Jesus is God

Jesus is God

https://reasonandscience.catsboard.com/t1835-jesus-is-god

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." - John 1:1,14
"For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form" - Colossians 2:9
"But about the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever'" - Hebrews 1:8
"I and the Father are one." - John 10:30
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation." - Colossians 1:15

Almighty One,  Alpha and Omega, Advocate,  Author and Perfecter of Our Faith, Authority,
Bread of Life , Beloved Son of God, Bridegroom, Chief Cornerstone, Deliverer, Faithful and True,
Good Shepherd,  Great High Priest,  Head of the Church, Holy Servant,  I Am Immanuel,
Indescribable Gift,  Judge,  King of Kings,  Lamb of God,  Light of the World,  Lion of the Tribe of Judah,
Lord of All, Mediator, Messiah, Mighty One,  One Who Sets Free, Our Hope, Peace,  Prophet,
Redeemer, Risen Lord,  Rock,  Sacrifice for Our Sins,  Savior,  Son of Man, Son of the Most High,
Supreme Creator, Over All,  Resurrection and the Life,  The Door, The Way,  The Word,  True Vine,
Truth,  Victorious One, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

What is YHWH?
The name Yahweh refers to God’s self-existence. Yahweh is linked to how God described Himself in Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.
https://www.gotquestions.org/YHWH-tetragrammaton.html

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:49-58)
https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/jesus-specifically-said-i-am-god/

The Gospel of John records this repeated phrase “I am” seven times. Each repetition adds another layer of understanding of His character until we see His form perfectly.

I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I am the Door (John 10:9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
I am the Vine (John 15:1,5)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_am_(biblical_term)

The Bread of Life
And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." -John 6:35
Light of the World
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." -John 8:12
The Door
"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." -John 10:9
Good Shepherd
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." -John 10:11
The Resurrection and Life
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" -John 11:25, 26
The Way, the Truth and the Life
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." -John 14:6
The Vine
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." -John 15:5
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/articles/blog/7-times-jesus-said-i-am

After considering these incredible truths about who God is, we are left with the difficult question that Jesus asked His disciples in Mark 8:29, “Who do you say that I am?” Do you know God?
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/what-are-all-of-the-i-am-statements-of-jesus.html

There are many places in Scripture we might turn to consider the deity of Christ. The Old Testament prophesied that the coming Messiah would be divine (Isa. 7:14, Isa. 9:6, Mic. 5:2). The New Testament writers declare that Jesus is God (Rom. 9:5, Titus 2:13, Heb. 1:8 ). Divine attributes are given to Christ (John 5:22, Acts 17:31, Heb. 1:3, Col. 1:17). The Bible calls us to worship Christ as God (John 5:23, 1 Cor. 1:2, Phil. 2:9-11).
https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/why-didnt-jesus-ever-say-i-am-god/

Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum: THE DEITY OF THE MESSIAH

God
The first of these divine names is God. Yeshua is called God in John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
In verse 14, John makes it very clear that the One he is speaking about in terms of the Word is Jesus. Verse 1 states: "the Word was with God and, therefore, distinct from God." Then John said, "the Word was God." This means that He is the same God. How this is possible comes only with the understanding of the Trinity. He was with God in that Yeshua is not the Father, nor is He the Holy Spirit. But He was God in that He is the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity.

A second example of this divine name is found in John 20:28: Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Thomas, who was the doubting disciple, saw the resurrected Jesus and addressed Him as My Lord and my God. Yeshua did not try to correct him by saying, "No, Thomas, I am your Lord, but I am not your God."

A third example is found in Hebrews 1:8: but of the Son he said, Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom.
In this verse, Jesus is called God. The writer of the Book of Hebrews states that the verse he quoted from the Old Testament, Psalm 45:6, refers specifically to the Son. The Hebrew text uses the name Elohim, meaning "God," and the New Testament clearly applies it to Yeshua.
http://www.messianicassociation.org/ezine39-af-christology-messianic.htm


“The Christian faith has not been tried and found wanting. It has rather been found difficult and left untried.”
   —Chesterton

I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending. The story of Jesus is either the greatest event in history or the cruelest hoax. If it is a hoax, then the whole of the Christian message crumbles together with the hopes of those multitudes of lives built on his name. The apostle Paul said:

“And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”-1 Corinthians 15:14-19 (NKJV)

But if the story is true, then this world has been hit with extraordinary news of earth-shaking consequences. Have you taken the trouble to decide which it is?

In a matter this weighty, it is in your interest to explore the truth or falsity of Christ's claims. Amazingly however, many people who don't believe have never bothered to explore the evidence in support of Jesus,[1] but to the contrary, often run away from it. At the same time, many Christians themselves are not sure, at bottom, whether the claims of their faith are solid. Is the Christian claim a hoax? Is it just wishful thinking? Or is it actually true?

The following pages will demonstrate that the story of Jesus, and of his Resurrection [2] in particular, rests on solid historical grounds. So wherever you may be in terms of belief, unbelief, doubt, or indecision, I invite you to take a new look at this evidence.[3]
Sorting Through the Confusion

Artist's impression of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane Disagreement abounds today regarding the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. If you were to randomly ask people in a survey who they think he is, you would get a variety of responses. Some might say he is a great prophet who stands equal to Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, and others. Some give him credit for being a profound moral teacher. Still others might say he was a loving, but weak person who happened to get killed for a noble, but lost, cause.

Who do you think Jesus is? Are the above opinions accurate to any degree? Or are some relevant details missing? Our age rightly demands open-mindedness and intellectual honesty in any investigation. So also regarding Jesus, it is essential to have all the facts before deciding for, or against, him.

Jesus Christ claimed to be God, the Creator of the cosmos, the one and only way by which we can enter into Heaven. These are high claims!

Our relativistic age is confusing the whole issue about Jesus by imagining his relevance to be merely a matter of individual taste, like one's choice of hats! But the issue is really of an altogether different kind. Either this claim of the New Testament is true or it isn't. If it is falsehood, then let us go on to something else. But if the claim is true, shall we not come to terms with him and believe in him as he commands? The answer to that question rests not on what we may happen to prefer, but on whether Jesus of Nazareth stacks up as the one he claims to be. Helping you understand that he indeed is The Eternal Son of God (John 8:58) is what this answer is all about. Millions of Christians are quite certain that your eternal destiny and mine is at stake over what we have done with Jesus Christ (1 John 5:11-12).

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
—1 John 5:11-12 NKJV


Bible verses that show Jesus is Divine

by Matt Slick

Following are verses used to show that Jesus is God in flesh. The scriptures used here are from the New American Standard Bible.

   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. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. "
       John 1:14--"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
   John 5:18--"For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God."
   John 8:24--"I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins."
       Note: In the Greek, "He" is not there.
   John 8:58--"Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'"
       Exodus 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.’"
   John 10:30-33--"I and the Father are one."  31 The Jews took up stones again to stone Him.  32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"  33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."
   John 20:28--"Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
   Col. 2:9--"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form."
   Phil. 2:5-8--"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
   Heb. 1:8--"But of the Son He says, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom."
       Quoted from Psalm 45:6, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom."

Jesus is worshipped--Jesus said to worship God only, yet He receives worship.

   Matt. 4:10--"Then Jesus said to him, 'Begone, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."’"
   Matt. 2:2--"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."
   Matt. 2:11--"And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh."
   Matt. 14:33--"And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God’s Son!"
   Matt. 28:9--"And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them.  And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him."
   John 9:35-38--"Jesus heard that they had put him out; and finding him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  36 He answered and said, "And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  37 Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you."  38 And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped Him."
   Heb. 1:6--"And when He again brings the first-born into the world, He says, 'And let all the angels of God worship Him.'"

Jesus is prayed to

   Acts 7:55-60--"But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."  57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears, and they rushed upon him with one impulse.  58 And when they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.  59 And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"  60 And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!"  And having said this, he fell asleep."
   1 Cor. 1:1-2--"Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours."  (The phrase, "to call upon the name of the Lord" is a phrase used to designate prayer).
       1 Kings 18:24--"Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God."  And all the people answered and said, "That is a good idea."
       Zech. 13:9--"And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested.  They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’"
   Rom. 10:13-14--"for 'whoever will call upon the name of the Lord' will be saved."  14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?"  (Paul is speaking of calling upon Jesus.  (The phrase "Call upon the name of the Lord" is a quote from Joel 2:32).
       Joel 2:32--"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."  (LORD here is YHWH, the name of God as revealed in Exodus 3:14. Therefore, this quote, dealing with God Himself is attributed to Jesus).

