Trinitarian Claim
Trinitarians claim that Philippians 2:9-11 and Romans 14:11 indicate that Jesus is YAHWEH.
Examination of the Claim
1. Isaiah 45:23
"[YAHWEH]: I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance."
Trinitarians claim that Jesus must necessarily be identified as YAHWEH at Philippians 2:9-11 and Romans 14:11 because Isaiah 45:23 is being quoted in both of these verses and YAHWEH is speaking at Isaiah 45:23.
For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, "as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me and every tongue shall give praise to God." So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:9-12).
God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2. God has appointed a MAN to Judge
Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which HE will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31).
3. To the glory of the Father
Carefully regard what the words actually say at Philippians 2:11, "to the glory of the Father." Does it say, "to the glory of Jesus?" No, it says "to the glory of the Father." Why? Because it is the Father who raised up Jesus and it is the Father who appointed the man Jesus through whom He, the Father, will judge the world. It is God the Father who makes all these things happen to his glory.
4. The Name Above Every Name
The name bestowed upon Jesus was not "Jesus." He already had that name:
She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name "Jesus," for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21).
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. (Luke 1:31).
At Acts 2:36, we read that God made Jesus "Lord" when He raised him from the dead. The name above every name which God gave to Jesus is "Lord."
God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knew will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Analysis of the Evidence
1. Psalm 110:1
In Acts 2:36, Peter explains clearly what is meant by the term "Lord" with respect to Jesus. He does this by quoting Psalm 110:1 and then explains that this Psalm was fulfilled when God raised Jesus from the dead.
Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified.
Jesus is the second Lord in the Psalm, "The Lord said to my Lord." In the original Hebrew text it actually says, "YHWH said to my Lord." However the Jews would not utter the divine name and would say rather, "Adonai said to adoni." When you see the word "Lord" written in caps as the "LORD" it indicates that the original Hebrew text said YAHWEH rather than "LORD" or "Lord." However, the second "Lord" is adoni and not "YAHWEH."
At Acts 2, Peter illustrates that Jesus is the second "Lord" of Psalm 110:1. The first "Lord" is YAHWEH. It is YAHWEH who made Jesus "Lord." And since the original Hebrew text at Psalm 110:1 does not indicate the second Lord is YAHWEH, we clearly see that it is a prophetic Psalm, just as Peter indicates, which was fulfilled only when God raised Jesus from the dead and made him "Lord", that is, "Adoni." This shows us plainly that we are not to understand that Jesus is YAHWEH himself but the one YAHWEH made "Lord" to rule and judge in his place having been seated on his throne.
2. A Man is this Lord and this Lord is a man
The point of Philippians 2:9-11 is that God made a man "Lord." God Himself will Judge through this Lord, that is, a man. Similarly we read in Hebrews that Jesus being a man was made lower than the angels but has now become superior to the angels having inherited a better name than them. He is Lord since God has seated him at His right hand.
Conclusion
It is quite clear when we appreciate the evidence that the Trinitarian claim is completely groundless. Jesus is "Adoni" Lord not "YAHWEH" Lord and Peter makes that quite clear. God has made Jesus Lord. This means God has put the man Jesus in charge and it is for this reason God will be judging through this man Jesus. And because is is YAHWEH who has made all this happen all these things are "to the glory of the Father."
