Many people think of Jesus as a great religious teacher and even a prophet, but not the Divine Son of God. What did He really claim? Did He accept claims that He was the Christ, the Divine Son of God in the flesh, eternal, and our Savior? Did He believe people must believe in Him and obey Him to be saved and receive eternal life? Did He accept worship? Some people that believe these claims were first made for Him by His followers long after He died. Please consider this study of the claims of Jesus.
Introduction:
The purpose of this study is to examine the claims of Jesus.
We will look at claims that He personally made for Himself and claims that were made for Him by other people in His presence.
Some people say Jesus did not claim to be the Son of God, God in the flesh, eternal, the Savior of mankind, etc. Still others say they believe in Jesus as a great man or a prophet, but not as the Son of God, etc.
But if Jesus Himself did claim these things when they are not true, or if He knowingly permitted people to make such claims on His behalf, then He would not be a good man or a true teacher at all. He would be a fraud, a liar, and a false teacher.
The fact Jesus made such claims would not prove they are true. The evidence to substantiate His claims is another subject (see links below for studies about such evidences). But if He made superhuman claims, that of itself narrows our options. Either those claims are true or false. There would be no middle ground.
If these claims are not true of Jesus, then He not only should not have made them, but He should not have allowed others to make them.
He and His disciples warned against false teachers.
Matthew 7:15-20 - Beware of false teachers. Just as bad fruit proves that a tree is bad and should be cast out, so false teaching demonstrates the basic nature of the teacher.
Matthew 15:13,14 - If the blind leads the blind, both fall into the ditch. God will root up all such leaders.
If Jesus made religious claims that are not true and sought to exalt Himself improperly, then He would stand condemned by His own teaching. He could not possibly be a good man and a great teacher, but would be a false teacher to be entirely rejected.
[2 Cor. 11:13-15; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; Acts 20:28-30; 1 John 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:2-4; Titus 1:9-14; 2 John 9-11; Romans 16:17,18; Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Peter chap. 2]
Specifically, the Bible severely rebukes those who make or accept untrue claims of religious exaltation.
Matthew 23:5-11 - Jesus severely rebuked religious leaders who seek to be exalted religiously beyond their proper position.
Acts 10:25,26 - Cornelius fell down to worship Peter. Peter forbade it saying that he himself was just a man. [Rev. 22:8,9; 19:10; Rom. 1:25]
Acts 12:20-23 - Herod allowed people to call Him a god, not a man. He did not make the claim, but was slain for simply allowing others to make it on his behalf.
Acts 14:11-18 - When Paul and Barnabas healed a lame man, the idol worshipers called them gods and wanted to make sacrifice to them. They refused to accept such claims, saying that they were men and not gods.
If Jesus knowingly permitted others to make untrue claims that improperly exalted Him, and if He did not rebuke them, He would stand condemned even if He Himself did not make the claims. So we will examine claims He personally made and claims that He allowed others to make about Him.
The only way to learn what claims Jesus made is from the Bible.
A few secular historians of Jesus' day briefly mention Him, but only Bible writers give us eyewitness testimony of Jesus' life and teachings.
John 15:27 - He told His apostles that they would bear witness of Him, because they had been with Him from the beginning. [Acts 1:8]
Acts 1:21,22 - To be an apostle one had to be an eyewitness of Jesus' resurrection. [2:32; 10:39-41]
John 21:24 - John wrote his personal testimony and testified that it was true. [John 20:30,31]
1 John 1:1-3 - He bore witness about what he and others heard, saw with their eyes, and handled with their hands. This is the basis of our fellowship with God and Christ.
2 Peter 1:16-18 - Peter denies they had followed fables about Jesus. Rather they were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 - Paul declared the gospel he had preached, including the resurrection of Jesus. He lists various appearances, including the one he personally witnessed. Paul's testimony is also that of an eyewitness.
In 15:14,15 he said that, if Christ was not raised, then he and others were false witnesses.
