Introduction
"Obviously who is Christ, is as important as what He did." So we ask who is Christ? What type of person is He?
As Albert Wells puts it, "One marvels at the way in which He draws attention to Himself, placing Himself at the center of every situation that arises."
As we see, He certainly does not fit the mold of other religious leaders, writes Thomas Schultz:
"Not one recognized religious leader, not Moses, Paul, Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, etc., has ever claimed to be GOD; that is, with the exception of Jesus Christ. Christ is the only religious leader who has ever claimed to be deity and the only individual ever who has convinced a great portion of the world that He is GOD."
How could a "man" make others think He was GOD? We hear first from F. J. Meldau:
"His teachings were ultimate, final - above those of Moses and the prophets. He never added any afterthoughts or revisions; He never retracted or changed; He never guessed, 'supposed', or spoke with any uncertainty. This is all so contrary to human teachers and teachings."
Add to this the testimony of Foster:
"But the reason overshadowing all others, which led directly to the ignominious execution of the Teacher of Galilee, was His incredible claim that He, a simple carpenter's son among the shavings and sawdust of His father's workshop, was in reality GOD in the flesh!"
One may well say, "Of course Jesus is presented this way in the Bible because it was written by His associates who desired to make an everlasting memorial to Him" However, to disregard all the Bible is not to disregard all the evidence, as we have seen from historical records.
William Robinson states: "However, if one takes a historically objective approach to the question, it is found that even secular history affirms that Jesus lived on earth and that He was worshipped as GOD. He founded a church which has worshipped Him for 1,900 years. He changed the course of the world's history."
The Trial
Mark 14:16-64
"But He held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priests rent his clothes, and saith, what need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned Him to be guilty of death" (KJV).
Judge Gaynor, the accomplished jurist of the New York bench, in his address upon the trial of Jesus, takes the ground that blasphemy was the one charge made against Him before the Sanhedrin. He says: "It is plain from each of the gospel narratives, that the alleged crime for which Jesus was tried and convicted was blasphemy:...Jesus had been claiming supernatural power, which in a human being was blasphemy" (citing John 10:33). His reference is to Jesus' "making Himself GOD," not to what He said concerning the Temple.
To the questions of the Pharisees, A. T. Robertson says, "Jesus accepts the challenge and admits that He claims to be all three (the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of GOD). Ye say (Humeis legete), is just a Greek idiom for "Yes" (compare 'I AM' in Mark 14:62 with "Thou hast said' in Matthew 26:64)."
It was to Jesus' reply that the high priests rent his garments. H. B. Swete explains the significance of this: "The law forbade the High Priest to rend his garment in private troubles (Lev. x.6, xxi, 10), but when acting as a judge, he wa required by custom to express in this way his horror of any blasphemy uttered in his presence. The relief of the embarrassed judge is manifest. If trustworthy evidence was not forthcoming, the necessity for it had now been superseded: the Prisoner had incriminated Himself."
We begin to see that this is no ordinary trial. Irwin Linton, a lawyer, brings this out when he states:
"Unique among criminal trials is this one in which not the actions but the identity of the accused is the issue. The criminal charge laid against Christ, the confession or testimony or, rather, act in presence of the court, on which He was convicted, the interrogation by the Roman governor and the inscription and proclamation on His cross at the time of execution all are concerned with the one question of Christ's real identity and dignity. 'What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?'"
In this same regard we hear from the one-time skeptic, Frank Morison, "Jesus of Nazareth was condemned to death, not upon the statements of His accusers, but upon an admission extorted from Him under oath."
Also from Hilarin Felder (Christ and the Critics) we hear, "This inspection of the trial of Jesus should be sufficient to give us the invincible conviction that the Saviour confessed His true divinity before His judges."
Simon Greenleaf, a one-time professor at the Harvard School of Law, and himself a great lawyer, said regarding Jesus' trial:
"It is not easy to perceive on what ground His conduct could have been defended before any tribunal unless upon that of His superhuman character. No lawyer, it is conceived, would think of placing His defense upon any other basis."
