Chapter 7: Jesus the Messiah: Son of Man, Son of God
There is no other interpretation that fits the facts of history and the message of Scripture—Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the promised Messiah.1
—DR. STEPHEN C. MEYER
THE HUMANIST MANIFESTO WAS FIRST WRITTEN IN 1933 and laid out a secular vision of how we could end racism, poverty, and war, and bring lasting peace and prosperity to the world. It referred to humanism as a “new religion” that would produce a deity-less religious movement. The Humanist Manifesto II, written in 1973, was an emancipation proclamation against God—more specifically, freedom from the belief that God would be the source of salvation for humanity. It states, “No Deity will save us, we must save ourselves.” The assertion that we can be our own salvation is a belief—a faith system. The sad reality is that there is no real evidence that we can trust ourselves to accomplish such an elusive and formidable task. Humanity can bring dramatic solutions to many of life’s problems. We can fight cancer, heart disease, hunger, and pollution. We can turn around failing companies, rebuild ruined cities, and restore hope to regions devastated by natural disasters. But can we change the deepest problems in the human soul?
When it comes to our moral behavior, it seems we have conceded that the battle against our genetics is futile. If our sexual impulses and desires should be accepted and not resisted or repressed, then why not legitimize every other instinct and proclivity? As atheist Richard Dawkins said, “We are simply a product of our DNA and we dance to its music.”2 In fact, skeptics such as Sam Harris go as far as to say that there is no such thing as free will and that our actions are determined.3 If that’s the case, then we are in deeper trouble than we’ve ever imagined.
In the nineteenth century many had a sense of hope that society would naturally evolve into a better and better state through science, education, and reason alone. Leading thinkers had taken the theory of evolution and turned it into an all-encompassing worldview, which they attempted to use as a road map for not only the improvement of humans physically, but mentally and morally as well. During the infamous Scopes “Monkey Trial,” more than ninety years ago in Dayton County, Tennessee, the New York Times printed an editorial stating that evolution, devoid of any influence from a creator, offered the only hope of progress for the human soul. “If man has evolved, it is inconceivable that the process should stop and leave him in his present imperfect state. Specific creation has no such promise for man.”4
The greatest need for change is in the human soul. Yet where will this change come from? The concept of survival of the fittest means that nature selects the characteristics that help individuals survive and reproduce. From that perspective, where do character traits such as unselfish love and self-sacrifice come from? The reality is that apart from the Holy Spirit’s work in us, we are simply at the mercy of our genes, our fleshly proclivities, and societal pressures. Such a belief naturally leads to an existential despair, which was expressed by biblical writers who doubted the human condition could ever improve. “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened” (Ecclesiastes 1:14–15).
The real story of humanity is that, left to ourselves, we have proven to not be too good at the salvation business. For many technological breakthroughs, the same technology designed for good can become an instrument for evil. The twentieth century witnessed some of the greatest atrocities conducted by would-be saviors who openly rejected the God of the Bible. Countless millions were slaughtered under such anti-Christian regimes as those led by Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Hitler (a neopagan), and Idi Amin. As mentioned, the root problem is ultimately spiritual, and it resides deep within the human spirit.
In spite of the pretenses of science or the political process as being the source of our hope, we are in desperate need of God’s help and intervention. The message of Scripture is in essence a revelation of the path that takes us from darkness to light and from despair to hope. Just as there are physical laws that explain how the universe works, there are spiritual laws that help us understand the inner world and how it works. Sigmund Freud tried to explain the science behind human thought and emotion, but he failed to do so for one simple reason. He never acknowledged that the soul had a Creator, so he attempted to explain how we are subconsciously driven to act, not how we should choose to act.
God revealed throughout Scripture how we were meant to live, much as the manufacturer of a car provides an instruction manual that explains how to properly operate and maintain the vehicle. When those laws are violated or ignored, there are consequences. In particular, we cease to behave for the maximum good of ourselves and others. The quandary is that humans have a driving tendency to act in ways that completely defy the way we were intended to live.
THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR: WE NEED A SAVIOR
Because we so desperately need a Savior, we can be so easily taken in by those who promise to fix our problems, heal our wounds, and bring lasting peace in our world. We fall for almost anything that promises us relief from our pain.
The idea that we need salvation started in the beginning of human history. From the time evil asserted its influence, the cry for help rose from the depths of our souls. The very first humans chose to disobey the very simple law that God had given them, so they immediately suffered the pain of the consequent separation that sin brings. Why did God give them the chance to fail? That is the essence of being human—having a real choice to do good or evil.
From that early time the planet has reeled from the self-inflicted wounds of a people making wrong choices. However, at key moments in history, when all seemed lost, God provided a way of escape for those who trusted in Him. The story of Noah building an ark for the salvation of his family; the Lord instructing Moses to put the blood of a lamb over the doorposts of the Israelites’ dwellings so that the angel of death would pass over, sparing their lives; and the miraculous passage through the Red Sea by the freed Hebrew slaves all tell the story of God’s deliverance from evil and oppression. Repeatedly the great King David would praise God for His salvation from his enemies and the many escapes from death he was given.
I love you, LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:1–3)
God not only created the universe, but He is involved in the affairs of humanity. Though there is pain and suffering, deliverance is available. The ultimate manifestation of this salvation would be the appearance of the embodiment of that salvation in human form.
THE MESSIAH
“The Messiah” in Hebrew is Ha Mashiach. The same word in Greek is Christ, or “Anointed One.” It symbolized the anointed priest that had been set apart for God’s purposes. In the Old Testament, the Messiah was an anointed leader who would be a descendant of King David who would deliver the Jewish people from their enemies.
The Hebrews expected a human leader who would deliver them from their human oppressors and usher in the kingdom of God on earth politically. They had little idea that the Messiah would be the incarnate presence of God on earth, and they especially did not expect Him to be executed by the very enemies they believed He would vanquish. However, Jesus came to deliver us from our real enemies, the spiritual forces that have kept the human race in bondage. External liberty is worthless without inner freedom.
Jesus would announce this goal as His mission in His inaugural message. After He was baptized in the Jordan River, He returned to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, entered the synagogue, and read from the prophet Isaiah. Here is the account of this incident:
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16–21)
After reading this prophetic, Messianic passage, He uttered the startling statement that He was fulfilling that Scripture “today.” This graphically demonstrates that Jesus not only saw Himself as the fulfillment of the prophets’ words but that His mission would be to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and set the spiritually oppressed free. In fact, He embarked immediately to cast out demons and to perform healings and other miracles.
It is this same ministry that He is carrying out today in our generation through His followers. The message that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) does not advance through violence or force. In fact, those who have forced others into some kind of contrived obedience were condemned by Jesus and called out as false prophets. Instead, the message of Christ goes forth in love and power. This gospel, or good news, is so powerful that it caused the world to be turned upside down two thousand years ago—it can do the same today.
PREPARING THE WAY
The appearance of the Messiah would be unquestionably the most significant moment in human history, so much so that a prophet was sent ahead of time to prepare the people for what was to come. He was called John the Baptist, and historians acknowledge he not only existed, but he preached and ministered in the desert regions of Israel. All four gospels speak of John in this role of preparing the way for the Messiah. John’s ministry was foretold by the Hebrew prophets. Malachi prophesied almost four hundred years earlier:
“See, I will send you the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” (Malachi 4:5–6)
This scripture is not speaking of reincarnation, but rather God would send someone with the same kind of anointing and message as Elijah. The prophet Isaiah would speak of John as well, around six hundred years before he appeared:
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.” (Isaiah 40:3–4)
John’s ministry prepared the hearts and minds of people by calling them to repentance and turning them from their wickedness. When the angel Gabriel told John’s parents about his coming birth and future ministry, he said,
“He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:16–17)
This proclamation points to the exceptional nature of his calling. He wasn’t the forerunner for an earthly king or leader but for the Lord Himself. As he was preaching, he was asked if he was the Messiah. He denied it and then declared that the Messiah would come after him:
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:19–20, 26–29)
The critical point to grasp is that recognizing the Messiah requires the right spiritual condition as much as acknowledging the facts surrounding His identity. Just because you know Jesus is the Christ doesn’t mean you believe in Him to the point of submitting your life and destiny to His leadership and authority. John called people to humble themselves and recognize their need for a Savior. Then, and only then, would they stop trusting in themselves and their idols and remedies of the age and look to God’s promise of deliverance on His terms, not their own.