The Bible writers themselves argued that their record - especially their record of the life and teaching of Christ - was based on eyewitness testimony. If their record is not accurate, they themselves acknowledge that it should be rejected as false testimony. [Luke 1:1-4]
Much evidence substantiates the historical accuracy of Bible writers, but again it is not our purpose to present this evidence. The point is that, if we do not accept the Bible record, then we know nothing about Jesus' claims. To reject aspects of the Bible record about Jesus, while still claiming to believe in Jesus, is nonsense. If we do not accept the Bible record as valid history, then we cannot possibly know what to believe about Jesus.
Jesus gave His approval to the teachings of His apostles, saying they would be inspired by the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:16; John 16:13). So we could study anything they taught about Him as having His approval. But we will restrict ourselves to what they claim He personally said or was said with His obvious knowledge.
As we study, ask yourself: Are these the claims of a mere man, even a great prophet? What if someone today were to make such claims? What Bible prophet would make such claims: Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul?
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I. The Christ, the Son of God
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"Christ" is the New Testament word for the Messiah, the anointed ruler of God's people as predicted in the Old Testament. "Son of God" refers to Jesus' special relationship to the Father - a unique position no one else has - the only begotten Son (John 3:16). Did Jesus claim such positions?
Matthew 3:17 - At Jesus' baptism, the Father spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 16:13-18 - Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus said that the Father Himself had revealed this to Peter, but He rejected as inadequate the claims that He was just a prophet. [John 6:69]
Matthew 17:5 - At the Transfiguration the Father again spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is why we should listen to Him.
John 4:25,26 - Jesus acknowledged to the Samaritan woman that He was the Messiah (Christ).
John 9:35-37 - He told a blind man He had healed that He was the Son of God.
Matthew 26:63-66 - During His trial in the presence of His enemies, Jesus acknowledged that He was the Christ, the Son of God.
In addition, He allowed various other disciples to make such claims for Him (John 11:27; Matt. 14:33; John 1:29,34,49).
Did any other true prophet ever make such claims? Did God ever give approval to any other man to make such claims? John the Baptist expressly denied such claims for himself (John 1:19-22; 3:28).
What kind of man would Jesus be to make and allow such claims, if they were not true? Yet He not only allowed others to make such claims for Him, He praised them for making them, He made them Himself, and the eyewitnesses say that God the Father audibly made such claims for Him.
[Cf. Matt. 8:29; 12:41,42; 22:41-46; John 12:13.]
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II. God in the Flesh
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A. Jesus Is Called "God."
John 1:1-3 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." All things were made through Him. The "Word" refers to Jesus (v17), the only begotten of the Father who became flesh and dwelt among us (v14). This claims that Jesus is a separate individual from the Father (He was with God), and yet He Himself possesses Deity (He was God).
This is what Bible writers repeatedly claimed for Him [Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:5-8]. Remember that mere men were rebuked or even killed for allowing such terms to be used for themselves. Did Jesus allow people to use names of God in referring to Him?
John 20:28,29
After he saw proof of Jesus' resurrection, Thomas addressed Jesus as "my Lord and my God." Clearly Thomas is here calling Jesus "God."
If Jesus did not possess Deity, Thomas' statement would have been blasphemy, and Jesus should have rebuked Him. Instead, Jesus praised Thomas and pronounced a blessing on everyone who believes the same (v29)! Then John proceeded to claim that His record of Jesus' miracles gives us all reason to believe in Him (vv 30,31).
Hebrews 1:8
The Father said to Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever" (quoted from Psalm 45:6,7). Note that God the Father Himself here addressed Jesus as "God" (cf. v1-9).
On both of these occasions people personally addressed Jesus as "God." Both times He allowed and accepted such language, and in one case God the Father is the one who so addressed Him!
