STUDY GUIDE. Jesus Is Unique #1 (Jesus Claimed to be God)

Transcription

1 STUDY GUIDE Jesus Is Unique #1 (Jesus Claimed to be God) When I examined Christianity to make a joke of it, I looked at the person of Christ, and immediately something stood out that was different than what I expected, and different from what I saw in others. Others would claim to be a prophet of God, claim to be a messenger of God, or something else a great prophet. But Jesus claimed to be God! You say, What? Yes! I remember just going, Whoa! Because that separated Him from everyone else I had ever examined. He claimed to be God in human flesh. And the question is, is that true? A book that was out a number of years ago was called the Da Vinci Code. In it you know, it was claimed to be true, but 90% of the book was false. But in there Dan Brown, the author, reflected what a lot of people think about Christ, and this is what he said, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet. A great and powerful man, but a man none the less. Islam says that Jesus never ever claimed to be God. That would be blasphemy. New Age says, Come on, everyone is true. Everything is true. Jesus never claimed to be God in a unique sense; just a god among many gods. On the Oprah show, with many of the people that Oprah has on her show, they say, Well, there is no God. Christ is just a Christ-consciousness. It is just a God-consciousness. He is an influence. He is not God. He is a mortal man with a divine consciousness or sensitivity. And yet, I could not conclude what Islam concluded or Oprah, or the New Age, or Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code. Because it was very clear that Jesus Christ claimed to be God. Whether He was or not, that s not the issue. The issue is that He did claim to be God. Someone says, No way. Well in the next several segments I want to take you to a conversation I had a with a philosophy professor at West Virginia University. SUMMARY: When josh set out to make a joke of Christianity; he saw something different about Jesus that others who claimed to be a prophet or messenger of God. Jesus claimed to be God. Dan Brown claimed his book Da Vinci Code was true although when compared with historical evidence 90 percent is false. Dan Brown said that Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal man. Islam says that Jesus never claimed to be God. New Age says, Jesus never claimed to be God in a unique sense...just a god among many gods. Oprah has many people on her show who say that there is no God. Josh McDowell could not make any of these conclusions. It is clear that Jesus Christ claimed to be God. QUESTIONS: 1. What did Josh set out to do? 2. What did he see that was different about Jesus? 3. Who did Jesus Claim to be? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 1

2 4. What have all others said about Jesus? 5. What conclusion do you have about Jesus? Why? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 2

3 Jesus Is Unique #2 (People, Culture and Language) One thing that made Jesus so unique is he did not claim to be a mortal prophet, a great man, a messenger. He claimed to be God incarnate, God Himself. He claimed to be the Son of God. I want to take you to a conversation with a philosophy professor at West Virginia University. I was speaking in the class and he interrupted me. He said, Look, Jesus never claimed to be God. He never once in the New Testament claimed to be God. I asked, He didn t? He said, No. I said, Well now let us look at that. Now I explained to the class that whenever you interpret something in history what it means: you need to take into consideration the people to whom it was spoken, the culture, and the language. I said, Doing that, it is as clear as it can be that Jesus claimed to be God. So I took them to John 5 verses where Jesus claimed to be equal with God and I started to read the Scriptures. The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who made him well. And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, My Father is working until now, and I myself am working. Well now you say, Josh, I can say my father and I are working. That doesn t make me out to be God. But remember, you ve got to take into consideration to whom was it spoken, the culture and the people. When Jesus used the term My Father ; to His culture and to the Jews that was a claim to deity. No one would ever claim that without saying My Father, which art in heaven. Because if you just say My Father then to the Jewish perception, the audience He was speaking to, it was like you are saying you are equal to God. You do not believe me? Always see, how did the people respond to whom something was spoken to? And this is what happened. For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him. Why? Did he only make a simple statement? No. He was not only was breaking the Sabbath, but He was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. To the Jews to whom he was speaking it could not have been clearer, as if He just said, I am God. In their language, their culture and to the Jew that was a clear as you can be in a statement. Jesus did claim to be God. SUMMARY: Jesus was unique because He did not claim to be a great man or a messenger. He claimed to be God incarnate. A West Virginia University professor interrupted Josh and said, Look, Jesus never claimed to be God. Josh explained to the class that whenever something is interpreted in history for meaning the interpreter needs to take into consideration the people, the culture and the language. When considering these factors, it is clear that in John 5:15-18 Jesus claimed to be equal with God. When Jesus said, My Father that was a claim to deity to the Jew. Look at how the people responded to his Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 3