First and Last

   Isaiah 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."
       Rev. 1:17-18--"Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades."


The old testament tells us that there is only ONE Savior, Yahweh, there is only ONE redeemer, Yahweh, there is only one First and the Last, Yahweh, and only one creator, Yahweh.

Further, in the OT a common name conjunction for God, or rather for LORD GOD, is Yahweh Elohim, rendered LORD GOD in all caps in our better English bibles. The Septuagint greek translantion of the OT rendered that as Kurios Theos, LORD GOD. In the NT, the Kurios of the Septuagint becomes Kurios (Lord) Jesus Christ, and Theos (God) the Father.

Jesus is our Saviour, or Redeemer, the First and the Last, our Creator.

http://www.thyword.ca/whoisgod.html







http://carm.org/jesus-god
http://www.gotquestions.org/is-Jesus-God.html
http://www.bugman123.com/Bible/JesusIsGod.html
http://christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t005.html

https://testifyingtograce.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/9-proofs-of-christs-divinity/

1700 years ago, a man named Arius brought a serious attack on the person and nature of Christ as well as an attack on the Gospel. His claim was that Christ was a created being and that he was not of the same substance or nature as God the Father. He claimed that only God the Father was truly God and the “there was a time when the Son was not”.
At the same time existed a man named Athanasius. This man believed that the scripture revealed a mystery that is hard for humanity to grasp; namely that Christ is God and the Father is God and yet there is only One God. He claimed that the bible taught that Christ has the same substance and nature as God the Father, that the two were distinct in personhood but One in being.
There was a tremendous theological battle that took place (not one of swords but one of teaching, rebuking, and debating) that lasted the rest of Athanasius’ life. Arius’ theology penetrated the Church for many years but Athanasius’ hard work and the sheer weight of scriptural evidence eventually brought the Church back to the Truth; namely that Christ is God just as the Father is God.
Sadly, there are still people in the world today that claim the same theology as Arius. What I am going to do is to give you a small glimpse at the scriptures that proves Christ’s Deity. This is barely scratching the surface and yet the evidence is overwhelming…

1) Christ has the same Nature as God

One of the main arguments made by the Arians, and the Jehovah witnesses who are simply modern day Arians, is to take every shred of evidence that proved Christ’s humanity and then use it as proof against his deity. The Arians were very philosophical and therefore, they could not imagine a Christ that was both fully God and fully man so they thought that his humanity and his voluntary submission to the Father were proof against his deity. They would constantly quote John 14:28 where Jesus says, “The Father is Greater than I” as proof that the Son must be of a different substance then the Father. How could the Son be less than the Father and yet of the same substance?
Athanasius answer to this argument was to point out that John 14:28 must be understood in the light of Philippians 2:6-8
“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
The sense in which Jesus is less than the Father is seen in his voluntary submission and his taking on of Humanity. But, remember the context of this submission; Jesus existed in the very Form of God; the very thing that the Arians were denying. In light of this scripture, neither Jesus’ submission or his humanity acts as proof against his deity.
Furthermore, one of the main claims made by Arius was, “There was a time when the Word was not.” Athanasius would often use this quote against the Arians by pointing out that you cannot hold to that position and at the same time believe what the bible says about Christ. Athanasius would say,
“What is the source of your discovery of these things? Nowhere has the scriptures said such things about the Savior. Rather, the scriptures uses such words as Always, Everlasting, Co-existing with the Father, in the Form of God, and so on.”
There were several other common texts that Athanasius would draw on for support of the Divine nature of Christ.
He would quote John 1 which shows that Christ was with God in the beginning and that he was God, eternally.
He would use Revelation 1:8 which shows that Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, who is and who was and who is to come. This again was a major proof of the eternal existence of the Son
This was Athanasius’ main argument, namely that scripture attributed to Christ everywhere, a Divine nature and an eternal existence. In the words of Philippians 2:6, he exists eternally in the form of God, in other words, Christ is of the same substance as the Father.
The Only Begotten Son
This seems to some to be a very sticky phrase to many. This is a key phrase for those who argue for Christ being created while in actuality, it does the opposite.
Athanasius pointed out that the “begetting” took place in eternity [without reference to time] and therefore it speaks of an eternal reality. To us, words like begotten suggest an origin of things such as our birth; but what does it mean when applied to Christ who existed before time? Since he is an eternal being, this term cannot refer to his beginning because it would be a fundamental contradiction of existing apart from time. This saying actually refers to the oneness between the Father and the Son and their relationship to one another. Saying that the Son is begotten of the Father simply signifies that he is of the same substance of the Father. He derives his essence from the Father.
Since both the Father and the Son are eternal, theologians will often speak of the“eternal generation” or “the eternal begetting of Christ”. It might be understood like this: the idea being conveyed is that Christ is eternally of the same essence of the Father, or that he eternally proceeds from the Father.
Furthermore, when Christ claims to be the “Son of God”, it is a claim of his divinity and not of his humanity. That is exactly what the term “Son of God” conveyed to the Jewish people of Jesus’ day because they accused him of blasphemy because he claimed equality with God and they tried to stone him (John 10:36).

2) The Old Testament predicts a Divine Savior

One powerful proof of Christ’s Divinity is the fact that it isn’t only seen in the New Testament but in the Old Testament as well (which should be the case since the bible is consistent with itself). The Old Testament tells us that the Savior who would come to redeem humanity would be Divine. In fact it goes so far as giving the Savior the Divine name “Jehovah”.

• Psalm 2 – (Paul quotes this in Acts 13:33 as proof that it is a messianic psalm) “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” In this passage, serving the Lord and doing homage to the Son are set as equal and it is even said that you can take refuge in the Son. Athanasius saw this as clear proof of the Deity of the Savior to come.
  
  
  
• Psalm 110 – David calls the Messiah Lord
  
  
  
• Isaiah 9:2 – The Savior is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father
  
  
  
• Isaiah 7:14 – The Savior is called Immanuel – ‘God with us’
  
  
  
• Micah 5:2 – Shows the eternality of the Savior
  
  
  
• Malachi 3:1-3 – God says that a messenger will prepare HIS [God’s] way. That messenger is none other than John the Baptist and he prepared the way for Christ
  
  
  

There are a multitude of these types of verses that point to the Divinity of the savior who would come…

3) Jesus uses the Covenant name of God an applies it to himself

• Psalm 23:1 (Jehovah is given the title of Shepherd) –> In John 10:11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd” and Hebrews 13:20, Christ is given that same title.
  
  
  
• Isaiah 6:5 (Isaiah tells us that he Saw Jehovah but the Apostle John tells us that Isaiah saw Jesus Christ [John 12])
  
  
  
• Joel 2:32 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”–> The New Testament tells us that we can only be saved if we call on the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21 and Romans 10:13)
  
  
  

4) Titles that are reserved for Jehovah are applied to Christ

There are names in scripture that Jehovah says are unique to him and yet Christ applies them to himself.

• Isaiah 10:20 (Jehovah is called the Holy One of Israel) –> In Acts 3, Peter applies this title to the person of Christ.
  
  
  
• Isaiah 44:6 – Jehovah says that he is “The first and the last” but Jesus applies that same title to himself in Revelations 1:11, “the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega.”
  
  
  • This passage is also a strong proof of the Trinity. Both God and Jesus are the first and the Last, both equally God and yet Isaiah clearly says that there is only One God.
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
• Isaiah 43:11 – (I am the Lord and Besides me there is no Savior) here God says that the title of “Savior” is reserved for him alone and yet  Christ is clearly spoken of as Savior
  
  
  • Titus 2:13  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
• Zachariah 12:10 – Jehovah is speaking (we see that from verse 4) and he says “when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced”. God says that people will pierce him and yet we see that is was Christ that was pierced. InJohn 19:37, John applies this prophecy directly to Christ.
  
  
  

Again and again, the New Testament takes titles that the Old Testament says are reserved for Jehovah alone and they are applied directly to Christ.
A good Hermeneutic to keep in mind, whenever you see Jehovah in the Old Testament, Understand it as a reference to Christ. Almost every reference to Jehovah in the Old Testament is a reference to Christ.