B. Jesus Is Called by Other Terms for God.
"The First and the Last, Alpha and Omega"
Various passages show that these are terms for Deity emphasizing God's eternal self-existence (Rev. 1:8; 21:6,7; Isaiah 44:6; 43:10; 41:4; 48:12). But note Jesus' use of these expressions:
Revelation 1:17 - "I am the First and the Last." Context (vv 10-20) shows that Jesus is speaking.
Revelation 2:8 - "These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life."
Revelation 22:13 - "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." Jesus is speaking, as shown by vv 12,16,20.
Hence, "First and Last," "Alpha and Omega," "Beginning and End" are terms for Deity, yet Jesus used them to refer to Himself.
"I Am"
Exodus 3:13-15 - When God called Moses to lead Israel from captivity, He said, "I AM WHO I AM." He told Moses to say that "I AM" had sent him. This expression also describes the eternal, self-existing, unchanging nature of God. (See also Deut. 32:39; Isa. 41:4; 43:10,13; 46:4; 48:12.)
John 8:58 - When questioned about how He could be old enough to have seen Abraham (vv 56,57), Jesus said, "...before Abraham was, I AM." His statement clearly claims eternal existence, just like God used "I am" in Ex. 3:14. The Jews recognized this significance and tried to stone Jesus (v59).
Hence, here is another unique name of God that Jesus used to refer to Himself. Again, what mere human would dare speak of himself in this way? Did Moses or Elijah or Paul? Such would have been blasphemy. Either Jesus' claims are true, or else He is not a good man at all!
[Cf. John 5:18; 10:30]
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III. The Savior of the World, the Way to Eternal Life
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Many other people made such claims on Jesus' behalf, but we will consider cases where it was claimed by Him or in His presence. (See John 4:42; Luke 2:11; Eph. 1:7; 5:23; Acts 5:31; Titus 1:3,4; 2:13,14; 2 Peter 1:1,11; 2:20; 3:18; Col. 1:13,14; Acts 4:12.)
A. Jesus Claimed that He Came to Save Mankind from Sin.
Mark 2:3-12; Luke 7:48,49 - Jesus claimed to have power to directly forgive sins. This is a work only God can do.
Matthew 20:28 - He came to give His life a ransom for many.
Matthew 26:28 - He shed His blood for many for remission of sins.
John 8:24 - People who do not believe in Him will die in their sins.
[Luke 24:47; John 1:29,36; 12:47]
B. He Claimed that Men Can Have Fellowship with God and Eternal Life Only through Him.
John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:13-15 - Jesus claimed He came down from heaven so that whoever believes in Him can have eternal life. [6:40]
John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
Jesus does not class Himself with sinful creatures in need of salvation. He is the Savior! He claimed He could forgive sins and would die to give people remission of sins and eternal life. What true prophet or angel ever claimed such power?
If Jesus is not who He claimed to be, how could these expressions be anything but blasphemy? His own claims compel us to believe either that He is Divine or else that He was a very evil man.
[John 6:35,40,51; 8:51; 9:5; 11:25; 15:5]
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IV. Supreme Authority and Judge
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A. Jesus Possesses Supreme Authority.
This is again claimed for Him repeatedly in the gospel, but we will note cases where He was personally involved in the claims. (See Phil. 3:20,21; 2:9-11; Col. 1:16; John 3:31; Rom. 9:5; 10:12; Acts 10:36; Eph. 1:21; Isa. 9:6.)
Matthew 28:18,20 - Jesus claimed to possess all authority in heaven and on earth; therefore, men should obey all His commands.
John 14:15 - He expects men to love Him, and this requires them to keep His commands. This is the kind of love that God requires (1 John 5:3).
Matthew 10:34-37 - We must love Him more than we love our closest family members, else we are not worthy of Him.
Revelation 19:16 - Jesus wears the name "King of kings and Lord of lords." He has authority above the highest of kings and rulers. [17:14]
Imagine what kind of person would make such claims, if He were merely a man! Would such a person be a good man and a great religious teacher?
