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Have you ever met a man who is the center of attention wherever he goes? Some mysterious, indefinable characteristic sets him apart from all other men. Well,
that¶s the way it was two thousand years ago with Jesus Christ. But it wasn¶t merely Jesus¶ personality that captivated those who heard him. Those who witnessed
his words and life tell us that something about Jesus of Nazareth was different from all other men.

Jesus¶ only credentials were himself. He never wrote a book, commanded an army, held a political office, or owned property. He mostly traveled within a hundred
miles of his village, attracting crowds who were amazed at his provocative words and stunning deeds.

Yet Jesus¶ greatness was obvious to all those who saw and heard him. And while most great people eventually fade into history books, Jesus is still the focus of
thousands of books and unparalleled media controversy. And much of that controversy revolves around the radical claims Jesus made about himself---claims that
astounded both his followers and his adversaries.

It was primarily Jesus¶ unique claims that caused him to be viewed as a threat by both the Roman authorities and the Jewish hierarchy. Although he was an
outsider with no credentials or political powerbase, within three years, Jesus changed the world for the next 20 centuries. Other moral and religious leaders have
left an impact---but nothing like that unknown carpenter¶s son from Nazareth.

What was it about Jesus Christ that made the difference? Was he merely a great man, or something more?

These questions get to the heart of who Jesus really was. Some believe he was merely a great moral teacher; others believe he was simply the leader of the
world¶s greatest religion. But many believe something far more. Christians believe that God has actually visited us in human form. And they believe the evidence
backs that up.

After carefully examining Jesus¶ life and words, former Cambridge professor and skeptic, C. S. Lewis, came to a startling conclusion about him that altered the
course of his life. So who is the real Jesus? Many will answer that Jesus was a great moral teacher. As we take a deeper look at the world¶s most controversial
person, we begin by asking: could Jesus have been merely a great moral teacher?

   

Even those from other religions acknowledge that Jesus was a great moral teacher. Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi, spoke highly of Jesus¶ righteous life and
profound words.1 Likewise, Jewish scholar Joseph Klausner wrote, ³It is universally admitted « that Christ taught the purest and sublimest ethics « which throws
the moral precepts and maxims of the wisest men of antiquity far into the shade.´2

Jesus¶ Sermon on the Mount has been called the most superlative teaching of human ethics ever uttered by an individual. In fact, much of what we know today as
³equal rights´ actually is the result of Jesus¶ teaching. Historian Will Durant, a non-Christian, said of Jesus that ³he lived and struggled unremittingly for µequal
rights¶; in modern times he would have been sent to Siberia. µHe that is greatest among you, let him be your servant¶²this is the inversion of all political wisdom, of
all sanity.´3

Many, like Gandhi, have tried to separate Jesus¶ teaching on ethics from his claims about himself, believing that he was simply a great man who taught lofty moral
principles. This was the approach of one of America¶s Founding Fathers, President Thomas Jefferson, who cut and pasted a copy of the New Testament,
removing sections he thought referred to Jesus¶ deity, while leaving in other passages regarding Jesus¶ ethical and moral teaching4. Jefferson carried around his
cut and pasted New Testament with him, revering Jesus as perhaps the greatest moral teacher of all time.

In fact, Jefferson¶s memorable words in the Declaration of Independence were rooted in Jesus¶ teaching that each person is of immense and equal importance to
God, regardless of sex, race, or social status. The famous document sets forth, ³We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights «´

But one thing Jefferson didn¶t answer: If Jesus falsely claimed to be God he couldn¶t have been a good moral teacher. But did Jesus really claim deity? Before we
look at what Jesus claimed, we need to examine the possibility that he was simply a great religious leader?

    

Surprisingly, Jesus never claimed to be a religious leader. He never got into religious politics or pushed an ambitious agenda, and he ministered almost entirely
outside the established religious framework.
When one compares Jesus with the other great religious leaders, a remarkable distinction emerges. Ravi Zacharias, who grew up in a Hindu culture, has studied
world religions and observed a fundamental distinction between Jesus Christ and the founders of other major religions.

"In all of these, there emerges an instruction, a way of living. It is not Zoroaster to whom you turn; it is Zoroaster to whom you listen. It is not Buddha who delivers
you; it is his Noble Truths that instruct you. It is not Mohammad who transforms you; it is the beauty of the Koran that woos you. By contrast, Jesus did not only
teach or expound His message. He was identical with His message."5

The truth of Zacharias¶ point is underscored by the number of times in the Gospels that Jesus¶ teaching message was simply ³Come to me´ or ³Follow me´ or
³Obey me.´ Also, Jesus made it clear that his primary mission was to forgive sins, something only God could do.

In þ
 


 , Huston Smith observed, ³Only two people ever astounded their contemporaries so much that the question they evoked was not
µWho is he?¶ but µ  
¶ They were Jesus and Buddha. The answers these two gave were exactly the opposite. Buddha said unequivocally that he was a
mere man, not a god²almost as if he foresaw later attempts to worship him. Jesus, on the other hand, claimed « to be divine.´6

And that leads us to the question of what Jesus really did claim for himself; specifically, did Jesus claim to be divine?

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So what is it that convinces many scholars that Jesus claimed to be God? Author, John Piper explains that Jesus claimed power which uniquely belonged to God.

