When writing about the humanity of Jesus, perhaps we should start with a clear reminder that Jesus was fully God. That needs to be addressed first. In describing the way that people look at themselves and Jesus from the perspective of the New Age religions, Frank Peretti gives an excellent example. It is as follows:
In the New Age religions, people say “I am God,” “you are God.” But when a Christian tells them that Jesus is God, they say “Jesus never claimed to be God!”
OH YES HE DID. In Exodus, when God called Moses and began teaching him how to proceed with the deliverance of the Hebrew nation, he told Moses to tell them “I AM” sent you. Read EXODUS 3:14:
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
When Jesus was debating the Pharisees and religious leaders in John 8, He spoke plainly with them, saying this:
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “ Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Apparently, all of the previous religious discussion was tolerable, but when he spoke this, THEY WANTED HIM DEAD. He is clearly making himself out to be God here!
Other passages that clearly delineate the deity of Christ:
Hebrews 1:8 But to the Son He says:“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Col 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
John 10:30-33 "I and My Father are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
We are taking all of this time to establish the deity of Jesus, because we will be looking to Him for our answer on anger and Humanity. Catch up with us next time!
-Mark
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