Well? There is a problem with your idea. For?
Later the apostles raised others from death. Now, were they also God?
Sorry, you are not reading and believing the words of our Lord.
Jesus said:
“For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth
them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.” (John 5:21).
Listen carefully to what Jesus said. Jesus said as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens (makes alive), even so the Son quickens (makes alive) whom he will. Does the Father need help in raising the dead? No. So this means that Jesus also has the same power. For while Paul raised the dead, Paul himself could not say that he could quicken or make alive the dead in the same way that the Father does. This would imply Paul would be God and he simply was not.
John 2:19 is also unmistakable. Jesus said he would raise up the temple (i.e. His body). Yes, I am aware that Scripture also says that the Father, and the Spirit raised Jesus, too. But Jesus was also included in that act because He said so Himself in John 2:19.
Jesus had power as God during His earthly ministry. To not have power as God means one is not God.
This means Jesus merely suppressed His divine attribute of Omniscience.
He took on the form of a servant and made himself of no reputation.
You said:
Sometimes Jesus spoke from knowing He was God. But, never as one manifesting God's power from Himself. Why was that?
Your imagining things or you are following what Modern Translations say.
Hebrews 1:3 talks about how Christ held all things together by the word of His power when He purged us of our sins. Jesus had power to take away the sins of the entire world (
John 1:29). Jesus Christ said wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them (
Matthew 18:20).
You said:
In part.. He had to be the author and pioneer of our faith. That was accomplished by remaining as a man. A man of God who needed to depend upon the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible to sustain him in all things.
Jesus spoke and did everything the Father commanded Him to do. He did works by the Father and the Spirit. But He also acted of His own divine power, as well. To forgive (absolve) sin is only a divine attribute of God. All sin is ultimately done towards God. No man can take the role of God and forgive their sin in the same way that man forgives another for wrong done against him. Jesus can absolve sin on the behalf of God because He is God. It's an exclusive divine power only God has. Jesus is the only mediator between God the Father and man.
As for your reference about Jesus relying upon the Bible:
Well, there was no such thing as a Bible during the time of Christ's earthly ministry. It was not called that back then. There was the Holy Scriptures in the form of scrolls, etc.; But there was no book as we know it today that said “Holy Bible” on the cover during His earthly ministry.