[John 16:15; 17:10; Matt. 7:24-27; 5:21-48]
B. Jesus Will Judge All Men and Determine Their Eternal Destinies.
Again, this is a work only God could do (see Isa. 33:22; Psalm 50:6; 96:10,13; Rom. 2:3,5,16). Yet the gospel often claims that Jesus will do it. We will focus on passages where Jesus was present when the claim was made. (See 2 Cor. 5:10; Acts 17:31.)
John 5:22 - He said that the Father has given all judgment to Him.
Matthew 16:27 - He will come in glory with the angels and reward all men according to their works.
Matthew 25:31-46 - All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will send them into eternal punishment or eternal life.
Again, what true prophet or good man ever made such claims? If the claims are not true, what kind of man would Jesus be to make them?
[John 12:48]
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V. Worship and Glory (like God)
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As studied earlier, Jesus and other Bible teachers taught that only God deserves to receive worship. Men should not receive religious honor such as is reserved for God. (See Matt. 4:9,10; Acts 10:25,26; Rev. 22:8,9; 19:10; Rom. 1:25; Ex. 34:14; Isa. 42:8; 48:11; Rev. 9:20; 14:9-11; Ex. 20:3-6; Deut. 6:13-15 Matt. 23:8-12.)
Yet Jesus often allowed people to worship Him religiously and offer Him religious honor such as belongs only to God.
A. Worship
Matthew 14:33 - After Jesus had calmed the storm, the disciples worshipped Him saying He is the Son of God.
John 9:38 - After Jesus healed a blind man, the man said he believed and he worshipped Jesus.
Matthew 28:9,17 - After His resurrection, His disciples worshiped Him.
Luke 24:52 - After He had ascended back to heaven, they continued to worship Him.
So Jesus accepted worship as an act of religious honor. Jesus' own teachings would absolutely forbid this, if He was just a man, even if He was a great prophet.
[Matt. 8:2; 9:18; 15:25; Mark 5:6; Heb. 1:6; John 20:28,29]
B. Glory and Honor
John 5:23 - All men should honor the Son "just as" they honor the Father. To fail to so honor the Son is to fail to properly honor the Father.
John 17:5 - Jesus asked that, after He died, the Father would glorify Jesus with the glory He had with the Father before the world was. Jesus was glorified with the Father in eternity.
What prophet or truly great religious leader ever made such statements or received such glory with God's approval? Either Jesus is far greater than just a man or just a prophet, or else He is a fraud, a cheat, and a liar. He would not be a good man at all, let alone a great religious leader.
[John 16:15; 17:10]
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VI. Eternal Existence
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Once again, numerous Bible passages state that Jesus existed eternally in the past. He is not a created being - as are mere humans - but is eternal because He is Deity. But we will note passages where He was personally involved in those claims. (See John 1:1-3; Micah 5:2; Isa. 9:6; Psalm 102:24-27 cf. Heb. 1:8,10-12; Col. 1:16).
"The First and the Last, Alpha and Omega, the I Am" - We already listed passages where Jesus used these terms for Himself. But all these are names of God which imply eternal self-existence.
John 17:5,24 - Jesus had glory with the Father and the Father loved Him before the world began.
John 3:13; 6:38; 16:28 - He said He came down from the Father in Heaven and came into the world. [John 8:23]
Jesus is not a created being (as some claim). He is eternal. What mere man could rightly make such a claim?
Conclusion
Consider carefully all we have examined regarding Jesus' claims. Who else in the history of the world has ever made such claims and continued to receive a great following? The very nature of such claims compels us to reckon with such a person. We cannot be neutral or ignore Him. We must accept Him for exactly who He says He is, or else we must reject him as a liar or a lunatic or both. Surely he cannot be a good man and a great religious teacher, but just a human being.
But Jesus not only made these claims, He also offered evidence to substantiate them. He fulfilled prophecy, accurately predicted the future, did great miracles, and arose from the dead. That is a study of itself. (See Matt. 9:1-8; 17:1-5; 14:25-33; Luke 24:25-27,44-46; John 5:36,39; Matt. 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:17-29; 26:20-25,33-35; John 13:21-27; 5:28,29; 6:40,44; 10:24,25,37,38; 14:10,11.)
