Thursday, 25 September 2014

THE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST
Introduction
The revelation by Christ of His divinity was progressive. It was unveiled by allusions which became more and more explicit, like an obvious fact which emerged from His person. The manifestation of Jesus’ divinity carries with it the traits of His personality, simplicity and uprightness. This chapter deals the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.    

3.1  Prophecies about Christ

Taken in the light of the entire canon, the historical fact of the resurrection, and with a view to Jewish hermeneutics, there are many prophecies about Christ in the Old Testament.[1] Some of the familiar ones include: his birth (Gen.3:15; Gal. 4:4); his lineage (Gen.49:10; Lk.3:33); his place of birth (Mic.5:2; Lk.2:4-7); his Galilean ministry of compassion and judgment (Isa.9:1-2; Mt.4:14-16); that he was the prophet to come (Deut. 18:15, 18-19; Acts 3:20, 22); that he would function as a priest (Ps.110:4; Heb.5:5-6); his betrayal (Ps.41:9; Lk.22:47-48); his being sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zech.11:11-12; Mt. 26:15; 27:1-10); his violent death (Zech.12:10; Jn.20:27); his resurrection (Ps.16:10; Lk.24:7; Acts 2:25-28); his exaltation to God’s right hand (Ps.110:1; Acts2:33-34), his eternal reign in fulfillment of Davidic promise (2 Sam.7:12-16; Ps.110:1; Isa.55:3; Acts 2:33-34; 13:22-23, 32-34).[2]
3.2 His Divine Birth
The most fundamental doctrine of true Christianity is the divine birth of the child Jesus. It is a doctrine not comprehended by the world. The paternity of Jesus Christ is one of the mysteries of godliness.[3] The Apostle Matthew recorded, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost” (Mt.1:18).[4] Luke renders a more plain meaning to the divine conception. He quotes the angel Gabriel saying to Mary: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing [being] which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Lk1:35).[5]
3.3  His Great Atoning Sacrifice
In spite of that excruciating ordeal, He took the cup and drank! He suffered as only God could suffer and He bearded our grieves, carrying our sorrows, being wounded for our transgressions, voluntarily submitting Himself to the iniquity of us all, just as Isaiah prophesied (Isa.53:4–6).  In Gethsemane where His pain was equivalent to the cumulative burden of all men, in Gethsemane where He descended below all things so that all could repent and come to Him.