WHAT DID JESUS SAY ABOUT HIMSELF?
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
—John 4:25–26
Jesus at times was evasive about His identity as the Messiah since the Jewish people had misconceptions about His role. At other times He was very straightforward about who He was. The account of Jesus and a woman from Samaria gives us a remarkable exchange where His identity was openly revealed. Of all people to confide in, you would probably not guess it would be a woman who had been married five times and was currently living with someone out of wedlock. Yet Jesus spoke directly to her about Him being the Messiah.
As we mentioned earlier, He asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” The apostle Peter spoke out, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Jesus answered him not with a correction or rebuke for such a blasphemous set of statements but called him “blessed” for understanding His role. That same blessing comes to us when we grasp this seminal truth about Jesus. Jesus’ identity as Messiah was also recognized by the apostle Paul. Craig Keener commented, “Paul, our earliest extant NT writer, sometimes uses ‘Christ’ virtually as Jesus’ surname; the idea of Jesus as ‘Messiah’ must certainly predate Paul. Paul’s language may suggest that the entire Judean Jesus movement that he knew considered Jesus as ‘Christ.’ ”5
It is impossible to read the Gospels or Paul and come away with the impression that Jesus of Nazareth thought of Himself as a mere man. Jesus said much about Himself that would have been outlandish if He were just a man.
“I am the light of the world.”
—John 8:12
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
—Mark 13:31
“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
—Matthew 18:20 NKJV
The prophets who spoke for God prefaced their statements with the phrase, “Thus says the Lord.” But when Jesus spoke, He didn’t say, “Thus says the Lord,” but instead He made comments such as “Truly I say to you.” He spoke in such terms because the Lord was speaking.
JESUS DEMONSTRATED HE IS THE MESSIAH
The miracles He performed and the extraordinary signs and wonders pointed to His identity as the Christ. In all of human history there has been no one who has come close to the unbelievable works of Jesus. The only ancient accounts that are vaguely similar were written about figures who had been dead for centuries, so they were only legends. Feeding thousands of people from a few loaves and fish, walking on water, and raising the dead were works beyond human imagination. In fact, one of His most incredible signs was quieting the storm on the Sea of Galilee. This act of calming the seas harked back to God’s authority over the waters in Genesis.
Skeptics who don’t accept the possibility of supernatural phenomena try to eliminate the miracles of Jesus and focus on His ethics and teaching. But the following He gathered didn’t result from a teaching seminar on the Galilean hillside but from the news of His mighty works. It was His miracles that drew the concern of the religious establishment because they pointed to His being the Messiah.
When He did teach, He taught with authority. A prime example was when He not only taught the law of Moses but upgraded it in terms of raising the standard of what it meant:
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:21–22)
Dr. William Lane Craig agreed that this demonstrated Jesus’ unique sense of His divine authority. “But it’s not just that Jesus placed His personal authority on par with that of the divine law. More than that, He adjusted the law on His own authority.”6
Another example of this authority is His forgiving of sins. To tell people that their sins were forgiven was to act directly as God alone should act. One of my favorite stories in Scripture is recorded in the gospel of Mark. A group of men were trying to transport their paralyzed friend into a crowded house where Jesus was teaching in hopes of his being healed. When they could not enter the front door, they climbed up on the roof, tore a hole through, and then lowered their friend down in front of Jesus. I start smiling when I think of everyone staring at the ceiling as this stretcher was lowered into the room.
