.
THE
DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
by Diane
S. Dew
I. Jesus Christ was more than a "good man." He
is God.
Philippians 2:6
Hebrews 1:8
A. He Himself claimed to be
God.
John 4:26; 8:23; 10:30; 13:13; 14:7-10
B. He accepted worship.
Matthew 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 18:26; 28:9, 17
Mark 5:6; Luke 24:52; John 5:22, 23; John 9:38
C. He claimed the power and
authority to forgive sin.
Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:7
D. "He was God manifest
in the flesh" (l Timothy 3:16), "for in
Him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily"
(Colossians 2:9).
E. "God was in
Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:19), Who is "the
brightness of
His glory, and the express image of His person...."
(Hebrews 1:3).
F. Jesus is therefore throughout
scripture referred to as the
"image of God."
John 1:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15
Philippians 2:6
II. By the names attributed to him in scripture it can be seen
that
Jesus Christ was truly God as well as man.
A. "Mighty
God." Isaiah 9:6
B. The Word of
God. John 1:1; Revelation 19:13, 16
C. "Immanuel,"
meaning "God with us." Isaiah 7:14;
Matthew 1:23
D. The
Almighty. Revelation 1:8
E . The "I
Am." John 8:58 with Exodus 3:14
F. "My
Lord and my God!" John 20:28
G. The
"Alpha and Omega" (first and last).
Isaiah 44:6; 48:12; Revelation 1:8, 11, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13
H. Son of God.
Matthew 17:5; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; 1 John 4:15
III. Jesus Christ possessed all the attributes of God.
A. He was (is) omniscient
(all-knowing).
John 4:25, 26, 29; 6:64; 13:11; 19:28; 21:17
1. He
knew their thoughts.
Matthew 9:4; 12:25; 22:18; Mark 2:8; 12:15
Luke 5:22; 6:8; 9:47; 11:17
John 2:24, 25; 5:42; 6:6; 16:19, 30; Acts
1:24
2. He
even foretold His own death by crucifixion.
Matthew 16:21; 17:22, 23; 20:18, 19
John 2:19, 21, 22; 12:23, 24, 32-33
B. He is omnipresent (everywhere).
Matthew 18:20; 28:20; Ephesians 1:23
C. He is omnipotent
(all-powerful).
Daniel 7:13, 14; Matthew 28:18
John 3:31, 35; 17:2; 1 Peter 3:22
D. He is eternal.
1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16; Revelation 1:4, 5
1.
Scripture claims that Christ was pre-existent to the
creation of the world, that He was present with the
Father from the beginning of time.
Genesis 1:26; 3:22; 11:7 ("... us
... our ... our ...")
Proverbs 8:22-36; Isaiah 48:12, 16; Micah
5:2
John 1:1-3, 10; 3:13; 6:62; 17:5, 24; 8:35,
58
1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9;
Philippians 2:5
Colossians 1:15-19
Romans 11:36; Hebrews 1:2; Revelation 3:14
2.
Jesus is "the first and the last" (Isaiah 44:6; 48:12;
Revelation 1:11, 17), the "Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end" (Revelation 1:8, 11; 2:8;
21:6; 22:13).
E. He is unchanging.
Hebrews 13:8
John 8:58; 18:6 with Exodus 3:14 ("I AM")
Revelation 1:17, 18 ("the Living One")
IV. Some claim that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross is
proof that
He could not have been God. What evidence is
given in scripture
to refute this argument?
A. Jesus' death on the cross
was not due to failure or weakness
on His part. It
was entirely voluntary.
Matthew 26:39, 42; Luke 22:42; John 10:17, 18
Philippians 2:5-9
B. It was the will of
God that He suffer and die.
Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it pleased the Lord to
bruise Him..."
C. He even foretold
His own death by crucifixion.
Matthew 20:18, 19; 16:21; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:32-34
John 2:19, 21, 22; 12:23, 24, 32, 33
D. He said that He had
the power to lay down His life and had
power to
take it back again.
John 10:17, 18
E. It was not
necessary for Him to be defended, He said, for He
could have
called upon the Father to send 10,000 legions of
angels for
His protection.
Matthew 26:50-54
F. He overcame death by
rising again. The resurrection alone
should be sufficient evidence of His divinity. (See
Section
VI-E).
V. Why was it necessary that He should become a man and die?
A.
"... that through death He might destroy him that had the
power of death, that is, the devil."
Hebrews 2:14
B. To "deliver them who
through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage."
Hebrews 2:15
C. "... that He might be
a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God
... in that He Himself hath suffered being
tempted, He is
able to succour them that are tempted."
Hebrews 2:17, 18; 4:14-16
D. "... to
make reconciliation for the sins of the people."
Hebrews 2:17
VI. The specific details of His birth, life, ministry, death,
and resurrection, all in fulfillment of Old Testament Messianic prophecy,
prove the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A. His birth.
1. The virgin
birth.
a. Old Testament prophecy: Isaiah 7:14
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 1:23, 24
Luke 1:27, 31, 34, 35
2. Birthplace:
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Micah 5:2
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 2:1, 6
3. Date of
birth.
Old Testament prophecy: Daniel 9:24
4. The
genealogy of Jesus Christ.
a. Of Abraham's seed.
