Authority over life and death is in the hand of God alone

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III





Authority over life and death is in the hand of God alone, who said in the Book of Deuteronomy: "I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me, I kill and I make alive" (Deut. 32:39). And it was said of Him in the First Book of Samuel the Prophet: "The Lord kills and makes alive, He brings down to the grave and brings up" (1 Sam. 2:6). If this authority over life and death is in the hand of Christ, as He said: "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will" (Jn. 5:21), then Christ is God.