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:1–12)
The fact that He directly forgave people’s sins demonstrated that He believed He had the authority to do so. No prophet before Him had ever dared to directly tell people their sins were forgiven. Even Moses would pray and ask God to forgive the people, but it was God alone who granted the forgiveness.
PROPHECIES OF A MESSIAH
“All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
—Acts 10:43
Jesus’ advent was the fulfillment of prophecies that God had spoken through the prophets for centuries. “God gave a great number of prophecies about the Messiah for at least two reasons. First, it would make identifying the Messiah obvious. And second, it would make an imposter’s task impossible.”7 There are many prophecies that find their fulfillment in Christ. Here we highlight a few.8 If these seven were the only ones, they would be enough:
1. The Suffering Servant
The most graphic and compelling prophecy about the Messiah that points to Jesus of Nazareth is found in the book of Isaiah chapter 53. This passage is referenced several times in the New Testament. It is mentioned not only in the Gospels, when speaking of Christ and His ministry, but also in the book of Acts, when the Ethiopian official questioned Phillip about its meaning (Acts 8:32–33). The passage was decisive in the Ethiopian’s journey to faith in Christ as it has been for millions since:
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:4–11)
This is one of the most important passages in all of Scripture because of its stunning prophetic picture of the work of Christ. It is filled with references that point to Christ as the Messiah. Space doesn’t permit a full exposition of this passage of Scripture, written almost six hundred years before Christ, but a careful reading gives numerous comparisons to the life and death of Jesus. Most important are the verses that state He was “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities” and that He was “cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people.” These statements allude to Jesus being crucified for our sins. Other references are made to Jesus being put to death alongside wicked men but being buried in the tomb of a wealthy man, Joseph of Arimathea.
Even before Jesus came, many rabbis recognized this passage pointed to the promised Messiah. Up unto this day, Isaiah 53 has proven decisive in many Jewish people’s embracing Jesus as the Messiah. However, after Jesus came some Jewish commentators rejected it as referring to the Messiah but, instead, claimed it referred solely to the nation of Israel. Their arguments, however, rest on a faulty understanding of the passage’s context and interpretation. The most accurate reading clearly points to a future Messiah who precisely matches Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.9
2. Messiah’s Birthplace
Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem is widely accepted yet not without skeptical challenge. It is not difficult to understand why. The fact that the place of His birth would be foretold adds to the credibility of His true identity as the Messiah. Jesus didn’t just appear on the scene, making bold statements about Himself. The details of His life were described in advance. God is concerned with not only the big events but also the details.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)
This prophecy is very specific about the “ruler” that would come forth from “ancient times” and the place of His birth. King David—in the promised lineage of the Messiah—was also from this very city. The name Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Out of the house of bread would come the Bread of Life.
3. The One They Pierced
Zechariah prophesied almost five hundred years before Christ and spoke of the people looking on the “one they have pierced” and being repentant. When people realize that the Messiah came and was put to death, it brings tremendous sorrow, but God has promised to turn it into joy and salvation.
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” (Zechariah 12:10)
This also highlights an important point about the Jewish people. God’s promises and love for Jerusalem and Israel have not changed. Though He loves all nations, there are promises He has made about this land that have come to pass in modern times and will continue to be fulfilled. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Romans:
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:25–27)
God’s love for Israel and the Jewish people is unchangeable.
4. The Government Will Be on His Shoulders
The prophet Isaiah foretold the fact that God would come into the world in the form of a child. This is indeed a great mystery that the infinite Creator would enter His own creation in this fashion. This was no ordinary child. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Jesus Christ, even he who lay in Bethlehem’s manger . . . [was] ‘upholding all things by the word of His power.’ ”10
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:6–7)
The book of Isaiah is filled with references to the Messiah and the promise of peace and deliverance as a result of His work. This passage tells that the government will be on His shoulders. This means that regardless of who the earthly rulers and kings are, there is a greater King who rules. He, in fact, is called King of kings and Lord of lords! It also states that this child will be called Mighty God. There is no human who would dare take that title upon himself. But Jesus would be called Immanuel, meaning “God is with us.” Though His rule started small (just twelve followers), it has continued to increase and bring peace to the lives of people and nations that have followed His Words.