4 statement. They were seeking to kill Him for two reasons: working on the Sabbath and claiming to be God. QUESTIONS: 1. Why was Jesus unique? 2. What did the West Virginia University professor say about Jesus? 3. What three things did Josh McDowell tell the students were necessary in interpreting come thing in history? 4. What does John 5:15-18 say? 5. Why were the Jews seeking to kill Jesus? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 4

5 Jesus Is Unique #3 (John s Account) The professor told me that nowhere in the New Testament did Jesus claimed to be God. And after I went through John 5, I turned to John 10 verses 27 to 36. It says this, Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me. And I give eternal life to them, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father who gave them to Me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father s hand. Why? I and the Father are one. You reply, Well I can say, I and my father are one that doesn t make me out to be God. But when you take into consideration the people, the culture, and the language it is a direct claim to deity. Again, let us see how His audience, the Jews, responded to what He said; and how they understood it. The Jews took up stones again to stone Him; and Jesus answered them, I showed you many good works from the Father. For which of them are you stoning me? And the Jews answered Him, For a good work we do not stone you but for blasphemy. Now notice what they said, Because you being a man make yourself out to be God. That is how the Jew understood what Jesus said, I and the Father are one. And Jesus answered them, Has it not been written in your law that I said you are gods? And if he called them gods to whom the word of God came, then the scriptures cannot be broken. But the difference was this. When they referred to the term We are all gods, they were referring to human beings. But here the way Jesus used the term, they understood Him to be referring to the one and only true God, Yahweh. At this point the professor interrupted me. He said, Just a minute. John was the latest gospel written. No other gospel, none of the other three gospels even hint that Jesus claimed to be God. I asked, They didn t? and he said, No. Then I said let us turn to the book of Matthew. SUMMARY: A professor said that nowhere in the New Testament did Jesus claim to be God. Josh turned to John 10:27-36 and read through to Because I and the Father are one. He explained that the language is a direct claim to deity. What did the Jews do? They took up stones again to stone Jesus. They said, Because you being a man make yourself out to be God. They understand Jesus to be referring to the one and only true God, Yahweh. The professor discounted John by saying that it was the latest gospel written and that none of the other three gospels even hint that Jesus claimed to be God. Josh said, Let s turn to the book of Matthew. QUESTIONS: 1. What did the professor say about Jesus claiming to be God in the New Testament? 2. To what Scripture did Josh turn? 3. Who does Jesus say that he is one with? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 5

6 4. How did the Jews respond? 5. What were the two reasons given by the professor why he discounted John? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 6

