 3588 0228 1722 3588
huiw autou ieesou christw houtos estin ho
SON OF HIM TO JESUS CHRIST. THIS (ONE) IS THE
5207 0846_3 2424 5547 3778 1510_2 3588
aleethinos theos kai zwee aiwnios
TRUE GOD AND LIFE EVERLASTING.
0228 2316 2532 2222 0166
Westcott & Hort Interlinear from “The Bible Students Library CD-ROM”

Some argue that the antecedent for “this” [Greek, houtos] is Jesus Christ, and thus Jesus is the true God being spoken. Whether the antecedent of the pronoun “this” is Jesus or the Father has been debated for centuries, even trinitarian scholars. The Twenty-First Century New Testament translation renders this: “We are also aware that the Son of God came and gave us discernment so that we know who is true, so we are one with him who is true, Jesus Christ the Son of the God who is true.” This translation reflects the idea that it is Jesus who is the Son of the true God, and thus that it is the Father that is the true God. But if we look at The Message translation, we read: “And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God – what a gift! – and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life.” Thus one translation is positive that Jesus is not the one that is being spoken of as the “true God”, and the other is positive in saying that Jesus is the one spoken of as the “true God”. Most translations, however, are more neutral, as in the World English Bible translation as quoted at the beginning of this document. Thus there is disagreement as to who is being refered to as the “true God”, the Father or the Son. For this reason alone, 1 John 5:20 cannot be conclusive proof of the contention that Jesus is Yahweh, the only true Supreme Being.

But can we identify with any degree of certainty who is the “true God” being spoken of? While most translations are not clear as who the true one is, the wording and context lets us know that it is the Father of Jesus Christ, not Jesus himself. The phrase says “in his Son Jesus Christ”. Whose son? The son of the true God, the source of eternal life, which life was made manifest through Jesus. (1 John 1:2) The Christian believer comes to know the only true Supreme Being, the God and Father of Jesus, (John 17:1,3) through Jesus who came to explain him. (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 1:18; 17:25) Through Jesus we are in the true God, and in his Son Jesus. — John 14:20; 17:20-23; 1 John 1:3.

Some have claimed that in the context the predominant subject is Jesus, the Son, and thus this provides proof that Jesus is the one spoken of as “true God”. But is this really so? If we look at the context of the entire chapter, what do we find? Verse two mentions God’s love. Verse 4 mentions those born, or begotten, of God. Verse 9 mentions the witness of God. Verse 10 mentions those who do not be believe as manking God a liar. Verse 11 tells us that it is God who has given us eternal life. Verse14,15 speaks the believers petitions that we make to God. Verse 18 tells us that those begotten of God do not practice sin. Verse 19 tells us the we [the believers] know that we are of God, while the world is the power of the evil one. It is true that while the Son of God is mentioned a few times in 1 John 5, it is God that is the predominant person being spoken of. John speaks of God and his attributes, and our relationship to God, as the predominant theme of John 5. In view of this context, it is reasonable to conclude that John is summarizing his statements concerning the God and Father of Jesus (John 20:17; Revelation 2:7; 3:2,12), when he says: “This is the true God, and eternal life.” And this agrees with what Jesus said in prayer as recorded by John in John 17:1,3.

We should also note that in verses 10, 12 and 13 Jesus is referred to as “the Son of God”. It would be noncontiguous that John would suddenly declare that Jesus is God Almighty, of whom he is the Son, especially since he never speaks of Jesus as God anywhere else in his epistle, and repeatedly refers to Jesus as God’s Son.

Additionally, we find the one being referred to as the true one earlier in the verse is the God of Jesus, and Jesus is being spoken of as the son of this true one. Therefore, it is not reasonable to assume that John suddenly switched so that called the son the true God. If this were true this would imply that Jesus is the true one that was spoken of earlier, that is, the Father of Jesus; thus if Jesus is the true one of whom he is the son, this would make himself his own son, which our trinitarian neighbors deny.

