In an attempt to critique the Latter-day Saint view that God the Father is embodied, Calvinist Sonny L. Hernandez argued that:
Paul’s use of the root aoratos (“invisible”) in Colossians 1:15
(“Who is the image of the invisible God . . . ,” bold emphasis added)
and 1 Timothy 1:17 (“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the
only wise God . . .,” bold emphasis added) also refutes D&C 130:22. From a
lexical perspective, aoratos refers to “an independent noncorporeal being,
in contrast to a being that can be perceived by the physical senses, spirit”
(BDAG, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early
Christian Literature, 4th ed., p. 740). (Sonny L. Hernandez, Polemical
Apologetics: How to Defend Sola Scriptura Amid Anti-Christian Attacks [Lexington,
Ky.: Trinity Gospel Church, 2025], 57)
Firstly, the BDAG quote is false. The quote comes from, not the entry for αορατος, but one of a number of possible meanings of πνευμα (in fact, it is listed fourth):
④ an independent noncorporeal
being, in contrast to a being that can be perceived by the physical senses,
spirit
(ELangton, Good and Evil Spirits ’42).
Here is the complete
entry for αορατος:
ἀόρατος, ον (s. ὁράω; Isocr., et al.; LXX, pseudepigr.; Philo,
Joseph.; apolog. exc. Mel.) pert. to not
being subject to being seen, unseen, invisible, of God (Diod S 2,
21, 7; Cornutus 5 p. 5, 3; Maximus Tyr. 2, 10a; 11, 9d; PGM 5, 123; 12, 265;
13, 71; Herm. Wr. 11, 22; 14, 3; Philo, Op. Mundi 69, Mos. 2, 65, Spec. Leg. 1,
18; 20; 46 al.; Jos., Bell. 7, 346; SibOr Fgm. 1, 8; Ar.; Tat. 4, 1; Ath. HDaxer,
Ro 1:18–2:20 im Verh. z. spätjüd.
Lehrauffassung, diss. Rostock 1914, 11. Cp. Ltzm., Hdb. on Ro 1:20 [lit.]; FBoll, Studien über Claud. Ptolem. 1894, 68;
RBultmann, ZNW 29, 1930, 169–92; EFascher, Deus invisibilis: Marb. Theol.
Studien ’31, 41–77) Col 1:15; 1 Ti 1:17; Hb 11:27; 2 Cl 20:5; PtK 2 p. 13, 24; Dg 7:2. Of divine attributes δύναμις (cp. Philo, Somn. 2, 291) Hv 1, 3, 4; 3,
3, 5. τὰ ἀ. τοῦ θεοῦ God’s
invisible attributes Ro 1:20. Of Christ, who is described as
ἀ. ἐπίσκοπος IMg 3:2 or as ὁ ἀ., ὁ διʼ ἡμᾶς ὁρατός IPol 3:2. τὰ ἀ. the
invisible world (opp. τὰ ὁρατά the visible world,
as in Philo, Congr. Erud. Gr. 25; Tat. 5, 1) Col 1:16; ITr 5:2; IRo 5:3; IPol 2:2. ἄρχοντες ὁρατοὶ καὶ ἀ. rulers
visible and invisible ISm 6:1. θησαυροὶ ἀ. B 11:4 (Is 45:3). ψυχή (Philo, Virt. 57, 172) Dg 6:4. θεοσέβεια ibid.—M-M. TW.
In addition,
passages like Col 1:16 and 1 Tim 1:17 mean that God (the Father) cannot be
seen; it does not mean, by nature, he is invisible. On this, and many issues
see:
One can download
the slideshow I used here.
Again, this shows the importance of source-checking claims and sources. Here, Hernandez reveals himself to be deceptive.
Further
Reading:
Lynn
Wilder vs. Latter-day Saint (and Biblical) Theology on Divine Embodiment
