WHO IS JESUS?
by Jim Dearman
Who is Jesus? Since He came into this world, there have been those who have asked, Who is this man? Is He just a man, or is He the Son of God and the Saviour of the world? From the Scriptures we may see that Jesus is, indeed, the Christ, the Son of the living God.
In the first place, Jesus is referred to as God in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 9:6, 7, called him the mighty God. In John 1:1-3, 14, Jesus is called the Word which became flesh and dwelled among men. In Hebrews 1:8 we read, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. In John 3:16, Jesus is called the only begotten Son of God sent to save the world from sin. Yes, Jesus is Divine, according to the Scriptures. He is referred to as God, as the living Word, and as the only begotten Son of God. He is the Christ, not just a good man or a great teacher.
In the second place, Jesus showed
that He is God. Who but God has the
power to create? Yet, in John 1:1-3, we read that all things
were created through Jesus Christ. Who
is to be worshipped but God? Scriptures
such as Matthew 4:10, Revelation 19:10, and Revelation 22:9, show that men are to
worship God. But Jesus accepted the
worship of men while on earth (Matthew 8:2;
The epistle to the Colossians sets
forth the dignity and the Divinity of Christ (Colossians
Who has the right to forgive sins? God has the right to forgive sins; yet, while on earth, Jesus had the power to forgive sins and to heal miraculously (Mark 2:1- 12). Only God can forgive sins. Therefore, since Jesus forgave sins while on earth. Jesus is Divine.
Jesus is also spoken of as equal
with God the Father and with the Holy Spirit.
In Genesis
Finally, we note that Jesus was one with the Father. In John 10:30, we read, I and my Father are one. These are the words of Jesus describing His relationship to the Father. They are one in nature, purpose, and teaching. Philip once said to Jesus, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus answered, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? (John 14:8, 9) Yes Jesus was one with His Father. In Philippians chapter 2, there is a statement which shows that Jesus was one with God. Let this mind be In you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made In the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:5-8).
What has been said of Jesus here is true of no other person who has ever lived. Just as the centurion declared, as he stood before the cross of Christ and watched the Son of God crucified for the sins of the world, Truly, this was the Son of God (Matthew 27:54). He is the Son of God! He is not mere man! He is not a created being! He is not as one of the angels! He is above the angels! He is the only begotten Son of God!
The entire epistle to the Hebrews points out the contrast between the old Law of Moses and the New Covenant of Christ. It also exalts Jesus above all. The epistle begins: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they (Hebrews 1:1-4).
It is clear that Jesus Christ is
above all others; that He, even now, is at the right hand of God, as our great
High Priest, as King over His spiritual kingdom, the church. It is also clear that through obedience to
His gospel, we may be made citizens of that spiritual kingdom, His body over
which He is Head. Then, by continuing to
live faithfully in His body, we may one day spend eternity with Him. To be members of His church, the body of the
saved, we must come to God through Jesus, believing in Christ as the only
begotten Son of God (John
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