Introduction:
The purpose of this study is to examine the claims of Jesus.
We will look at claims that He personally made for Himself and claims that were made for Him by other people in His presence.
Some people say Jesus did not claim to be the Son of God, God in the flesh, eternal, the Savior of mankind, etc. Still others say they believe in Jesus as a great man or a prophet, but not as the Son of God, etc.
But if Jesus Himself did claim these things when they are not true, or if He knowingly permitted people to make such claims on His behalf, then He would not be a good man or a true teacher at all. He would be a fraud, a liar, and a false teacher.
The fact Jesus made such claims would not prove they are true. The evidence to substantiate His claims is another subject (see links below for studies about such evidences). But if He made superhuman claims, that of itself narrows our options. Either those claims are true or false. There would be no middle ground.
If these claims are not true of Jesus, then He not only should not have made them, but He should not have allowed others to make them.
He and His disciples warned against false teachers.
Matthew 7:15-20 - Beware of false teachers. Just as bad fruit proves that a tree is bad and should be cast out, so false teaching demonstrates the basic nature of the teacher.
Matthew 15:13,14 - If the blind leads the blind, both fall into the ditch. God will root up all such leaders.
If Jesus made religious claims that are not true and sought to exalt Himself improperly, then He would stand condemned by His own teaching. He could not possibly be a good man and a great teacher, but would be a false teacher to be entirely rejected.
[2 Cor. 11:13-15; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; Acts 20:28-30; 1 John 4:1; 2 Tim. 4:2-4; Titus 1:9-14; 2 John 9-11; Romans 16:17,18; Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Peter chap. 2]
Specifically, the Bible severely rebukes those who make or accept untrue claims of religious exaltation.
Matthew 23:5-11 - Jesus severely rebuked religious leaders who seek to be exalted religiously beyond their proper position.
Acts 10:25,26 - Cornelius fell down to worship Peter. Peter forbade it saying that he himself was just a man. [Rev. 22:8,9; 19:10; Rom. 1:25]
Acts 12:20-23 - Herod allowed people to call Him a god, not a man. He did not make the claim, but was slain for simply allowing others to make it on his behalf.
Acts 14:11-18 - When Paul and Barnabas healed a lame man, the idol worshipers called them gods and wanted to make sacrifice to them. They refused to accept such claims, saying that they were men and not gods.
If Jesus knowingly permitted others to make untrue claims that improperly exalted Him, and if He did not rebuke them, He would stand condemned even if He Himself did not make the claims. So we will examine claims He personally made and claims that He allowed others to make about Him.
The only way to learn what claims Jesus made is from the Bible.
A few secular historians of Jesus' day briefly mention Him, but only Bible writers give us eyewitness testimony of Jesus' life and teachings.
John 15:27 - He told His apostles that they would bear witness of Him, because they had been with Him from the beginning. [Acts 1:8]
Acts 1:21,22 - To be an apostle one had to be an eyewitness of Jesus' resurrection. [2:32; 10:39-41]
John 21:24 - John wrote his personal testimony and testified that it was true. [John 20:30,31]
1 John 1:1-3 - He bore witness about what he and others heard, saw with their eyes, and handled with their hands. This is the basis of our fellowship with God and Christ.
2 Peter 1:16-18 - Peter denies they had followed fables about Jesus. Rather they were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 - Paul declared the gospel he had preached, including the resurrection of Jesus. He lists various appearances, including the one he personally witnessed. Paul's testimony is also that of an eyewitness.
In 15:14,15 he said that, if Christ was not raised, then he and others were false witnesses.