7 Jesus Is Unique #4 (Matthew s Account) Josh quoted both John 5 and John 10 in answer to the professor s questions: Did Jesus claimed to be God? And did the Jews understand His claim to be God? Then the professor said, No other gospel has any reference whatsoever to Jesus claiming to be God. I asked, No other? And he said, None. I said let s look at Matthew Chapter 16 verses 13 to 17. Jesus was becoming well known. He was doing a lot of mighty works and a lot of rumors were going around. And he probably saw the disciples interacting and discussing, What do you think about that? Who do you think He is? and everything. So Jesus uses this as a teaching opportunity to His followers, because Jesus confronted them this way: Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they just repeated some of the rumors, Well, some say John the Baptist or other Elijah, but still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked them, But who do you say that I am? and Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said, No kidding? Really? That is not quite what Scripture says. Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. One of the greatest testimonies of truth is what I call a positive statement from hostile sources. In other words when you get your enemies or those who are against you to agree on something you said, you are on pretty good ground knowing what was said. This is what happened again in the book of Matthew 27 verses Here are the enemies of Christ. In the same way the chief priests also along with the scribes and elders were mocking Him and saying, He saved others? He cannot save Himself. He is the king of the Israel? Let Him now come down from the cross; and we shall believe in Him. He trusted God, then let Him deliver Him now if he takes pleasure in him for He said, Hear the opponents of Christ, what they are saying that Christ said, for He said, I am the Son of God. At that point the professor interrupted me again. SUMMARY: In response to the professor questioning that Jesus claimed to be God; Josh quotes John 5 and John 10. Then when the professor says that no other Gospel tells of Jesus claiming to be God, Josh McDowell speaks of Matthew 16:13-17 where the disciples are processing what others are saying about Jesus. Then Jesus asks, Who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God! Jesus says, Blessed are you Simon bar-jonah because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Also hostile witnesses in Matthew 27:41-43 are recorded as saying about Jesus when He on the cross: He said, I am the Son of God so let God save him. Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 7

8 QUESTIONS: 1. In Scripture where does John say that Jesus claimed to be God? 2. What does Matthew 16:13-17 say? 3. Who does Simon Peter say Jesus is? Does Jesus agree? 4. Who is saying Jesus is the Son of God in Matthew 27:41-43? 5. Why is this great testimony about what Jesus knew about himself? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 8

9 Jesus Is Unique #5 (Mark s Account) When the professor said to me, Look, Mark was the earliest gospel and nowhere in Mark did Jesus claim to be God or even give a hint of it. I asked, Nowhere, in the gospel of Mark? He said, That s right. I said, Then let us go to Mark 2. Now this was in front of his entire class. I said, Then let us go to Mark 2 verses 3-7. The Word of God says this: And they came bringing to Him a paralytic carried by four men and being unable to get to Him because of the crowd they removed the roof above him, and when they had dug an opening they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, My Son, your sins are forgiven. But there some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone? The professor interrupted me. He said, Well, just a minute. I can forgive sin. Somebody in my class here can sin against me; and I can forgive them. My wife can sin against me; and I can forgive her. Does that make me God? I said, Well, no. He said, Then what is your point? I said, This is the point as it is quoted here. Why does that man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Now they are quoting from the Old Testament, where it says God, and God alone can forgive sin. In other words what it is saying is this: when you sin against someone else, they can forgive you. Or if somebody sins against you, you can forgive them. But that is not what it is talking about here. Here was a man who had sinned against God. Against God, Yahweh, and Jesus said to him, I forgive you. He said that is blasphemy because it says in the Old Testament that no one can forgive since except God alone. Jesus said, That s right, I forgive you. SUMMARY: The professor said, Look, Mark is the earliest Gospel and nowhere in Mark did Jesus claim to be God. Josh goes to mark 2:3-7. Scripture tells the story of Jesus healing and forgiving the paralytic. He says, My son, your sins are forgiven. Some scribes said that Jesus was blaspheming. The professor said that he could say, I forgive, does that make me God? No. Yes, you and I can forgive one another. In this passage the Jews are asking, Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone? Josh points out that the man had sinned against God yet Jesus said to him, I forgive you. This is more evidence of Jesus knowing He is God and his followers knowing that Jesus is God. QUESTIONS: 1. What did the professor say about Mark s recording of Jesus claiming to be God? 2. In Mark 2:3-7 what shows us that Jesus knew He was God? 3. Did the professor think that he could forgive like God forgives? 4. How is Jesus forgiveness different from us forgiving one another? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 9

10 5. Was Jesus blaspheming when He said, Your sins are forgiven? 6. Why do the Jews accuse Jesus of blaspheming? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 10