5) Jesus Possess All Of The Incommunicable Attributes Of God

There are certain attributes that God possess that are communicable; in other words, there are attributes that God has that we share. Such as Love, Jealously, and Knowledge.
Incommunicable attributes,  on the other hand, are attributes that God alone can possess. These are the attributes that make God Divine and separates Him from His creation. Allow me to repeat, God alone can have these attributes; and yet Christ has them…
Omniscience – God knows all things, even the things in the minds and hearts of men…

• Revelation 2:23 – “I [Jesus] am he who searches mind and heart”
  
  
  
• Eternality – We have seen this already in the fact that Christ existed with the Father before time existed. This, by definition, makes Christ an Eternal Being (John 1:1).
  
  
  

Omnipresence – God is everywhere at once and is not bound by Space. Jesus can be simultaneously with all of his people until the end of the age.Omnipotence – God is all powerful. Christ is all powerful.

• Matthew 18:20 – “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
  
  
  
• Matthew 28:20 – “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
  
  
  
• Hebrews 1:3 – “He [Jesus] upholds the universe by the word of his power.”
  
  
  

Immutability – The unchangeableness of God

• Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
  
  
  

The FULLNESS of Deity

• Colossians 2:9 – “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily”
  
  
  
• Hebrews 1:3 – “He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature”
  
  
  

6) Jesus Does Works That God Alone Can Do.

There are some things that only God can do and yet we see Christ claiming to have done these things.
Creation – Colossians 1:16 – For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

• If all things were created by Christ, then Christ cannot have been created. If all created Beings were created by Christ then by definition, Christ is not a created Being.
  
  
  
• Nor can Christ be an angel because all thrones/dominions/rulers/authorities were created by Christ.
  
  
  

The Sustainer of all things – Only God is powerful enough to be the giver and sustainer of life because Life comes from God alone…

• Colossians 1:17 “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
  
  
  

Forgives sins – The Jews were right when they complained about Jesus forgiving sins. They said that it was Blasphemy for Jesus to forgive sins because only God alone can forgive peoples sins and yet Christ proved that he could forgive sins.

• Mark 2:7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
  
  
  
• Mark 2:10-11  “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the paralytic–“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”
  
  
  
• Matthew 9:2-7
  
  
  

Raises the Dead and acts as Judge – Only God has power over life and death and only God is the Judge of the living and the dead.

• John 5:21-22 “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son”
  
  
  
• Acts 10:42 “And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.”
  
  
  
• Acts 17:31 “because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
  
  
  
• 2 Timothy 4:1 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom”
  
  
  

Clearly, Jesus does things that are reserved for God alone…

7) Jesus Receives Worship

You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only. Jesus knew this verse, he quoted this verse (Matthew 4:10), and yet he allowed people to Worship Him.
People continually fell on their faces and worshiped Christ and not once did Christ rebuke people for giving him this kind of worship…

• Matthew 14:33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
  
  
  

• John 9:38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him
  
  
  

Contrast how Jesus responded to worship to other examples where people or angels are worshiped…

• Acts 10:25-26  When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.  But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”
  
  
  
• Revelation 19:10  Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
  
  
  
• Revelation 22:8-9  I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me,  but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
  
  
  

We see 2 commands in scripture. First, only God should be worshiped and secondly, that Christ should be worshiped.

• John 5:22-23  The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
  
  
  

Jesus makes himself the object of Faith

• John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
  
  
  

Jesus is not an angel but is worshiped by angels

• Hebrews 1:6  And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
  
  

If Jesus is God, you would expect the Bible to say so in the strongest terms possible

If Jesus is god, why doesn’t the bible just say so? It does. Turn with me to John 1:1-3.
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 was not any thing made that was made.
Here we have the strongest possible declaration that Jesus is God. This passage is both clear and emphatic about Jesus’ Divinity. Every statement in this passage is very significant.

• “In the Beginning” – This statement sets the rest of the passage in the light of Eternity. It shows that Christ existed before time and to say that there was a time when Christ did not exist is to contradict this fundamental truth that John speaks of.
  
  
  
• “The Word was with God” – This signifies the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son. This statement shows that the Son is distinct from the Father and at the same time, One with God from all eternity past.
  
  
  
• “The Word was God” – The Jehovah Witnesses contest this translation but if you study the Greek, this is the literal meaning of the text. Athanasius pointed out that the Arians could not hold to their opinion that Christ was not God and believe this verse.
  
  
  
• “Without him was not anything made that was made.” – This statement shows that it is not possible for Christ to be a created being. If he was created, then it could not be said that Christ made everything that had been made. There would be at least one created thing that Christ had not created.
  
  
  
• John 20:28 – Thomas saw the resurrected Christ, fell down and worshipped him (which is another proof of Christ’s Deity because only Jehovah is worshipped) and Thomas said of Christ, “My Lord and My God”
  
  
  
• Titus 2:13 & 1 Peter 1:1 – Refers to Jesus as Our God and Savior
  
  
  
• Philippians 2:6 – Christ existed from all eternity in the form of God
  
  
  
• 1 John 5:20 – And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
  
  
  • Who is the true God? None other than Jesus Christ
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
• Hebrews 1:8 – Please note that this is God the Father speaking to the Son… “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever…. It can’t get any more explicit than that
  
  
  

9) Jesus Personally Claimed To Be Divine

Did you ever wonder why Jesus didn’t just come out and say “I am God” and put the end to any confusion that might happen? If you actually take time to look at what Jesus said about himself, he did precisely that. He specifically said that he was God.
John 8:56-59 – Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

• To his Jewish audience, this statement was far more explicit than if he had simply said “I am God”.
  
  
  

John 8:54 – Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

• You worship God but God gives glory to me. Nothing could be more blasphemous to the Jews than this statement. Jesus claims that he receives honor and glory from the One who the Jews worshiped.
  
  
  

John 8:58 – Jesus claims the divine name “I AM” to be his own and nothing could be clearer than that and it was for that reason that the Jews attempted to stone Jesus for Blasphemy.
The Gospel of John uses a whole string of quotes by Jesus were he evokes the name of “I AM” to describe himself…

• I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51)
  
  
  
• I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
  
  
  
• Unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins (John 8:24)
  
  
  
• Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)
  
  
  
• I am the Door (John 10:7,9)
  
  
  
• I am the shepherd (John 10:11, 14)
  
  
  
• I am the Son of God (John 10:36)
  
  
  
• I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
  
  
  
• You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. (John 13:13)
  
  
  
• I am the way, and the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)
  
  
  
• I am the true vine (John 15:1)
  
  
  

In each of these cases, the “I am” is speaking of his divinity and with that phrase, he often connects it to titles that are reserved for God alone. The Door, Shepherd, Resurrection, Life, The Way, The Truth, Teacher, and Lord…
Here is what Athanasius had to say concerning the phrase “I am”…
“In the expression “I am”, is indicated that the Son is everlasting and without beginning before every age. Therefore it is obvious that the scriptures speak about the everlasting nature of the Son. Those things which the Arians utter, “he was not”, “before”, and “when”; words like that are for things created, foreign to the [Incarnate] Word of God.”
Jesus speaks of himself as the “I AM”. One without a beginning and therefore eternal and this brings us full circle back to the fact that Jesus shares the same nature as God.
The biblical evidence for the Deity of Christ is Conclusive, Overwhelming, and it is Irrefutable. This is but a small snippet of what could be said about Christ’s Deity. We haven’t even begun to discuss ideas like John 10:30 where Jesus says, “I and the Father are one”.
You can believe that this is true or you can condemn yourself to suffer the wrath of God. To look at this amount evidence and to sweep it aside is to place yourself outside of Christianity and outside of saving faith. Even Jesus said that unless you believe that I AM you will die in your sins.

Inherent Contradictions in saying that Jesus isn’t God

The people who claim that Christ isn’t God don’t actually realize the internal contradictions and philosophical absurdities that they have just run into.

• Polytheism – These people assume that if you say that Christ is God, you are guilty of polytheism (the belief in more than one God) (I will address this in a little bit) but what they don’t realize is that they are guilty of the very thing that they are trying to condemn. These people teach two gods, one uncreated and the other created. One is a supreme god while the other is only secondary.
  
  
  
• A Divine Creature – Hopefully you see the contradiction in terms here. They hold Christ to be a mere creature, and yet they say that he is the creator of the world; as if a creature could be the source of life, the origin and the end of all creatures!
  
  
  
• Eternal yet finite – Again, their teaching is internally contradictory. They ascribe to Christ a pre-mundane existence, but deny him eternity, while yet time belongs to the idea of the world, and is created only in relation to the world, so that before the world there was nothing but eternity. They suppose a time before the creation of the pre-existent Christ; and therefore involve God himself in the notion of time; which contradicts the absolute being of God. They assert the unchangeableness of God, but they deny, with the eternal generation of the Son, also the eternal Fatherhood; therefore assuming after all a very essential change in God.
  
