Guide
How can Jesus be God if the Father is the only true God?
Quick answer
In John 17:3 Jesus affirms the Father as the only true God over against idols, not as a denial of his own deity. The same Gospel repeatedly identifies Jesus with the divine name, glory, and works of Yahweh.
Read John as a whole
John 1, John 5, John 8, John 10, and John 20 all press the deity of Christ. Isolating 17:3 against that backdrop is a method error. Jesus is distinguishing the true God from false gods while speaking as the sent Son.
Personal distinction remains
The Son can speak of the Father as God without ceasing to be God, just as Thomas can confess Jesus as “my Lord and my God” without denying the Father. The categories of person and essence keep the confession coherent.
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