³«Jesus¶ friends and enemies were staggered again and again by what he said and did. He would be walking down the road, seemingly like any other man, then
turn and say something like, µBefore Abraham was, I am.¶ Or, µIf you have seen me, you have seen the Father.¶ Or, very calmly, after being accused of blasphemy,
he would say, µThe Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.¶ To the dead he might simply say, µCome forth,¶ or, µRise up.¶ And they would obey. To the
storms on the sea he would say, µBe still.¶ And to a loaf of bread he would say, µBecome a thousand meals.¶ And it was done immediately.´7

But what did Jesus really mean by such statements? Is it possible Jesus was merely a prophet like Moses or Elijah, or Daniel? Even a superficial reading of the
Gospels reveals that Jesus claimed to be someone more than a prophet. No other prophet had made such claims about himself; in fact, no other prophet ever put
himself in God¶s place.

Some argue that Jesus never explicitly said, ³I am God.´ It is true that he never stated the exact words, ³I am God.´ However, Jesus also never explicitly said, ³I am
a man,´ or ³I am a prophet.´ Yet Jesus was undoubtedly human, and his followers considered him a prophet like Moses and Elijah. So we cannot rule out Jesus
being divine just because he didn¶t say those exact words, anymore than we can say he wasn¶t a prophet.

In fact, Jesus¶ statements about himself contradict the notion that he was simply a great man or a prophet. On more than one occasion, Jesus referred to himself
as God¶s Son. When asked whether he thought it far-fetched for Jesus to be the Son of God, lead singer of U2, Bono, answered:

³No, it¶s not far-fetched to me. Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: He was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a
lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn¶t allow you that. He doesn¶t let you
off the hook. Christ says, No. I¶m not saying I¶m a teacher, don¶t call me a teacher. I¶m not saying I¶m a prophet«.I¶m saying I¶m God incarnate.´ And people say:
No, no, please, just be a prophet. A prophet we can take.´ 8

Before we examine Jesus¶ claims, it is important to understand that he made them in the context of the Jewish belief in one God (monotheism). No faithful Jew
would ever believe in more than one God. And Jesus believed in the one God, praying to his Father as, ³the only true God.´9

But in that same prayer, Jesus spoke of having always existed with his Father. And when Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus said, ³Philip, have I
been with you so long and you don¶t know me? Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father.´10 So the question is: ³Was Jesus claiming to be the Hebrew God who
created the universe?´

Many are willing to accept Jesus Christ as a good man, or a great prophet, but argue that Jesus never claimed to be God. Those who deny Jesus¶ deity point out
scriptures that back up their belief that Jesus never intended to be worshipped as God.

The evidence, however, indicates that from the time of the apostles, Jesus was worshipped as Lord. After the apostles died, several first and second century
church leaders wrote of Jesus¶ deity. Finally in 325 A. D. the leadership of the church articulated the belief that Jesus is fully God.
Some argue that the church ³invented´ Jesus¶ deity by rewriting the gospel accounts. In fact, the world¶s best-selling fictional book, The Da Vinci Code sold over
40 million books by making that claim (See ³Was there a Da Vinci Conspiracy?´). Although the book made its author, Dan Brown, wealthy, his fictional account
was debunked by scholars as bad history. In fact, the New Testament has been deemed the ³most reliable of all ancient historical documents´ (See. ³Are the
Gospels True?´).

In this article we will examine what Jesus Christ said about himself. What did Jesus mean by the terms, ³Son of Man,´ and ³Son of God?´ If Jesus wasn¶t God, why
did his enemies accuse him of ³blasphemy?´ More importantly, if Jesus wasn¶t God, why did he accept worship?

First let¶s look briefly at what Christians believe about Jesus Christ.

Ò   

At the core of Christianity is the belief that God came to earth in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that Jesus is not a created being like the
angels, but is the very Creator of the universe. As theologian J. I. Packer writes, ³The gospel tells us that our Creator has become our Redeemer.´2

The New Testament reveals that, in accordance with his Father¶s will, Jesus temporarily set aside his power and glory to become a tiny helpless baby. As he grew,
Jesus worked in a carpenter shop, experienced hunger, got tired, and suffered pain and death like us. Then at age 30 he began his public ministry.

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Jesus continually referred to himself in ways that confounded his listeners. As Piper notes, Jesus made the audacious statement, ³Before Abraham was, I
AM.´11 He told Martha and others around her, ³I AM the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he is dead, yet shall he live.´12 Likewise, Jesus
would make statements like, ³I AM the light of the world,´13 ³I AM the only way to God,´14 or, ³I AM the ³truth.´15 These and several other of his claims were
preceded by the sacred words for God, ³I AM´ (ego eimi)16. What did Jesus mean by such statements, and what is the significance or the term, ³I AM´?

Once again, we must go back to context. In the Hebrew Scriptures, when Moses asked God His name at the burning bush, God answered, ³I AM.´ He was
revealing to Moses that He is the one and only God who is outside of time and has always existed. Incredibly, Jesus was using these holy words to describe
himself. The question is, ³Why?´

Since the time of Moses, no practicing Jew would ever refer to himself or anyone else by ³I AM.´ As a result, Jesus¶ ³I AM´ claims infuriated the Jewish leaders.
One time, for example, some leaders explained to Jesus why they were trying to kill him: ³Because you, a mere man, have made yourself God.´17

Jesus¶ usage of God¶s name greatly angered the religious leaders. The point is that these Old Testament scholars knew exactly what he was saying²he was
claiming to be God, the Creator of the universe. It is only this claim that would have brought the accusation of blasphemy. To read into the text that Jesus claimed
to be God is clearly warranted, not simply by his words, but also by their reaction to those words.