  
  
• The destruction of the Gospel itself – If the Son is a creature, man remains still separated, as before, from God; no creature can redeem other creatures, and unite them with God. If Christ is not divine, much less can we be partakers of the divine nature and children of God.
  
  
  

If Christ is God, are we teaching more than One God?

The simple answer is no, we are not. We see two things clearly revealed in the Scriptures; first we clearly see that the Son of God is of the same nature as the Father and yet separate from him, and secondly we see that there is only One God and beside Him there is no God. This is indeed a mystery but one that has been clearly revealed and one that we believe.
Many people think that the idea of the “Trinity” is some bogus idea that a bunch of old people came up with but after reading this paper, I hope you are beginning to see how it came into existence. We see several truths…
1 – We see that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.
2 – We see that there is a distinction between them and that it isn’t simply One God displaying himself in different ways.
3 – We see that although all three are God and they are distinct enough to be in relationship, there is only one God
And there is the beginning of the Doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine simply teaches that God is ONE IN BEING but He is THREE IN PERSONHOOD. We see this clearly taught in John 1 where the Word is both WITH God and at the same time IS God.
What this comes down to is not whether or not you can grasp the idea of the Trinity or a Fully Divine, Fully Human Savior but whether or not you are willing to submit to the revealed Word of God. Are you going to humbly submit to what the Scriptures say or are you going to arrogantly reject Scripture?
Allow me to end with the conclusion of the Council of Nicaea…
“But those who say: ‘There was a time when he was not;’ and ‘He was not before he was made;’ and ‘He was made out of nothing,’ or ‘He is of another substance’ or ‘essence,’ or ‘The Son of God is created,’ or ‘changeable,’ or ‘alterable’—they are condemned by the holy catholic and apostolic Church.”

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. In this passage, which we discussed earlier, Isaiah declares that there is going to be a son born of a virgin. Then he is given a name which is said to be Immanuel. In the Bible, when a parent names his child, it shows the thinking of the parents. However, when God gives a person a name, it actually represents his very character, as only God can foresee. So when this child is named by God Immanuel, the name portrays the actual character of the child. What does Immanuel mean? It means: With Us, God. So here we have a child that is born of a virgin who is With Us, God, or God is among us! The Isaiah 9 portion further clarifies that this son is a descendant of David, and he is labeled as God himself. So Isaiah clearly portrays the Messiah as the God-Man.

(John 8:19) "Then they asked him, 'Where is your father?' 'You do not know me or my Father,' Jesus replied. 'If you knew me, you would know my Father also'"

Where does the Bible Indicate that Jesus is God?
https://www.dacc.edu/assets/pdfs/PCM/jesusisgod.pdf

ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE DEITY OF CHRIST August 5, 2018

Jesus in the Old Testament
https://www.gordonconwell.edu/blog/jesus-in-the-old-testament/

Did Jesus say that he is God?

Jesus shows up often in the Old Testament—not by that name, and not in the same form as we see Him in the New Testament, but He is there nonetheless. The theme of the entire Bible is Christ.

Jesus Himself confirmed the fact that He is in the Old Testament. In John 5:46 He explained to some religious leaders who had challenged Him that the Old Testament was talking about Him: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.” According to Jesus, God’s work with man since time began all pointed to Him. Another time when Jesus showed that He is in the Old Testament was on the day of His resurrection. Jesus was walking with two of His disciples, and “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Earlier, before His crucifixion, Jesus had pointed to Isaiah 53:12 and said, “It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’ and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment” (Luke 22:37).

By some counts, more than 300 Old Testament prophecies point to Jesus Christ and were fulfilled by Him in His life on earth. These include prophecies about His unique birth (Isaiah 7:14), His earthly ministry (Isaiah 61:1), and even the way He would die (Psalm 22). Jesus shocked the religious establishment when He stood up in the synagogue of Nazareth and read from Isaiah 61, concluding with this commentary: “This scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing today” (Luke 4:18–21).

Another way that Jesus is in the Old Testament is in the form of Christophanies—pre-incarnate appearances of the Son of God. The Old Testament uses the term angel of the Lord interchangeably with the Lord in reference to these visitations. One Christophany is found in Genesis 18:1–33 when the Lord appeared to Abram in human form. Such tangible encounters with deity are scattered throughout the Old Testament (Genesis 16:7–14; 22:11–18; Judges 5:23; 2 Kings 19:35; Daniel 3:25).

But there are even deeper ways that Jesus is found in the Old Testament. These are seen in what we call “types.” A type is a person or thing in the Old Testament that foreshadows a person or thing in the New. For example, Moses can be seen as a type of Christ. Like Jesus, Moses’ birth was significant, he confronted the evil powers of the day, and he led his people to freedom through a miraculous deliverance. The life of Joseph is another that can be seen as typical of the life of Christ.

Many Old Testament historical events double as symbols of what God would do in the future, through Christ. For example, God called Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham uttered these prophetic words in response to Isaac’s question about a lamb: “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8 ). God did provide a ram in Isaac’s place, symbolizing what He would do thousands of years later on that very mountain when His own Son was offered as a sacrifice in our place (Matthew 27:33). Events surrounding the sacrifice of Isaac thus serve as a type of the sacrifice of Christ.

Jesus referred to another event in Israel’s history as a foreshadowing of His crucifixion. In the wilderness, the people following Moses had sinned, and God sent serpents among them to bite them. The people were dying, and they appealed to Moses for help. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. All those who looked to it would be healed (Numbers 21:4–19). Jesus alluded to this incident in John 3:14–15: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life in him.”

God’s design for the tabernacle is another way that Jesus is in the Old Testament. The altar in the courtyard symbolizes the need for Jesus’ sacrifice to atone for our sin. The laver shows Jesus as providing the water of life (John 4:14). Inside the Holy Place, the lampstand is suggestive of Jesus as the light of the world (John 9:5). The table of showbread is Jesus as the bread of life (John 6:35). In the altar of incense is seen Jesus as our heavenly intercessor, continually offering prayers for us (Romans 8 :34; Hebrews 7:25). According to Hebrews 10:20, the veil before the ark of the covenant is a picture of Jesus’ human flesh.

The Son of God is not just in the New Testament; Jesus is in the Old Testament, too. Jesus is God’s promised Messiah. From the virgin birth in Bethlehem (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; Micah 5:2), through the sojourn to Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14–15), to His ministry of healing and hope (Genesis 3:15; 1 John 3:8 ), all the way through His resurrection (Psalm 16:9–11; Acts 2:31), Jesus Christ is the theme of both Old and New Testaments. It could be said that Jesus is the reason for the Bible. He is the Living Word. The entire Bible is a beacon that points us to God’s offer of reconciliation, the hope of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.



When God first appeared to Moses in the burning bush, Moses was adept enough to ask God for His name. And God gave Moses an interesting reply:

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“ (Exodus 3:14)

For generations following this interaction between God and Moses, the Israelites revered the name of God (“I AM”) as a precious title that was not to be slandered or given to anyone or anything other than God himself. Then along came Jesus. The Gospel of John tells us that on a day when the Pharisees were questioning the power, authority and teaching of Jesus, they actually accused Him of being demon possessed. Look at how He responded:

“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:49-58)

Did you catch that? Jesus made two remarkable statements. First, he claimed to be eternal and to have existed before Abraham! But more importantly, Jesus called himself by the ancient title ascribed only to God Himself, “I AM”. The Pharisees knew exactly what Jesus meant by this. From their perspective, Jesus said specifically, “I am God”. How do we know this was their interpretations of His words? We know it from their reaction. They responded by attempting to stone Jesus for claiming to be God (an act of blasphemy they considered worthy of death):

At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (John 8:59)

When Jesus took on God’s holy title as his own, He was stating the modern equivalent of “I am God”. He did this repeatedly over the course of his ministry (see Mark 14:62, John 18:5-6, John 8:24 and John 8:28). So while you may not find the expression “I am God” in the Gospels, you’ll certainly find the ancient equivalent. It’s no wonder that the Jewish religious leadership would eventually want Him executed. When I discovered these statements in the Gospels, I had to reconsider my simplistic view of Jesus as a “nice guy” or “good teacher”. What kind of teacher could Jesus have been if He was teaching a lie? Jesus’ clear statements related to His Deity forced me to reconsider Jesus and what He taught, because He did specifically say that He was God.

John 10.31-33

29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand.[c] 30 The Father and I are one.’