If one reads the scripture without the tint of trinitarian philosophy, or other philosophies that would have us believe that Jesus is God Almighty, the evidence supports that the antecedent would have to be the one spoken of as “true”, that is, *his* Father. Some claim that the Greek word houtos has to refer to the the person or thing that immediately precedes it. This is not so, as can be seen from a similar construct in 2 John 7. Also, there are many instances in which pronouns are used in the Greek NT that do not refer to the closest person or thing that precedes it.

In view of the above any proof offered from this verse that Jesus is God is actually circular; that is: we believe that by ‘this’ John meant the Son, and not the Father, thus because we believe this, this proves that John is calling Jesus “the true God”.

Nevertheless, due to the power and authority given to Jesus (as Mighty EL] by the only true Supreme, Jesus can also be called true EL, one of true Power — the one through whom we receive eternal life. — Deuteronomy 18:15,18-19; Genesis 14:22; Isaiah 9:6,7; Isaiah 11:1-5; Luke 1:32; John 5:22,23,24,26,27; 6:38-40; 7:18.
See our document: Hebraic Usage of the Titles for “God”

Although trinitarian, Robertson notes the following concerning this verse:

Him that is true (ton alhqinon). That is, God. Cf. 1 John 1:8. In him that is true (en twi alhqinwi). In God in contrast with the world “in the evil one” (verse 1 John 19). See John 17:3. Even in his Son Jesus Christ (en twi uiwi autou Ihsou Cristwi). The autou refers clearly to en twi alhqinwi (God). Hence this clause is not in apposition with the preceding, but an explanation as to how we are “in the True One” by being “in his Son Jesus Christ.” This (outo�). Grammatically outo� may refer to Jesus Christ or to “the True One.” It is a bit tautological to refer it to God, but that is probably correct, God in Christ, at any rate. God is eternal life (John 5:26) and he gives it to us through Christ.
==========
Robertson, A.T. “Commentary on 1 John 5:20″. “Robertson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament”. Broadman Press 1932,33, Renewal 1960.

No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. — World English.

No one has seen God at any time ; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. — New American Standard.

theon oudeis hewraken pwpote monogenees theos
GOD NO ONE HAS SEEN AT ANY TIME; ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD
2316 3762 3708 4455 3439 2316
ho wn eis ton kolpon tou patros ekeinos
THE (ONE) BEING INTO THE BOSOM OF THE FATHER THAT (ONE)
3588 1511_1 1519 3588 2859 3588 3962 1565
exeegeesato
EXPLAINED.
1834
Westcott & Hort Interlinear, as obtained from the Bible Students Library DVD:

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, that One declares Him. — Green’s Literal Translation.

When the scripture says no one has seen God, who is this “God”? Who is “him” that Jesus makes known or explains? Does the first instance “God” here mean three persons, or one person? It should be obvious that it is “God” whom no man has seen that is being made known by another, that is, Jesus. So does the word “God”, whom no man has seen, refer to one person, or to three persons? Again, it should evident that the word “God” is being used of one person, not three persons, and that it is only one person that Jesus came to make known, not a triune God.

The word begotten is usually transliterated as “monogenes”. Many translations seem to ignore the “genes” part of the word monogenes and seem to focus on the “mono” part, rendering it “The only one.” Others would render the “genes” as “kind”, making it “one of a kind.”

The Textus Receptus, representing the later “majority” text has “only-begotten son,” while the earlier manuscripts usually have “only-begotten god.” Some trinitarians prefer the Textus Receptus rendering, since they would maintain that “God” was never begotten. Others like to point to John 1:18 as an instance where Jesus is called “God”, and claim that it means that Jesus is a person of the Almighty God.

It should be apparent that if John did refer to the Jesus as theos in this verse, it is not the same sense as “Theos” that no man has seen. Also, does “God” in reference to Jesus, speak of Jesus as a man, or as his allegedly being God Most High? Applying the assumed “dual nature” theory to this verse ends up with an apparent self-contradiction, for it would end up having Jesus as being allegedly God Most High making known the Most High God, not the human Jesus making known the Most High God. To illustrate this, let us replace the references to God with “the Most High” in various translations:

New American Standard: No one has seen [the Most High] at any time; the only begotten [Most High] who is in R33 the bosom of the [Most High], He has explained [the Most High].