C. S. Lewis initially considered Jesus a myth. But this literary genius who knew myths well, concluded that Jesus had to have been a real person. Furthermore, as
Lewis investigated the evidence for Jesus, he became convinced that not only was Jesus real, but he was unlike any man who had ever lived. Lewis writes,

³Then comes the real shock,¶ wrote Lewis: µAmong these Jews there suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He was God. He claims to forgive sins.
He says He always existed. He says He is coming to judge the world at the end of time.´18

To Lewis, Jesus¶ claims were simply too radical and profound to have been made by an ordinary teacher or religious leader.

 

The Bible reveals God as the Creator of the universe. He is infinite, eternal, all powerful, all-knowing, personal, righteous, loving, just, and holy. He created us in
His image, and for His pleasure. According to the Bible, God made us to have an eternal relationship with Himself.

When God spoke to Moses at the burning bush 1500 years before Christ, He reaffirmed that He is the only God. God told Moses His name is Yahweh, (I AM).
(Most of us are more familiar with the English translation, Jehovah or LORD.6) Since that time, the foundational Scripture (Shema) for Judaism has been:

"Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD." (Deuteronomy 6:4)
It is in this world of monotheistic belief that Jesus entered into, ministered in, and began making claims that astounded all who heard them. And according to Ray
Stedman, Jesus is the central theme of the Hebrew Scriptures.

³Here, in the form of a living, breathing human being, is the one who satisfies and fulfills all the symbols and prophecies of Genesis through Malachi. As we move
from the Old Testament to the New, we find that one person, Jesus of Nazareth, is the focal point of both Testaments.´7

But if Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, his claims should confirm that ³God is one LORD,´ beginning with what he called himself. Let¶s look further.

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When Jesus began his ministry, his miracles and radical teaching immediately drew huge crowds, creating a frenzy of excitement. As his popularity swelled with
the masses, the Jewish leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees, & Scribes) began to see Jesus as a threat. Suddenly they began looking for ways to trap him.

One day Jesus was debating some Pharisees at the Temple, when suddenly he told them he is ³the light of the world.´ It is almost bizarre to picture this scene,
where a traveling carpenter from the lowlands of Galilee tells these PhD¶s in religion that he is ³the light of the world?´ Believing that Yahweh is the light of the
world, they replied indignantly:

³You are making false claims about yourself´ (John 8:13 NLT).

Then Jesus told them that, 2,000 years earlier, Abraham had foreseen him. Their response was incredulous:

³You aren¶t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham? ´ (John 8:57 NLT)

Then Jesus shocked them even more:

³The truth is, before Abraham was, I AM.´ (John 8:58 NLT)

Out of the blue, this maverick carpenter with no degree in religion claimed to eternal existence. Furthermore, he had used the I AM title (ego eimi)8, the sacred
Name of God for Himself! These religious experts lived and breathed the Old Testament Scriptures declaring Yahweh alone as God. They knew the Scripture
spoken through Isaiah:

³I alone am God. There is no other God; there never has been and never will be. I am the Lord, and there is no other Savior.´ Isaiah 43:10, 11 NLT)

Since the penalty for blasphemy was death by stoning, the Jewish leaders angrily picked up stones to kill Jesus. They thought Jesus was calling himself, ³God.´ At
that point Jesus could have said, ³Wait! You misunderstood me---I am not Yahweh.´ But Jesus didn¶t alter his statement, even at the risk of being killed.

Lewis explains their anger:

³He says«¶I am begotten of the One God, before Abraham was, I am,¶ and remember what the words µI am¶ were in Hebrew. They were the name of God, which
must not be spoken by any human being, the name which it was death to utter.´9

Some may argue that this was an isolated instance. But Jesus also used ³I AM´ for himself on several other occasions. Let¶s look at some of these, trying to
imagine our reactions upon hearing Jesus¶ radical claims:

á ³I am the light of the world´ (John 8:12)

á ³I am the way, the truth and the life´ (John 14:6)
á ³I am the only way to the Father´ (John 14:6)
á ³I am the resurrection and the life´ (John 11:25)
á ³I am the Good Shepherd´ (John 10:11)
á ³I am the door´ (John 10:9)
á ³I am the living bread´ (John 6:51)
á ³I am the true vine´ (John 15:1)
á ³I am the Alpha and Omega´ Rev.1:7,8)
As Lewis observes, if these claims were not from God Himself, Jesus would have been deemed a loony. But what made Jesus credible to those who heard him
were the creative miracles he performed, and his wise authoritative teaching.

 ! 

Some say that Jesus didn¶t intend the name I AM to mean he is God. They argue that Jesus¶ reference to himself as the ³Son of Man,´ proves he didn¶t claim
divinity. So what is the context of the title, ³Son of Man,´ and what does it mean?´

Packer writes that the name, ³Son of Man´ referred to Jesus¶ role as Savior-King, fulfilling the messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53.10 Isaiah 53 is the most
comprehensive prophetic passage of the coming Messiah, and clearly depicts him as the suffering Savior. Isaiah had also referred to the Messiah as ³Mighty God,´
³Everlasting Father,´ Prince of Peace´ Isaiah 9:6).

Additionally, many scholars say Jesus was referring to himself as the fulfillment of Daniel¶s prophecy about the ³son of man.´ Daniel prophesies that the ³son of
man´ will be given authority over mankind and receive worship:

³I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him.´ (Daniel 7:13, 14)

So who is this ³son of man,´ and why is he being worshipped, when God alone is to be worshipped. Jesus told his disciples that when he returns to earth,´Then
everyone will see the Son of man arrive on the clouds with power and great glory´ (Luke 21:27). Is Jesus saying here that he is the fulfillment of Daniel¶s
prophecy?