31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus replied, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?’ 33 The Jews answered, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.’ 34 Jesus answered, ‘Is it not written in your law,[d] “I said, you are gods”? 35 If those to whom the word of God came were called “gods”—and the scripture cannot be annulled— 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, “I am God’s Son”?

https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/jesus-specifically-said-i-am-god/

Jesaja 53: Er hatte keine Gestalt und Hoheit. Wir sahen ihn, aber da war keine Gestalt, die uns gefallen hätte. 3 Er war der Allerverachtetste und Unwerteste, voller Schmerzen und Krankheit. Er war so verachtet, dass man das Angesicht vor ihm verbarg; darum haben wir ihn für nichts geachtet. 4 Fürwahr, er trug unsre Krankheit und lud auf sich unsre Schmerzen. Wir aber hielten ihn für den, der geplagt und von Gott geschlagen und gemartert wäre. 5 Aber er ist um unsrer Missetat willen verwundet und um unsrer Sünde willen zerschlagen. Die Strafe liegt auf ihm, auf dass wir Frieden hätten, und durch seine Wunden sind wir geheilt. 6 Wir gingen alle in die Irre wie Schafe, ein jeder sah auf seinen Weg. Aber der HERR warf unser aller Sünde auf ihn. 7 Als er gemartert ward, litt er doch willig und tat seinen Mund nicht auf wie ein Lamm, das zur Schlachtbank geführt wird; und wie ein Schaf, das verstummt vor seinem Scherer, tat er seinen Mund nicht auf. 8 Er ist aus Angst und Gericht hinweggenommen. Wen aber kümmert sein Geschick? Denn er ist aus dem Lande der Lebendigen weggerissen, da er für die Missetat seines Volks geplagt war. 9 Und man gab ihm sein Grab bei Gottlosen und bei Übeltätern[1], als er gestorben war, wiewohl er niemand Unrecht getan hat und kein Betrug in seinem Munde gewesen ist. 10 Aber der HERR wollte ihn also zerschlagen mit Krankheit. Wenn er sein Leben zum Schuldopfer gegeben hat, wird er Nachkommen haben und lange leben, und des HERRN Plan wird durch ihn gelingen. 11 Weil seine Seele sich abgemüht hat, wird er das Licht schauen und die Fülle haben. Durch seine Erkenntnis wird er, mein Knecht, der Gerechte, den Vielen Gerechtigkeit schaffen; denn er trägt ihre Sünden. 12 Darum will ich ihm die Vielen zur Beute geben und er soll die Starken zum Raube haben dafür, dass er sein Leben in den Tod gegeben hat und den Übeltätern gleichgerechnet ist und er die Sünde der Vielen getragen hat und für die Übeltäter gebeten.

Matthäus 20: 28 so wie der Sohn des Menschen nicht gekommen ist, um bedient zu werden, sondern um zu dienen und sein Leben zu geben als Lösegeld für viele.

Lukas 22:20:  Ebenso auch den Kelch nach dem Mahl und sagte: Dieser Kelch ist der neue Bund in meinem Blut, das für euch vergossen wird.

1.Timotheus 2:5 der Mensch Christus Jesus, gab sich selbst als Lösegeld für alle,

Johannes 8.24: Daher sagte ich euch, dass ihr in euren Sünden sterben werdet; denn wenn ihr nicht glaubt, dass ich ⟨es⟩ bin, so werdet ihr in euren Sünden sterben.

Johannes 14:6: Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater denn durch mich.

Apostelgeschichte 20. 28 Habt acht auf euch selbst und auf die ganze Herde, in welcher der Heilige Geist euch als Aufseher eingesetzt hat, die Gemeinde Gottes zu hüten, die er sich erworben hat durch das Blut seines eigenen ⟨Sohnes⟩! 29 Ich weiß, dass nach meinem Abschied grausame Wölfe zu euch hereinkommen werden, die die Herde nicht verschonen.

1Joh 5,20.Und wir sind in dem Wahrhaftigen, in seinem Sohn Jesus Christus. Dieser ist der wahrhaftige Gott und das ewige Leben“

1.Petrus 1.18, 19: Denn ihr wisst, dass ihr nicht mit vergänglichen Dingen, mit Silber oder Gold, erlöst worden seid von eurem eitlen, von den Vätern überlieferten Wandel, 19 sondern mit dem kostbaren Blut Christi als eines Lammes ohne Fehler und ohne Flecken.

Römer 3: Denn es ist kein Unterschied;23 denn alle haben gesündigt und verfehlen die Herrlichkeit, die sie vor Gott haben sollten, 24 sodass sie ohne Verdienst gerechtfertigt werden durch seine Gnade[6] aufgrund der Erlösung[7], die in Christus Jesus ist. 25 Ihn hat Gott zum Sühnopfer bestimmt, [das wirksam wird] durch den Glauben an sein Blut, um seine Gerechtigkeit zu erweisen, weil er die Sünden ungestraft ließ, die zuvor geschehen waren, 26 als Gott Zurückhaltung übte, um seine Gerechtigkeit in der jetzigen Zeit zu erweisen, damit er selbst gerecht sei und zugleich den rechtfertige, der aus dem Glauben an Jesus ist. 27 Wo bleibt nun das Rühmen? Es ist ausgeschlossen! Durch welches Gesetz? Das der Werke? Nein, sondern durch das Gesetz des Glaubens! 28 So kommen wir nun zu dem Schluss, dass der Mensch durch den Glauben gerechtfertigt wird, ohne Werke des Gesetzes.

1.Kolosser 1.15-20
Er ist das Bild des unsichtbaren Gottes, der Erstgeborene aller Schöpfung. 16 Denn in ihm ist alles in den Himmeln und auf der Erde geschaffen worden, das Sichtbare und das Unsichtbare, es seien Throne oder Herrschaften oder Gewalten oder Mächte: Alles ist durch ihn und zu ihm hin geschaffen; 17 und er ist vor allem, und alles besteht durch ihn.
18 Und er ist das Haupt des Leibes, der Gemeinde. Er ist der Anfang, der Erstgeborene aus den Toten, damit er in allem den Vorrang hat; 19 denn es gefiel der ganzen Fülle, in ihm zu wohnen 20 und durch ihn alles mit sich zu versöhnen – indem er Frieden gemacht hat durch das Blut seines Kreuzes – durch ihn, sei es, was auf der Erde oder was in den Himmeln ist.

Beachten Sie, dass Jesus der Erstgeborene genannt wird, nicht der Erstgeschaffene. Das Wort „Erstgeborener“ (griechisches Wort „prototokos“) bedeutet Vorrang. In der Kultur des Alten Orients war der Erstgeborene nicht unbedingt das älteste Kind. Erstgeborene bezog sich nicht auf die Geburtsreihenfolge, sondern auf den Rang. Der Erstgeborene besaß das Erbe und die Führung.

Hebräer 1
Nachdem Gott vorzeiten vielfach und auf vielerlei Weise geredet hat zu den Vätern durch die Propheten, 2 hat er zuletzt in diesen Tagen zu uns geredet durch den Sohn, den er eingesetzt hat zum Erben über alles, durch den er auch die Welten gemacht hat. 3 Er ist der Abglanz seiner Herrlichkeit und das Ebenbild seines Wesens und trägt alle Dinge mit seinem kräftigen Wort und hat vollbracht die Reinigung von den Sünden und hat sich gesetzt zur Rechten der Majestät in der Höhe

Johannes 1
Im Anfang war das Wort, und das Wort war bei Gott, und das Wort war Gott. 2 Dieses war im Anfang bei Gott. 3 Alles wurde durch dasselbe, und ohne dasselbe wurde auch nicht eines, das geworden ist. 4 In ihm war Leben, und das Leben war das Licht der Menschen. 5 Und das Licht scheint in der Finsternis, und die Finsternis hat es nicht erfasst.  Und das Wort wurde Fleisch und wohnte unter uns, und wir haben seine Herrlichkeit angeschaut, eine Herrlichkeit als eines Einzigen vom Vater, voller Gnade und Wahrheit.

Offenbarung 1:8: Ich bin das A und das O, spricht Gott der Herr, der da ist und der da war und der da kommt, der Allmächtige.

Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.

1 Timothy 2:5 the man Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all

John 8:24 Therefore I said unto you, that ye shall die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am ⟨it⟩, you will die in your sins.

John 14:6: Jesus said to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.