5. Messiah’s Timetable
Another startling prediction was the very time in history when the Messiah would appear. Daniel had been reading Jeremiah and saw that the predicted captivity of seventy years was coming to an end. After Daniel sought the Lord in prayer and fasting, the angel Gabriel came to him with this message describing future events, particularly the coming of the Messiah (Anointed One).
“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” (Daniel 9:25–27)
Daniel was told that the number of years between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the time the Anointed One would be “cut off” would be sixty-nine “sevens” or sixty-nine sets of seven years (483 years), which is at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion in AD 30.11 The book of Daniel also gives a startling picture of the work that He would accomplish. “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place” (Daniel 9:24).
The Messiah would put an end to sin, atone for wickedness, and bring in everlasting righteousness. This glorious prophecy of the work of Christ was not only foretold then, but it is also available now to all who believe in Jesus, more than two thousand years later.
6. The Son of Man
Jesus frequently referred to Himself as the “Son of Man.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
—Matthew 8:20
“When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
—Matthew 10:23
“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
” —Luke 9:26
These references are not just intended to call attention to His humanity, but they are a direct connection to the prophetic vision seen by Daniel almost five hundred years before Christ:
“In my vision at night I 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 nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13–14)
There is no way that a mere man would be given this kind of descriptive title and told that all nations would worship Him. Jesus fulfilled this vision during His earthly ministry when He allowed people to worship Him. This act is a clear indication of His divine identity. Dr William Lane Craig agrees: “Jesus did not refer to Himself as ‘a son of man,’ but as ‘the Son of Man.’ Jesus’ use of the phrase with the definite article ‘the’ is consistent throughout the gospels. By using the definite article, Jesus was directing attention to the divine-human figure prophesied in Daniel 7:13–14.”12
7. The Son of God
There is no verse in the Bible more familiar to multitudes around the world than John 3:16. It is seen on billboards, painted on the faces of athletes, and quoted to those who are wanting to know the way of salvation. It reads, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Next to the term Christ, which means “Messiah,” the title of the Son of God as used in John also points to the divinity of Jesus and links Him to being the Messiah. The second psalm gives the prophetic picture of this identity:
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
“Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:1–12)
The concept of God having a Son is difficult to grasp. The expression does not mean that God had a child in the same way people procreate. By examining the Scriptures and trusting the Holy Spirit’s illumination, the true meaning becomes clear. God became man in Jesus Christ. By entering the earth as a child, He was purposely taking on our humanity in order to save us. He also modeled the relationship God desires between us as His adopted sons and daughters. The apostle Paul explained His act of humility to the Philippian church:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used
to his own advantage,
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5–11)
THE DEITY OF CHRIST
Jesus was not only the promised Messiah, but He was the Creator of the universe, in human form. This claim is the greatest stumbling block that prevents the Jewish people from accepting Yeshua as the promised Savior. The picture of Jesus as Messiah has been clearly set forth in this book. Now we look deeper into the truth that Jesus was indeed God in the flesh.
As we have discussed, the words and the works of Jesus are beyond that of simply an exalted prophet or teacher. He made statements beyond just speaking for God and spoke as God Himself. There are also direct statements made by Jesus that reveal His identity as God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:1–3, 14–18 NKJV)
These verses tell us that the Word was God and that the Word became flesh and lived among us. The Word is personified with the pronoun “Him” and states, “without Him [the Word] nothing was made that was made.” This revelation that Christ was indeed the Creator was expressed by the apostle Paul:
The Son [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15–17)
It was this very truth that ultimately caused the religious authorities to press to have Jesus crucified. His statements that pointed to His divinity were considered blasphemous and, therefore, worthy of death. None was more incriminating than Jesus using the title that God had used when He revealed Himself to Moses: I AM.