The Bible writers themselves argued that their record - especially their record of the life and teaching of Christ - was based on eyewitness testimony. If their record is not accurate, they themselves acknowledge that it should be rejected as false testimony. [Luke 1:1-4]
Much evidence substantiates the historical accuracy of Bible writers, but again it is not our purpose to present this evidence. The point is that, if we do not accept the Bible record, then we know nothing about Jesus' claims. To reject aspects of the Bible record about Jesus, while still claiming to believe in Jesus, is nonsense. If we do not accept the Bible record as valid history, then we cannot possibly know what to believe about Jesus.
Jesus gave His approval to the teachings of His apostles, saying they would be inspired by the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:16; John 16:13). So we could study anything they taught about Him as having His approval. But we will restrict ourselves to what they claim He personally said or was said with His obvious knowledge.
As we study, ask yourself: Are these the claims of a mere man, even a great prophet? What if someone today were to make such claims? What Bible prophet would make such claims: Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul?
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I. The Christ, the Son of God
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"Christ" is the New Testament word for the Messiah, the anointed ruler of God's people as predicted in the Old Testament. "Son of God" refers to Jesus' special relationship to the Father - a unique position no one else has - the only begotten Son (John 3:16). Did Jesus claim such positions?
Matthew 3:17 - At Jesus' baptism, the Father spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 16:13-18 - Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus said that the Father Himself had revealed this to Peter, but He rejected as inadequate the claims that He was just a prophet. [John 6:69]
Matthew 17:5 - At the Transfiguration the Father again spoke from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This is why we should listen to Him.
John 4:25,26 - Jesus acknowledged to the Samaritan woman that He was the Messiah (Christ).
John 9:35-37 - He told a blind man He had healed that He was the Son of God.
Matthew 26:63-66 - During His trial in the presence of His enemies, Jesus acknowledged that He was the Christ, the Son of God.
In addition, He allowed various other disciples to make such claims for Him (John 11:27; Matt. 14:33; John 1:29,34,49).
Did any other true prophet ever make such claims? Did God ever give approval to any other man to make such claims? John the Baptist expressly denied such claims for himself (John 1:19-22; 3:28).
What kind of man would Jesus be to make and allow such claims, if they were not true? Yet He not only allowed others to make such claims for Him, He praised them for making them, He made them Himself, and the eyewitnesses say that God the Father audibly made such claims for Him.
[Cf. Matt. 8:29; 12:41,42; 22:41-46; John 12:13.]
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II. God in the Flesh
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A. Jesus Is Called "God."
John 1:1-3 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." All things were made through Him. The "Word" refers to Jesus (v17), the only begotten of the Father who became flesh and dwelt among us (v14). This claims that Jesus is a separate individual from the Father (He was with God), and yet He Himself possesses Deity (He was God).
This is what Bible writers repeatedly claimed for Him [Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:5-8]. Remember that mere men were rebuked or even killed for allowing such terms to be used for themselves. Did Jesus allow people to use names of God in referring to Him?
John 20:28,29
After he saw proof of Jesus' resurrection, Thomas addressed Jesus as "my Lord and my God." Clearly Thomas is here calling Jesus "God."
If Jesus did not possess Deity, Thomas' statement would have been blasphemy, and Jesus should have rebuked Him. Instead, Jesus praised Thomas and pronounced a blessing on everyone who believes the same (v29)! Then John proceeded to claim that His record of Jesus' miracles gives us all reason to believe in Him (vv 30,31).
Hebrews 1:8
The Father said to Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever" (quoted from Psalm 45:6,7). Note that God the Father Himself here addressed Jesus as "God" (cf. v1-9).
On both of these occasions people personally addressed Jesus as "God." Both times He allowed and accepted such language, and in one case God the Father is the one who so addressed Him!
B. Jesus Is Called by Other Terms for God.
"The First and the Last, Alpha and Omega"
Various passages show that these are terms for Deity emphasizing God's eternal self-existence (Rev. 1:8; 21:6,7; Isaiah 44:6; 43:10; 41:4; 48:12). But note Jesus' use of these expressions:
Revelation 1:17 - "I am the First and the Last." Context (vv 10-20) shows that Jesus is speaking.
