Who Is the Real Jesus?

Introduction:

Most all of the world’s religions have an opinion about who Jesus is.

·       Hinduism:  A divine avatar of Vishnu

·       Islam:  A prophet of Allah

·       Judaism:  A rabbi or a blasphemer

·       Jehovah’s Witnesses:  A spirit creature who became a perfect man

·       Mormonism:  The first of God’s spirit children to become a God

·       Liberal Protestantism:  A social reformer

And the list could go on and on.  [See:  God Among the Sages]  On several occasions recorded in Scripture, Jesus asked His disciples to consider His true identity.  (Matthew 16:13-17) “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’  So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’  He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’  Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’  Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’ ” NKJV  Most importantly, how did Jesus view Himself?

Body:

I.            Jesus Claimed Equality with God

·       To know Jesus is to know God.  (John 14:7) “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” NKJV

·       To see Jesus is to see God.  (John 14:9) “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?  He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the Father?’ ” NKJV

·       Jesus and God are one.  (John 14:11) “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or also believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” NKJV

·       Welcoming Jesus is the same as welcoming God.  (Mark 9:37) “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent me.” NKJV

·        Hating Jesus is hating God.  (John 15:23) “He who hates Me hates My Father also.” NKJV

·       Coming to Jesus is coming to God.  (John 14:6) “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” NKJV  So we see from these verses that Jesus claimed a person’s relationship with Jehovah depended upon his relationship with Him.  The Bible reveals many parallels between Jesus and God that shows their equality.

o   In authority  (Daniel 7:13-14) “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven!  He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.  Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.” NKJV

o   Creator  (Isaiah 40:28) “Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary.  His understanding is unsearchable.”  (John 1:3) “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” NKJV

o   Shepherd  (Psalm 23:1) “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  (John 10:11) “I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His live for the sheep.” NKJV  Many other parallels could be listed. 

II.          Jesus Claimed Divine Titles

·        Son of God  (John 5:17-18) “But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.’  Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”  (Luke 22:70-71) “Then they all said, ‘Are You then the Son of God?’  So He said to them, ‘You rightly say that I am.’  And they said, ‘What further testimony do we need?  For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.’ ” NKJV 

·        I AM  (John 8:56-59) “ ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’  Then the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’  Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”  (Exodus 3:14) “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’  And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.’ ” NKJV

·       Father and Son are one.  (John 10:30-33) “ ‘I and My Father are one.’  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.  Jesus answered them, ‘Many good works I have shown you from My Father.  For which of those works do you stone Me?’  The Jews answered Him, saying, ‘For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.’ ” NKJV  One in purpose and action.  (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” NKJV  One in essence and nature.

·       The Messiah  (Mark 14:61-64) “But He kept silent and answered nothing.  Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’  Jesus said, ‘I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’  Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘What further need do we have of witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy!  What do you think?’  And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.” NKJV  The word “Messiah” means “anointed one” or “chosen one” and is translated Christ in the New Testament.  (John 4:25-26) “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ).  ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’  Jesus said to her,  ‘I who speak to you am He.’”  (John 20:31) “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” NKJV 

III.        Jesus Claimed Divine Powers

·       To forgive sins  (Mark 2:5-7) “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son your sins are forgiven you.’  And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ‘Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ ” NKJV  Jesus claimed the authority to forgive sins.  This was something only God can do.  (Isaiah 43:25) “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.” NKJV

·       To be worshipped  (Matthew 14:33) “Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.’ ”  (John 9:38) “Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’  And he worshiped Him.” NKJV  Only God was to be worshipped.

·        To judge mankind  (John 5:22) “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,” NKJV  This power is reserved for God.  (Genesis 18:25) “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You!  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” NKJV

Conclusion: 

It is clear that Jesus claimed on many occasions that He was truly God.  Because of His deity, all people should believe and obey Him. 

Bobby Stafford 

May 21, 2017