Beyond Blind Faith
Who is Jesus? Is Jesus God? See what Jesus said about himself, his
equality with God, and what exactly Jesus did to prove it.
By Paul E. Little
It is impossible for us to know conclusively whether God exists and what
he is like unless he takes the initiative and reveals himself.
We must scan the horizon of history to see if there is any clue to God's
revelation. There is one clear clue. In an obscure village in Palestine, 2,000
years ago, a Child was born in a stable. Today the entire world is still
celebrating the birth of Jesus, and for good reason.
Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God?
We're told that "the common people heard him gladly." And,
"He taught as One who had authority, and not as their teachers of the
Law." 1
Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God? It soon became apparent,
however, that he was making shocking and startling statements about himself. He
began to identify himself as far more than a remarkable teacher or prophet. He
began to say clearly that he was God. He made his identity the focal point of
his teaching. The all-important question he put to those who followed him was,
"Who do you say I am?" When Peter answered and said, "You are
the Christ, the Son of the living God," 2 Jesus was not shocked, nor did
he rebuke Peter. On the contrary, he commended him!
Jesus frequently referred to "My Father," and his hearers got
the full impact of his words. We are told, "The Jews tried all the harder
to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God
his own Father, making himself equal with God." 3
On another occasion he said, "I and My Father are One."
Immediately the religious authorities wanted to stone him. He asked them which
of his good works caused them to want to kill him. They replied, "We are
not stoning you for any of these but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man,
claim to be God." 4
Is Jesus God? Look at His life.
As Jesus was healing a paralyzed man, Jesus said to him, "Son, your
sins are forgiven you." The religious leaders immediately reacted.
"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive
sins but God alone?"
When Jesus was on trial for his life, the high priest put the question
to him directly: "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man
sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of
heaven."
The high priest rendered the verdict. "Why do we need any more
witnesses?" he asked. "You have heard his blasphemy." 5
So close was Jesus' connection with God that he equated a person's
attitude to himself with the person's attitude toward God. Thus, to know him
was to know God. 6 To see him was to see God. 7 To believe in him was to
believe in God. 8 To receive him was to receive God. 9 To hate him was to hate
God. 10 And to honor him was to honor God. 11
Is Jesus God? - possible explanations
“ As we face the claims of Christ, there are only four possibilities. He
was either a liar, mentally ill, a legend, or the Truth. ”
The question is, was he telling the truth?
Maybe Jesus lied when he said he was God. Perhaps he knew he was not
God, but deliberately deceived his hearers. But there is a problem with this
reasoning. Even those who deny his deity affirm that he was a great moral
teacher. Jesus could hardly be a great moral teacher if, on the most crucial
point of his teaching -- his identity -- he was a deliberate liar.
Another possibility is that Jesus was sincere but self-deceived. We have
a name for a person today who thinks he is God. Mentally disabled. But as we
look at the life of Christ, we see no evidence of the abnormality and imbalance
we find in a mentally ill person. Rather, we find the greatest composure under
pressure.
A third alternative is that his enthusiastic followers put words into
his mouth he would have been shocked to hear. Were he to return, he would
immediately repudiate them.
No, modern archeology verifies that four biographies of Christ were
written within the lifetime of people who saw, heard and followed Jesus. These
gospel accounts contained specific facts and descriptions confirmed by those
who were eyewitnesses of Jesus. The early writing of the Gospels by Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John, is why they gained such circulation and impact, unlike the
fictional Gnostic gospels which appeared centuries later.
Jesus was not a liar, or mentally disabled, or manufactured apart from
historical reality. The only other alternative is that Jesus was being
consciously truthful when he said he was God.
Is Jesus God? What is the proof?
From one point of view, however, claims don't mean much. Talk is cheap.
Anyone can make claims. There have been others who have claimed to be God. I
could claim to be God, and you could claim to be God, but the question all of
us must answer is, "What credentials do we bring to substantiate our
claim?" In my case it wouldn't take you five minutes to disprove my claim.
It probably wouldn't take too much more to dispose of yours.
But when it comes to Jesus of Nazareth, it's not so simple. He had the
credentials to back up his claim. He said, "Even though you do not believe
me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand
that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father." 12
The life of Jesus - His unique moral character
Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God? His moral character
coincided with his claims. The quality of his life was such that he was able to
challenge his very enemies with the question, "Can any of you prove me
guilty of sin?" 13 He was met by silence, even though he addressed those
who would have liked to point out a flaw in his character.
We read of Jesus being tempted by Satan, but we never hear of a
confession of sin on his part. He never asked for forgiveness, though he told
his followers to do so.
This lack of any sense of moral failure on Jesus' part is astonishing in
view of the fact that it is completely contrary to the experience of the saints
and mystics throughout the ages. The closer men and women draw to God, the more
overwhelmed they are with their own failure, corruption, and shortcomings. The
closer one is to a shining light, the more he realizes his need of a bath. This
is true also, in the moral realm, for ordinary mortals.
