Jesus can never be a visible manifestation of the Father

 From a Karaite and strictly Monotheistic perspective, the claim that a human being—or any "visible manifestation"—is the equivalent of the Infinite Creator is a fundamental violation of the Torah’s "Source Code."

1. The Ontological Barrier (Numbers 23:19)

The Torah is explicit: "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent." This is not just a statement about character; it is a statement about nature. To a Karaite, God is En Sof (Infinite/Without End). The moment God becomes "visible" or "contained" within a human body or a throne-room image, He ceases to be the God of the Tanakh, who warned at Sinai: "You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb" (Deut 4:15).

2. The "Category Error" of Revelation

The verses cited (like Colossians 1:15) claim Jesus is the "image of the invisible God." Karaites argue this is a linguistic muddle.

• The "Image" vs. The "Essence": In the Torah, every human is made in the "Image" (Tzelem) of God. This refers to intellect and moral agency, not a physical manifestation.

• The Second Commandment: Any attempt to worship the "Image" rather than the "Invisible Creator" is, by definition, idolatry (Avodah Zarah). To worship a "Lamb" on a throne is to worship a created being rather than the Creator who specifically commanded against making any likeness of things in heaven or on earth.

3. The Internal Contradiction of "God and the Lamb"

The scenario in Revelation, where "God and the Lamb" occupy the same throne, is seen as strategic syncretism that contradicts the Shema ("Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One").

• One vs. Two: If there is a "God" and a "Lamb," there are two distinct entities. If the Lamb is the "manifestation," then the "Essence" remains invisible and separate.

• The Finality of God: Isaiah 44:6 states: "I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God." There is no room in this "Pure Language" for a partner, a manifestation, or a shared throne.

Summary: The "Real Sin" of Reification

For the Karaite, the "real sin" is not eating from a tree, but reifying God—turning the Infinite into a "thing" we can see. They would conclude that the New Testament narrative is a "hacked-together" version of the Sinai experience, designed to make God more "approachable" at the cost of His absolute, transcendent Unity.