 !

Jesus also claimed to be the, ³Son of God.´ This title does not mean Jesus is God¶s biological Son. Neither does the term ³Son´ imply inferiority anymore than a
human son is inferior in essence to his father. A son shares his father¶s DNA, and although he is different, they are both men. Scholars say that the term ³Son of
God´ in the original languages refers to likeness, or ³of the same order.´ Jesus meant by it that he has divine essence, or in 21st century terms, the ³DNA of God´.
Professor Peter Kreeft explains.

³What did Jesus mean when he called himself the µSon of God¶? The son of a man is a man. (Both µson¶ and µman,¶ in the traditional language, mean males and
females equally.) The son of an ape is an ape. The son of a dog is a dog. The son of a shark is a shark. And so the Son of God is God. µSon of God¶ is a divine
title.´11

In John 17, Jesus speaks about the glory he and his Father shared before the world began. But by calling himself the ³Son of God´ is Jesus claiming equality with
God? Packer answers:

When, therefore, the Bible proclaims Jesus as the Son of God, the statement is meant as an assertion of his distinct personal deity.´12

Thus, the names Jesus used for himself point to the fact that he was claiming equality with God. But did Jesus speak and act with the authority of God?

Ò' 
 

In the Jewish religion, forgiveness of sin was reserved for God alone. Forgiveness is always personal; someone else cannot do the forgiving for the person
offended, especially if the Person offended is God. But on several occasions Jesus acted as if he was God by forgiving sinners. The simmering religious leaders
finally erupted at Jesus when he forgave the sins of a man with palsy right in front of them.

³The scribes who heard him said blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins´ (Mark 2:7)!

Lewis imagines the stunned reactions of all those who heard Jesus:

µThen comes the real shock,¶ wrote Lewis: µAmong these Jews there suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He was God. He claims to forgive sins.
He says He always existed. He says He is coming to judge the world at the end of time. Now let us get this clear. Among Pantheists, like the Indians, anyone might
say that he was a part of God, or one with God«.But this man, since He was a Jew, could not mean that kind of God. God, in their language, meant the Being
outside the world, who had made it and was infinitely different from anything else. And when you have grasped that, you will see that what this man said was, quite
simply, the most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.¶13
  (

Those who listened to Jesus, observed his moral perfection, and saw him perform miracles, wondered if he was the long-promised Messiah. Finally his opponents
surrounded him at the Temple, asking:

³How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.´

Jesus answered, ³The proof is what I do in the name of my Father.´ He compared his followers with sheep saying, ³I give them eternal life, and they will never
perish.´ He then revealed to them that ³the Father is greater than all,´ and that his deeds were ³at the Father¶s direction.´ Jesus¶ humility must have been
disarming. But then Jesus dropped a bombshell, telling them, (John 10:25-30)

³The Father and I are one.´

If Jesus had meant that he was merely in agreement with God, there would have been no strong reaction. But, the Jews again picked up stones to kill him. Jesus
then asked them, ³At my Father¶s direction I have done many things to help the people. For which one of these good deeds are you killing me?´

They replied, ³Not for any good work; but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, have made yourself God´ (John 10:33).

As Jesus was preparing his disciples for his upcoming death on the cross and departure, Thomas wanted to know where he was going and the way there. Jesus
answered Thomas:

³I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father
is. From now on you know him and have seen him.´ (John 14:5-9)

They were confused. Philip then speaks up, asking Jesus to ³show us the Father.´ Jesus¶ answers Philip with these shocking words:

³Philip, don¶t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!´

In effect Jesus was saying, ³Philip if you want to see the Father, look at me!´
In John 17 Jesus reveals that this oneness with his Father had existed in eternity past, ³before the world began.´ According to Jesus, there has never been a time
when he did not share God¶s very glory and essence.

%")

The Jews always regarded God as the ultimate authority. Authority was a well understood term in Roman-occupied Israel. At that time, Caesar¶s edict could
instantly launch legions into war, condemn or exonerate criminals, and establish laws and rules of government. In fact, Caesar¶s authority was such that he himself
claimed divinity.

Prior to leaving earth, Jesus explained the scope of his authority:

³Jesus said, µI have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth¶´
(Matthew 28:18, NLT).

In these remarkable words, Jesus is claiming to be the supreme authority, not just on earth, but in heaven also. John Piper observes,

³This is why Jesus¶ friends and enemies were staggered again and again by what he said and did. He would be walking down the road, seemingly like any other
man, then turn and say something like, µBefore Abraham was, I am.¶ Or, µIf you have seen me, you have seen the Father.¶ Or, very calmly, after being accused of
blasphemy, he would say, µThe Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.¶ To the dead he might simply say, µCome forth,¶ or, µRise up.¶ And they would
obey. To the storms on the sea he would say, µBe still.¶ And to a loaf of bread he would say, µBecome a thousand meals.¶ And it was done immediately.´14

Some might argue that since the authority came from his Father, it has nothing to do with Jesus being God. But God never gives His authority to a created being in
order that they are to be worshipped. To do so would be to violate His Command.
"  (

Nothing is more fundamental to the Hebrew Scriptures than the fact that God alone is to be worshipped. In fact, the first of the Ten Commandments is,

³Do not worship any other gods besides me´ (Exodus 20:3 NLT).

