03/10/2021
Who Did Jesus Say That He Is?
By James L. Morrisson
Scripture clearly says that Jesus was and is God. John 1:1 says that the Word (Jesus) "was God." Philippians 2:6 says that Jesus was "in very nature God." Colossians 1:19 says that "God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him." Titus 2:13 refers to him as "our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." (See also Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:20.) Scripture says that Jesus created all things and holds all things together (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2-3). It says that he is Lord over all things in heaven, on earth and under the earth (Philippians 2:9-11; Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:17-18). The Father has put everything under him (Hebrews 2:8). Jesus now sits at the right hand of God and lives forever to intercede for us (Roman 8:34; Hebrews 7:25, 10:12)' He will come again to judge all men (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). (All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version unless otherwise stated.)
It is sometimes asserted, however, that "Jesus never claimed to be God." The implication is that the concept that Jesus is God was invented by others. It is true there is no record in the gospels that, during his earthly ministry, Jesus, in so many words, said, "I am God." He did not use that particular verbal formula. To have done so would have invited his immediate ex*****on for blasphemy, and a premature termination of his ministry. But I believe that when we examine the things Jesus did say about himself we can only conclude that Jesus, during his earthly ministry, understood fully that he was God come to earth in human form, and that he was, indeed, "Immanuel" which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). In this paper I shall look at the evidence, and let it speak for itself.
It is also sometimes asserted that Jesus never said he was the Messiah. He clearly said that he was. Indeed, a major emphasis of his teaching was that he was the fulfillment of the Old Testament messianic prophecies. I shall address this issue also.
I believe that C.S. Lewis had it exactly right when he wrote, "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him, 'I am ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse." ("Mere Christianity", Macmillan, 1952, pp. 55-56.)