Jesus Christ
 

Who is Jesus?

Where do you even begin to answer such a question? This question is one of the simplest to explain but yet the most difficult to define. Bird (2013) had the same issue in his evangelical theology book:

How do you teach someone about Jesus? Do you start with the person of Christ or with the work of Christ? Do you start with the Gospels or the epistles? If Gospels, would you start with Mark or with John? Should we begin with a full-blown Nicene Christology or work our way up from the historical Jesus? Do we study Jesus based on titles given to him, like “Son of God” and “Son of Man,” or should we prioritize things Jesus did and accomplished, like his miracles and teaching? (p. 346)

Does one start their Christology from below and establish Jesus as a historical figure or start their Christology from above and show how Jesus is fully divine who entered humanity (Bird, 2013)? Johannian literature starts off with the divine logos, and the Nicene’s Creed proclaims the deity of Christ (Bird, 2013; Grudem, 2004; Schaff, 1878). With this in mind, one should always begin to answer this question with what God told us about Jesus (Bird, 2013). 

“Whom do you say I am” (Matthew 16:15 NIV)? Perhaps the most important question that was ever asked on this Earth was by Jesus of Nazareth to His disciples. The answer to this question will separate people from an eternal destiny of Hell or an eternal destiny with Christ in Heaven. Peter answered this question correctly and said that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Peter was acknowledging that Jesus was the promised Messiah that would come as spoken of through the Old Testament Prophets (Genesis 3:15; 15:3–4; 49:10; Deut 18:15; Isaiah 52–53). In addition to this, there is a lot more to Jesus though. 

Jesus Christ is the Son of Man and the Son of God (Lightfoot & Hammer, 1891). He is the second member of the Trinity, He was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was born of a virgin. (“Lecture 7,” 2016; Luke 1:35, “The Westminster Confession of Faith,” 1996). He lived a perfect life, did miracles, fulfilled prophecy, died on the cross for our sins, rose bodily from the dead and ascended to heaven. Jesus is fully God, but yet he was also fully man. He is the God-man who has two natures (ousia) in one person (hypostasis), this is called the hypostatic union (Bird, 2013; Berkhof, 1938; Hodge, 1997; “Lecture 7,” 2016; Schaff, 1882). “In other words, Jesus is God with a human face” (Bird, 2013, p. 460).

Jesus is entirely divine due to His authority in which He taught (Mark 11:28), He is the one who fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17; 5:21-44), He is the one who claimed to be God (John 8:19; 9:34-38; 10:30; 14:9), and proclaimed to be the prophesized Son of Man (Daniel 7:13; Mark 14:62; Psalm 110). Jesus forgave peoples sins which were only accredited to God (Grudem, 2004; Luke 5:20; 7:48; Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5), He accepted worship which is reserved for God alone (Grudem, 2004; Hebrews 1:6; John 20:28; Matthew 14:33; 28:9; Mark 5:6), and carries the very names of God (Berkhof, 1938; Luke 1:43; John 1:1; 10:36; Matthew 1:22; Revelation 22:13).

But yet Jesus was fully human to relate with us, to share in our sorrows, and experience the pain we go through in life. He is our great High Priest, our King, and Savior. This is whom Jesus is!

Divinity

Authority: Jesus was always teaching with his Authority. All Rabbis that would teach, they would always teach in the name of someone else before there time. Jesus on the other hand would always say, “You have heard it say……. But I say unto you…..by his Authority he would teach, not by anyone else’s.

Fulfillment: Jesus said He was the one who has come to fulfill the Law. (Matthew 5:17)

Claims to be God: Philip asks Jesus if he can see the Father, and Jesus tells him “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9) I and the Father are one.(John 10:30) If you knew me, you would also know my Father (John 8:19) He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9) One of my favorites is when Jesus asks a man if he believes in the Son of Man. He asks Who is He, Lord, that i may believe in Him? Jesus answered, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you!” (John 9:34-38) Wow now if that’s not claiming to be God then i don’t know what is then. Also see I AM statements below.

Son of Man: Jesus is presented to Caiaphas while he was being tried for Blasphemy (Which is claiming to be God) and Caiaphas asked him as clearly as he could if he was the son of God. Jesus responded and said, “I AM.” This comes from Daniel 7:13 and Psalm 110. Jesus is referred to as Son of Man over 80 times.

Miracles: Jesus performed all kinds of miracles while he was on Earth.  This has been confirmed through his followers, and those who were neutral to him, and also those who hated him.  In Isaiah 35:5-6 Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would do miracles. Jesus did all kinds of miracles like healings, exorcisms, power over nature, raising people from the dead, and feeding the 5000; he did over 40 separate miracles that we have recorded in scripture today.