Thus, the most terrible sin a Jew could commit was to either worship another creature as God, or to receive worship. So if Jesus is not God, it would be blasphemy
to receive worship.

After Jesus¶ resurrection, the disciples told Thomas they had seen the Lord alive (John 20:24-29). Thomas scoffed, telling them he would only believe if he could
put his fingers on the nail wounds of Jesus¶ hands and into his pierced side. Eight days later the disciples were all together in a locked room when Jesus suddenly
appeared in front of them. Jesus looked at Thomas and told him to ³Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side.´

Thomas needed no more proof. He instantly believed, exclaiming to Jesus:

³My Lord and my God!´

Thomas worshipped Jesus as God! If Jesus is not God, he certainly should have reprimanded Thomas right there. But instead of reprimanding Thomas for
worshipping him as God, Jesus commended him, saying:

³You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven¶t seen me and believe anyway.´

Jesus accepted worship on nine recorded occasions. In context of Jewish belief, Jesus¶ acceptance of worship speaks volumes about his claim to divinity. But it
wasn¶t until after Jesus ascended to heaven that his disciples fully understood. Before Jesus left earth, he told his apostles to ³baptize new disciples in the name of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit´ (Matt. 28:19), putting both the Holy Spirit and himself on the same level as the Father.15

""  

While John the apostle was in exile on the Island of Patmos, Jesus revealed to him in a vision the events that will occur in the last days. In the vision, John
describes the following incredible scene:

³Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him---even those who pierced him....¶I am the Alpha and the Omega---the beginning and the
end,¶ says the Lord God. µI am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.¶´

So who is this Person who is called ³the Alpha and Omega,´ ³the Lord God,´ ³the Almighty One´? We are told that he was ³pierced.´ That makes it clear that the
Alpha and Omega is Jesus. He is the one who was pierced on the cross.

John, who was closer to Jesus than any other disciple, sees the image of the Person speaking to him. He writes:

³And standing in the middle of the lampstands was the Son of Man«.His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like
flames of fire«.And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance (Rev. 1:13, 14, 16b).

It is impossible to grasp John¶s emotions as he sees this Person shining like the sun in full strength, with eyes like flames of fire. He immediately fell as a dead
man in front of the one he saw. If this was Jesus, why didn¶t John know him? Perhaps he thought it was an angel? Let¶s listen to John¶s words.

³But he laid his right hand on me and said, µDon¶t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever¶´ (Rev.
1:17)!

The One talking to John identifies himself as, "the First and the Last," a clear reference to his eternality. And since only God is eternal, this must be God. But in the
same sentence he tells John that he is "the living one who died." Thus, we know this could not be God the Father because the Father never suffered death as a
man.

³And I saw a great white throne, and I saw the one who was sitting on it. . . . And the one sitting on the throne said . . . ¶I am the Alpha and the Omega---the
Beginning and the End.¶´ (Revelation 20:11; 21:6)
It is the Lord Jesus Christ who rules from the great white throne. Jesus had already told his disciples that he would be the final judge of men. He promised that
those who put their trust in him would be saved from the judgment of sin, but those who reject him will be judged.

Conclusion

So did Jesus claim to be God, or was he simply misunderstood. Let¶s take another look at Jesus¶ claims and ask: would Jesus have made such radical claims if he
was not God?

á Jesus used God¶s Name for himself

á Jesus called himself ³Son of Man´
á Jesus called himself ³Son of God´
á Jesus claimed to forgive sin
á Jesus claimed oneness with God
á Jesus claimed all authority
á Jesus accepted worship
á Jesus called himself the ³The Alpha and Omega´

Some might say, ³how can we believe Jesus¶ claims? What proof did he leave?´
Three days after his crucifixion, his disciples claimed they saw him alive. If their story was a hoax, it would have died out as the Romans submitted them to the
most horrendous torture known to man. But their conviction and sincerity overpowered Rome and changed our world (See "Did Jesus rise from the dead?"). Lewis
explains the reason for their conviction:

³What is beyond all space and time, what is uncreated, eternal, came into nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again.´16

This brilliant scholar had originally thought of Jesus as a myth, much like the man-made gods of Ancient Greece and Rome. But as he began to look at the
evidence for Jesus Christ, he realized that the New Testament accounts of Jesus Christ are based upon solid, historical facts. This former skeptic concludes his
investigation of the evidence for Jesus Christ with these thoughts:

³You must make your choice: Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.... But let us not come up with any patronizing
nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.´17

Lewis discovered that a personal relationship with Jesus gave his life meaning, purpose, and joy that surpassed all his dreams. He never regretted his choice and
became a leading spokesman for Jesus Christ. What about you? Have you made your choice?

 " #  ' c 

Jesus of Nazareth spent his first thirty years in relative obscurity, working as an unheralded carpenter in a small village of Judea. But in the following three years
he uttered words that astounded all who heard them, words that ultimately changed our world. He also performed feats no other person has, calming storms,
healing diseases, restoring sight, and even raising the dead.

But the greatest difference between Jesus Christ and all other religious leaders is that, according to Christians, he claimed to be God (See, ³Did Jesus Claim to be
God?´) . If this claim of his is false, the message of the gospel loses all credibility. That message is that God loved us so much that He became a man to die for our
sins, offering us eternal life with Himself. Thus, if Jesus is not God, then we have been lied to.

Some religions teach that Jesus was a created being. And books, like The Da Vinci Code, have become best-sellers by saying neither Jesus nor his apostles
taught that he is God (See ³Mona Lisa¶s Smirk´).

