Dake’s Dubious and Diabolical teachings - his bible commentary and other published works

Most of the word faith nonsense comes from several sources, particularly one who was very influential, Finis Dake. He published in 1963 his Dake’sAnnotated Reference Bible with commentary on the Old and New Testaments. The Dake Bible is used by many Pentecostals and charismatics, and accepted by many in the word faith camp.

His most serious of errors was on the nature of God and Christ and secondly on the nature of man.

"Sonship with Christ always refers to humanity, not to deity. As God, He had no beginning; was not begotten or He would have had a beginning as God; and was not God's Son. But as a man, He had a beginning, was begotten, and was God's Son. In these passages it is clear that there was a certain day when God was to have a Son and the Son have a Father. It was to be in the future from the time the prophets spoke, If sonship refers to deity, then this deity had a beginning on a certain day and He was not eternal. But if it refers to humanity, then all scriptures are clear and we have no man-made mystery of the so-called eternal sonship of Jesus Christ." (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, p. 57, note d)

Dake taught that Jesus became Christ at His baptism. Jesus was appointed with the office of Christ at His baptism. He denies the eternal Sonship of Jesus Christ by teaching that Jesus became the Son of God when He was born into flesh at Bethlehem.

“..that the person we now know as the Son of God and Mary was not always God’s Son and Mary’s Son, that He was always God and a separate person along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, that He became man and the Son of both God and Mary over nineteen hundred years ago for the purpose of redemption, that it was in God’s plan that one of the three persons of the Godhead should become man and the Son of the one who became Father by the power of the Holy Ghost, and that it did not become a reality until it actually took place in Mary about nineteen hundred years ago.”(God’s Plan for Man Page 324)

The bible distinguishes being the son of man (human, from Mary) and the Son of God (eternal), neither did God become the Father when he became the son

 “This made Him God's Son, for sonship in connection with Jesus Christ always refers to humanity, never to deity. 

 “As man and as God's Son He was not eternal, He did have a beginning, He was begotten, this being the same time Mary had a Son. Therefore, the doctrine of eternal sonship of Jesus Christ is irreconcilable to reason, is unscriptural, and is contradictory to itself. . . . The word Son supposes time, generation, father, mother, beginning, and conception. . . . If sonship refers to deity, not to humanity, then this person of the Deity had a beginning in time and not in eternity.

Like the name 'Jesus,' it has no reference to deity, but to the humanity of the Son of God, who became the Christ, or the 'Anointed One,' 30 years after He was born of Mary.”

This is the early church doctrine of “Adoptionism,” it was rejected then and should be rejected by everyone who wants to be faithful to the word today. See Micah 5:2.

"Gr. Christos, "Anointed," ...Like the name "Jesus" it has no reference to deity, but to the humanity of the Son of God, who became the Christ or the "Anointed One" 30 years after He was born of Mary. God "made" Him both Lord and Christ. The Heb. is "Messiah"." (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, p. 1, note a)   

This notation has been removed from the more recent versions of the Dake’s bible.

Finis Dake's Bible teaches Jesus is not God on earth. That Jesus gave up all His divine attributes.

On Jesus “that not one passage teaches that Christ had or used these attributes of Himself while on earth. . . The true Biblical teaching of the kenosis of Christ is that in taking human form He divested Himself of His divine attributes”. . . .

"His divine attributes and outward powers that He had with the Father from eternity." 
    "He was limited to the status of a man." 
    "He was God's agent using God's power of attorney." 
    "If it became necessary to anoint Jesus during His earthly life, then it proves He did not 
retain His former glory and attributes which He had from all eternity when He emptied Himself to become like men in all things." 
    "He did not claim the attributes of God, but only the anointing of the Spirit to do His works." 
    "Most scriptures used in doctrine books proving that Christ had divine attributes on earth are statements true of Him since His glory has been restored and do not prove anything during His life on earth. All scriptures related to His earthly life can be explained as referring to the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit and not natural attributes." (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, p. 218)

 We can see Bill Johnsons’theology of the kenosis in Dake’s teaching.

Dake diminished the true deity of the Son of God. Jesus came only as a prophet, something we hear far too often today. Something most religions would accept.

"Gr. prototokos, Trans. firstborn (v15), It is used of Jesus the firstborn of Mary and of the firstborn of Egyptians. It means the first one born in the family. It must also be understood in this literal sense in connection with Jesus being the firstborn in God's family. However, Sonship in this case refers to humanity and not to deity." (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, p. 222)

Dake said, “He could do nothing of Himself in all His earthly life. He attributed all His works, doctrines, powers, etc., to the Father through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.”

