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Jesus could only have
been one of four things: a legend, a liar, a lunatic--or Lord and God. There
is so much historical and archeological evidence to support his existence
that every reputable historian agrees he was not just a legend. If he were a
liar, why would he die for his claim, when he could easily have avoided such
a cruel death with a few choice words? And, if he were a lunatic, how did he
engage in intelligent debates with his opponents or handle the stress of his
betrayal and crucifixion while continuing to show a deep love for his
antagonists? He said he was Lord and God.The evidence supports that claim. Here are some of the key
claims Jesus made about himself.
He
claimed to live a sinless life Jesus could look at a
crowd of people angry at his claims to share God's nature and ask,
"Which of you can point to anything wrong in my life?" Even more
amazing is that none of them could give a reply! No human being has ever
lived a sinless life, except for Jesus. John 8:28-29 "So
Jesus said, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man,
then you will know who I am and that I do nothing on my own but speak just
what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not
left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.'" John 8:46-47 "Can
any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you
believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not
hear is that you do not belong to God." He
claimed to be the ONLY way to God Not one of several ways,
but the one and only way. Not to teach the way, but to be the way to
God. Nobody has ever made claims like that before and backed them, but Jesus
did through his love, balanced life, and miracles. John 14:6 "I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." Matthew 11:27 "All
things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except
the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the
Son chooses to reveal him." He
claimed to have shared the glory of God in Heaven Jesus claimed to have
pre-existed the people he spoke with. The apostle John--who shared bread with
Jesus--wrote that Jesus was with God in the very beginning, and that
"all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing
came into being." (John 1:1-5) John 17:5 "And now,
Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the
world began." He
claimed to be able to forgive sins One of the reasons that
the Jewish leaders were so angry with Jesus was his continual practice of
forgiving people's sins. The religious leaders understood clearly that since
sins were rebellion against God Himself, only God could forgive sins. Luke 5:20-21 "When
Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.' The
Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, 'Who is
this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?'" Luke 7:48-49 "Then
Jesus said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven.' The other guests began to say
among themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?'" He
claimed to be a Heavenly king Luke 22:69 "But from
now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right
hand of the mighty God." Luke 23:1-3 "Then
the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse
him, saying, 'We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes
payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.' So Pilate asked
Jesus, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' 'Yes, it is as you say,' Jesus
replied." John 18:36-37 "Jesus
said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight
to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.'
'You are a king, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying
I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into
the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to
me.'" He claimed
to be able to give everlasting life He didn't just tell
people how they could find everlasting life, or deepen their own life
experience. He actually claimed to give life himself. John 6:40 "For my
Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall
have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:47 "I tell
you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life." John 10:28-30 "I
give [my followers] eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can
snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater
than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father
are one." John 11:25 "Jesus
said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will
live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never
die...'" He
claimed that he would die and come back to life John 10:17 "Just as
the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay
down my life for the sheep. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down
my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down
of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up
again. This command I received from my Father." John 12:32-33 "'But
I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.' He said
this to show the kind of death he was going to die." John 16:16 "In a
little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will
see me." Luke 18:31-33 "Jesus
took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up into Jerusalem, and
everything that is written by the prophets about the Son
of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They
will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third
day he will rise again.'" He
claimed that he would return again to judge the world Matthew 24:27-30 "So
as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the
coming of the Son of Man... At that time the sign of
the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will
mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with
power and great glory." Matthew 25:31-32
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he
will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered
before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd
separates the sheep and the goats." Mark 14:61-62 "Again
the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?'
'I am,' said Jesus. 'And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right
hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.'" |
