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The Full Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
Here are some additional considerations about the Person of Jesus that clearly indicates that He is a co-equal member of hashilush hakodesh (the "Holy Trinity"), and therefore is none other than God Himself (note that some of the following points have been adapted from the Christian Think Tank and its discussion regarding the Trinity).
- Biblical Evidence Demonstrates that Jesus is God.
- Citations from the Tanakh in the New Testament show that Jesus is YHVH Himself (Matt 11:10; 1 Cor. 10:26; Rom. 10:9-13; Eph. 4:8; Heb 1:8ff).
See also the table (shown above).
- The earliest materials (e.g. hymns, blessings, prayers, formulas, doxologies embedded within the New Testament) indicate that the early church recognized Jesus as God, equal with the Father (Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-20; 1 Tim. 3:16; Matt. 28:19; 1 Thess. 3:11; 2 Thess. 2:16; 1 Cor. 16:21).
- Jesus is singled out for glorification by the Church (Heb. 13:20-21;
2 Peter 3:18; Rev. 1:5-6).
- Jesus is consistently called "Lord"-- a very misleading title if He were not God (close to 200 times), especially given the fact that the LXX (Septuagint) uses this term to refer to YHVH.
- The angels belong to Him (2 Thess. 1:7) and are commanded to worship Him (Heb. 1:6).
- Jesus is described in words like 'glorious' and 'Lord of Glory,' etc. (James 2:1;
1 Cor. 2:8).
- The "Spirit of Christ" is identified with the "Spirit of God" (Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:9-11; Phil. 1:19; 1 Pet 1:11), and the "mind of the Lord" is dentified with the "mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16).
- Jesus is called Savior (Titus 1:4; 2:13; 3:6) as is the Father (1 Tim. 1:1; 2:3; 4:10). For references to YHVH being called Savior, see the table above.
- He is to be co-extensive with the Father in being praised (Rom. 1:25 with Rom. 9:5; Phil. 1:20; Rev. 5:12ff ) and in worship and glory (2 Tim. 4:18; 2 Pet. 3:18; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:12ff ) and even in being offered a sacrifice (Rev. 14:4).
- He explicitly is called God (1 Tim. 3:16, Acts 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; John 20:28; 2 Pet. 1:1; Heb. 1:8ff; John 1:1; John 1:18; 1 John 5:20; Rev. 1:1 with 22:6,16) or some derivative thereof (Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:6-11).
- His claims to pre-existence.
Jesus claimed the have been pre-existent before his birth. Indeed, He stated clearly that He existed before Avraham avinu (John 8:58-59). Throughout John's gospel, moreover, Jesus is shown to have been pre-existent in heaven with glory before His incarnation (John 3:13; 6:33; 6:38; 6:62; 8:23; 8:42; 10:30-39; 16:28; 17:5).
He is described as pre-existent in glory with the Father (Gal. 4:4; 1 Cor. 15:47; 2 Cor. 8:9; Rom. 8:3; 1 Tim. 1:15; Eph. 4:9; Col. 1:15-17; 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 1:2; John 1:2-3; John 1:14; John 3:31-32; 1 John 1:2; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 4:2, 9;) and active at the time of Moses (Heb. 11:26).
He created all things in the universe, including angels (Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:2; John 1:2-3; John 1:10).
- His claims relative to worship as God.
- Jesus promised to come in 'the glory of the Father' (Mark 8.38) and held himself out as a legitimate object for religious faith (Mark 9:42; John 3:15; John 9:35f) even to the same extent as the Father (John 14.1).
- Jesus never corrected those who either accused venerated Him of making himself equal to God (Mark 2:5ff; John 5:17ff; John 8:58-59; John 10:30-39; John 20:28).
- Jesus claimed loyalty greater than all human loyalties (Matt. 10:37), including that He should be honored co-extensively with the Father (John 5:17f). He further claimed the Father is seeking Jesus' glory (John 8:50 with 8:54b; John 13:31) and that the two are linked in unity (John 11:4).
- Jesus used the divine epithet "I AM" (John 8:58-59, 24, 28).
- Jesus accepted worship without rebuke, and even with commendation
(John 9:35-38).
Indeed, some claims of Jesus make no sense if He were not God Himself:
- Jesus claims that his words will outlast time itself (Mark 13:31).
- He claims that the eternal destiny of people depend on their response to HIM! (Matt. 7:21ff; Matt. 25:17ff).
- He claims to have been the only one to have seen the Father (John 6:46; John 8:38 with Exodus 33:20).
- He claims to be absolutely perfect/sinless - He ALWAYS pleases the Father (John 8:29; John 8:46).