The anointing of the Holy Spirit who performed ALL the miracles through Him some say the same anointing gives us the ability to do the same things (Bill Johnson, Creflo Dollar)

Christ received all power in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18). Someone had to be greater than He was to give Him that power. Who was it (Jn. 14:28)? " (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, p. 280)

The Father has a greater position but is not greater in nature.

Dake’s position is repeated today by almost all the word faith teachers.

Dake had taught on man being a little god, “Truly He is not only all that man, angels, and other beings are in this respect, but infinitely greater in everything; and man, in reality, is simply a miniature of God in attributes and powers.” (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, Finis Jennings Dake, Lawrenceville, Georgia, Old Testament, p. 587.) 

Note for Mark 12:25 In God’s plan for Man: ''Resurrected saints will not live in marriage relationship to keep their kind in existence as when in the mortal state... hence they have no need of marriage relationship to produce their own kind'' (note 'h').

 ''Adam had the greatest responsibility of any man that has ever lived, outside of Christ. He was given dominion over all creation to rule for God and to be subject to God forever. ... He no doubt was to have access to the planets and rule them for God, but he sinned and came 'short of the glory of God' (Rom. 3:23). In the final restitution of all things man will again have dominion and will help God administer the affairs of the universe.''(God's Plan for Man, p.140-141)

We can certainly see the source of where Benny Hinn got his theology from that Adam flew to the moon.

His redefined the Trinity from his personal flawed view of the term “Person.” In his book God's Plan for Man, Dake tells us that a “person” is What we mean by Divine Trinity is that there are three separate and distinct persons in the Godhead, each one having His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit in the sense that each human being, angel, or any other being has his own body, soul and spirit. (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, p. 280)

In other words, a person is a being with a body.

 “He (God) has a personal spirit body, shape, form, image and likeness of a man, bodily parts such as, back parts, heart, hands and fingers, mouth, lips and tongue, feet, eyes, hair, head, face, arms, loins, and other bodily parts. He has bodily presence and goes place to place in a body like all other persons. He has a voice and countenance. He wears clothes.”

Dake taught that God has a body and lives on heaven, which is a physical planet. He states “The Bible declares that God has a body, shape, image, likeness, bodily parts, a personal soul and spirit, and all other things that constitute a being or a person with a body, soul, and spirit. . . Heaven itself is a material planet having cities, mansions, furniture, inhabitants, living conditions, etc.” (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible: New Testament, 280; cf. Old Testament, 622).

p. 57 “God dwells in a mansion and in a city located on a material planet called Heaven”. His proof text is John 14:1-3.

Much of what Dake described was more liken to Mormonism than Biblical Christianity

He is a person with a personal spirit body, a personal soul, and a personal spirit, like that of angels and like that of man except His body is of spirit substance instead of flesh and bones." (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, p. 97, note r)

"He has been seen bodily many times."  (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, N p. 96,)

"He has a personal spirit body... shape... image and likeness of a man... He has bodily parts such as, back parts... heart... hands and fingers... mouth...lips and tongue... feet... eyes... ears... hair... head... face... arms... loins... and other bodily parts."  (Ibid.)

"He has a bodily presence, and goes from place to place in a body like all other persons." (Ibid.)

"He has a voice, breath, and countenance. He wears clothes, eats, rests, dwells in a mansion and in a city located on a material planet called Heaven." 
(Dake's Annotated Reference Bible, pp. 97-96, note r)

"This plainly teaches that God, as well as men and angels, is limited to one place as far as the body is concerned. The doctrine of omnipresence of Godcan be proved, but not His omnibody. In His body He goes from place to place like other persons."  (Dake's Annotated Reference Bible p. 15, note n)

He also taught God wears clothes (Daniel 7:9-14; Daniel 10:5-19); eats (Genesis 18:1-8; Exodus 24:11); rests (Genesis 2:1-4; Hebrews 4:4); dwells in a mansion and in a city located on a material planet called Heaven (John 14:1-3; Hebrews 11:10-16; Hebrews 13:14; Rev. 21); sits on a throne (Isaiah 6; Daniel 7:9-14; Rev. 4:1-5; Rev. 22:3-6); walks (Genesis 3:8; Genesis 18:1-8,22,33); rides (Psalm 18:10; Psalm 68:17; Psalm 104:3; Ezekiel 1); and engages in other activities." (Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, Finis Jennings Dake, published by Dake Bible Sales, Inc, Lawrenceville, Georgia, New Testament, pp. 96-97.)

Other strange and contradictory teachings.

According to Dake, God’s body is a spiritual substance while man’s body is a material substance.  He taught the natural body will be raised a spiritual body. That mans body would become like God’s body.  Paul speaks of the human flesh and bone body in the resurrection as being a “spiritual body” (1Cor.15:42–44), transformed to be “like unto his glorious body” (Lk.24:39; Phil.3:20–21); But what Paul is describing is a spirit dominated physical body, where spirit is the life giver.

