The Deity of Jesus Christ—No. 3

Views: 80

[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles-2 page.]

            The Bible not only records the claims Jesus and the apostles made concerning His Deity. It also furnishes abundant evidence to support the claims. The prophecies (exceeding 300) that are fulfilled in Jesus show that God had a very special interest in Him and His Word, far beyond that of any other man. That Jesus was born of a virgin, begotten of the Holy Spirit (Mat. 1:20–23), by which means Deity entered and dwelt in Him (John 1:1, 14). There is much additional evidence of Jesus’ Deity:

1. Miraculous activity. The New Testament records 35 miracles performed by Jesus (works of God which override natural laws, clearly demonstrating superhuman power). They were all miracles of blessing or teaching. None was for His own benefit. They overpowered existing energies in the physical, psychic, natural and spiritual realms. He never failed. He did many other miracles, but the ones recorded are sufficient evidence of His Deity (John 20:30–31).
2. Authoritative teaching. At the close of the Sermon on the Mount, the multitudes marveled at the authority of His Words (Mat. 7:28–29). Officers sent to arrest Him returned empty-handed, saying, “Never man so spake” (John 7:46). The authority of Deity is behind the immortal Words of the great invitation Jesus issued: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden…” (Mat. 11:28–30). Christ claimed, “authority over all flesh” (John 17:2). Before He sent the apostles into all the world He claimed, “All authority…in Heaven and on earth” (Mat. 28:18). Either He was the Divine Son of God, or He was a megalomaniac!
3. Sacrificial death. Jesus did not die because of His own sins, but because of the sins of others (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Tim 2:6; 1 Pet. 2:22–24). His death was not suddenly contrived or something that “just happened,” but it was planned from Creation (1 Pet. 1:19–20). He dreaded Calvary but knew there was no human redemption without it (Mat. 26:39). His life was not taken, but freely given (John 10:18). Only God’s Son was equal to this awful task.

There is no sufficient cause or explanation for all the superhuman qualities of Jesus Christ except that He was the Only Begotten Son of God, therefore Deity.

[Note: I wrote this article for, and it was published in the “Bible Thoughts” Column for the Hood County News, Granbury, Texas, July 13, 1980.]

Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.