plural “thrones” in heaven where “the Ancient of Days took his seat,” left the door open for much speculation about “two powers in heaven.” The New Testament writers who directly equate Jesus with God go beyond any of these developments, but such trends may have made the transition somewhat easier for them.54 3. An increasingly positive view of human nature began to develop. Less was heard about the “original sin” of Adam and Eve that left all people in need of redemption, and more was said about