Jesus forgives sins: In Mark’s Gospel in Ch.2 this is what sparked Jesus accuser’s big time. They told him “Only God can forgive sin!” Jesus not only forgave his sins, but then he healed the man to confirm he was God. Also in Matthew 9:2, Luke 5:20-24, Luke 7:47, & John 10:30-33)

Jesus accepted worship: Many times in scripture we find where Jesus does not rebuke people for worshiping Him.  (Matthew 14:33, Matthew 28:9, and John 20:28, Mark 5:6) Where we find several times Angels rebuking people for worshiping them. Then in Hebrews 1:6 we even read Angels worship Jesus!

Names: Jesus Possesses Divine Names. In Revelation 22:13 He is called the Alpha and the Omega, in Matthew 1:22 He is to be called Immanuel, Luke 1:43, in John 1:1 He is called the Word, and in John 10:36 He says He is God’s Son. Check out all the names of Christ here... http://www.gotquestions.org/names-Jesus-Christ.html

Center: Jesus is the Center of all history and eternity. Ephesians 1:10, Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:8. Our timeline for History is divided by his Birth!

Jesus I AM Statements

In the Old Testament God would title Himself with the name I Am. He introduced Himself by using this name to Moses at the burning bush for example in Exodus 3:14. Frequently Jesus used the same title to explain his deity.

  • John 14:6 – I Am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me.

  • John 8:12 -I Am the light of the world; he who follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

  • John 6:35 -I Am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

  • John 10:9 -I Am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

  • John 15:5 -I Am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

  • John 10:14 -I Amthe good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

  • John 11:25 - I Am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.

  • John 8:58 - Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM. (Also see John 6:35, John 8:12, John 10:7, John 10:11-14, John 11:25, John 15:1, 5)

Prophecies

In the Old Testament there were dozens of prophecies concerning the Messiah, which only Jesus was the one to fulfill. Many of them can no longer be fulfilled either. Here are some for example…The Messiah was going to be born of a virgin birth, born in Bethlehem, his name shall be called Immanuel, He would be a prophet, his ministry would begin in Galilee, will perform miracles, rise from the dead, betrayed by a friend, He would die a violent death, people will gamble away his clothes, His bones would not be broken, etc. Here are a few verses to back that up.

  • Psalm 22 – Was written 1000 years before Jesus time, and 300 years before crucifixion ever even existed!

  • Psalm 31:5 - Into Your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

  • Psalm 69:21 – And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink

  • Psalm 34:20 – He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.

  • Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.

  • Isaiah 53:9 - He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man’s grave.

  • Isaiah 53 – This was written 7-8 Centuries before Christ!

  • Isaiah 7:14 - Born of a virgin

  • Zechariah 9:9 – Christ riding a donkey into Jerusalem

  • Zechariah 11:12 - Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver

  • Zechariah 12:10 - He will be pierced

  • Amos 8:9 – there would be darkness all over the land for 3 hours

  • Micah 5:2 - Born in Bethlehem

  • 2 Samuel 7:12-16 - Lineage of King David

There was a mathematician who actually figured out the probability of someone to fulfill 48 prophecies that Jesus actually fulfilled. That number is 1 out of a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, and trillion. You can’t even fathom what that number even is! Truly Jesus was the Son of God. This cannot happen by chance.

Researching the Resurrection

Did Jesus really die on the cross? Did he really rise from the dead? Let’s take a look at some of the things that actually happened to Jesus confirming his death and resurrection.

  1. Jesus was flogged (Scourged) with a roman cat of nine tails. This flogging consisted of lashes to the back and would cause the arteries to sometimes be cut open, ribs and lungs would be exposed, and the skin would clearly just rip off from the nine tails. Many people would die just from the flogging. FLAVIOUS JOSEPHUS noted that “certain rebel Jews were torn to pieces by the scourge before being crucified”

  2. Jesus was nailed to a cross, which the Romans perfected. This would maximize someone’s pain all the way up until the point of death. Death would happen by affixation or suffocation.

  3. Jesus was stabbed by a Roman Spear to confirm that he was dead. The Romans were masters at execution. Not only did they know how to kill but if a prisoner escaped from them, or didn’t die by the sentence that was supposed to be carried out they would be put to death instead. There was no question that Jesus died on the Cross.

  4. His heart leaked out water and blood as the spear thrust into him. Science now confirms that Jesus experienced hypovolemic shock as a result of being flogged. Prior to death, the sustained rapid heartbeat caused by hypovolemic shock also causes fluid to gather in the sack around the heart and around the lungs. This gathering of fluid in the membrane around the heart is called pericardial effusion, and the fluid gathering around the lungs is called pleural effusion. This explains why, after Jesus died and a Roman soldier thrust a spear through Jesus’ side (probably His right side, piercing both the lungs and the heart), blood and water came from His side just as John recorded in his Gospel (John 19:34).

