(Editor's Note: We are pleased to have Mr. John Krug, who is one of our adult Bible teachers, join our writing staff as a contributing author for this website.)
With the release of the film, The DaVinci Code, the Christian community is once again reminded that the world does not recognize Jesus Christ for who He really is. Many like the author of The DaVinci Code try to imagine Jesus as just another human being subject to our typical human frailties. World religions for the most part might recognize Jesus as a prophet and teacher, but do not entertain the concept that Jesus might be God Himself.
What do we as Bible believing Christians recognize about Jesus? Was He human? Was He possibly a man into which God came at some time? Or was He truly God who came to earth as the God-Man?
First, was He human? Most world religions and cults have little argument with Christ's humanity. Secular and Biblical history also confirms this fact. John 1;14 states that "the Word became flesh…" Philippians 2:7 states that He was ".. being made in the likeness of men."
Second, was Jesus possibly a man into which God came at some time? This idea has been proposed as happening at the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist or on some other occasion, but has little support, especially when examining the scriptural support noted later that Jesus was God from eternity past.
Third, was Jesus truly God who came to earth as the God-Man? The term used in Christianity to describe Jesus as the God-Man is deity. As a young boy I attended a Bible conference for a week where the very learned speaker discussed the Deity of Jesus Christ. My problem was that I didn't have a clue what the word "deity" meant. I found out later and have been reminded many times since that "deity" simply means "God". Don't be misled by some of the cults that show up on your doorstep and claim that Jesus was "a god". Some would also have you believe that Jesus was not eternally God, but a being that was created by Jehovah God before the world was created. Others might have you believe that Jesus was a god and we too are gods, putting us on the same level as Jesus. It follows then that these people also deny the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit all being the same God in three persons.
What then does scripture state about the Deity of Jesus Christ? Many arguments from the Bible could be made, but just a few will be cited below:
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There are Old Testament statements using the name of God in the plural - Elohim. Also the pronouns for God used in the plural indicating the work of the Trinity in the creation. Gen. 1:26 "Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
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There is the passage from the prophet Isaiah where Lord (Jehovah) is mentioned as King with another Lord (Jehovah) as Redeemer. Is. 44:6 "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me'". Here we see God the Father as king with the coming Messiah, Jesus as the Redeemer. Note also in this verse that when the Redeemer states being the first and the last, it is looking forward to a claim by Jesus which occurs no less than three times in the book of Revelation. When one relates these passages with the Isaiah 44 passage, it is difficult to discount Jesus right to Deity. Rev. 1:17 "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, 'Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,'" Rev. 2:8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:" Rev. 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
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Statements in the epistles strongly support the Deity of Jesus Christ. Only one by the Apostle Paul is cited here which to me is one of the most powerful attestations to His Deity. Col. 2:9 "For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form." The cults that have shown up on my doorstep have never had an adequate answer to this claim.
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Others that have been with Jesus give testimony to the fact that He was God. A notable example is the disciple Thomas confronted by Jesus after the resurrection. John 20:27 "Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.' 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!'"
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Although skeptics have tried, the historical account of the life of Jesus with His signs and miracles, especially His resurrection continues to be recognized as a true happening. What Jesus accomplished and displayed could only add support to His Deity. John 20:30 "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
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Finally, the testimony of Jesus Himself to His Deity can be traced a number of places through the Gospels. One instance where He was dialoging with the Jewish rulers will be discussed. In John 8 no less that four times Jesus made the statement "I am". The final verse in the passage where this statement is made is John 8:58 "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'" What was Jesus saying with this term? He was claiming to be Jehovah or in Old Testament terms, YHWH. These are the same words used by God in confronting Moses in the burning bush. Ex. 3:14 "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.'" The Jewish rulers certainly knew that Jesus was claiming to be Deity. They immediately wanted to stone Him. The Greek words for the term "I am" is ego eimi which really states: "I am, I am" and is in the present tense. This is important because Jesus is claiming His eternal existence as God. It is of interest that one of the previously mentioned doorstep cults translates "I am" as "I have been" which is the perfect tense. Do you wonder why the scripture cautions us to beware of false teachers who will distort God's word to promote their deception. 2 Pet. 2:1 "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves."
The Deity of Jesus Christ is one of the foundation stones upon which our Christian doctrine is founded. As believers we can be assured that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is indeed God and He is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us as our Great High Priest. Heb. 4:14 "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."
All scripture quoted from NASB, The Lockman Foundation