3.4  The Resurrection of Christ

All four gospels record the story of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (Mt.28; Mk.16; Lk.24; Jn.20). He appeared to Mary Magdalene (Jn.20:11-18), to another Mary (Mt.28:1-2), to Cephas (1Cor.15:5), to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk.24:13-35), to James (1Cor.15:7), to ten disciples (Lk.24:36-43), to Thomas and the other ten disciples (Jn. 20:26-29), to seven disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (Jn.21:1-14), to more than 500 people (1Cor.15:6), to the eleven at his ascension (Mt.28:16-20; Acts1:1-11), and finally to Paul (1Cor.15:8). He appeared to the disciples over a course of about 40 days (Acts1:3).[6] Virtually every scholar agrees that “something happened,” and most would agree that the resurrection is the watershed issue in a biblically defined Christianity.[7] In any case, the empty tomb, the eyewitness testimony, the transformed lives of antagonists such as James and Paul, the existence of the church, the inability of the Jewish leaders to disprove the resurrection and the claims of the apostles, the early date and solid character of the claim to resurrection (1Cor.15:3-4), as well as the solid character of surrounding evidence such as Jesus’ existence, ministry, death by crucifixion, and burial”[8]. The explanation which possesses the greatest explanatory power, is the most plausible, and stands the greatest chance of not being finally overturned, is that Jesus of Nazareth was actually raised from the dead and appeared to many people.[9]
3.5 The Offices of Christ
3.5.1 The Prophet
In Deut.18:18, Moses predicted that God would send another prophet like him to the people of Israel. Both John and Peter understood Jesus to be that one (Jn. 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:22-24; Mt.13:57, Jn.4:44).[10] The title of “prophet,” however, is not found in the epistles. Nonetheless, it is clear that Christ functioned as the consummate prophet one who both gave revelation from God and was himself the quintessential revelation from God (John 1:18). In this way he is unlike other prophets a fact which may account for the conspicuous absence of this title from the epistles.[11]
3.5.2 The priest
While the prophet was God’s representative to the people, the priest was the peoples’ representative before God. But in contrast to priests in the Levitical order, Jesus did not offer any animal sacrifice for our sin; he offered himself, an unblemished lamb of eternal worth. As a priest he has entered the holy of holies, not the copy on earth in the temple, but the heavenly place and is able to lead us, therefore, into the presence of God a distinctly priestly function. He does not just enter the holy of holies once a year, but indeed he lives there forever now. Finally,  The Divine Nature of Jesus Christ During Mortality both Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25 teach us that his priestly role continues even now as he “ever lives to make intercession” for us in our weakness.[12]
3.5.3        The KingJesus
Christ fulfilled the office of King. But in contrast to the greatest of Israelite kings, i.e., David, Christ rules over the entire world, indeed the universe, including the church (Eph 1:20-23). He is the consummate king who rules wisely, attentively and with final authority and justice (Ps 2:8-9).[13] In short, he rules as the God-man over the entire cosmos and when he returns he will deal definitively with all hindrances and obstacles to his deserved reign. At that time he will be called “the King of Kings” (Rev 19:16).[14]
3.6 Eternally Existent
The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with His Father. Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God. In speaking of his pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when he was not in close fellowship with the eternal God.Christ shows then that, although they might reckon His life to be less than fifty years, yet His divine life could not be reckoned by human computation.”[15] What are the best arguments for the divinity of Jesus Christ?[16]
Thus He was "Christ’s exalted pre-existence" that rendered the incarnation a humiliation and qualified Christ to atone for human sin.[17] There are several texts in the NT that speak in one way or another to the preexistence of Christ. John says the “word” became flesh which implies that he had existed previous to his incarnation (Jn.1:1, 14). Jesus himself suggests his preexistence in a number of texts. He said he had glory with the father before the world was (Jn.17:5) and that he had come from the father (Jn.5:43; 6:38). These imply preexistence.[18]
We are told in John 1:1 that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." In Jn.8:58 Jesus Himself said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Note that the Lord Jesus did not merely say that "before Abraham was I was," but that "before Abraham was, I AM," thus declaring Himself to be the eternal "I AM." Even in the Old Testament we have a declaration of the eternity of the Christ who was to be born in Bethlehem.”[19]
3.7 Jesus is the Creator of all Things
 In another study we will consider in more detail regarding Jesus' role in creation. But consider briefly these passages, all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. John 1:3.In Jesus were all things made, whether in heaven or on earth. Surely He did not make Himself; hence, He is not created. Colossians 1:16.Every created thing gave praise to the Father and the Lamb.[20] Jesus is classed with the Father, not with the created things (Rev.  5:13).Created things should not be worshipped, but we will see that Jesus accepted worship. Hence, He is not a created thing, but is the Eternal Creator (Rom. 1:25). He is the eternal Creator. Eternal existence is only God can possess, and He surely cannot lose it. Yet Jesus possesses this characteristic.[21]
3.8 Omnipotent
Jesus possesses all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18). Jesus is able to subdue all things to Him (Phil. 3:20, 21). All things were created through Jesus and for Him. This is exactly the point we studied already regarding Deity. Jesus made everything, so all exists for His purposes and pleasure (Col.1:16). Jesus is "King of kings and Lord of lords." He has authority above that of all the created things (Rev.17:14; 19:16). Jesus is "above all" and "over all" (Jn.3:31; Rom.9:5) Jesus is "Lord of all (Acts10:36; Rom. 10:12).[22]
Jesus has the name which is above every name (Phil.2:9-11; Eph.1:21).   His "name" includes His authority. Hence, every knee in heaven and on earth must bow to Him and every tongue confesses that He is Lord. Deity, as shown by the passages above, involves ownership, rulership, and unlimited power over the created things. Jesus possesses this in the same sense that the Father does.[23]