  5. Joseph of Armathius who was a rich member of the Sanhedrim. The Sanhedrim were the Supreme Court if you will in their time and culture. They were the people that actually wanted him dead by crucifixion! Joseph asked Pontius Pilot if he could give Jesus a proper burial and if he could be buried in a place he had already prepared. This fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9

  6. The first people to discover that Jesus rose from the dead were by women. In the 1st Century Palestinian society women were second-class. There testimonies would have been scoffed at. Any person trying to tell a convincing story would have left this part out making there prime witness women, but it wasn’t left out because it was the truth.

  7. There were Romans guards making sure no one would come and steal the bodies and when the resurrection happened they ran back to the Roman leaders and made up a story saying that the disciples stole the body. Even they were confirming that the tomb was empty!

  8. While Jesus was resurrected on the Earth He appeared to Peter, Thomas, all of the apostles I should just say, his half brother James, the Apostle Paul, and more than 500 people. Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians 15 saying that most of these people are still alive if you want to go and ask them.

•    1 Corinthians 15 - is a creed that was handed down orally by the early church from the Apostles. This oral creed was memorized and passed down to Paul meaning that this creed which basically is the Gospel that Jesus came to this earth, died, rose again, and many people saw him was already going around the church as early as 35 AD. Maybe 2-3 years after Jesus had already ascended to Heaven, this was a huge teaching that the early church was doing already! Amazing!

Disciples & Apostles & Critics

Disciples: After Jesus died on the cross all of his disciples went into a deep sorrow or depression. They just didn’t understand what Jesus was trying to tell them all along. The only disciple that was at the cross when Jesus was crucified was John. All the others disciples went into hiding, they were cowards.  But after the Lord appeared to them though, Christianity was born. They were on fire; they were transformed, and boldly preached what Christ did for us. Every single disciple died a horrible Martyrs death except the apostle John.

James: was the half brother of Jesus. He did not believe in Jesus at all until he saw the risen Lord. Then his life was completely transformed and he boldly preached Christ until the day of his Martyr.

Saul: who was an actual persecutor and killer of the Christian faith, who met the risen Jesus on his way to actually persecute more Christians. His life was dramatically transformed. He boldly proclaimed Christ and was probably the best Apostle out of the whole group of Apostles. He also died a Martyrs death for Christ.

A Roman Centurion soldier: believed in Jesus even after he had helped with the crucifixion (Matthew 27:54).

Jesus has the Same Attributes as God

Creator: John 1:1 - All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. Also see Colossians 1:15-17 & Hebrews 1:2

Omniscient:John 16:30 - the apostle John affirms of Jesus, "Now we can see that you know all things" Also see John 21:17

Omnipresence:Matthew 28:30 - Surely I am with you always, to the very end of age. Matthew 18:20 - Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Also see Ephesians 1:23

Omnipotent:Matthew 28:18 - All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Also see John 10:17-8 & Revelation 3:7

Eternality: John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Immutability: Hebrews 13:8- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Also see Hebrews 1:10-12

Eternal:John 17:5 - Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Also see John 1:1& John 8:58

Conclusion

In closing consider this. How passionate are you with your faith? Do you believe what you actually believe? You can offer like Cain. You can weep like Esau. You can serve like Gehazi. You can be a disciple like Judas. You can recite long prayers like the Pharisees, be a seeking soul like the rich young ruler, and have lamps like the five foolish bridesmaids, and still be lost and not saved! The real issue is not about enjoying the message or whether it moves you. The hearts of the issue is whether or not you believe the message in your heart and take a stand for it. Does this describe your faith? If not, stop going through the motions and take a stand!

Jesus is God……and it's only by Him in which we are saved!

1 Corinthians 16:22 - If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Our Lord, come!

References

Bird, M. F. (2013). Evangelical theology: A Biblical and systematic introduction. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Berkhof, L. (1938). Systematic theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co.

Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: An introduction to Biblical doctrine. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.

Hodge, C. (1997). Systematic theology. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Lecture 6. (2015). HTH-201: Christian Theology I. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University.

Lightfoot, J. B., & Harmer, J. R. (1891). The apostolic fathers. London: Macmillan and Co.

Schaff, P. (1882). The creeds of Christendom, with a history and critical notes: The evangelical protestant creeds, with translations (Vol. 3). New York: Harper & Brothers.

Schaff, P. (1878). The creeds of Christendom, with a history and critical Notes: The history of creeds (Vol. 1). New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers.

The Westminster confession of faith. (1996). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.