Even though Jesus' answers to His judges take different form in each of the Synoptics, we see, as Morison tells us, that they all are equal in meaning:
"...These answers are really identical. The formulae 'Thou has said' or "Ye say that I am,' which to modern ears sound evasive, had no such connotation to the contemporary Jewish mind. 'Thou sayest' was the traditional form in which a cultivated Jew replied to a question of grave or sad import. Courtesy forbade a direct 'yes' or 'no'."
To be certain that Jesus made these implications from His answers, C. G. Montefiore analyzes His statement which follows His profession of deity: "The two expressions 'Son of Man' (frequently on his lips) and 'at the right hand of power'...(a peculiar Hebrew expression for the Deity) show that the answer is perfectly in accord with Jesus' spirit and manner of speech."
It is perfectly clear then that this is the testimony that Jesus wanted to bear of Himself. We also see that the Jews must have understood His reply as a claim to His being GOD. There were two alternatives to be faced then; that His assertions were pure blasphemy or that He was GOD. His judges had to see the issue clearly - so clearly, in fact, that they crucified Him and then taunted Him because, "He trusted in GOD...for He said, 'I am the Son of GOD'" (Matthew 27:43).
Thus, we see that Jesus was crucified for being who He really was, for being the Son of GOD. An analysis of His testimony will bear this out. His testimony affirmed that:
William Childs Robinson then concludes from this that "each of these [three] affirmations is distinctly Messianic. Their cumulative Messianic effect is 'stunningly significant.'"
Herschel Hobbs then goes on to reiterate:
"The Sanhedrin caught all three points. They summed them up in one question. 'Art thou then the Son of GOD?' Their question invited an affirmative answer. It was the equivalent of a declarative statement on their part. So Jesus simply replied, 'Ye say that I am.' Therefore, He made them admit to His identity before they formally found Him guilty of death. It was a clever strategy on Jesus' part. He would die not merely upon His own admission to deity but also upon theirs.
"According to them there was need for no other testimony. For they had heard Him themselves. So they condemned Him by the words 'of his own mouth.' But He also condemned them by their words. They could not say that they did not proclaim the Son of GOD guilty of death."
Robert Anderson says:
"But no confirmatory evidence is more convincing than that of hostile witnesses, and the fact that the LORD laid claim to Deity is incontestably established by the action of His enemies. We must remember that the Jews were not a tribe of ignorant savages, but a highly cultured and intensely religious people; and it was upon this very charge that, without a dissentient voice, His death was decreed by the Sanhedrin - their great national Council, composed of the most eminent of their religious leaders, including men of the type of Gamaliel and his great pupil, Saul of Tarsus."
From Hilarin Felder we have this statement which brings more light on the judgment the Pharisees actually impose on themselves:
"But since they condemn the Saviour as a blasphemer by reason of his own confession, the judges prove officially and on oath that Jesus confessed not only that he was the theocratical Messiah-King and human son of GOD, but also that he was the divine Messiah and the essential Son of GOD, and that He on account of this confession was put to death."
As a result of our study, we may then safely conclude that Jesus claimed deity for Himself in a way that all could recognize. These claims were regarded as blasphemous by the religious leaders and resulted in His crucifixion because "He made Himself out to be the Son of GOD" (John 19:7).
Other Claims
EQUALITY WITH THE FATHER
John 10:20-33. Did Jesus claim to be GOD in other parts of the narratives? The Jews said He did, as we see in this passage:
"I and My Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from My Father; for which of those works do ye stone Me? The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because Thou, being a man, makest Thyself GOD" (KJV).
An interesting and strengthening implication arises when the Greek wording is studied. From A. T. Robertson we find:
"One (hen). Neuter, no masculine (heis). Not one person (cf. heis in Gal. 3:28), but one essence or nature."
Robertson then adds:
"This crisp statement is the climax of Christ's claims concerning the relation between the Father and Himself (the Son). They stir the Pharisees to uncontrollable anger."
It is very evident then that in the minds of those who heard this statement, there was no doubt that Jesus claimed before them that He was GOD. Thus:
"The Jews could regard Jesus' word only as blasphemy, and they proceeded to take the judgment into their own hands. It was laid down in the Law that blasphemy was to be punished by stoning (Lev. 24:16). But these men were not allowing the due processes of law to take their course. They were not preparing an indictment so that the authorities could take the requisite action. In their fury they were preparing to be judges and executioners in one. 'Again' will refer back to their previous attempt at stoning (John 8:59)."