(1) Old Testament prophecy: Genesis 12:2, 3; 22:18
(2) New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 1:1;
Galatians
3:16; Hebrews 2:16
b. Descendant of Isaac.
(1) Old Testament prophecy: Genesis 21:12
(2) New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 1:2; Luke
3:23, 24
c. Descendant of Jacob.
(1) Old Testament prophecy: Genesis 35:10-12
Numbers 24:17
(2) New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 1:2;
Luke 1:33;
3:23, 24
d. Of the tribe of
(1) Old Testament prophecy: Genesis 49:10
(2) New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 1:3;
Luke 3:33;
Revelation 5:5
e. Descendant of Jesse.
(1) Old Testament prophecy: Isaiah 11:1, 10
(2) New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 1:6;
Luke 3:23, 32
f. Davidic lineage.
(1) Old Testament prophecy: 2 Samuel 7:12-14
Jeremiah 23:5
(2) New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 1:1;
9:27; 15:22; etc.
Acts
13:22, 23 Revelation 5:5; 22:16
5. The flight
into
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Hosea 11:1
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 2:14, 15
B. His life.
Jesus alone lived a sinless, perfect life, fully
surrendered to the Father.
John 8:29; 14:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21
Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 10:7
1 Peter 2:22; 1:19; 1 John 3:5
C. His ministry.
1. His manner
of teaching was simplistic. He spoke in parables.
a. Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 49:1-4; 78:1, 2
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 13:34, 35; John 16:25
2. He spoke
with authority.
Matthew 7:28, 29; Luke 4:32; John 7:46
3. His works,
the wonders He performed while here
on
earth, prove that Jesus Christ was more than a
man.
Matthew 4:23, 24; 11:3-5; Mark 1:34
John 9:32, 33; 10:37, 38; 21:25
D. His death.
1. Betrayal of
a friend.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 41:9
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:21-23; Mark 14:10
2. Forsaken by
disciples.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Zechariah 13:7
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:31, 32
3. Betrayed
for thirty pieces of silver.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Zechariah 11:12
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:15
4. Potter's
field bought with money.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Zechariah 11:13
b. New Testament fulfillment. Matthew 27:1-8
5. Falsely
accused by testimonies of many witnesses.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 35:11
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:59, 60
6. Dumb before
His captors.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Isaiah 53:7
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:62, 63; 27:12, 14
7. Scourged.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Isaiah 50:6
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 26:67; 27:26
8. Crucified.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 22:16
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Mark 15:24
9. With evildoers.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Isaiah 53:12
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:38; John 19:18
10. His words while
dying.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 22:1
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:46
11. Vinegar and gall.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 22:15; 69:21
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:34, 48; John 19:28
12. Scorned by men.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 22:6-8
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:39-44
13. Wounded in
hands and side.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Zechariah 12:10; 13:6
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:35; John 19:34
14. None of His bones
broken.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 34:20
b.
New Testament fulfillment: John 19:32, 33, 36
15. Lots cast for His
clothes.
a.
Old Testament prophecy: Psalms 22:18
b.
New Testament fulfillment: Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:24
E. His resurrection.
1.
Prophesied: Psalms 16:10 (Acts 2:27; 13:35-37);
Matthew 16:21 (Mark 8:31)
Matthew 12:38-40; 17:9, 22, 23; 20:18-19; 26:32; 27:63
Mark 9:10, 31; 10:32-34; 14:28, 58; Luke 9:22
John 2:19, 21, 22
2.
Fulfilled: Matthew 28:6, etc.; Acts 13:30-37
3. Proof
that He was bodily resurrected:
Acts 1:1-4 "He showed
Himself alive!"
Luke 24:36, 39 "....
Jesus Himself stood in the midst
of them ..."
John 2:19, 21 "...He spake
of the temple of His body!"
a. He appeared visibly to many people.
Acts 13:30-31
(1) First to Mary Magdalene. John 20:14, 18
(2) Then to the other women.
Matthew 28:9
(3) To Peter. Luke
24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5
(4) To
the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.
Luke 24:15
(5) In
the closed room, to ten disciples.
Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19, 20
(6) To the
eleven. John 20:26, 29
(7) In the
mountains, to the eleven. Matthew 28:10, 17
(8) At the
sea, to Peter, Thomas, Nathanael,
the sons of
Zebedee, and two other disciples.
John 21:1, 14, etc.
(9) To 500 brethren at once. 1 Corinthians 15:6
(10) To James, and to all the apostles.
Acts 1:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:7
(11) To Paul. Acts 9:3-6;
22:17-21; 23:11
1 Corinthians 15:8
b. He talked with them.
Matthew 28:10, 18
Luke 24:15-17, 25-27,
36-49
John 20:15-18, 22, 23,
26-29; 21:5, 6, 10-2 2
Acts 1:3
c. He ate with them.
Luke 24:30, 35, 41-43
John 21:12, 15
Acts 1:3, 4
d. They touched Him.
(1) The women. Matthew
28:9
(2) The
disciples. Luke 24:39
(3) Thomas. John
20:27
VII. The doctrine of the deity of Jesus, one of the most basic
tenets of Christian belief, is perverted by many cults falsely assuming
the name of "Christian" (i.e., Jehovah's Witnesses/Watchtower
Society; Mormonism, etc.), and "twisting the scriptures to their own
destruction." It is essential, therefore, that true believers have a firm
foundation in Scripture relating to this teaching