Who is Jesus

Saving faith requires a Biblical understanding of the historical Jesus. To trust someone you must know that someone.

Jesus asked His disciples, " Who do men say that I am?" (Matt 16:13 ESV). This one question draws the line between believers and non believers and sets Christianity apart from all other religions in the world.

This question that Jesus asked his disciples sums up the entire history of mankind. The answer that we give to this question exposes our worldview and determines our eternal destiny. Believers in Christ must be ready always to give an answer to this question. Peter said we are to honor the Lord Christ as holy and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks (1 Peter 3:15). Prior to asking this question Jesus had healed the sick, cleansed the leper, cast out demons, calmed a storm, and even raised the dead back to life in the presence of His disciples and others.

Even though people were eyewitnesses to these miracles many still refused to acknowledge Jesus as the deity. Some claimed that He was John the Baptist, others said that He was Elijah or one of the other prophets (Matt 16:14). Jesus wasn't concerned with the opinions of the crowds, He pressed Peter to give Him an answer. "Who do you say that I am" (Matt 16:15)? When asked directly Peter answered, "You are the Christ" (John 8:29).

Very early on people were opposed to the idea that Jesus was "God in flesh". The Gospel of John records, "This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making Himself equal with God" (John 5:18). After the crucifixion and resurrection in the first and second centuries other men rose up teaching that Jesus was not the eternal God. Some taught that He was created, others said that he was just a mode of God. Charismatic leaders such as Arius would lead his followers through the streets of Alexandria chanting, "There was a time when the Son was not."

In the present day, we still have people stumbling over the question of who Jesus is. The Jehovah's Witness movement teaches that Jesus was the direct creation of God, the highest of all of Jehovah's creatures, but stops short of acknowledging that Jesus is the Almighty God. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of America rejected the teaching that Jesus is God and went as far as to write his own bible, the Jefferson Bible, in which he removed all the miracles and hard sayings of Jesus. The Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) teaches that Jesus is a god, but not "The God". According to their teaching there was a time when the Father sired the earthly Jesus. Islam acknowledges Jesus as a prophet that was preparing the way for Mohammad but refuses to accept Jesus as Lord.

The great Christian Apologist C.S. Lewis presented his listening audience with three choices: Jesus was either who he claimed to be, which was Lord or he was a liar knowingly spreading lies about his identity or he was a lunatic who had no idea what he was saying. You cannot say that Jesus was a good teacher or a prophet and not agree with the things that He taught. Jesus said, "truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). The listening crowd responded by picking up stones to throw at him because they knew he was calling himself God. Jesus also did the works that only God could do. He demonstrated power over creation in the calming of the storm and turning water into wine (Matt 8:26, John 2:1-12). He had power over sickness and death (Luke 7, John 11:25-16). The crowd that witnessed Jesus raise the dead glorified God and said, "God has visited His people" (Luke 11:16). Jesus also received worship and forgave sins, something that even the angles refused to do in the book of Revelation (Rev 19:10, 22:8-9). Rulers came and knelt before Jesus (Matt 8:2, 9:18) Thomas fell down before Him and said, "my Lord and my God (John 20:28). Jesus never stopped these men from giving Him worship. Jesus also forgave sins in Matthew 9:2 and when he forgave the sins of the woman anointing his feet with oil the other guests at the table said, "Who is this, who even forgives sins" (Luke 7:49)?

If Jesus was good teacher and a prophet you must accept his teaching. Jesus said, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'"(John 14:9 ESV)?

The writings of the Apostles and the witness of the New Testament is very clear about the identity of Jesus. John said that Jesus was the creator that we are introduced to in the first book of the Old Testament and that He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14). The Apostle Paul wrote, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through him and for him." (Col 1:15-16). There is no doubt that those who walked with Jesus knew that He was God in flesh. Paul refers to Jesus as "Lord" which is the word kyrios the same word used for God! This is not a mistake in his writings or a mis-translation. The same title is given to Jesus in Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peters, Jude, and Revelation.

The early church when confronted with false teachers recorded their answer to the question "who is Jesus" in the Nicene Creed in 325. The Church fathers wrote, " We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father".

Peter answered Jesus, "You are the Christ!" There was a time when Jesus was not a man but never a time that He was not God. This matters to us today because it is the knowledge required for salvation. If Jesus were not God He was not a sufficient sacrifice on the cross for our sins. If Jesus were not God we have no hope.

The question for you today is the same one that Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say that I am?"

Your answer to this question determines where you stand today and where you will stand for eternity. It is through this question that we find true Christianity and define the cults. It is through this question that we remain lost or find salvation.

Jonathan Miller