These attacks on the divinity of Christ raise the question of what happened nearly 2000 years ago that caused Christianity to claim that its founder, Jesus Christ, is
actually God. In ³Did Jesus Claim to be God´ we see that the evidence from the New Testament points strongly to the fact that Jesus did claim to be God. But were
the eyewitnesses, who heard Jesus¶ words and saw his miraculous deeds, convinced that he is equal in every way with his Father? Or did they think that Jesus
was merely a higher created being or a great prophet like Moses?

To sort out truth from fiction, we need to go back to the words of the apostles who were there when Jesus walked the earth, and wrote their testimonies of what
they saw and heard.
  ) *  

Jesus had picked very ordinary men to be his followers. He spent three years with them, teaching them about himself and explaining to them the deep truths of
God¶s Word. During those three years, Jesus performed numerous miracles, made audacious claims, and lived an absolutely righteous life. Later, these apostles
wrote down many of Jesus¶ words and deeds. These New Testament accounts have been called extremely reliable, far exceeding all other ancient historical
documents for authenticity (See Jesus.doc).

Scholars have noted that the New Testament reveals an objectivity that makes the apostles¶ accounts about Jesus totally believable. They honestly reported what
they saw and heard. Historian Will Durant remarks:

³These men were hardly of the type that one would have chosen to remold the world. The Gospels realistically differentiate their characters, and honestly expose
their faults.´1

When they first encountered Jesus, the apostles had no idea who he was. However, as they heard his profound words and saw him restore sight to the blind and
raise the dead, they may have recalled the prophecies indicating the Messiah would be God Himself. (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2). But as they saw him dying on the
cross, Jesus appeared defeated and powerless. Any thoughts they might have had that Jesus was God undoubtedly vanished at the cross.

However, three days after that traumatic event, the one, who had appeared impotent while hanging on the cross, miraculously appeared alive to his followers. And
he had risen bodily. They saw him, touched him, ate with him, and heard him talk of his glorified position as the supreme authority in the universe. Simon Peter,
who was one of the closest of Jesus¶ disciples, and an eyewitness, wrote:

³We saw it with our own eyes: Jesus resplendent with light from God the Father«.We couldn¶t be more sure of what we saw and heard---God¶s glory, God¶s
voice.´ (2 Peter 1: 16, 17 The Message )

But does the fact that the apostles saw God¶s glory and heard God¶s voice through Jesus mean that they regarded him as God? New Testament scholar A. H.
McNeile gives us the answer:

³«no sooner had the Life of Jesus ended in apparent failure and shame than the great body of Christians---not an individual here and there, but the mass of the
Church---passed over at once to the fixed belief that He was God.´ 2

So, did the apostles who wrote the New Testament accounts really believe that Jesus is God, or did they regard him as a created being? If they regarded Jesus as
God, did they consider him as the Creator of the universe, or something less? Those who deny Jesus¶ deity say that the apostles taught that Jesus is God¶s
supreme creation, and that the Father alone is the eternal God. So, to clarify their beliefs about Jesus, we will examine their words, asking three questions:

1. Did the apostles and early Christians worship and pray to Jesus as Lord?
2. Did the apostles teach that Jesus is the Creator written of in Genesis?
3. Did the apostles worship Jesus as Preeminent in the universe?



After Jesus ascended, the apostles stunned both Jew and Roman by proclaiming Jesus as ³Lord´.3 And the apostles did the unthinkable and worshipped Jesus,
even praying to him as if he was God. Stephen prayed, ³Lord Jesus, receive my spirit´ as he was being stoned to death. (Acts 7:59).

Other believers soon joined Stephen, who even in the face of death, ³never ceased for a single day«to teach and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus (Acts 5:42). The
apostles, most of whom were martyred, passed on their knowledge of Jesus to church fathers who carried on their message into the next generation.

Ignatius, a disciple of the Apostle John, wrote about Jesus' 2nd coming, "Look for him that is above the times, him who has not times, him who is invisible". In a
letter to Polycarp he states "Jesus is God", "God incarnate," and to the Ephesians he writes, "...God Himself appearing in the form of a man, for the renewal of
eternal life." (Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians 4:13)

Clement of Rome in 96 A. D. also taught Jesus¶ divinity, saying, ³We ought to think of Jesus Christ as of God.´ (2nd Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 1:1)

Polycarp, also a pupil of John¶s, was tried before the Roman proconsul for worshipping Jesus as Lord. While the frenzied crowd shouted for his blood, the Roman
judge demanded he proclaim Caesar as Lord. But Polycarp went to the stake, rather than renounce Jesus as his Lord, responding,
"Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"4

As the early church grew, Gnostics and other cults began teaching that Jesus was a created being, inferior to the Father. This came to a head in the fourth century
when Arius, a popular preacher from Libya, persuaded many leaders that Jesus wasn¶t fully God. Then in 325 A. D. at the Council of Nicaea, church leaders met to
resolve the issue of whether Jesus is the Creator, or merely a creation.5 These church leaders overwhelmingly affirmed the long-held Christian conviction and New
Testament teaching that Jesus is fully God.6

 

In Genesis the God of the Bible is revealed as Creator of everything from the tiny atom to the magnitude of space with its billions of galaxies. Thus, it would have
been heresy for a Jew to think an angel or any other created being was the Creator. Isaiah confirms that God (Yahweh) is the Creator:

³This is what the Lord, the Creator and Holy One of Israel says«I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out
the heavens. All the millions of stars are at my command«.I, the LORD Almighty, have spoken!´ (Isaiah 45:11a, 12, 13b)

So, did the apostles view Jesus as part of creation, or as the Creator?´

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When Jesus¶ disciples gazed at the stars on dark evenings, they most likely didn¶t even dream that the Creator of those stars might be in their very presence. Yet
after his resurrection, they saw Jesus with new eyes. And before he left earth, Jesus began to unfold mysteries to them about his identity.