Acts 20. 28 Take care of yourselves and of all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God, which he bought by the blood of his own ⟨son⟩! 29 I know that after I have left, fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

1John 5:20 And we are in the true one, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life"

1 Peter 1:18, 19 For you know that you were redeemed from your vain ways handed down from your fathers, not with perishable things, silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without blemish Stains.

Unravelling Yeshua in the Old Testament: The Aleph - TAV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp-HnRshRIU&t=115s

The terms "TAV" and "aleph" are Hebrew letters, while "alpha and omega" are Greek letters. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters, while the Greek alphabet has 24 letters.

In the New Testament, the Greek letters "alpha" (α) and "omega" (ω) are used as symbols of Christ. The phrase "I am the Alpha and Omega" is found in the book of Revelation and is attributed to Jesus, who is saying that He is the beginning and the end, the first and the last. This phrase is understood to mean that Jesus is the source and sustainer of all things and that He holds the keys to death and Hades.

The Hebrew letter "TAV" (ת) is the 22nd and last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In ancient Hebrew, the letter TAV had the numerical value of 400, which was considered to be a significant number. In some Jewish mystical traditions, the TAV is seen as a symbol of the ultimate redemption, or the coming of the Messiah.

The Hebrew letter "aleph" (א) is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and is considered to be the source of all other letters. In Jewish tradition, the letter Aleph represents the oneness of God and is seen as a symbol of the divine presence.

The relation between "TAV," "aleph," and "alpha and omega" is that they all symbolize different aspects of the divine presence and power of God. In the context of the New Testament, the letters "alpha" and "omega" symbolize the completeness, sovereignty, and eternality of Jesus, while the letters "TAV" and "aleph" in the Hebrew tradition symbolize the ultimate redemption and the oneness of God. These symbols, taken together, suggest that Jesus is the source and sustainer of all things and that He is the one true God and the only Savior of the world.

Yeshua/Jesus is the incarnation of YHWH

The name Yahweh refers to God’s self-existence. Yahweh is linked to how God described Himself in Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.

Here are a few verses from the Bible that indicate that Jesus is the Creator:

"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 was not anything made that was made." (John 1:1-3)
"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:16)
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." (Hebrews 1:1-2)
"Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." (1 Corinthians 8:6)

These verses suggest that Jesus was involved in the act of creation and that all things were made through Him.

There are a number of verses in the Bible that suggest that Jesus is identified with YHWH (Yahweh), the God of Israel. Here are a few examples:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) This verse identifies Jesus as being God, and thus, being identified with YHWH.
"I and the Father are one." (John 10:30) This statement by Jesus implies that He and the Father (who is identified as YHWH in the Old Testament) are one and the same.
"Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'" (John 20:28) This is a statement made by the disciple Thomas after Jesus appears to him following His resurrection. Thomas identifies Jesus as both his Lord and his God.
"But to the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.'" (Hebrews 1:8 ) This verse quotes from Psalm 45:6, which is a psalm that addresses the king of Israel. In Hebrews, this verse is applied to Jesus, suggesting that Jesus is the king being addressed and is thus identified as God.

The Gospel of John records this repeated phrase “I am” seven times. Each repetition adds another layer of understanding of His character until we see His form perfectly.
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I am the Door (John 10:9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
I am the Vine (John 15:1,5)

YHWH are four Hebrew consonants (yodh, he, waw, he) first recorded in Genesis 2:4: “This is the account of the heavens and earth when they were created. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” In the Genesis verse “the Lord” is written in Hebrew as “YHWH” and the word “God” is written “Elohim” meaning in Hebrew “the Creator.” “YHWH” means “I Am” or “I Am That I Am,” a statement of Absolute Existence or IS-ness. (The “Y” in the tetragrammaton has, also, been denoted as a “J” as in “JHWH” and a “V” has been injected as in “JHVH.”) This writer believes the original tetragrammaton to be “YHWH,” “Yahweh” rather than “Jehovah.”

“Yeshua” is the Hebrew name of Jesus of Nazareth and means ” salvation, he saves.” His Name has parts of the tetragrammaton in it. “Yeshua” is a form of “Yahu’shuah,” the Messianic Salvation name. “Yahu” means “He is Yah,” G-d. Yeshua/Jesus is the incarnation of YHWH, the “Ha-Shem,” “the Name.”


These verses, among others, suggest that Jesus is identified with YHWH and is therefore considered to be God in human form.

there are passages in the gospels that suggest that Jesus and YHWH are identified with one another. Here are a few examples:

John 12:41: "Isaiah said these things because he saw [Jesus'] glory and spoke of him." This verse quotes from Isaiah 6:1, where the prophet sees a vision of YHWH's glory. John applies this same vision to Jesus, suggesting that Jesus is the same as the God of Israel.

John 8:58: "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" This statement by Jesus echoes the name that God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where He says "I AM WHO I AM." By using this same name for Himself, Jesus is making a claim to divinity.

Matthew 28:19: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This verse is often interpreted as a reference to the Trinity, which includes Jesus as one of the three persons of the one God.

Mark 2:5-12: In this passage, Jesus forgives a man's sins, which the scribes believe only God can do. Jesus responds by saying "But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the paralytic—"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." By forgiving sins and claiming the authority to do so, Jesus is again making a claim to divinity.

These passages, among others, suggest that Jesus is identified with YHWH and is thus considered to be God in human form.

Yeshua/Jesus is the incarnation of YHWH

Where did Jesus himself say, that he was God, or to worship him?

In the Bible, there are several instances where Jesus implies that he is God or accepts worship from others. Here are a few examples:

In John 10:30, Jesus says, "I and the Father are one," implying his unity with God.
In John 8:58, Jesus says, "Before Abraham was born, I am," using the same name for God that was used in the Old Testament.
In John 20:28, Thomas refers to Jesus as "My Lord and my God," and Jesus does not correct him.
In Matthew 14:33, after Jesus walks on water, the disciples worship him, and he accepts their worship.
In Matthew 28:9, after Jesus' resurrection, the women hold onto his feet and worship him.
While Jesus does not explicitly say, "I am God, worship me," these verses, along with others in the New Testament, are often interpreted as evidence of Jesus' divinity and the worship that he received as a result.

The name Yahweh refers to God’s self-existence. Yahweh is linked to how God described Himself in Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.

Here are a few verses from the Bible that indicate that Jesus is the Creator:

"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 was not anything made that was made." (John 1:1-3)
"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:16)
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." (Hebrews 1:1-2)
"Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." (1 Corinthians 8:6)

These verses suggest that Jesus was involved in the act of creation and that all things were made through Him.

There are a number of verses in the Bible that suggest that Jesus is identified with YHWH (Yahweh), the God of Israel. Here are a few examples:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) This verse identifies Jesus as being God, and thus, being identified with YHWH.
"I and the Father are one." (John 10:30) This statement by Jesus implies that He and the Father (who is identified as YHWH in the Old Testament) are one and the same.
"Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'" (John 20:28) This is a statement made by the disciple Thomas after Jesus appears to him following His resurrection. Thomas identifies Jesus as both his Lord and his God.
"But to the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.'" (Hebrews 1:8 ) This verse quotes from Psalm 45:6, which is a psalm that addresses the king of Israel. In Hebrews, this verse is applied to Jesus, suggesting that Jesus is the king being addressed and is thus identified as God.

The Gospel of John records this repeated phrase “I am” seven times. Each repetition adds another layer of understanding of His character until we see His form perfectly.
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I am the Door (John 10:9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
I am the Vine (John 15:1,5)

YHWH are four Hebrew consonants (yodh, he, waw, he) first recorded in Genesis 2:4: “This is the account of the heavens and earth when they were created. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” In the Genesis verse “the Lord” is written in Hebrew as “YHWH” and the word “God” is written “Elohim” meaning in Hebrew “the Creator.” “YHWH” means “I Am” or “I Am That I Am,” a statement of Absolute Existence or IS-ness. (The “Y” in the tetragrammaton has, also, been denoted as a “J” as in “JHWH” and a “V” has been injected as in “JHVH.”) This writer believes the original tetragrammaton to be “YHWH,” “Yahweh” rather than “Jehovah.”

“Yeshua” is the Hebrew name of Jesus of Nazareth and means ” salvation, he saves.” His Name has parts of the tetragrammaton in it. “Yeshua” is a form of “Yahu’shuah,” the Messianic Salvation name. “Yahu” means “He is Yah,” G-d. Yeshua/Jesus is the incarnation of YHWH, the “Ha-Shem,” “the Name.”