Their reply rejects any chance that Jesus is threatened with stoning for His good works. Rather, it is the "blasphemy". They definitely understood His teaching but, one may ask, did they stop to consider whether His claims were true or not?
John 5:17,18
"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that GOD was His Father, making Himself equal with GOD" (KJV).
A word study from A. T. Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament gives some interesting insights:
"Jesus distinctly says, 'My Father' (ho pater mou). Not 'our Father,' claim to peculiar relation to the Father. Worketh even until now (heos arti ergazetai)...Jesus put himself on a par with GOD's activity and thus justifies his healing on the Sabbath."
It is also worthy of note that the Jews did not refer to GOD as "My Father". If they did, they would qualify the statement with "in heaven." However, this Jesus did not do. He made a claim that the Jews could not misinterpret when He called GOD "My Father".
Jesus also implies that while GOD is working, He, the Son, is working, too. Again, the Jews understood the implication that He was GOD's Son. Resulting from this statement, the Jews' hatred has grown. Even though they are seeking, mainly, to persecute Him, they are growing in their desire to kill Him.
"I AM"
John 8:58: "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was I am" (KJV).
"He said unto them, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you...' Prefaced by a double Amen - the strongest oath - our LORD claims the incommunicable name of the Divine Being. The Jews recognize His meaning, and, horrified, they seek to stone Him.
How did the Jews receive this statement? As Henry Alford tells us, "...All unbiased exegesis of these words must recognize in them a declaration of the essential pre-existence of Christ."
Marvin Vincent in his Word Studies of the New Testament writes that Jesus' statement is "the formula for absolute, timeless 'I AM' (eimi)."
By relying on Old Testament references, we can find out the significance of I AM. A. G. Campbell makes this inference for us:
"From such Old Testament references as Ex. 3:14, Deuteronomy 32:39 and Isaiah 43:10 it is clear that this is no new idea which Jesus is presenting. The Jews were quite familiar with the idea that the Jehovah of the Old Testament is the eternally existent One. That which is new to the Jews is the identification of this designation with Jesus."
From the reactions of the surrounding Jews we have proof that they understood His reference as a claim to absolute deity. Their insights prompted them to set about to fulfill the Mosaic law for blasphemy by stoning Jesus (Leviticus 24:13-16).
Campbell speaks on the above point for the non-Jew:
"That we must also understand the expression 'I am' (eimi) as intended to declare the full deity of Christ is clear from the fact that Jesus did not attempt an explanation. He did not try to convince the Jews that they had misunderstood Him, but rather He repeated the statement several times on various occasions."
JESUS IS DUE THE SAME HONOR AS THAT GIVEN TO GOD
John 5:23,24
"That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (KJV).
In the last part of this verse Jesus thrusts a warning at those who accuse Him of blasphemy. He tells them that by hurling abuse at Him, they are actually hurling it at GOD and that it is GOD who is outraged by their treatment of Jesus.
We also see that Jesus claims the right to be worshipped as GOD. And from this it follows, as previously stated, that to dishonor Jesus is to dishonor GOD.
Wordsworth (cited by J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels) remarks, "They who profess zeal for GOD do not honour Him aright, unless they honour the Son as they honour the Father."
TO KNOW ME
John 8:19
"Then said they unto Him, Where is Thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know Me, nor My Father: if ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also" (KJV).
BELIEVE IN ME
John 14:1
"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in GOD, believe also in Me" (KJV). Merrill Tenney explains:
"He was doomed to death, the death that overtakes all men. Nevertheless, He had the audacity to demand that they make Him an object of faith. He made Himself the key to the question of destiny, and clearly stated that their future depended on His work. He promised to prepare a place for them, and to return to claim them."
HE WHO HAS SEEN ME...
John 14:9
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hat seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" (KJV).
I SAY UNTO YOU...
Matthew 5:20,22,26,28, etc.