- Jesus makes statements that are completely ludicrous if he is not God (John 14:28; John 15:5; John 17:10).
- His Authority as God.
- To forgive sins (Mark 2:5ff; Luke 7:48f).
- Over the Sabbath (Mark 2:28; Matt. 12:8).
- Jesus claims that the elect are his and that the angels are his (Mark 13:26f) (either in possession or authority over).
- Over the Torah (Matt 5:21). Jesus implied this by His numerous, "but I say to you...", indicating divine authority over the words of Torah (Matt. 5).
- Over evil and principalities (Luke 10:19; John 17:2).
- To confer a kingdom -- in the SAME MANNER that the Father does (Luke 22:29f).
- To send the Holy Spirit of God (Luke 24:49; John 4:10 with 7:37-39; John 15:26; John 16:7).
- The angels belong to Him (2 Thess. 1:7) and are to worship Him (Heb. 1:6).
- His is Lord of ALL (Acts 10:36).
- The Father put ALL things under His feet (1 Cor. 15:27).
- His Equality with the Father.
- Jesus claims that one's response to Jesus is equated to one's response to God (John 15:23).
- Jesus claims that to see Him is to see the Father (John 14:9).
- He claims to be, and is repeatedly called, the potentially blasphemous title "Son of God" (Mark 14:62 et. al.).
- He NEVER corrects those who accuse him of making himself equal to God (Mark 2:5ff; John 5:17ff; John 8:58-59; John 10:30-39) nor those who called him "GOD" (John 20:28).
- He claims to be on a par with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).
- He claims that his coming was the same as God's coming (Luke 19:43ff).
- He claims to operate co-extensively with the Spirit (Mark 21:14-15 with Matt. 10 and Mark 13).
- He claims to operate co-extensively with the Father (John 5:17ff; John 10:30-39; John 15:9).
- His Unique relationship with the Father.
- Jesus considered His Sonship relationship with the Father to be ABSOLUTELY unique (Mark 12:1-11; John 20:17).
- He claims to be the unique Heir of God (Mark 12:1-11).
- He claims to have EXCLUSIVE knowledge of the Father (Matt. 11:27; John 7:28-29).
- He claims to have been the only one to have seen the Father (John 6:46; John 8:38).
- He claims to be absolutely perfect/sinless; He ALWAYS pleases the Father
(John 8:29; John 8:46).
- His exalted nature and power.
- Jesus is often linked to the word 'Lord' (Mark 11:3; Mark 5:19-20).
- Jesus claimed to be greater than King David (Mark 12:35-37), than the Temple (Matt 12:6), than the prophet Jonah (Matt. 12:41), than King Solomon (Matt. 12:42).
- He claimed that his rank in the universe is superior to the angels (Mark 13:32).
- He implies that he is, or will be, omnipresent (Matt. 18:20; Matt. 28:19).
- He claims to have access to knowledge of the future and events occurring in heaven (Luke 22:31).
- He claims to be able to give freedom (John 8:36).
- He claims to be able to raise himself from the dead (John 10:17ff).
- How those around Christ responded to Him.
- God calls him "Son" and declares that He is "pleased" with Jesus (Matt. 3:16).
- God tells some of the disciples to pay attention to Jesus (Matt. 17:5).
- Evil spirits knew he was the Son of God (Matt. 8:28-29; Mark 3:11ff) and the Holy One of God (Mark 1:23f).
- His enemies knew he was claiming to be God (Matt. 9:3; Matt. 26:63ff; John 5:18; John 10:33) -- and accused him of blasphemy.
- Some of the general populace called/considered him God (Luke 7:16; Luke 8:39-40).
- John the Baptist recognized Jesus' RADICAL superiority to himself (Matt. 3:13; John 1:26-30, 34).
- The disciples and those whose lives He touched WORSHIPPED Him (Matt. 14:33; John 9:35ff).
- He was repeatedly called the Son of God (Matt. 14:33; Matt. 16:16; John 1:26-30, 34; John 1:49; John 11:27).
- He was called "God" directly (John 20:27f).
- Later Rabbinical writings 'remember' some of these exorbitant claims of Jesus.
From careful consideration of these Scriptures, it is manifestly the case that Yeshua Ha-Mashiach is identified as no other than the LORD (YHVH) of the Tanakh, and is therefore to be worshipped, honored, and revered as YHVH.
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son (Yeshua), even as they honour the Father (YHVH). He that honoureth not the Son (Yeshua) honoureth not the Father (YHVH) which hath sent him." (John 5:22-23).
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)
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