Dake spoke of salvation as by grace and not by works: “Eternal life is a free gift….Men merit hell, but not eternal life. Jesus Christ alone procured it and gives it freely to all who believe.” Dake Annotated Reference Bible, 165). He also said it is by faith alone and not works: “The law of works cannot pardon….Faith alone in Christ will pardon and cancel the death penalty.” (God's Plan for Man, p.57)

As with other points he made he would say the opposite.  “Grace alone is sufficient for salvation: “It is true that grace cannot be…mixed with the law of works, but this does not prove that there are no conditions men must meet in order to get the benefits of grace. Not one scripture teaches unconditional grace.” (Dake Annotated Reference Bible, p.226)

Dake then turns his statements on their head saying, “Grace cannot excuse and ignore the failure of saved man to meet the many conditions of salvation.” (God's Plan for Man, 343) He spoke of “7 conditions of eternal salvation,” (Dake Annotated Reference, Bible, 67.) and “23 conditions of eternal life.” (Ibid., 100.)

Dake also promoted divine healing as a guarantee. Everyone can get healed now — right now by faith — as much as he can be forgiven of sins now. The reason all are not healed is because they do not believe this truth and accept it as they do forgiveness of sins.…Both forgiveness and healing were atoned for on the cross, but they are appropriated individually by faith when one meets the necessary conditions of repentance and faith in the atonement. All Hell cannot rob him of either blessing if one refuses to permit demon forces to defeat him.” (God's Plan for Man, 946.)

Dake spoke of a gap theory that went further than many who believe of a gap taking place in Gen.1 to v.2. He claimed Jesus himself taught about a Pre-Adamic race (in the context of Matthew 13:35). Dake said that the expression from the “foundation of the world” should be translated “from the overthrow of the world” meaning literally the overthrow of the Pre-Adamic race.

Whether there is a gap or not does not in any way prove there was a pre-adamic race. The only pre-Adam beings existing were the various angels. Job identifies them as watching God lay the foundations of Earth (Job 38:2-7).

Dake Publishing Company, is operated by the Dake family. They sell near 40,000 copies of the Dake Bible each year.

Pastor Benny says of the Dake Annotated Reference Bible. It's the most life-changing study Bible you'll ever own," says "I've had The Dake since I was first saved, and it was invaluable to me then just as it is now. It's helped deepen my study of God's Word in so many ways."http://www.dake.com/

Now we understand why Hinn and so many others are soo wacky.

“I thank God for the people who produced the Dake Bible. Their hard  work has made it easier for me to teach God's Word.” Joyce Meyers

 “If I could put just one tool in the hands of any minister, it would be the Dake Bible” Ralph Wilkerson

“I believe the Dake Bible is one of the greatest literary works ever made available for….believers.” Rod Parsley

“…The Dake Bible helped me build a solid foundation in the Word.”  Creflo Dollar

“To this day my husband and I both feel that the Dake Bible is the Best study and reference bible you can get.” Marilyn Hickey

Dake was converted at age 17 and was ordained by Assemblies of God two years later at the age of 24.  He worked as a pastor and evangelist in Texas and Oklahoma and then moved to Zion, Illinois, pastoring the Christian Assembly Church until 1937. In 1899 Dowie built this city Zion as his vision of utopia. Clearly enamored with the former Dowie, Dake wanted his church board to purchase the home of Dowie to establish “Shilo Bible Institute.” Shiloh Bible Institute was built and merged with Central Bible Institute.  

It took Dake 100,000 hours of bible study to produce his 35,000 commentary notes (with only a few that would be considered orthodox). Readers of his book are told that God’s Plan for Man will show you how to correctly use the scriptures in your daily life.   Dake stated the proper use of these tools in his book ensures healing, health, prosperity, and happiness here and now. That it is the right of every believer in Christ to have perfect health and freedom from the works of the devil. (God’s Plan for Man, p. 324)

This is referring to sinless perfection now. If believers are to have “perfect health” and not experience physical sickness than neither should the body die.And what are we to do with Paul and others who were sick, did they not know how to appropriate all of salvation?

Dake did the believe the Bible to be inspired, inerrant, authoritative Word of God; and does not contain contradictions. Yet his interpretation of this inspired inerrant word certainly did. He made what is to be allegorical, symbolic or metaphors into literal. This was because of his strict undeviatingmethod of interpretation being literal.

If Finis Dake is correct in his teachings of the nature of God and Christ, then the church has interpreted the bible wrong for 1900 years. One should consider this before they accept without questioning or studying the word on their own or from reputable scholars that know the Hebrew and greeklanguages.

 For more validation of word faith teachers quotes of Dake - read

http://www.letusreason.org/WF56.htm

http://www.letusreason.org/WF57.htm