The Deity of Christ

April 1999

There is no central of an issue than this today. If one leaves this cornerstone of theology out, he is left with a senseless void of religiosity. All other issues of theology crumble when one substitutes or minimizes the deity of Christ. It is a pivotal issue in all of evangelical Christianity.

Who do you say that I am? Some say Jesus was a good man; others, a martyr; still yet, some said He was a prophet such as Elijah back from the dead. But with that brief question, Jesus defined the line where which all mankind will be judged. Revelation 19:13-16 says, "And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

To begin this study, it would be appropriate to review the prophecies regarding the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Turn to Isaiah 9:6, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." Not only is Jesus Christ named here "Mighty God" (note capitalization), but also "Eternal Father" (always has been and always will be head and beginning and first and originator of all things, father (possessor) of eternity). Christ is truly the Mighty God.

When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, John leaped in her womb and Elizabeth "cried out in a loud voice, and said, "Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Elizabeth had faith that her God, the one and only God, was sending His Son to earth in full deity; or else she must be branded a heretic for breaking the first commandment by giving adoration to anyone else except for Jehovah (Greek: Kurios {note capitalization}, and used for Yahweh or Jehovah in the common Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) of Christ’s era).

Back to the Old Testament, Isaiah prophesies regarding the life work of John the Baptist, "A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God" (40:3; fulfilled in Luke 3:4-6 and John 1:23). The word here referring to "the Lord" in this Old Testament verse is "yehowah" (or, yahweh) which is the covenant name of God used in connection with the nation of Israel. In the New Testament, this verse of Isaiah is fulfilled, and the word Kurios is again used of the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) in human flesh. In this sense, John the Baptist continues and in reverence of deity says, "It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie" (1:27).

Without neglect, Jesus made direct claims to deity. In John 5:17-18, Christ says, "But He answered them, ‘My Father is working until now, and I myself am working’ For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." The Jews recognized exactly that Jesus was referring to His own full deity (God in the flesh), and equality as Lucifer had claimed, "I will be like the Most High". Truly, as He claimed, Christ is equal (isos: adj. the same {neuter plural makes possible the fact of differing manners or forms by which it is possible to manifest the nature of Deity}) in deity with God, demonstrated by his power to nullify the Sabbath and the Law of God. The original Greek sheds light on this, as does the Authorized Version (modern versions tend to water this fact down).

With another bastion claim of deity, Christ preached to the Pharisees, "Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’ Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple" (John 8:58). With valor, Jesus took upon himself the forbidden deity title, "yahweh", as is found in Exodus 3:14, "And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you’". Christ was not just existent before Abraham, but this term refers to eternal self-existence. It was a play on Aramaic words and grammatically incorrect (I AM vs. I was). The Jews fully comprehended this claim to eternal existence and sought to put Jesus to death immediately.

At a post-resurrection appearance, Jesus appeared to the disciples and said, "‘Peace be with you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.’ Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’" (John 20:26b-28). This claim of doubting Thomas, was not a sign of emotion or swearing, but an exclamation directed and speaking to the Lord of recognition of His full deity. It is the fullest expression one can make to the deity of Jesus. Immediately, John backs this divine statement on belief in deity with the climax of his gospel, for John continues…

"Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.’ Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which ware not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.’" (John 20:29-31). The entire Gospel of John was written so that one might hear the about the deity of Christ through His words, attributes, and works, and fully proclaim with Thomas, "My Lord and my God!"

Now let’s move on and examine some other New Testament passages. In Philippians 2:5-6, its says, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped." Being existent in the "form of God", anything less than the same nature and essence than Yahweh would be incomplete and lacking. This existence refers to the eternal existence of Christ, and the form refers to the "outward manifestation of the inner reality in classical Greek,, thus ‘essence’", being essential and unchanging in character.

Turn next to Colossians 2:9, "For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form." I think this is one of the greatest proclamations to the deity of Christ. Here, Paul proclaims Jesus’ possession of the fullness of nature and essence as is found in the Godhead. It also uses the verse not only to expound upon Christ’s deity, but also His humanity and the incarnation.

Hebrews 1:8 sums up the position of the Father in relation to Christ, "But of the Son He says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.’" God the Father is talking to His Son, and ascribes deity to Him. "Thy throne" is used of the power and sovereignty of Christ. If Christ is sovereign (ruler), He is God, for sovereignty is a divine attribute.

Who is Christ? Truly as Christ said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) To be united in purpose and action, one must be united in essence and nature. "Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’ Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not say on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves" (John 14:9-11). To know God is to know Christ. Christ as God incarnate.