Jesus is God: Revelation 2:4

[Wootah]

The Bible consistently emphasizes loving God above all else. Deuteronomy 6:5 commands, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." Similarly, in Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus affirms this as the greatest commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." These verses establish that God must be the primary object of our love and devotion—our "first love" in priority.

In Revelation 2:4, Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus, saying, "But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first." Here, Jesus refers to Himself as the "first love" they’ve abandoned, implying that their initial devotion to Him has waned. If we connect this to Deuteronomy and Matthew, where loving God is the first and greatest command, Jesus’ claim to be the "first love" suggests He is equating Himself with God. Why? Because only God deserves that primary place of devotion.

If Jesus is not God, then by calling Himself the "first love," He would be placing Himself above God, which would contradict the very scriptures He upholds. This creates a dilemma: either Jesus is God, aligning with the command to love God first, or He’s claiming a position higher than God, which would be inconsistent with His teachings and character. Given other biblical evidence—like John 1:1 ("the Word was God") and John 10:30 ("I and the Father are one")—the most coherent conclusion is that Jesus is indeed God, rightfully claiming the devotion described as the "first love."

Why would Jesus claim to be their first love if that would be theologically false and we should love God first?

[1213]

The Bible consistently emphasizes loving God above all else. Deuteronomy 6:5 commands, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." Similarly, in Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus affirms this as the greatest commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." These verses establish that God must be the primary object of our love and devotion—our "first love" in priority.
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Why would Jesus claim to be their first love if that would be theologically false and we should love God first?

Why make a problem that doesn't exist in the Bible? Jesus is not calling himself the first love. And also, I think it would be good to know, according to the Bible, love God means this:

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
1 John 5:3

[Wootah]

And what are his commands?

I think of Jesus restoring Peter. If you love me fed my sheep. Who was Peter's first love?

[1213]

And what are his commands?

For example the ten commandments.

[Wootah]

And what are his commands?

For example the ten commandments.

And what is the summary of the law?

[onewithhim]

You say that Revelation 2:4 shows that Jesus is God. How does that verse get that across? It says: "Neveretheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." (KJV)

I don't know why you cited that verse, but anyway, what about Revelation 3:12? It shows that Jesus has a God, not that he is God.

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (KJV)

That is straight from Jesus. His God is the Father, Jehovah, who sits on the throne.

BTW, Jesus didn't necessarily refer to himself as Ephesus' "first love." It was probably referring to the love they had for the truth, which included the worship of God, the Father. They had "fallen" from their first love, and Jesus admonished them to "repent and do the first works." (KJV) (Rev.2:5) That referred to all they used to do for their God and His Son.

[Wootah]

[Replying to onewithhim in post #6]

Make your own thread. I'll reply to you there.

The best rebuttal here to my thread is that the verse means you have abandoned your initial love.

But Jesus is talking here and accusing them of abandoning their love for him. Not of their love for God.

Why would he not make it clear that he is talking about their love for God?

If my translation of the verse is correct why would Jesus claim they first love, which should be for God?

[placebofactor]

You say that Revelation 2:4 shows that Jesus is God. How does that verse get that across? It says: "Neveretheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." (KJV)

I don't know why you cited that verse, but anyway, what about Revelation 3:12? It shows that Jesus has a God, not that he is God.

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." (KJV)

That is straight from Jesus. His God is the Father, Jehovah, who sits on the throne.

BTW, Jesus didn't necessarily refer to himself as Ephesus' "first love." It was probably referring to the love they had for the truth, which included the worship of God, the Father. They had "fallen" from their first love, and Jesus admonished them to "repent and do the first works." (KJV) (Rev.2:5) That referred to all they used to do for their God and His Son.

onewithhim, I notice you have this obsession about the relationship between Jesus and his Father. Whatever it is, it is not our concern. Our concern should be, who is our Savior, Lord, Mediator, Counselor, Judge, and God. It's the Lord Jesus, you know, the one that "Created all (other) things, that would include you, me, and the rest of mankind. Even if we were created (THROUGH) the Son, he is still the one who created us. And because that is true, Genesis, Colossians, John, Hebrews, and Revelation tell us "God created us" = Jesus, the Son of God, Old Testament name, Jehovah.