11 Jesus Is Unique #6 (Mark/Trial of Jesus) And then I said to the class and to the professor after the professor said Nowhere in the gospel of Mark did Jesus ever claim to be God or even hint that He was God in human flesh. So then I went to Mark 14, verses 60-64, to the trial of Jesus. The trial of Jesus is just an outspoken, obvious declaration that He claimed to be God. It is a very unusual trial. Follow through with me as I relate the Scriptures. And the high priest stood up and came forward and then he questioned Jesus saying, Do you make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against you? but Jesus kept silent and He made no answer. Again the high priest was questioning him and saying to Him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed one? And then it says, And Jesus said. Now why did He answer? Why was He silent the whole time and then He answered this time? For this reason: in some of the other accounts in the other gospels on the trial of Jesus, the other accounts point out that at this point He was put under an oath where the high priest said, I adjure you by the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. When the priest did that he put Jesus under oath and according to their custom and law, He had to answer. So that is why Jesus kept silent and then He answered, because He was put under oath. Now notice what He said. And Jesus said, I am. Now come on you cannot any closer to admitting being God. I am. I am what? I am the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Then He gave two great prophecies about the Messiah. And you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. To a Jewish mindset that was deity. And tearing his clothes the high priest said, What further need to we have of witnesses. Now notice the chronology. Normally this is what would happen in a trial. The Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jews and the high priests would hear all the accusations. Then the high priests would turn to the Sanhedrin and say, What do you say? And they would go out and they would take time to discuss it and come up with a conclusion. Then they would come back in and say Guilty or Not Guilty. Then when the high priest heard that today the judge brings down the gavel and says Guilty or Not Guilty but in those days the high priest would reach down to the hem of his garment and he would just tear it a little bit and that was like the judge bringing down the gavel saying, This is the verdict. But notice the chronology here. And tearing his clothes You see, before the Sanhedrin brought in the verdict the high priest tore his garments. Why? Because there was one time when the garment was torn before the Sanhedrin brought in their verdict. That was in the presence of blasphemy someone claiming to be God. Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 11

12 Notice the progression. And tearing his clothes the high priest said, What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blaspheming. How does it seem to you? And they all [meaning the Sanhedrin] all condemned Him to be deserving of death. The very chronology of the trial confirms that Jesus claimed to be God. But the issue is, was Jesus truly who He claimed to be? I think that anyone who says that Jesus never claimed to be God when you read the gospels would be somebody standing outdoors on a clear day and says, I can t see the sun. SUMMARY: Josh answers the professor s question that Mark does not show Jesus claim that He was God in human flesh. Using Mark 14:60-64 the trial of Jesus, Josh describes the proceedings which include the Sanhedrin with the high priest. The other Gospels include the high priest putting Jesus under oath so Jesus had to answer when He was ask about who He was. Jesus is asked, Are you the Son of God? And He must answer so He says, I am. Then the high priest s words and actions also show that Jesus claimed to be God. Immediately he tears his garment which was the sign of blasphemy, meaning the high priest heard Jesus claiming to be God. All the Sanhedrin agreed and condemned Jesus to be deserving of death. Jesus claim to be God and those around Him understanding His claim both provide evidence of Jesus understanding that he was God. QUESTIONS: 1. Why does Josh use mark 14:60-64, the trial of Jesus? 2. Who was present at this trial? 3. What additional information do the other Gospels record which is not mentioned in Mark? 4. What was the usual procedure for trials? 5. Why did Jesus have to answer the high priest asking about who He was? 6. What did the trial show about Jesus s claim to be God? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 12