These verses, among others, suggest that Jesus is identified with YHWH and is therefore considered to be God in human form.

there are passages in the gospels that suggest that Jesus and YHWH are identified with one another. Here are a few examples:

John 12:41: "Isaiah said these things because he saw [Jesus'] glory and spoke of him." This verse quotes from Isaiah 6:1, where the prophet sees a vision of YHWH's glory. John applies this same vision to Jesus, suggesting that Jesus is the same as the God of Israel.

John 8:58: "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'" This statement by Jesus echoes the name that God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where He says "I AM WHO I AM." By using this same name for Himself, Jesus is making a claim to divinity.

Matthew 28:19: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This verse is often interpreted as a reference to the Trinity, which includes Jesus as one of the three persons of the one God.

Mark 2:5-12: In this passage, Jesus forgives a man's sins, which the scribes believe only God can do. Jesus responds by saying "But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the paralytic—"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." By forgiving sins and claiming the authority to do so, Jesus is again making a claim to divinity.

These passages, among others, suggest that Jesus is identified with YHWH and is thus considered to be God in human form.

Does the following verse imply that Jesus is lower than the father ?

Luke 1:31-33 (KJV) And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Answer: The claim that Jesus is lower than the Father based on Luke 1:31-33 is not an accurate interpretation of the passage. The passage speaks of Jesus' greatness and his position as the Son of the Highest. This does not imply that he is lower than the Father in any way.

In fact, the concept of the Trinity teaches that Jesus is one of the three persons of the Godhead, coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself affirmed his equality with the Father in John 10:30, where he said, "I and my Father are one."

The passage in Luke 1:31-33 speaks of Jesus' reign over the house of Jacob and his everlasting kingdom, which emphasizes his divine nature and eternal reign. These attributes are not indicative of a being who is lower than the Father, but rather of a being who is equal to him in power and authority.

While Luke 1:31-33 describes Jesus as the Son of the Highest, it does not support the claim that Jesus is lower than the Father. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity affirms that Jesus is coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Philippians 2:6-7 (NIV) - "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."
This passage emphasizes the pre-existence of Jesus and his divine nature, while also highlighting his humility in becoming human.

Colossians 1:15-20 (NIV) - "The Son 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."
This passage emphasizes Jesus' role in creation and his supremacy over all things, highlighting his divine nature and equality with God the Father.

Hebrews 1:3 (NIV) - "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word."
This passage emphasizes Jesus' role as the perfect revelation of God the Father and his power in sustaining all things, highlighting his divine nature and equality with God the Father.

John 1:1-3 (NIV) - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."
This passage emphasizes the pre-existence of Jesus as the Word, his relationship with God the Father, and his role in creation, highlighting his divine nature and equality with God the Father.

The Trial of Jesus: Blasphemy, Prophecy, and the Fulfillment of a Divine Mission

In the New Testament, during His trial before the high priest, Jesus was asked directly about His identity. In the Gospel of Mark 14:61-62, when the high priest asks Jesus if He is the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One, Jesus responds, "I am," and then refers to a future vision of the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven. Similarly, in Matthew 26:63-64 and Luke 22:67-70, there are parallel accounts of this event. Jesus' affirmation and His reference to the Son of Man — a term often associated with divinity and messianic prophecy in Jewish literature — imply His claim to a unique divine status. In Jewish thought, the concept of a divine messiah as God incarnate is generally not supported. Jesus' claim to be the Messiah was seen within the context of Jewish expectations of a human-anointed leader.

The crime attributed to Jesus during His trial before the Jewish authorities was blasphemy. This charge stemmed from Jesus' claims about His identity and His relationship to God, which the high priest and other members of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council) interpreted as blasphemous. Blasphemy was a serious offense. It generally referred to an act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God. The law against blasphemy is rooted in the Old Testament, where it is considered a capital offense.

The concept of blasphemy in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) primarily refers to an act of speaking against God, showing disrespect, or profaning sacred things. It's viewed as a direct affront to the sanctity and authority of God. This law is rooted in the Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11, which state, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." This commandment is broadly interpreted to prohibit misuse of God's name in a disrespectful or irreverent manner. The most explicit legal prescription against blasphemy in the Old Testament is found in Leviticus 24:13-16. In this passage, the Israelites are told that anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be stoned to death, and the entire community is responsible for carrying out this punishment. This indicates the severity with which blasphemy was regarded in ancient Israelite society.

The reason Jesus was condemned to crucifixion, rather than stoning according to Jewish law, is a matter of historical and political context involving the relationship between the Jewish authorities and the Roman government at the time. During the time of Jesus, Judea was under Roman occupation. The Romans had restricted the right of the Jewish authorities to carry out capital punishment. While the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, could try cases and pronounce sentences, they lacked the authority to execute those sentences in cases of capital punishment without Roman approval. For a death sentence to be carried out, it needed Roman sanction. Crucifixion was a Roman method of execution, not a Jewish one. The Jewish method, as prescribed by their law for blasphemy, would have been stoning. However, since the Romans reserved the right of execution, they chose the method. The Jewish leaders, according to the Gospel narratives, wanted to ensure the execution of Jesus but understood that they needed Roman involvement to achieve this. By presenting Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, as someone claiming to be "King of the Jews," they framed it as a case of sedition against Roman authority. This reframing made it a political issue relevant to Roman interests. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, after questioning Jesus, found no basis for a charge against him as per Roman law. However, due to the political pressure and the desire to maintain public order, he eventually agreed to the execution and chose crucifixion, a common Roman punishment for insurrectionists and rebels.

The case in Leviticus 24 involves a man who blasphemed the Name during a fight, leading to a direct command from God on how to deal with such offenses. This sets a precedent in the Mosaic Law for treating blasphemy as a capital crime, punishable by death. Furthermore, blasphemy in the Old Testament context is not just limited to verbal offenses against God. It can also include actions that show disrespect towards God, such as idolatry or profaning the Sabbath. These acts were seen as undermining the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. The strictness of the blasphemy law reflects the centrality of the reverence for God in the Hebrew Bible. God's name and character were to be held in the highest regard, and any action or word that diminished this respect was considered a significant transgression against both the divine and the community's moral and religious order.

From the viewpoint of the Jewish authorities of the time, as depicted in the New Testament, Jesus' claims about His identity and His relationship to God were seen as blasphemous. The key issues for the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council) were Jesus’ claims to be the Messiah, the Son of God, and His references to divine authority and power (such as sitting at the right hand of God and coming on the clouds of heaven). In the context of Jewish law and theology at the time, any claim by a human being to divine status or equality with God was considered blasphemous.

Jesus' knew in his response to the high priest during His trial, that it would be considered blasphemous and lead to His death. By acknowledging His identity, even at the risk of death, Jesus was fulfilling His messianic role as foretold in scriptures. Jesus always spoke the truth about His identity and mission. He consistently taught about the Kingdom of God and His role as the Son of God throughout His ministry. In this context, His response to the high priest was a continuation of His commitment to truth, regardless of the consequences. Jesus' death was a necessary part of God's plan for the salvation of humanity. Jesus' willingness to face death was part of a divine plan to offer redemption to humanity through His sacrifice. By responding as He did, Jesus was making a clear statement about His authority and divinity. This was a pivotal moment where He openly declared His heavenly authority, aligning with His teachings and miracles. Historically, it's also worth considering that Jesus was aware of the growing tensions between His teachings and the religious authorities. His response reflected His understanding of the political and social dynamics of the time and His decision to confront them head-on.

In Mark 14:61-64, after Jesus affirmed that He is the Messiah and speaks of the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven, the high priest tears his clothes and accuses Jesus of blasphemy. The council then condemns Jesus as deserving death.

Why did Jesus speak about himself as the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven ?

In the Jewish tradition, the "Son of Man" is a title that appears in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 7:13-14), where it describes a heavenly figure who is given authority, glory, and sovereign power by God. By using this title and describing this figure as sitting at the right hand of Power (a position of high honor and authority) and coming with the clouds of heaven (a symbol of divine presence and power), Jesus was making a strong messianic and divine claim. This would have been understood by the Jewish audience of the time as a reference to a figure with a unique, divinely appointed role. This statement was Jesus’ way of aligning Himself with the prophetic visions found in the Hebrew Scriptures. It signifies that He saw His mission as the fulfillment of these prophecies. By making this statement during His trial, Jesus was asserting His authority and role in God's plan. It was a declaration of His identity and the nature of His kingdom, which is not earthly or temporal but spiritual and eternal. It was also a direct challenge to the earthly religious and political authorities. It was a way of contrasting His divine authority with their temporal power. For His followers, this statement is a source of comfort and hope, indicating that despite the present circumstances, Jesus’ ultimate victory and divine authority are assured. For the early Christian community, Jesus' use of this title and description had significant theological implications. It reinforced the belief in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, who reigns eternally at the right hand of the Father.