3.9 Omniscient

Col.2:2, 3 Says that In Him is all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. Jn.16:30; 21:17 teach Jesus' disciples claimed that He knew all things. He never contradicted this claim nor rebuked them for it. Jn.2:24, 25 - Jesus had the ability to know what was in the hearts of all men without being told.[24] Note that this was expressly stated to be a unique power of Deity, yet Jesus possessed this power and He exercised even while on earth. (Mk.2:8; Mt. 9:4; 12:25; Lk,5:22; 6:8; 9:47; 11:17).[25] Revelation 2:23 says that Jesus searches the minds and hearts in order to reward men for their works. Again, this unlimited knowledge rests on the Divine power to do whatever God wills. God knows because He chooses to know. But we learned previously that God's power is exercised or not exercised according to His will. He knows things only when it suits His purpose to exercise His power to know them (Gen 11:5; 18:20, 21). It follows that He may at times choose not to exercise this power to know certain future things, just as He may choose not to exercise His power to do certain things.[26]
In this way, while He was on earth accomplishing His purposes as a servant, Jesus did not always exercise this unlimited power to know all things. Mark 13:32 lists one thing in particular that He did not know. We conclude, based on the above passages that it did not serve His purposes on earth to exercise His power to know this matter. Yet Jesus possesses the Divine power to know all things that He chooses to know, just as He possesses Divine power to do all things that He chooses to do.[27]
 3.10 Omnipresent
Matt, 18:20, Indicate that Jesus is present in the midst wherever two or three are gathered together in His name in matt, 28:20, He promised the apostles He would be with them always, even to the end of the age. We have already seen that Jesus has all power and can know all things, including what is in the hearts of all men. This is the fundamental concept of being present everywhere.[28]While on the earth, Jesus limited His power by taking on a physical body, being physically present where that body was. Nevertheless, He possessed the power to be everywhere at once, a unique characteristic of God, in that He is able to see, know, and act upon events no matter where they are.[29]
3.11 Immutable
Heb. 1:12; Express that the earth and heavens will change (be destroyed), but you are the same. This is addressed to Jesus (v8). “Heb.13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hence, Jesus also possesses this unique characteristic of Deity.”[30] He is not like men who change but like the Father who does not change. Again that since Jesus possesses this particular characteristic, it follows that Jesus always has and always will possess all the other characteristics of Deity. If He ever is (or was) Deity, and if He does not change, then He always is (and was) Deity.[31] If He ever possessed the characteristics of Deity, then He always possesses those characteristics.Inrder to accomplish His purposes, God may voluntarily choose at times not to exercise or use certain abilities. Jesus did this while on earth in order to fulfill His role as a human servant (Philippians 2:6-8). But He cannot lose or surrender the characteristics, else He would cease to be God and that is impossible.[32]
3.12 Jesus Christ is the Lord
In the Greek translation of the books of the Old Testament, the ineffable name under which God revealed Himself to Moses (Ex 3:14), was translated as “Lord.” “Lord” thus became the most common name for designating the very divinity of the God of Israel. The New Testament utilizes this strong meaning of the title of “Lord” not only for the Father, but also and this is what is new for Jesus, thus acknowledged to be God Himself  We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages, for our glorification.[33] Jesus indeed attributed this title to Himself in a veiled way in a discussion with the Pharisees, while the Pharisees were gathered together; Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, till I put your enemies under your feet”? If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word (Mt 22:41-46).[34] Indeed the only possible answer to the dilemma is that David, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, recognized himself to be inferior to the Messiah, his future descendant as a man, but his Creator as God. Jesus explicitly gave Himself the title of “Lord” at the Last Supper: You call me Master and Lord; and you are right, for so I am (Jn 13:13). [35]
3.13 Jesus Christ is the Son of God
In the Old Testament, the title of “Sons of God” is sometimes given to the angels, to the chosen people, and to the children of Israel and their kings. It thus signifies an adoptive son ship which established between God and His creatures a particularly intimate relationship. But its meaning is quite different in the assertion of the Gospels according to which Jesus Christ is “the Son of God.” Occasionally, Jesus simply gave Himself the title of Son, with reference to the Father, who is obviously God.  Christ asked the Apostles one day: “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Mt.16:15-17).[36] Would Jesus have acted that way if the expression “Son of God” was to be understood according to the common meaning of the term certainly not, for in that case Peter’s answer would have been commonplace In addition, if Saint Peter was able to realize the transcendent character of the divine filiations of Jesus, it was because Jesus had clearly allowed it to be so understood.[37] All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him (Mt 11:27).  The Son is at a higher level than the angels themselves. Even more, Jesus clearly called Himself the “only Son” of God. While He was speaking to Nicodemus one day, He put it this way: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son… He who believes in him is not judged; he who does not believe, is already judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God (Jn. 3:16-18).[38]
3.14 Jesus Christ is Equal to God the Father
The first and last words that we know of Our Lord Jesus Christ are statements of His completely unique relationship with God the Father. When He saw the Virgin Mary, His Mother, and Saint Joseph, His adoptive father, who had been vainly searching for Him in anguish for three days, He said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house (Lk.2:49).[39] Before dying on the cross, He cried out: Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit (Lk.23:46).  When He cast the merchants out of the Temple, He said: You shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade (Jn.2:16). At the last Supper, wishing to console His disciples, He said: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate (Jn.14: 16).[40] “Christ attributed to Himself the same nature as that of His Father. I and the Father are one (Jn.10:30). Jesus thereby wished to show His completely unique relationship with God which is a relation of equality in the same nature. Jesus said: The Father has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father (Jn.5:22-23).”[41]
Conclusion
The above discussion reveals that Jesus Christ is not merely a man, but He is divine in nature. His divinity is proved by the scripture. His total personality clearly expresses His divinity.  A clear assertion of His divinity by Jesus at the beginning of His public life would have been totally incomprehensible. It was above all at the end of His public life and at the moment of His Passion, that He would unveil the mystery of His divine nature. Jesus possesses all the unique characteristics of God. But since the only Deity possesses these characteristics, and since Jesus possesses them, it follows that Jesus must possess Deity. This confirms what we have learned in other studies of the passages that call Jesus God or other names for God. Jesus possesses true Deity, even as does the Father and the Holy Spirit. These three together constitute the Godhead, the one true and living God.



