ch22
v16; "I am the bright morning star".
In recent times this description has been used as the basis for a specious argument directed against Christ.
The argument goes like this;
"Here Jesus is called the "morning star".
But the same phrase is used in Isaiah ch14 v12, addressed to someone whom the prophet condemns.
In the Isaiah reference, older tramnslations use the name "Lucifer", a word originating in the Vulgate translation.
This proves that Christ is the same person as Lucifer!"
This silly quibble is easily answered.
"Morning star" is a title of honour, not a name.
If you see the same
name in two different places, that sometimes means that they're both talking about the same person. Though this doesn't
always follow even with names (readers of the New Testament have to cope with more than one John and more than one James).
But you can't jump to that conclusion just because you find the same
title in more than one place.
The leaders of the United States and France and Germany are all called "President", but nobody uses that fact to demonstrate that all these countries
are led by the same person.
Nebuchadnezzer is called a king, and Christ is called a king. That doesn't mean they're the same person- it just means that they claim the same title.
From the Christian viewpoint, Christ has a better claim to the title, while Nebuchadnezzar is a usurper.
Similarly "morning star" or "day star" is a title which was once allowed to the person addressed in Isaiah ch14 v12, but he was found to be
unworthy.
I think the point, again, is that Christ has a better claim to the title.
PS I meant to add, and nearly forgot, that the Christian community really set themselves up and expose themselves to this line of attack by the habit
of taking "Lucifer", based on a Latin translation, as a personal name. This is what the quibblers are exploiting.
edit on 16-8-2012 by DISRAELI
because: (no reason given)