English Standard Version: No one has ever seen [the Most High]; the only [Most High], who is at the [Most High]’s side, he has made [the Most High] known.

New Revised Standard Version: No one has ever seen [the Most High]. It is [the Most High] the only Son, who is close to the [Most High]’s heart, who has made [the Most High] known.

NET Version: “No one has ever seen [the Most High]. The only one, himself [the Most High], who is in closest fellowship with the [the Most High], has made the Most High known.”

In effect, this would have, not the human Jesus making known the Most High, but would mean that the alleged Jesus Most High was making known the Most High; further, it would have the humanity of Jesus to be “God”, since it was the human Jesus who made God known.

The trinitarian is forced to do is split the sentence up so as to make mean appear to be saying something different than John actually recorded, like: “”No one has ever seen the God [The trinitarian has to imagine and assume that "God" here means, not all three persons of the alleged trinity, but rather the alleged "first person" of the alleged trinity, since "God" is here equated with the Father of Jesus]. The only one, himself God [not the human Jesus, but the alleged trinitarian idea of "God Nature" of Jesus; the trinitarian has to imagine and assume that "God" here means the alleged second person of the alleged triune God, but would evidently require it to not mean the "human nature" as that term is applied to the imagined "dual nature" of jesus], who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has [the trinitarian, in applyng his dual nature to Jesus, has to switch as this point from the alleged trinitarian "God nature" of Jesus to the alleged human nature of the alleged dual nature of Jesus] made God known.” Thus, in mid-sentence, and then out of context of, and even in contradiction to, what John actually wrote, the alleged “dual nature” would change in order to satisfy the added-on trinity dogma. In reality, Jesus, even the days of his flesh, could be referred to as theos in the sense of having received power from the only true Power in the universe, his Father. (John 17:3) Jesus was the prophet like Moses (Acts 3:13-26), who also, being a man, was made “a god” — one of might — to Pharoah. — Exodus 7:1.

Monogenes

Regardless of all the arguments against the idea, genes (presumed to be a form of genos or genea) in monogenes does indicate a beginning, or being brought forth. Some say it simply means “one of a kind,” and yet, genos/genea means “kind” in reference a race or people who share a common origin or development, which does go back to the idea of being brought forth into existence. The Greek words are never used of people or a kind that was never brought forth into existence, as is claimed for the Son of God. An examination of the usage of genos, as well as genea, all through the New Testament will demonstrate this.
http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1085
http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1074

However, since Jesus was with the only true God before the world of mankind was made (John 17:3,5), having descended from heaven (John 3:13), he could tell of heavenly things (John 3:12), thus he came to tell about the invisible unipersonal God. (Colossians 1:15) He did NOT explain a three-personed God; having been with the unipersonal God, and learned from the unipersonal God, he explained about one person, his Father, his one-personed God. — Matthew 11:27; 8:28; John 7:16; 8:14,28,29,38; 12:49 (Deuteronomy 18:15-19); 14:24; 1 John 5:20.

As we have stated many times elsewhere, the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is revealed as one person from Genesis to Revelation. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is always distinguished from His Son throughout the Bible. — Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Isaiah 61:1,2; John 17:3; Acts 3:13-26; Hebrews 1:1,2; Revelation 1:1.

The Greek word translated as “God” in reference to Jesus is “Theos.” Forms of “theos” are used in the New Testament to translate forms of the Hebrew word for “God”, that is, “el”. However, these words can be used in a more general way, when used of persons or things other than Yahweh, denote a special mightiness or power. Thus, Moses was made a god — a mighty one — to Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:1) The angels are mighty ones, not just in authority, but in their being, and thus are referred to as “elohim” (a plural form of “el”). (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7) The sons of the Most High whom to the Logos came are referred to elohim — gods, mighty ones. — Psalm 82:6; John 1:10; 10:34,35.