Transcendence of God in the New Testament

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The lack of the use of your wording is noticeable within Protestant literature and I cannot find it used anywhere. The reason, I think, should be obvious.

The etymology of 'transcend' (the verb from which 'transcendence' is derived) can be seen in the Oxford English Dictionary to come from the Latin trans/scandere meaning, quite literally, to 'climb over'.

To transcend a mountain, one climbs over the summit.

This etymology is quite unsuitable to use in relation to Deity which is eternal and which (as Jesus says, in John 4:24) is spirit. The eternal Spirit, who is God, is whom he is and is whom he has revealed himself to be.

He is what he is, within himself. He needs not to 'climb over' anything in order to be 'The Most High'. He is The Most High - in and of himself.

Abraham spoke of God as :

The Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth. [Genesis 14:22, KJV.]

I would say the wording 'transcend' and 'transcendence' is quite unsuitable to use in regard to Deity. And it is never so used in scripture in English nor is there any Hebrew or Greek word that I can think of which would require to be translated by it.

I believe it is best to remain within the revelation that God has given, of himself, regarding himself. To stray from that wording has always been, historically, damaging - and even disastrous.

Nor can such wording be used of the ascension of Jesus Christ, for it was God who raised him from the dead, it was God who received him into heaven and it was God who gave him to sit at the right hand of God, Ephesians 1:20 and Colossians 3:1.

These things were done to him : he did not 'climb over' to gain such a place.

Fat from it : the reason he is ascended and seated where he is, is that :

he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [Philippians 2:8, KJV.]

As is pointed out in comment, the word 'condescend' is more suited to God's demeanour as revealed in Jesus Christ, his Son.

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