It is also striking that John, Paul, and Peter, all of whom were trained
from earliest childhood to believe in the universality of sin, all spoke of the
sinlessness of Christ: "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in
his mouth." 14
Even Pilate, who sentenced Jesus to death, asked, "What evil has he
done?" After listening to the crowd, Pilate concluded, "I am innocent
of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." The crowd relentlessly
demanded Jesus be crucified (for blasphemy, claiming to be God). The Roman
centurion who assisted in the crucifixion of Christ said, "Surely he was
the Son of God." 15
The life of Jesus - He cured the sick
Jesus constantly demonstrated his power and compassion. He made the lame
to walk, the blind to see, and healed those with diseases. For example, a man
who had been blind from birth. Everyone knew him as the familiar beggar who sat
outside the temple. Yet Jesus healed him. As the authorities questioned the
beggar about Jesus, he said, "One thing I do know. I was blind but now I
see!" he declared. He was astounded that these religious authorities
didn't recognize this Healer as the Son of God. "Nobody has ever heard of
opening the eyes of a man born blind," he said. 16 To him the evidence was
obvious.
The life of Jesus - His ability to control nature
Jesus also demonstrated a supernatural power over nature itself. He
commanded a raging storm of high wind and waves on the Sea of Galilee to be
calm. Those in the boat were awestruck, asking, "Who is this? Even the
wind and waves obey him!" 17 He turned water into wine, at a wedding. He
fed a massive crowd of 5,000 people, starting with five loaves of bread and two
fish. He gave a grieving widow back her only son by raising him from the dead.
Lazarus, a friend of Jesus' died and was buried in a tomb for four days
already. Yet Jesus said, "Lazarus, come forth!" and dramatically
raised him from the dead, witnessed by many. It is most significant that his
enemies did not deny this miracle. Rather, they decided to kill him. "If
we let him go on like this," they said, "everyone will believe in
him." 18
Is Jesus God, as he claimed?
Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God? Jesus' supreme evidence of
deity was his own resurrection from the dead. Five times in the course of his
life, Jesus clearly predicted in what specific way he would be killed and
affirmed that three days later he would rise from the dead.
Surely this was the great test. It was a claim that was easy to verify.
It would either happen or not. It would either confirm his stated identity or
destroy it. And significant for you and me, Jesus' rising from the dead would
verify or make laughable statements such as these:
"I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father
except through me." 19 "I am the light of the world. He who follows
me will not live in darkness, but will have the light of life." 20 For
those who believe in him, "I give them eternal life..." 21
So by his own words, he offers this proof, ""The Son of Man is
going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when
he is killed, after three days he will rise." 22
What this would mean
“ Talk is cheap. Anyone can make claims. But when it comes to Jesus of
Nazareth... He had the credentials to back up His claim. ”
If Christ rose, we know with certainty that God exists, what God is
like, and how we may know him in personal experience. The universe takes on
meaning and purpose, and it is possible to experience the living God in this
life.
On the other hand, if Christ did not rise from the dead, Christianity
has no objective validity or reality. The martyrs who went singing to the
lions, and contemporary missionaries who have given their lives while taking
this message to others, have been poor deluded fools.
Paul, the great apostle, wrote, "If Christ has not been raised, our
preaching is useless and so is your faith." 23 Paul rested his whole case
on the bodily resurrection of Christ.
Did Jesus prove he is God?
Let's look at the evidence for Jesus' resurrection.
Given all the miracles he had performed, Jesus easily could have avoided
the cross, but he chose not to.
Before his arrest, Jesus said, "I lay down my life that I may take
it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord...and
I have authority to take it up again." 24
During his arrest, Jesus' friend Peter tried to defend him. But Jesus
said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its place...Do you think that I
cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve
legions of angels?" 25 He had that kind of power in heaven and on earth.
Jesus went willingly to his death.
Jesus' crucifixion and burial.
Jesus' death was by public execution on a cross, a common form of
torture and death, used by the Roman government for many centuries. The
accusation against Jesus was for blasphemy (for claiming to be God). Jesus said
it was to pay for our sin.
Jesus was lashed with a multi-cord whip having metal or bone fragmented
ends. A mock crown of long thorns was beaten into his skull. They forced him to
walk to an execution hill outside of Jerusalem. They put him on a wooden cross,
nailing his wrists and feet to it. He hung there, eventually dying. A sword was
thrust into his side to confirm his death.
The body of Jesus was taken from the cross, wrapped in mummy-like linens
covered with gummy-wet spices. His body was placed in a solid rock tomb, where
a very large boulder was rolled down to it, to secure the entrance.
Everyone knew that Jesus said he would rise from the dead in three days.
So they stationed a guard of trained Roman soldiers at the tomb. They also
affixed an official Roman seal to the outside of the tomb declaring it
government property.
Three days later, the tomb was empty.
Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God? In spite of all this,
three days later the boulder, formerly sealing the tomb, was found up a slope,
some distance away from the tomb. The body was gone. Only the grave linens were
found in the tomb, caved in, empty of the body.