[1] John f. Walvoord,  JesusChrisourLord (Chicago: Moody Press, 1969), 23.
[2] Frank M. Doyd, Christ, (Missouri: Gospel Publiction House, 1963), 6.
[3] Stanly M.Horton, Systematic Theology (Missouri: Logion Press, 19950), 313.
[4] Horton, Systematic Theology, 314.
[5] “An Introduction to Christian Belief,” https://bible.org/seriespage/christology-jesus-christ (Accessed on 7/2/2014).
[6] Robert L. Reymand, Jesus Divine Messiah (Scotland: Mentor Imprint, 2003), 358.
[7] J.DwightPentecost, The words and works of Jesus Christ (Michigan: Zondravan Publishing House, 1981), 496.
[8] Peter Kreeft, Ronald Tacelli, Hand Book of Christian Apologetics (England: Monarch, 1995), 176.
[9] George Eldon Ladd, Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus (Michigan: William B Eerdmans Publication, 1975), 70-71.
[10] Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (USA: Moody Press, 1989), 238.
[12] Pearlman, Knowing the Doctrine of the Bible, 169.
[13] George P. Pordington, Outline Studies in Christian Doctrine (Pennsylvania: Christian Publication, 1915), 221.
[14] “What are the best arguments for the divinity of Jesus Christ?” http://www.compellingtruth.org/arguments-divinity-Jesus.html#ixzz2trGvFJFs (Accessed on 7/2/2014).
[15] Pordington, Outline Studies in Christian Doctrine, 221.
[16] Donald G. Bloesch, Essential of Evangelical Theology volume-1 (London: Harper& Row publisher, 1978), 127.
[17] J.M Pendleton, Christian Doctrine (Vallyforge: Judson Prees, 1906), 72.
[18] Emmanuel Singh, Jesus and the sad guru and His discipleship (Delhi: ISPCK, 2010), 32.
[19] Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (USA: Moody Press, 1989), 215.
[20] Andrew Murry, The Holiest of all (Kensington: Whitaker House, 1996), 60-61.
[21] Donald T. Rowlingson, Jesus the Religious Ultimate (New York: The MacMillan Company, 1961), 50.
[22] Gordon Lindsay, The Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ (Texas: Christ For the Nation, 1985), 112.
[23] Pendleton, Christian Doctrine,83.
[24] Singh, Jesus and the sad Guru and His Discipleship, 21.
[25] Pendleton, Christian Doctrine, 84.
[26]Walvoord, Jesus Christ our Lord, Chicago: Moody Press,1969) 29.
[27]Walvoord,  Jesus Christ our Lord, 30.
[28]“Doctrine of deity” http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/doctrine/deity02.htm (6/2/2014).
[29]Walvoord, Jesus Christ our Lord, 28.
[30]Walvoord, Jesus Christ our Lord, 30.
[31] Evans, The Great Doctrine of the Bible, 62.
[32] Evans, The Great Doctrine of the Bible, 63.
[33]Joseph De Clairval Abbey, “I Believe In Jesus Christ the Son Of God” http://www.clairval.com/lettres/en/textes/JecroisenJC_en.htm (Accessed on 18/2/2014).
[34]Josh McDowell, the New Evidence (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 162.
[35] Emrey H. Baricroft,( Michigan: Kregel Publication, [n. y.]), 141.
[36] Joseph de Clairval Abbey, “I Believe In Jesus Christ the Son Of God” http://www.clairval.com/lettres/en/textes/JecroisenJC_en.htm (Accessed on 18/2/2014).
[37] P.C. Nelson, Bible Doctrine (Missouri: Radiant Books, 1981), 17.
[38] McDowell, The New Evidence, 152.
[39] McDowell, The New Evidence, 141.
[40] Sonthosh Sebastian, Jesus Christ, quest and context (Delhi: ISPCK, 2011), 134.
[41] Lee Stroble, The Case For Christ (Michigan: Zondravan Publishing House, 2000), 186.
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