John 18:6
William Branham stated that the spirit of God left Jesus at Gethsemane and, on the cross, Jesus died as a man (and not as the Son of God).
What the Bible says
In the Garden - John 18:6
- Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.[1]
When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they retreated and fell to the ground.
What he actually said, in the Greek, were just 2 words - "I am" (ἐγώ εἰμί)
Why did they fall to the ground? Because the "I AM" (God himself) was standing in front of them. When he revealed to them who He really was, just for even a moment, the force of the power that lay in Him knocked them to the ground.
At his arrest
At the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, Luke tells of Jesus healing the servant of the high priest:
- And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.[2]
Jesus was still God when he restored the man's ear, thereby disproving William Branham's interpretation.
Before the High Priest
- Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes. (Mark 14:61b-63a)
When Jesus Christ left the Garden of Gethsemane, he was still the "I AM". When he was before the Priests, he was still the "I AM", the Son of the Blessed, and the Christ. And when He went to the cross, he was still God in flesh.
On the cross - Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34
Conclusion
William Branham was wrong.
Jesus was God in flesh. He was 100% man and 100% God. God did not leave him and he did not die alone as a man. He died for our sins as God made flesh.
Quotes
He never died as God. He died as a man. The sin of man was upon the Son of man, and He had to become a man in order to pay the penalty.[3]
When He was--last cry, "Eli, Eli. My God, My God," That was a man. "Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the anointing left Him, you know, He had to die as a sinner. He died a sinner, you know that; not His sins, but mine and yours. That's where that love come in, how He took mine. Oh, hallelujah, how He took mine.[4]
The Spirit left Him, in the garden of Gethsemane. He had to die, a man. Remember, friends, He didn't have to do that. That was God. God anointed that flesh, which was human flesh. And He didn't… If He'd have went up there, as God, He'd have never died that kind of death; can't kill God. But He didn't have to do it.[5]
Footnotes
- ↑ The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 18:4–6.
- ↑ The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 22:49–51.
- ↑ THE.MIGHTY.CONQUEROR_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 56-0401M
- ↑ ADOPTION 2 JEFF.IN 60-0518
- ↑ It Is The Rising Of The Sun, 65-0418M