WHO IS JESUS?

WHO IS JESUS?

In looking at this question, Who Is Jesus?”my mind goes back to Jesus asking His disciples the

same thing but worded differently.  In Mark 8:27 “Jesus and His disciples went to the villages

around Caesarea Philippi.  On the way He asked them, “Who do people say I am?”  He got

different answers as seen in Mark 8:28 – They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say

Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”  Jesus then asked them “who do you say I am”. 

Peter answers correctly, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29).  With that answer Jesus told them

not to tell anyone about Him, (Mark 8:30).

Through Scripture I will show you who Jesus is.  Jesus is Lord and I confess that not only with my

mouth but in my heart.  The Holy Spirit enables me to confess and recognize God as my

heavenly Father (Galatians 4:6) – Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into

your hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  Jesus’ deity as Christ affirms His essential

oneness with the Father, (John 1:1) -  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with

God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.

Jesus as God’s Son

You can see Jesus’ eternal Sonship prior to the creation found in Hebrew 1:2.  Jesus existed

before all things, found in Colossians 1:17.  You have Jesus’ pre-existence before Abraham

found in John 8:58.

Jesus is God’s begotten Son which by the Greek word for begotten (monogenes) means

“unique” or “one of a kind”.  With that being said, Jesus uniquely has the same nature as the

Father – a divine nature.

Jesus known as the Son of Man

In Matthew 20:18 and 24:30 you will see that it states Jesus as the Son of man.  These two

verses show Jesus’ humanity but it doesn’t deny His deity.  He didn’t cease to be God because

He became man.  In Matthew 16:16-17; John 8:58; 10:30 you will see His deity.  In Philippians

2:6-8 you will see His incarnate/human nature.  Jesus had two natures conjoined in one person.

The Deity of Jesus

Jesus’ identity as Yahweh (God Almighty) is seen in the Old and New Testament.  In Isaiah 43:11

it states that only God saves.  This verse is important for two reasons:  being a Savior means

deity and only one Savior is God.  Jesus’ divine nature as Savior is found in Titus 2:13-14.  You

also have in Isaiah 44:24 God stating He is Yahweh and that He made all things by stretching

out the heavens by Himself.  The fact that Yahweh spread out the earth all alone and Jesus is

the Creator of all things found in John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1;2 shows that Jesus is in

fact God Almighty.

Jesus’ deity is seen by the divine names given to Him in the Bible.  Yahweh from the Old

Testament and Kurios which means Lord and carries the idea of sovereignty in the New

The Deity of Jesus (continued)

Testament is used.

Jesus was worshipped by many people in the New Testament such as “Thomas (John 20:28),

the angels (Hebrews 1:6), some wise men (Matthew 2:11), a leper (Matthew 8:2), a ruler

(Matthew 9:18), a blind man (John 9:38), an anonymous woman (Matthew 15:25)” etc.

Jesus’ Miracles

Jesus’ miracles were signs from God to show that He was the Messiah found in Isaiah 29:18-21;

35:5-6; 61:1-2.  Jesus’ miracles were like a divine ID card proving who He was.  We still have

miracles today but we read God’s Word and believe in what Jesus did.

Jesus’ Prophethood

Jesus was a prophet found in Matthew 13:53-57 and what He taught was always ultimate and

final.  He was always strong is what He taught.  There was never a weak moment.  Jesus’

teachings were above Moses and all the other prophets.

When Jesus spoke He spoke in His own authority.  You will never read Jesus saying in the Bible,

“Thus said the Lord” because He is the Lord, the one with the authority and power.  He never

took back what He said.  He never second guest for He Knew all.  When Jesus spoke He said,

“Verily, verily, I say unto you” again with power and authority.   If you look at Mark 13:31 Jesus

stated, “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”.  Saying this

showed that His authority came from heaven.  Jesus’ message/teachings came with supreme

authority and showed that they were the very words of God found in John 3:34.

Jesus wasn’t sent here to be a prophet only to Israel but for the whole world found in the great

Jesus’ Prophethood (continued)

commission, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and

make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-19).  Jesus also states that He didn’t come to

abolish the law but to fulfill them found in Matthew 5:17-18.

Jesus Died on the Cross

·         If you look in the Old Testament you will see some of the predictions about Jesus’ death:  (Psalm 22:16; Isaiah 53:5-10; Daniel 9:26; Zechariah 12:10)

·         The Bible shows predictions that Jesus would be raised from the dead:  (Psalm 16:10; Matthew 12:40; 17:22-23; John 2:19-21)

·         Jesus died for mankind:  (Matthew 12:40; Mark 8:31; John 2:19-21; 10:10-11)

·         Jesus’ mother and disciple John saw His crucifixion:  (John 19:16-17)

·         The wounds Jesus received no one could survive:  (John 19:34)

·         Right before death Jesus gave up His spirit to His Father:  (Luke 23:46-49)

·         Pilate even checked just to make sure Jesus was dead:  (Mark 15:44-45)

Jesus would not have died if God didn’t allow it but He did (Romans 8:3-4); 1 Peter 1:18-20). 

Jesus submitted/obeyed God all the way to the cross (Hebrews 5:7-9).

Jesus raised from the dead and ascends up to heaven

Jesus proved He rose by first appearing to Mary Magdalene (John 20:1).  He appeared to His

disciples which changed their lives forever.  They now had courage and they weren’t afraid

anymore and their faith got stronger knowing that Jesus did rise from the dead.  He beat death

and this gave them hope for the future to spend eternity with Him.

Jesus prepared His disciples for His death and resurrection but He let them know He wasn’t

Jesus raised from the dead and ascends up to heaven (continued)

going to leave them alone.  He told them He was going to send a Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the

Spirit of Truth who would live with them and be in them and He did (John 14:15-26).

In closing, Who Is Jesus? The Son of God, the Son of man, deity, performed miracles, a Prophet

for all, died on the cross, rose again, preparing a place for us, JESUS is everything to me and

enough can not be said of who He truly is.

REFERENCES

IS THE FATHER OF JESUS THE GOD OF MUHAMMAD? By:  Timothy George, Copyright 2002 by Timothy George, Published by ZONDERVAN

THE 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ISLAM By:  Ron Rhodes, Copyright 2007 by Ron Rhodes, Published by Harvest House Publishers

SO WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCES? By:  Fritz Ridenour, Copyright 1967, 1979, 2001 by Fritz Ridenour, Published by Regal Books

THE HOLY BIBLE