Study Guide: Jesus Is Not the Father, and Not One of the Angels
Quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB); please check each one in your own Bible.
The Big Idea
The big idea: The risen Jesus calls the Father “my God” (John 20:17), and God asks to which of the angels he ever said, “You are my Son” (Hebrews 1:5): Jesus is the Son — not the Father, and not an angel.
Read Aloud
But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!” Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.
— John 20:11–18
For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.” But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years won’t fail.” But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
— Hebrews 1:5–14
Where We Stand
Scripture says
- The risen Jesus calls the Father “my Father” (John 20:17) and “my God” (John 20:17), and calls him the Father and God of his brothers.
- Jesus calls the Father “the only true God” (John 17:3), and himself the one the Father sent.
- Jesus counts his own testimony and the Father's as the testimony of two (John 8:17–18).
- A voice from heaven calls Jesus God's beloved Son (Matthew 3:17).
- To no angel did God say, “You are my Son” (Hebrews 1:5), and to no angel did he say, “Sit at my right hand” (Hebrews 1:13).
- The Son has inherited a more excellent name than the angels, and the angels of God worship him (Hebrews 1:4, 6).
- Angels are serving spirits, sent out for the sake of those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14).
- The world to come is not subjected to angels (Hebrews 2:5).
- Michael is one of the chief princes (Daniel 10:13), and Michael the archangel would not rebuke the devil himself (Jude 9).
We conclude
- Our conclusion: Jesus is not the Father. He is the Son, who prays to the Father, is sent by the Father, and ascends to the Father (John 17:3; 20:17).
- Our conclusion: the Father living in Jesus does not make Jesus the Father (John 14:10; 17:21).
- Our conclusion: John 10:30, John 14:9 and Isaiah 9:6 do not teach that Jesus is the Father (John 17:22; 14:10; Isaiah 9:6–7).
- Our conclusion: Jesus is not Michael, and he was never an angel. Michael is an archangel, one of the chief princes; the Son is set above every angel (Hebrews 1:4–5; Daniel 10:13).
- Our conclusion: the archangel's voice at the Lord's descent no more makes him the archangel than God's trumpet makes him God (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
The Hard Questions
- Doesn't “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30) mean that Jesus is the Father himself? See The strongest objection under Jesus Is Not the Father.
- Didn't Jesus say, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9)? See A second objection under Jesus Is Not the Father.
- Doesn't Colossians 2:9 say that all the fullness of the Deity dwells in Jesus? See The strongest objection under Jesus Names the Father as His God.
- Doesn't “firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15) mean Jesus was the first thing God created? See The strongest objection under God Set the Son Above Every Angel.
- Doesn't the Lord descend with the voice of the archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16)? See The strongest objection under Michael Is One of the Chief Princes.
- Doesn't Michael lead heaven's armies against the dragon (Revelation 12:7)? See A second objection under Michael Is One of the Chief Princes.
- How are the two teachings stated by those who hold them — Jesus as the Father, and Jesus as Michael? See The Teaching We Differ From.
- Is Jesus Michael? See Whether Jesus is Michael under Questions Answered.
- Does salvation depend on settling these questions? See Whether salvation depends on these questions under Questions Answered.
Discussion Questions
- What did the risen Jesus tell Mary to say to his brothers?
- Whom does Jesus call “the only true God” (John 17:3), and what does he say knowing him is? (See Jesus Names the Father as His God.)
- How does John 17:22 help in reading John 10:30? (See Jesus Is Not the Father.)
- What two questions does Hebrews 1 ask about the angels, and what answer does the chapter expect? (See God Set the Son Above Every Angel.)
- What is Michael called in Daniel 10:13, and what would he not do in Jude 9? (See Michael Is One of the Chief Princes.)
- What does it mean for you that Jesus calls his Father “your Father” (John 20:17)? (See Hope.)
Hope
Jesus sent word from the tomb: “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:17). And he said of his disciples: “the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God.” (John 16:27).
For the Leader
Allow about 40 minutes for one session. Read John 20:11–18 first, then Hebrews 1:5–14. Invite everyone to open and check each verse in their own Bible.
© 2026 Elvis Lucas, Open the Text. Original: https://openthetext.com/series/test-the-teaching/02-jesus-is-not-the-father-study-guide/
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