It is important to note that both critics and followers of Jesus agree
that the tomb was empty and the body missing.
The earliest explanation circulated was that the disciples stole the
body while the guards were sleeping. This makes little sense. This was an
entire guard of highly trained Roman soldiers, and falling asleep on duty was
punishable by death.
Further, each of the disciples (individually and separately from each
other) were tortured and martyred for proclaiming that Jesus was alive, risen
from the dead. Men and women will die for what they believe to be true, though
it may actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a
lie. If ever a man tells the truth, it is on his deathbed.
Maybe the authorities moved the body? Yet they crucified Jesus to stop
people from believing in him. This also is a weak possibility. If they had
Christ's body, they could have paraded it through the streets of Jerusalem. In
one fell swoop they would have successfully smothered Christianity in its
cradle. That they did not do this bears eloquent testimony to the fact that
they did not have the body.
Another theory is that the women, distraught and overcome by grief,
missed their way in the dimness of the morning and went to the wrong tomb. In
their distress they imagined Christ had risen because the tomb was empty. But
again, if the women went to the wrong tomb, why did the high priests and other
enemies of the faith not go to the right tomb and produce the body?
“ Men and women will die for what they believe to be true, though it may
actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie. ”
One other possibility is what some call "the swoon theory." In
this view, Christ did not actually die. He was mistakenly reported to be dead,
but had swooned from exhaustion, pain, and loss of blood, and in the coolness
of the tomb, he revived. (One would have to overlook the fact that they put a
spear in his side to medically confirm his death.)
But let us assume for a moment that Christ was buried alive and swooned.
Is it possible to believe that he would have survived three days in a damp tomb
without food or water or attention of any kind? Would he have had the strength
to extricate himself from the grave clothes, push the heavy stone away from the
mouth of the grave, overcome the Roman guards, and walk miles on feet that had
been pierced with spikes? It too makes little sense.
However, it wasn't the empty tomb that convinced Jesus' followers of his
deity.
Not just the empty tomb.
That alone did not convince them that Jesus actually rose from the dead,
was alive, and was God. What convinced them were the number of times that Jesus
showed up, in person, in the flesh, and ate with them, and talked with them.
Luke, one of the gospel writers, says of Jesus, "he presented
himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared
to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God."
26
Is Jesus God?
All four of the gospel writers give accounts of Jesus physically showing
up after his burial, obviously alive. One time that Jesus joined the disciples,
Thomas, was not there. When they told him about it, Thomas simply wouldn't
believe it. He flatly stated, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands
and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will
not believe it."
One week later, Jesus came to them again, with Thomas now present. Jesus
said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand
and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas replied,
"My Lord and my God!"
Jesus told him "Because you have seen me, you have believed;
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 27
Your opportunity
Why did Jesus go through all of that? It was so we could know God now,
in this life, by believing in him.
Jesus offers us a far more meaningful life, by being in a relationship
with him. Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and have it
abundantly." 28
You can begin an intimate relationship with him right now. You can begin
to personally know God in this life on earth, and after death into eternity.
Here is God's promise to us:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." 29
Jesus took our sin on himself, on the cross. He chose to receive
punishment for our sin, so that our sin would no longer be a barrier between us
and him. Because he fully paid for your sin, he offers you complete forgiveness
and a relationship with him.
Here is how you can begin that relationship.
Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock;
if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him." 30
Right now you can invite Jesus Christ into your life. The words are not
important. What matters is that you respond to him, in light of what he has
done for you, and is now offering you. You could say to him something like,
"Jesus, I believe in you. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I
ask you to forgive me and to come into my life right now. I want to know you
and follow you. Thank you for coming into my life and giving me a relationship
with you, right now. Thank you."
If you asked Jesus into your life, we would like to help you grow to
know him better. In whatever way we can help you, please feel free to click on
one of the links below.
► I just asked Jesus into my life
(some helpful information follows)...
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life, please explain this more fully...
► I have a question or comment...
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Adapted from Know Why You Believe by Paul E. Little, published by Victor
Books, copyright (c) 1988, SP Publications, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60187. Used by
permission.
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(1) Matthew 7:29 (2) Matthew 16:15-16 (3) John 5:18 (4) John 10:33 (5)
Mark 14:61-64 (6) John 8:19; 14:7 (7) 12:45; 14:9 (8) 12:44; 14:1 (9) Mark 9:37
(10) John 15:23 (11) John 5:23 (12) John 10:38 (13) John 8:46 (14) 1 Peter 2:22
(15) Matthew 27:54 (16) John 9:25, 32 (17) Mark 4:41 (18) John 11:48 (19) John
14:6 (20) John 8:12 (21) John 10:28 (22) Mark 9:31 (23) 1 Corinthians 15:14
(24) John 10:18 (25) Matthew 26:52,53 (26) Acts 1:3 (27) John 20:24-29 (28)
John 10:10 (29) John 3:16 (30) Revelation 3:20
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