Recalling his Lord¶s words, John begins his gospel by revealing who Jesus is:

³In the beginning the Word (logos) already existed. He was with God, and he was God«.He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn¶t make. Life
itself was in him and this life gives light to everyone.´ (John 1:1, 3-4)

Although scientists now believe the universe had a beginning from nothing, they can¶t tell us who was there to start it all. John reveals that before creation, ³the
Word already existed´, and was ³with God.´

So who or what is this pre-existent Word? John¶s next words clarify who he is talking about: ³the Word was God.7

As a Jew, John believed in one God. But John is talking about two entities here, God and the Word. Jehovah¶s Witnesses, who teach that Jesus was created,
erroneously translate this passage to mean the Word is a god rather than the God. But New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce writes that ³rendering the phrase as ³a
god´ is a frightful mistranslation because the omission of the indefinite article is common with nouns in the predicative construction.´8

Therefore, John, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, tells us:

1. the ³Word´ existed before creation

2. the ³Word´ is the Creator who created everything
3. the ³Word´ is God

Thus far, John has told us that the Word is eternal,

Created everything, and is God. But he doesn¶t tell us whether the Word is a force or a person until verse 14.

³So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us.´ He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only
Son of the Father´ (John 1:14).

John clearly refers here to Jesus. Furthermore, in his epistle he confirms it:

³The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is Jesus
Christ, the Word of life´ (1 John 1:1).
John tells us that ³nothing exists that he didn¶t make.´ If nothing existed apart from him, it follows that Jesus couldn¶t have been a created being. And according to
John, the Word (Jesus) is God.

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Unlike John, the apostle Paul, (formerly Saul) was a bitter opponent and persecutor of Christians, until Jesus revealed himself to him in a vision. Years later, Paul
reveals to the Colossians what he had learned of Jesus¶ identity:

³He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of creation. For by Him all things were created«all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is
before all things, and in Him all things hold together´
(Col. 1:15-17 NASB).

Paul reveals several important things in this passage:

1. Jesus is the exact image of God

2. Jesus is the ³first-born´ of creation
3. Jesus created everything
4. Jesus is the reason for creation
5. Jesus existed before everything
6. Jesus holds creation together

What does ³exact image of God´ mean? Bruce remarks: "To call Christ the image of God is to say that in Him the being and nature of God have been perfectly
manifested--that in Him the invisible has become visible."9 Thus, God being visible in Christ coincides with Jesus¶ own words to Philip, ³Anyone who has seen me
has seen the Father´ (John 14:9).

In verse 15, the Greek word for ³first-born´ (prototokos) means µ³supreme¶ rather than in the temporal sense of µborn after.´10 According to Bruce, Paul is referring
to ³Christ's pre-existence and cosmic activity in creation, and ³denotes not only Jesus¶ priority but also his primacy."11 What makes this clear is verse 16 which tells
us that everything in the universe was created both through Jesus Christ, and also for him.

In verse 17 we see the eternal Christ sustaining creation. According to Paul, every atom, each DNA strand, and all the billions of galaxies are held together by the
power of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus is the one from whom everything originated, the one for whom it was created, and the one that holds it all together.

+ # *%  )

The New Testament book of Hebrews12 also reveals Jesus as the Creator of everything. Its opening passage reflects Paul¶s words to the Colossians:

³Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God
promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it. The Son reflects God¶s own glory, and
everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command´ (Heb. 1:1-3a)

Just as John and Paul reveal, the author of Hebrews tells us that prior to Jesus becoming a man, God created the universe through him. And Hebrews also
reveals Jesus Christ as the one who sustains it.

Verse 3 speaks of Jesus as the ³perfect imprint and very image of God¶s nature.´13 The Greek word here means that ³the Son is the effulgence, the out-raying of
the glory of God¶s glory.´14 This statement, that Jesus is the ³perfect imprint´ of the infinite God, confirms that the apostles believed Jesus is fully God.

The author of Hebrews then goes on to tell us that Jesus is not only superior to the prophets, but he also is far above the angels.

³This shows that God¶s Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is far greater than their names´ (Heb. 1:4).

John Piper explains why Jesus is vastly superior to angels:

³No angel in heaven ever received such honor and affection as the Son has received from all eternity from his Father. As great and wonderful as angels are, they
do not rival the Son«..The Son of God is not an angel--- not even the highest archangel. Rather God says, µLet God¶s angels worship him!´ (Hebrews 1:6). The
Son of God is worthy of all the worship that the hosts of heaven can give---not to mention ours.´15
The author of Hebrews then discloses the deity of Jesus:

³But as to the Son, He [the Father] says to Him, µYour throne, O God, is forever and ever«.´ (Heb. 1:8 Ampl.)

Later in Hebrews, we learn that Jesus Christ ³is the same yesterday, today, and forever,´ a clear statement of his eternal Deity (Heb. 13:8). A created being is not
the same today as yesterday because there would have been a time when he didn¶t exist. It would be difficult to construe these passages in Hebrews to mean
anything other than the fact that Jesus is the God spoken of in the Old Testament, who along with His Father and the Holy Spirit, created the universe.

