Ever since I can remember, I have always heard everyone say that the Bible has no contradictions. Since that is what I’ve always been told, that’s what I believe. But, recently I have been researching some so called “Bible contradictions” and exploring and digging deeper into them to decide whether they really do contradict. In this article, we’re going to look at and decipher one “Bible contradiction” to see if it presents two different ideas that conflict or if it is man’s first-glance deceptive interpretation that makes them appear to contradict. (This will be part one of a three part article series.)

The first one we are going to look at is John 10:30 and John 14:28. The question to keep in mind while reading these two verses is: ‘Is Jesus equal to or lesser than God?’ There is some confusion with this question though. There are two ways we can take this question, either it is trying to ask if he is better or less than God in his divine power, or in his authoritative position. We are going to look at both views to get a better understanding of this question. In John 10:30 Jesus said “I and the father are one.” And John 14:28 he says “….the Father is greater than I.” At first glance it appears that Jesus himself says two different things concerning him and God, but is it really a contradiction? Lets look at a couple of things.

In John 14:28 Jesus says that God is greater than him. When Jesus says God is greater than him it means that God is greater than him positionally. Remember Christ was made a human with flesh and bones, and he was also made a little lower than the angels positionally (Hebrews 2:9), since man is below the angels (Psalms 8:5, Hebrews 2:7). In Hebrews 1:4, the author writes “So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.” We see here that he is superior to them not just because of his name, but because of his power and authority. It also shows that His name alone is enough to be ruler over them. But He is not lower than God, in an authority sense now, but while He was here on this earth position wise he was lower.

Second, John 10:30 refers to Jesus being one with God in power and in his miraculous abilities. He says that they both are one, he means that they are in one unity of their divine power. Their divine power and wisdom are equal. In John 1:1, it says “…and the Word was God”. That “Word” is not a word you can find in the dictionary. That “Word” is Jesus Christ, this verse comes out and explains very plainly that Jesus is God. You may have heard of the Godhead or the Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three act as one they all have the same authority, same nature, and same power that no one else has or can ever do (1 John 5:7) . But what about now, you may be wondering, is he lesser than him now in power? The answer is no. Mark 16:19 says that Jesus ascended into heaven and he now sits at the right hand of God. They now both have the same sovereignty and rule.

To wrap it all up, this is not a contradiction. John 10:30 speaks of his power being one with God’s. And John 14:28 concerns his position while he was on this earth with flesh and blood. These are two different verses concerning two different aspects of Jesus and God. They are not talking about the same subject. So the answer to the question “Is Jesus equal to or lesser than God?” Positionally- equal, and Power- equal. So they are both majestically even.