Revelation 2:8 - "These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life."
Revelation 22:13 - "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." Jesus is speaking, as shown by vv 12,16,20.
Hence, "First and Last," "Alpha and Omega," "Beginning and End" are terms for Deity, yet Jesus used them to refer to Himself.
"I Am"
Exodus 3:13-15 - When God called Moses to lead Israel from captivity, He said, "I AM WHO I AM." He told Moses to say that "I AM" had sent him. This expression also describes the eternal, self-existing, unchanging nature of God. (See also Deut. 32:39; Isa. 41:4; 43:10,13; 46:4; 48:12.)
John 8:58 - When questioned about how He could be old enough to have seen Abraham (vv 56,57), Jesus said, "...before Abraham was, I AM." His statement clearly claims eternal existence, just like God used "I am" in Ex. 3:14. The Jews recognized this significance and tried to stone Jesus (v59).
Hence, here is another unique name of God that Jesus used to refer to Himself. Again, what mere human would dare speak of himself in this way? Did Moses or Elijah or Paul? Such would have been blasphemy. Either Jesus' claims are true, or else He is not a good man at all!
[Cf. John 5:18; 10:30]
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III. The Savior of the World, the Way to Eternal Life
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Many other people made such claims on Jesus' behalf, but we will consider cases where it was claimed by Him or in His presence. (See John 4:42; Luke 2:11; Eph. 1:7; 5:23; Acts 5:31; Titus 1:3,4; 2:13,14; 2 Peter 1:1,11; 2:20; 3:18; Col. 1:13,14; Acts 4:12.)
A. Jesus Claimed that He Came to Save Mankind from Sin.
Mark 2:3-12; Luke 7:48,49 - Jesus claimed to have power to directly forgive sins. This is a work only God can do.
Matthew 20:28 - He came to give His life a ransom for many.
Matthew 26:28 - He shed His blood for many for remission of sins.
John 8:24 - People who do not believe in Him will die in their sins.
[Luke 24:47; John 1:29,36; 12:47]
B. He Claimed that Men Can Have Fellowship with God and Eternal Life Only through Him.
John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:13-15 - Jesus claimed He came down from heaven so that whoever believes in Him can have eternal life. [6:40]
John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear my voice and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
Jesus does not class Himself with sinful creatures in need of salvation. He is the Savior! He claimed He could forgive sins and would die to give people remission of sins and eternal life. What true prophet or angel ever claimed such power?
If Jesus is not who He claimed to be, how could these expressions be anything but blasphemy? His own claims compel us to believe either that He is Divine or else that He was a very evil man.
[John 6:35,40,51; 8:51; 9:5; 11:25; 15:5]
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IV. Supreme Authority and Judge
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A. Jesus Possesses Supreme Authority.
This is again claimed for Him repeatedly in the gospel, but we will note cases where He was personally involved in the claims. (See Phil. 3:20,21; 2:9-11; Col. 1:16; John 3:31; Rom. 9:5; 10:12; Acts 10:36; Eph. 1:21; Isa. 9:6.)
Matthew 28:18,20 - Jesus claimed to possess all authority in heaven and on earth; therefore, men should obey all His commands.
John 14:15 - He expects men to love Him, and this requires them to keep His commands. This is the kind of love that God requires (1 John 5:3).
Matthew 10:34-37 - We must love Him more than we love our closest family members, else we are not worthy of Him.
Revelation 19:16 - Jesus wears the name "King of kings and Lord of lords." He has authority above the highest of kings and rulers. [17:14]
Imagine what kind of person would make such claims, if He were merely a man! Would such a person be a good man and a great religious teacher?
[John 16:15; 17:10; Matt. 7:24-27; 5:21-48]
B. Jesus Will Judge All Men and Determine Their Eternal Destinies.
Again, this is a work only God could do (see Isa. 33:22; Psalm 50:6; 96:10,13; Rom. 2:3,5,16). Yet the gospel often claims that Jesus will do it. We will focus on passages where Jesus was present when the claim was made. (See 2 Cor. 5:10; Acts 17:31.)