The apostles must have been appalled to learn that the one they had seen bleed and hang suspended on a Roman cross is the very One who created the tree it
was made from as well as the men who nailed him to it.

   

The early Christians were accused by the Romans of stealing glory from Caesar, and by the Jews of robbing glory from God (Yahweh). Christianity is criticized by
some as being ³too Jesus focused.´ But is that what the apostles thought? Let¶s hear again from Paul as he writes to the Colossians about Jesus.

³He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell´ (Col. 1:19
ESV).

Paul writes that God is pleased to have Jesus as the preeminent person in the universe. But the Old Testament clearly teaches that God will never relinquish his
preeminence to a created being (Deut. 6:4, 5; Ps. 83:18; Prov. 16:4; Is. 42:11). Isaiah speaks clearly of God¶s (Yahweh¶s) preeminence.

³Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name, and I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bow
to me, and every tongue will confess allegiance to my name.´ (Isaiah 45:22, 23 NLT)

But how can both Jesus and Yahweh be preeminent? There may be a clue in Genesis, where the Hebrew word used for God the Creator is plural (Elohim). And,
when Isaiah states that God alone created everything, the Hebrew word for God (Yahweh) is also plural. Dr. Norman Geisler concludes, ³Biblically speaking, there
is more than enough evidence to conclude that the fundamental nature of God is portrayed by the Scriptures as a plural oneness.´16

Paul attributes to Jesus the same words of honor Isaiah attributes to Yahweh:

³Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human
form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal¶s death on a cross.

Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will
bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.´ (Philippians 2:6-11 NLT)

This passage reveals that before Jesus became a man, he had the full rights of the Godhead. Paul also tells us, ³that every knee will bow and every tongue will
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.´

Over seven hundred years before Christ, God tells us through Isaiah that He alone is God, Lord, and Savior:

³Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior´ (Isaiah 43:10,11).

We are also told in the Old Testament that Yahweh alone created the universe. That ³every knee shall bow to Him.´ That He is ³the Lord, the King of Israel.´ ³The
Redeemer.´ ³The First and the Last.´ Daniel calls Him ³Ancient of Days.´ Zechariah speaks of God as ³the King, the Lord of Hosts who will judge the earth.´

But in the New Testament we hear John call Jesus ³Savior,´ ³The Alpha and Omega,´ ³The First and the Last,´ ³The King of Kings´ and Lord of Lords.´ Paul tells us
³every knee will bow to Jesus.´ It is Jesus alone who the apostles tell us will judge our eternal destiny. Jesus is the preeminent Lord of the universe.

Packer argues that Christianity makes sense only if Jesus is fully God:

³If Jesus had been no more than a very remarkable, godly man, the difficulties in believing what the New Testament tells us about his life and work would be truly
mountainous.
³But if Jesus was the same person as the eternal Word, the Father¶s agent in creation, µthrough whom also he made the worlds¶ (Heb. 1:2 RV), it is no wonder if
fresh acts of creative power marked his coming into this world, and his life in it, and his exit from it. It is not strange that he, the Author of life, should rise from the
dead«.The Incarnation is in itself an unfathomable mystery, but it makes sense of everything else that the New Testament contains.´17

  

If Jesus is Yahweh, then the Christian message is that God Himself came to earth, allowed men to spit on Him, mock him, and nail Him to a cross as a supreme
sacrifice for our sin. God¶s perfect justice could only be satisfied by God Himself as the payment for our sin and unrighteousness. No angel or created proxy would
suffice. Such an act of condescension demonstrates the immensity of the Father¶s love as well as the high value He places upon each of us (See ³Why Jesus?´) .
And this is exactly what the apostles taught and so fervently preached.

In his parting words to the Ephesian elders, Paul encouraged them to ³shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28 NASB).
Paul is echoing Zechariah¶s prophecy where God (Yahweh) says,

³In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem«.and they will look on Me whom they have pierced and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for
an only son (Zech 12:8a, 10b).

Zechariah reveals that the one pierced on the cross was none other than God, Himself. Thus, we see that Jesus Christ brings Old and New Testaments together
like separate instruments harmonize to create a beautiful symphony. For, unless Jesus is God, Christianity loses its central theme. But if Jesus is God, all other
major Christian doctrines fit together like pieces of a puzzle.´ Kreeft and Tacelli explain:18

á ³If Christ is divine, then the incarnation, or µenfleshing¶ of God, is the most important event in history. It is the hinge of history. It changes everything.´
á ³If Christ is God, then when he died on the cross, heaven¶s gate, closed by sin, opened up to us for the first time since Eden. No event in history could
be more important to every person on earth than that.´
á ³If Christ is God, then, since he is omnipotent and present right now, he can transform you and your life right now as nothing and no one else possibly
can.´
á ³If Christ is divine, he has a right to our entire lives, including our inner life and our thoughts.´

The apostles made Jesus Lord of their lives, wrote of him as the Creator, and worshipped him as preeminent. These first hand eyewitnesses were absolutely
convinced that God had visited planet earth in the Person of Jesus Christ, who will return as King of kings and Lord of lords, as well as our eternal Judge. In his
letter to Titus, Paul reveals Jesus¶ identity, and God¶s purpose for our lives:

³For the grace of God has been revealed bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in
this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event !

 

 
19

 will be revealed. (Titus 2:11-13 NLT).