Similarly, in Matthew 26:63-66 and Luke 22:70-71, Jesus' affirmative response to being the Son of God leads to the declaration of blasphemy and the decision that He is worthy of death. The crux of the charge of blasphemy in this context lies in the perception of Jesus' claims. To the Jewish authorities, claiming to be the Messiah and equating oneself with divine attributes or positions (like sitting at the right hand of God) was seen as a blasphemous usurpation of God's authority and status, especially since, in their view, such claims could not be attributed to a human being.

Jesus - Kyrios - Lord

The term "Kyrios" (κύριος) is a Greek word that means "lord" or "master." In the context of Christian theology, it is a title of great significance used to refer to Jesus Christ, emphasizing his divine authority and lordship. This title is found throughout the New Testament and is central to the Christian confession of Jesus' identity and role.

The use of "Kyrios" about Jesus serves multiple theological purposes:

Divine Authority: Calling Jesus "Kyrios" asserts his divine authority and status. In the Roman and Hellenistic worlds, "Kyrios" was a term used for gods and people of high social status, including emperors and masters of slaves. By applying this term to Jesus, early Christians were making a profound statement about his divine nature and his supreme authority over all creation.

Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies: In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) used by early Christians, the term "Kyrios" is used to translate the Tetragrammaton (YHWH), the sacred and ineffable name of God. By using "Kyrios" for Jesus, early Christians connected him to the God of Israel, suggesting that he embodies the presence and fulfillment of God's promises in the Old Testament.

Confession of Faith: The confession "Jesus is Lord" (in Greek, "Iēsous kyrios") became one of the earliest Christian creeds, encapsulating the core of Christian faith. This confession was not only theological but also had practical and sometimes political implications, especially in a context where declaring loyalty to Jesus as "Lord" could conflict with the expected allegiance to the Roman Emperor, who was also called "Kyrios" in some contexts.

Relationship with Believers: The term "Kyrios" also denotes a relationship of authority and care between Jesus and his followers. In calling Jesus "Lord," Christians acknowledge his guidance, protection, and provision, akin to a master's relationship with his servants, yet deeply infused with love and self-sacrifice as demonstrated through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

Eschatological Significance: The title "Kyrios" carries eschatological (end times) significance as well. In Paul's letters and other New Testament writings, Jesus as "Lord" is associated with the belief in his return and the final establishment of his kingdom. The confession of Jesus as "Kyrios" is thus not only a recognition of his current lordship but also an expression of hope and assurance in his future return to fulfill God's redemptive plan fully.

The title "Kyrios" for Jesus Christ in Christian theology is rich with meaning, pointing to his divine authority, fulfillment of biblical prophecy, central place in Christian confession, relational lordship over believers, and the eschatological hope of his return.

Question: Is the name Lord of lords, or almighty god given to Jesus?
Answer:  The titles "Lord of lords" and "Almighty God" are indeed associated with Jesus in Christian theology, but their usage and emphasis can vary across different Christian traditions and interpretations of Scripture. Let's explore how these titles relate to Jesus:

Lord of Lords: This title is used in the New Testament and is applied to Jesus Christ, particularly in the Book of Revelation. Revelation 17:14 states, 
"They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen, and faithful followers." 

Again, in Revelation 19:16, it is written on Jesus' robe and thigh that He is "King of Kings and Lord of Lords." These passages affirm Jesus' supreme authority over all other rulers and authorities, both earthly and heavenly.

Almighty God: The title "Almighty God" is more commonly used in the Old Testament to refer to God the Father (Yahweh). However, the deity of Jesus and his identification with God are affirmed in several New Testament passages, albeit with different titles or expressions. For instance, in John 1:1, it is stated, 
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," identifying Jesus (the Word) as divine. 

In Titus 2:13, Paul refers to Jesus as 
"our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ," which reflects the early Christian belief in the divinity of Jesus.

Question: "Our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, does that not mean two persons? God the Father, and Savior, Jesus Christ?
Answer:  In Greek, the phrase in Titus 2:13 utilizes what's known as the Granville Sharp rule, which suggests that when two nouns are connected by "and" (in Greek, "kai") and the first noun has the article "the" (in Greek, "ho") while the second does not, both nouns refer to the same person. In this case, "God" and "Savior" are linked in such a way to refer to Jesus Christ, suggesting that Paul is identifying Jesus as both "God" and "Savior."

The Letter to Titus is one of the pastoral epistles, written by Paul to guide Titus, a church leader in Crete. Throughout the letter, Paul emphasizes sound doctrine and good works among Christians. In Titus 2:13, Paul is encouraging believers to live godly lives while waiting for the return of Jesus Christ, whom he identifies as "our great God and Savior." This identification serves to underscore the importance of Jesus and the expectation of his second coming, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in faith and good deeds.

The phrase "our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" has significant theological implications: This phrase clearly articulates the early Christian belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, affirming that Jesus is not only the Savior but also God himself. This is a crucial element in Trinitarian theology, which holds that the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons but of one essence in the Godhead. The construction of the phrase in Greek suggests that "God" and "Savior" are titles for the same person, Jesus Christ, which argues against the interpretation that two separate beings are being referred to. Instead, it emphasizes the unity of Christ's person as both divine and savior. The context of the phrase is in the anticipation of Christ's return, which is a central element of Christian eschatological hope. By calling Jesus "our great God," Paul elevates the significance of this hope, indicating that it is not just a human savior who is to return, but God himself. The exegesis of "our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ" from Titus 2:13 reveals a rich theological statement about the identity of Jesus Christ. It affirms his divinity, unifies his role as both God and Savior and underscores the Christian hope in his return. This verse is a cornerstone for understanding the early Christian confession of Jesus' divine nature and its implications for Christian life and hope.

The distinction in the usage of these titles can be attributed to the different roles and relationships attributed to the Persons of the Trinity in Christian theology. While "Almighty God" is often used to refer to the Father, reflecting a traditional Jewish understanding of God, the New Testament reveals Jesus in terms that emphasize his divine authority, messianic kingship, and unique relationship with the Father. The Holy Spirit is also described in terms that emphasize its role in empowering, guiding, and dwelling within believers.

The titles "Lord of Lords" and "Almighty God" are part of a broader array of titles and descriptions that the Bible uses to convey the complex and multifaceted identity of Jesus Christ. The use or emphasis of certain titles over others can vary depending on theological emphasis, liturgical tradition, or scriptural interpretation within different Christian communities. Despite these variations, the central Christian confession across most traditions remains the divinity of Jesus, his redemptive work, and his lordship over all creation.

Trinity in the Old Testament

The concept of the Trinity, as understood in traditional Christian theology, is not explicitly detailed in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament. The doctrine of the Trinity—that God exists as three persons in one essence (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)—was developed in the early centuries of the Christian Church as theologians reflected on the entirety of biblical revelation, including both the Old and New Testaments.

However, there are passages in the Old Testament that have been retrospectively interpreted by Christian theologians as hints or anticipations of the Trinitarian nature of God. These passages are not direct assertions of the Trinity but are seen as suggestive when read in light of the fuller revelation in the New Testament. Some of these include:

Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness...'" The plural pronouns "us" and "our" have been seen as a hint of the plurality within the Godhead. While traditional Jewish interpretation might understand this as a "royal we" or God consulting the heavenly court, Christian theologians often see it as an early hint of the Trinity.

Genesis 18:1-3: This passage describes the Lord appearing to Abraham along with two angels, represented by three men. While the text does not explicitly equate this with the Trinity, some Christian interpretations have seen it as a theophany that reflects the triune nature of God.

Isaiah 6:3: The seraphim's cry of "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" has been interpreted by some as a reflection of the Trinity, with the threefold repetition of "holy" seen as corresponding to the three persons in the Godhead.

Isaiah 48:16: "And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit." This passage, where the speaker (whom some identify as the Messiah) acknowledges being sent by the Lord God along with His Spirit, has been interpreted by some as an indication of the distinct persons in the Godhead.

Psalms 110:1: "The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" Jesus himself uses this verse in the New Testament (Matthew 22:44) to discuss his relationship to David and to God, which has been interpreted in Christian theology as reflecting the distinct persons of the Father and the Son.

Philippians 2:5-8: Paul writes, "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!" This passage highlights Jesus' divine nature and his willing humiliation and obedience unto death on the cross.