“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (John 8:56–59)
These passages explicitly point to Jesus Christ as God. The other gospels identify Jesus as God more implicitly by applying Old Testament passages that reference God to Him. For instance, John the Baptist prepared Jesus’ way while the Old Testament describes him as preparing the way for God (Malachi 4:5–6). Likewise, Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd who would gather His sheep (John 10:14–16) while the Old Testament uses the same description for God (Jeremiah 23:3).13 This mystery has been given the theological name of the Trinity. In essence, there is one God, in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three are given the honor and reverence as God. The ancient creeds from Nicea and Chalcedon give the outworking of the theological language that is used to express the many dimensions of this truth.
In the end the Trinity is a mystery that Scripture reveals. It is not irrational as much as it is super-rational or trans-rational. When dealing with an uncreated, all-knowing God, we should accept from the start that God is not like us (although we bear His likeness in various ways). The fact that the evidence points to an uncreated being should humble us from the outset to accept what God says as true even if we do not fully understand it.
JESUS IS LORD
Calling on the name of the LORD is the greatest privilege and opportunity humankind has ever been given. The title “LORD” needs to be understood and shown to mean God Himself, not the mere title given to men, such as “Lord Churchill.” This distinction is essential since to be saved, we must believe that Jesus is LORD.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9–13)
The title LORD in Greek is the same word in Hebrew used for God, as seen in several New Testament passages. Paul attributes to Jesus the title LORD (kyrios) in his letters (e.g., Romans 10:9, 13), and he directly associates that title with God in his quotations of Old Testament passages (e.g., Romans 9:27–28). Also, the earliest prayer of the Christian community was the Aramaic phrase Maranatha, which translates “the (our) LORD come.” Since the phrase is in Aramaic, it must have originated with the early Palestinian Christians during Jesus’ ministry. The word mar has the same meaning as kyrios, and it is used in Old Testament passages to refer to God. The expression is also used in the Didache, which is a collection of the apostles’ teachings, dating to the late first century. Paul uses it in one of his letters to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 16:22), where it appears shortly after the early creedal formula in 1 Corinthians 15. This creed describes Jesus’ death as paying for people’s sins, which further reflects His divine nature. These descriptions originated very soon after the resurrection, which completely refutes the claim that the belief in Jesus’ divine nature developed over time.
SUMMARY
Beyond the specific stories of Jesus and the prophetic announcements that heralded His advent, there is a grand illustrative portrait of Christ the Redeemer that is painted in the very fabric of every book in the Bible, not just the Gospels. I remember hearing a legendary preacher walk through every book in the Bible from memory and showed how the whole of Scripture spoke of Jesus Christ. He said, “Christ is seen in Exodus as the Passover lamb, in Numbers as the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. In Joshua, He was the captain of our salvation; in Judges, he’s our lawgiver.”14 He went on to conclude that in Revelation “he is Lord of lords and King of kings” (Revelation 17:14).
Author David Limbaugh expounds on the words Jesus spoke after His resurrection to two of His disciples as they walked along the roughly seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. In response to the reports of His own tomb being empty, Jesus replied, “ ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27).
Jesus illuminates Scripture for the two men on the Emmaus road and does the same for His disciples. The New Testament is strikingly clear that He affirms the Old Testament is all about Him. Therefore, if we believe in Him and that all Scripture is God–breathed, as it professes to be, we too must accept that its singular focus is on our Savior. Once you acknowledge that, your understanding and reverence for the Bible will greatly increase.15
By showing Christ revealed in every book, there is no doubt that Jesus is indeed the living God in human form. When He is given the honor and preeminence He deserves, then we come into true freedom, not bondage. By understanding and fully embracing the deity of Jesus Christ, we can be transformed from self-centered creatures into sons and daughters of the God of the universe.