In Oneness theology, how does the person of Jesus operate regarding His two natures? Remember, He is both God and Man (John 1:1, 14). Is Jesus a single person? Or is he a single body with two functioning persons, a divine person and a human person, that alternate when speaking?  So, which nature is speaking at any particular time? This is a critical issue. One of the more common verses Trinitarians will raise in this regard is Luke 22:42.

“Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

Various Oneness adherents have routinely told me that it was the human nature of Jesus praying to the divine nature. In fact, in one of the debates I had with the Oneness defender Bishop Jerry Hayes, I asked him a  series of questions about which nature of Jesus was speaking in certain scriptures. I took notes during our debate, and this is what he said.

John 6:37–39, “All that the Father gives Me [HUMAN NATURE] will come to Me, [HUMAN NATURE] and the one who comes to Me [HUMAN NATURE] I [HUMAN NATURE] will certainly not cast out. 38 “For I [DIVINE NATURE] have come down from heaven, not to do My [HUMAN NATURE] own will, but the will of Him who sent Me [DIVINE NATURE].” 39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me [HUMAN NATURE], that of all that He has given Me [HUMAN NATURE] I [HUMAN NATURE] lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”

Essentially the Oneness believer Bishop Jerry Hayes said that Jesus’ two natures took turns speaking – even in the same sentence!  Again, look at John 6:38.

“For I [DIVINE NATURE] have come down from heaven, not to do My [HUMAN NATURE] own will, but the will of Him who sent Me [DIVINE NATURE].”

The problem of alternate natures of Jesus speaking

The alternate-nature-speaking thing is ridiculous, especially when it occurs in the same sentence! Furthermore, Jesus has two distinct natures as one person. This is called the hypostatic union. There is another doctrine related to this known as the communicatio idiomatum. This states that the properties of the two natures are ascribed to the single person. So, Jesus, the single person, would say, “I am thirsty,” (John 19:28), and “I will be with you always, even to the end of the age,” (Matt. 28:20).  Jesus spoke as an individual, as a single person, not as to persons alternating inside the body of Jesus.

What is a person?

“A person is a set of characteristics that encompass identity, self-awareness, awareness of others, emotions, self-determination, and a rational nature. Personhood is the condition shared by God, angels, and people that involves the ability to think, speak, be self-aware, aware of others, can love, be rational, etc. Both God and angels are non-corporeal yet exhibit the characteristics of personhood. Therefore, the word ‘person’ deals with that set of characteristics and is not restricted to just human beings in physical form.”  (https://carm.org/dictionary/person)

Jesus is a single person. Jesus says “I” in multiple contexts (See the list of scriptures below). If, as oneness adherents sometimes say, that one nature (the human) was speaking to another nature (the divine), then it is equivalent to saying one person is praying to another person. If they deny this, they’re simply inconsistent and illogical. On the other hand, if they affirm it, they are still being inconsistent and illogical since Jesus is a single person, not a single body with two persons in it.

Oneness theology is false.

Examples of verses for examination

if you have discussions with Oneness adherents, you might consider referencing the verses below and asking them which nature is speaking a different times. You will see the inconsistency and problems that arise from their position.

1. Matthew 10:40, “He who receives you receives Me [XX], and he who receives Me [XX] receives Him [XX] who sent Me [XX].”
2. Luke 22:42, “saying, ‘Father [XX], if You [XX] are willing, remove this cup from Me; [XX] yet not My [XX] will, but Yours [XX] be done.’”
3. John 6:37–40, “All that the Father gives Me [XX] will come to Me, [XX] and the one who comes to Me [XX] I [XX] will certainly not cast out. 38 For I [XX] have come down from heaven, not to do My [XX] own will, but the will of Him [XX] who sent Me. [XX] 39 This is the will of Him [XX] who sent Me, [XX] that of all that He [XX] has given Me [XX] I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, [XX] that everyone who beholds the Son [XX] and believes in Him [XX] will have eternal life, and I Myself [XX] will raise him up on the last day.”
4. John 12:45, “He [XX] who sees Me [XX] sees the One who sent Me [XX].”
5. John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, [XX] he will keep My [XX] word; and My Father [XX] will love him, and We [XX] will come to him and make Our [XX] abode with him.’“
6. John 14:24, “He who does not love Me [XX] does not keep My [XX] words; and the word which you hear is not Mine,[XX] but the Father’s [XX] who sent Me. [XX]
7. John 14:28, “You heard that I [XX] said to you, ‘I [XX] go away, and I [XX] will come to you.’ If you loved Me, [XX] you would have rejoiced because I [XX] go to the Father, [XX] for the Father [XX] is greater than I.” [XX]
8. John 17:6, “I [XX] have manifested Your [XX] name to the men whom You [XX] gave Me [XX] out of the world; they were Yours [XX] and You [XX] gave them to Me, [XX] and they have kept Your word.” [XX]
9. John 20:21, “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you; as the Father [XX] has sent Me, [XX] I [XX] also send you.’“
10. Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [XX] chose us in Him [XX] before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love.” Okay