In this Scripture we find Jesus teaching and speaking in His own name. By doing so, He elevated the authority of His words directly to heaven. Instead of repeating the prophets by saying, "Thus saith the LORD," Jesus repeated, "Verily, verily, I say unto you."
As Karl Scheffrahn and Henry Kreyssler tell us:
"He never hesitated nor apologized. He had no need to contradict, withdraw or modify anything he said. He spoke the unequivocal words of GOD (John 3:34). He said, 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away'" (Mark 13:31).
He asked for and accepted worship as GOD.
WORSHIP RESERVED FOR GOD ONLY
To fall down in homage is the greatest act of adoration and worship which can be performed for GOD (John 4:20-22; Acts 8:27).
Adoration in spirit and truth (John 4:24).
"Thou shalt worship the LORD thy GOD" (Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8).
JESUS RECEIVED WORSHIP AS GOD AND ACCEPTED IT
"There came a leper and worshipped Him..." (Matthew 8:2).
The man born blind, after being healed, "falls down and worships Him" (John 9:35-39).
The disciples "worshipped Him, saying: 'Indeed Thou art the Son of GOD'" (Matthew 14:33).
"Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.'
"Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My LORD and my GOD!'
"Jesus said to him, 'Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed'" (John 20:27-29).
JESUS CONTRASTED WITH OTHERS
The centurion Cornelius falls at the feet of Peter and "adores him," and Peter reproves him saying, "Stand up; I myself also am a man" (Acts 10:25,26, KJV).
Before the angel of the Apocalypse, John fell at this feet to "adore him," and the angel told him that he was a "fellow servant" and that John was to "adore GOD" (Revelation 19:10).
As we see, Jesus commanded and accepted worship as GOD. It was this fact that led Thiessen to write: "If He is a deceiver, or is self-deceived, and, in either case, if He is not GOD He is not good (Christus si non Deus, non bonus)." [Thiessen, Outline of Lectures in Systematic Theology. p. 65]
What Others Said
PAUL
Philippians 2:9-11
"Wherefore GOD also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of GOD the Father" (KJV).
Titus 2:13
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our Saviour Jesus Christ..." (KJV).
JOHN THE BAPTIST
"And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in Three I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22, KJV).
PETER
Probably Peter's most famous affirmation is found in Matthew 16:15-17: "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living GOD. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven" (KJV).
Of this, Scheffrahn and Kreyssler write that "instead of rebuking for his brashness (as Jesus always did when confronted by error), Jesus blesses Peter for his confession of faith. Throughout His ministry Jesus accepted prayers and worship as rightfully belonging to Himself."
Peter again affirms his belief in Acts 2:36:
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that GOD hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both LORD and Christ" (KJV).
THOMAS
"The Doubter" bears the following witness found in John 20:28: "And Thomas answered and said unto Him, 'My LORD and my GOD'" (KJV).
John Stott in Basic Christianity expounds on Thomas' exclamation:
"The Sunday following Easter Day, incredulous Thomas is with the other disciples in the upper room when Jesus appears. He invites Thomas to feel His wounds, and Thomas, overwhelmed with wonder, cries out, 'My LORD and my GOD!' (John 20:26-29). Jesus accepts the designation. He rebukes Thomas for his unbelief, but not for his worship."
FROM THE WRITER OF HEBREWS
Hebrews 1:8
"But unto the Son he saith, 'Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom" (KJV).
Thomas Schultz writes that "the vocative...in 'thy throne, O GOD' is preferred to the nominative where it would be translated 'GOD is thy throne' or 'thy throne is GOD.' Once again the evidence is conclusive - Jesus Christ is called GOD in Scriptures."
STEPHEN
Acts 7:59
"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon GOD, and saying, LORD Jesus, receive my spirit" (KJV).
Stephen here precisely asks of Jesus what Jesus had asked of GOD while He was on the cross. Stephen thereby ascribes to Jesus the qualities of deity.
Conclusion
William Biederwolf draws a very apt conclusion from the evidence. That is:
"A man who can read the New Testament and not see that Christ claims to be more than a man, can look all over the sky at high noon on a cloudless day and not see the sun".
We quote the words of the "Beloved Apostle" John:
"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of GOD; and that believing ye might have life through His name" (John 20:30,31, KJV).
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