Ever since Jesus, known as Christ, was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, many have asked: Is Jesus God or man? Mary and Joseph believed the angel’s words about who the unborn child really was, but many others wondered about it. Some even suspected that Jesus was performing miracles through the power of Beelzebub, or “the prince of demons.” The debate continued throughout Jesus’ lifetime, and after his ascension to heaven, it raged on for centuries.
The title Christ associated with Jesus is a Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning “anointed one.” It is a title associated with the Old Testament practice of anointing a king or high priest with sacred oil for their office. When Jesus expressed in words and deeds that he was of the same essence as God, some believed, others did not. For Christians, Jesus is God, but not only that. So what is his true essence and nature in the light of the Bible?
The image of Christ according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke
Matthew and Luke began their Gospels with stories about Jesus’ birth. They focus on the angel Gabriel’s announcements about the child Jesus: He is from the Holy Spirit, and He will be called Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:20,21). He will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign forever, and His kingdom will never end (Luke 1:32,33). Matthew and Luke also describe Jesus’ virgin birth by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:35).
People marveled at Jesus’ miracles and teaching skills, “he taught as one who had authority”. -> bible reference? The Jews regarded Jesus as a great teacher, like some of the powerful prophets of old. When Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was, Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said, “this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 16:15–17). Jesus also indirectly identified himself as the Messiah when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, as prophesied, and allowed the people to shout the Hosanna greeting, which was reserved for the messianic King (Luke 19:38–40).
As the Son of God, Christ had the indisputable right to use His divine glory, power, and authority. However, He could voluntarily refrain from using this right, and He did so. Nevertheless, Christ never renounced His divine position as the Son of God or His divine power. He simply used His position and authority sparingly (e.g., Mark 15:4,5; Luke 4:29,30). His numerous miracles, or His refraining from performing them, were clear evidence of this.
Paul’s perspective on the question “Is Jesus God?”
In his letters, the Apostle Paul presented very profound views on the person and nature of Jesus. As a Pharisee who was a scholar of the law, he, like many other Pharisees, had judged Jesus purely from a human perspective, but after encountering him on the road to Damascus and hearing and believing the gospel preached by Ananias, his previous views changed completely. As he came to know Christ through faith, a deep understanding of faith opened up to him.
At the beginning of his letter to the Romans, Paul delves into the human and divine nature of Jesus. The core of Jesus’ preaching was that he is the Son whom God had promised in advance in the Holy Scriptures. “As to his earthly life”, or “according to the flesh,” as said in some Bible interpretations, Jesus was a descendant of David, as had been prophesied. At the same time, “according to the Spirit of holiness,” he was the Son of God, who retained his status as the true Son of God at all times. Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation to glory confirmed this once and for all (Rom. 1:2–4). These verses reveal what is known as the doctrine of two natures: Christ is both fully human and fully divine.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul presented an even clearer position on the divine and human origins of Christ. The letter contains the idea that Christ existed with God before he was born as a human being. Christ had “in very nature/form God” and “equality with God,” but he had to give up the full use of these attributes when he took “the very nature/form of a servant,” was born of Mary, and was “made in human likeness” (Phil. 2:6–7).
Paul also described Jesus’ exaltation into the Lord of the universe in his resurrection. The name Jesus, which he had received during his human life, now received a higher value than any other name, as well as public recognition (Phil. 2:9–11). God thus restored this original position and authority to his Son, who had been present at the creation. The Epistle to the Philippians describes three elements of Christology: Christ’s pre-existence in heaven (2:6), Christ on earth (2:7–8), and Christ’s return to heaven and his divine position there (2:9–11).
The nature of Christ in the Letter to the Hebrews
Despite its obscurity, the Letter to the Hebrews contains an impressive description of Jesus’ messianic mission (Heb. 1:1–14):
Jesus is the Son of God, the firstborn, “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being,” whom God himself begot before the beginning of time. Through him, God created the whole world and sustains it. God has anointed him as eternal King, but he also gave him a difficult task. When the Son, as high priest, had cleansed all humanity from sin, he would take his throne in glory at God’s right hand.
God’s eternal plan of salvation for sinful humanity was based on the sacrifice of the Son, for it was the Father’s will that He should “taste death for everyone” (2:9). So, in order to atone for our sins, Jesus suffered a terrible death and was temporarily subjected to a position lower than the angels. He submitted to everything voluntarily (10:9).
Jesus’ birth in human form was a result of the corrupt state of humanity. Since all people are “flesh and blood” and therefore imperfect, the Savior also had to become “flesh and blood,” that is, be born as a human being. However, Jesus did not commit a single sin in his life, and therefore he was the only acceptable sacrifice who could save humanity from sin and eternal damnation. In accordance with the example of sin offerings given in the Old Testament, he sacrificed his innocent blood and was a total sacrifice, rendering all other sacrifices unnecessary. By his death, he redeemed sinful people from the power of the devil and opened the way for them to eternal life (9:12; 10:20).
Is Jesus God, according to his own words?
In the Gospel of John, Christ’s nature and position are perhaps most clearly equated with God. This is evident from the very first chapter (John 1:1–18), where Jesus is described as having been with God even before the creation of the world and as having participated in the work of creation. John also emphasizes the unity and equality of the Father and the Son: Jesus came from the Father and was sent by the Father, spoke what he had seen and heard from the Father, and returned to the Father.
Everything John presented was based on Jesus’ own words. Many times Jesus said that he was one with the Father—not the same person, but of the same essence. For example:
John 10:30: “I and the Father are one.”
John 10:38 “The Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
John 14:9–10: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father… I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me.”
Jesus also often used the phrase “I am,” which in the Jewish context unambiguously referred to the name of God, since God had revealed his name to Moses with these words (Exodus 3:14). Jesus said that he was, among other things, the bread of life, the light of the world, the door, the good shepherd, and the true vine—and by saying “I am,” he was also expressing that he was God. The Jews understood this and accused Jesus of blasphemy.
When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, he asked them who they were looking for. They replied that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, “I am.” They all stepped back and fell to the ground. (John 18:5–6) He used the same expression when he told the Jews that he existed before Abraham:
“Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58)
In this context, it would seem more natural to say “I was,” but the original language actually says “I am.” The expression therefore refers not only to the past, but to eternity, which is not limited by time.
Jesus also said that he was “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) and “the First and the Last” (Revelation 1:17–18). In the Jewish context, “the resurrection and the life” clearly referred to God, for in Deuteronomy, God declares:
“I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand.” (Deuteronomy 32:39)
“The First and the Last” was just as clear a declaration of divinity. The Jews knew that God had said:
“I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)
In his farewell prayer (John 17), Jesus says that he is the Son of the Father and sent by the Father. He describes how the Father glorifies him and has given him his words to speak. He says that the Father and he are one and that the Father has entrusted his chosen people to the care of the Son. He also promises to consecrate himself as a sacrifice for them so that they too may be truly sanctified.
So for Christians, the matter is clear: Jesus is God. Like the Holy Spirit, he is one of the three persons of God and at the same time part of the same essence as Him.
Author: Kingdom of Peace
Image: Päivi Martikainen, Credits: SRK