John 5:22 - He said that the Father has given all judgment to Him.
Matthew 16:27 - He will come in glory with the angels and reward all men according to their works.
Matthew 25:31-46 - All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will send them into eternal punishment or eternal life.
Again, what true prophet or good man ever made such claims? If the claims are not true, what kind of man would Jesus be to make them?
[John 12:48]
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V. Worship and Glory (like God)
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As studied earlier, Jesus and other Bible teachers taught that only God deserves to receive worship. Men should not receive religious honor such as is reserved for God. (See Matt. 4:9,10; Acts 10:25,26; Rev. 22:8,9; 19:10; Rom. 1:25; Ex. 34:14; Isa. 42:8; 48:11; Rev. 9:20; 14:9-11; Ex. 20:3-6; Deut. 6:13-15 Matt. 23:8-12.)
Yet Jesus often allowed people to worship Him religiously and offer Him religious honor such as belongs only to God.
A. Worship
Matthew 14:33 - After Jesus had calmed the storm, the disciples worshipped Him saying He is the Son of God.
John 9:38 - After Jesus healed a blind man, the man said he believed and he worshipped Jesus.
Matthew 28:9,17 - After His resurrection, His disciples worshiped Him.
Luke 24:52 - After He had ascended back to heaven, they continued to worship Him.
So Jesus accepted worship as an act of religious honor. Jesus' own teachings would absolutely forbid this, if He was just a man, even if He was a great prophet.
[Matt. 8:2; 9:18; 15:25; Mark 5:6; Heb. 1:6; John 20:28,29]
B. Glory and Honor
John 5:23 - All men should honor the Son "just as" they honor the Father. To fail to so honor the Son is to fail to properly honor the Father.
John 17:5 - Jesus asked that, after He died, the Father would glorify Jesus with the glory He had with the Father before the world was. Jesus was glorified with the Father in eternity.
What prophet or truly great religious leader ever made such statements or received such glory with God's approval? Either Jesus is far greater than just a man or just a prophet, or else He is a fraud, a cheat, and a liar. He would not be a good man at all, let alone a great religious leader.
[John 16:15; 17:10]
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VI. Eternal Existence
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Once again, numerous Bible passages state that Jesus existed eternally in the past. He is not a created being - as are mere humans - but is eternal because He is Deity. But we will note passages where He was personally involved in those claims. (See John 1:1-3; Micah 5:2; Isa. 9:6; Psalm 102:24-27 cf. Heb. 1:8,10-12; Col. 1:16).
"The First and the Last, Alpha and Omega, the I Am" - We already listed passages where Jesus used these terms for Himself. But all these are names of God which imply eternal self-existence.
John 17:5,24 - Jesus had glory with the Father and the Father loved Him before the world began.
John 3:13; 6:38; 16:28 - He said He came down from the Father in Heaven and came into the world. [John 8:23]
Jesus is not a created being (as some claim). He is eternal. What mere man could rightly make such a claim?
Conclusion
Consider carefully all we have examined regarding Jesus' claims. Who else in the history of the world has ever made such claims and continued to receive a great following? The very nature of such claims compels us to reckon with such a person. We cannot be neutral or ignore Him. We must accept Him for exactly who He says He is, or else we must reject him as a liar or a lunatic or both. Surely he cannot be a good man and a great religious teacher, but just a human being.
But Jesus not only made these claims, He also offered evidence to substantiate them. He fulfilled prophecy, accurately predicted the future, did great miracles, and arose from the dead. That is a study of itself. (See Matt. 9:1-8; 17:1-5; 14:25-33; Luke 24:25-27,44-46; John 5:36,39; Matt. 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:17-29; 26:20-25,33-35; John 13:21-27; 5:28,29; 6:40,44; 10:24,25,37,38; 14:10,11.)