13 Jesus Is Unique #7 (Jesus Followers) Jesus claimed to be God, but many people will say, including The Da Vinci Code book and others, But none of His followers ever claimed He was God or in any way attributed to Him divine attributes. You know, I do not know how you can say that and be intellectually honest with what history tells us. For example, the apostle Paul is a follower of Christ. Paul said in Romans chapter 8, verse 3, What the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, sending His own son, the Son of God. Then, in Philippians 2 verse 6, Paul said, Though He was God, He states right there, Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights as God. Then in Colossians, the apostle Paul wrote, He is the image of the invisible God. And then the author of Hebrews, whether it was Paul or not, says, After He spoke long ago, He spoke to us in His Son. Jesus followers were convinced that Jesus claimed to be God, all down through history that is true. When Dan Brown and others will say, All of His followers never claimed He was God. They never attributed to Him to be the Son of God or being divine. And then Dan Brown went on and would make that emphasis of the early church fathers. Let us see what history teaches. Justin Martyr said of Jesus, Being the first begotten Word of God, even God. Then Justin went on to say that Jesus is both God and Lord. That was in his First Apology chapter six. Then Irenaeus about AD 177 in Against Heresies, he states of Jesus, Our Lord, and Our God. Then about 153 AD, Clement of Alexandria said about Jesus, He was His Son. Then Ignatius of Antioch said, God, existing in the flesh even Jesus our Lord. Then Ignatius of Antioch went on to say, He was God incarnate. God Himself appearing in the form of man. Then Gregory Thaumaturgies said, There is one Lord, only of the only God of God, true Son of the Father. And then Melito of Sardis around AD 177 said, He was man, yet He is God. Pliny the Younger wrote to the Emperor Trajan, The early Christians were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day when they sang a hymn to Christ as to a god. All through history, from Jesus and then His immediate disciples and all His later followers showed that Jesus not only claimed to be God; but they believed Him to be God in human flesh. Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 13

14 SUMMARY: Jesus claimed to be God and his followers claim He was God. Yet many critics have said otherwise including The Da Vinci Code author. What is the reality in history? The apostle Paul, a follower of Christ says in Romans 8:3, God... sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. And Paul says in Philippians 2:6, Though He was God... And he also makes deity statements about Jesus in Colossians and Hebrews, Irenaeus about AD 177 in Against Heresies states, our Lord, and our God. Clement of Alexandria in 153 AD wrote He was His Son. Then Ignatius of Antioch said, God, existing in the flesh even Jesus our Lord. He was God incarnate. God Himself appearing in the form of man. Gregory Thaumaturgies a Third Century bishop said, There is one Lord, only of the only God of God, true Son of the Father. Melito of Sardis around AD 177 wrote, He was man, yet He is God. And Pliny the Younger, a First and early Second Century lawyer wrote to Emperor Trajan, The early Christians were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day when they sang a hymn to Christ as to a god. All through history from Jesus and His immediate disciples, all showed that Jesus not only claimed to be God, but they believed Him to be God in human flesh. QUESTIONS: 1. What are some scriptures that show Jesus followers knew Jesus to be God? 2. What did Irenaeus say about Jesus? 3. What did Clement of Alexandria say about Jesus? 4. What did Ignatius of Antioch write about Jesus? 5. What did Gregory of Thaumaturgies say about Jesus? 6. How many First, Second, and Third century Christians leaders make reference to Jesus as being God. 7. Who did Jesus claim to be? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 14

15 Jesus Is Unique #8 (Reasoning C.S. Lewis) As you read the gospels, the New Testament and the early church fathers, they all agreed together that Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. They all agree that He claimed to be God. Now many people will say, No, no. He was just a good man a good prophet. Now wait a minute. To say the things that Jesus said about Himself, if they were not true, then come on, you cannot call Him a good moral man, or a good teacher or a good prophet because then everything He taught was a lie. Let us walk through some reasoning here. I first learned of this through C.S. Lewis, and then it was one of the things that literally brought me to Christ. Jesus claimed to be God. Now it is going to take me several segments for me to walk you through this. Jesus claimed to be God. Now His claims lead to two alternatives: they were either false, or they were true. Now, if His claims were false, then that leads to two alternatives. One, He knew His claims were false or second He did not know His claims were false. Now if He knew His claims were false then that would make Him a deliberate liar or deliberately misrepresenting who He was, which would make Him a liar. And if he was a liar, then He was a hypocrite. And if he was a hypocrite, then He was a demon. And if he was a demon, then He was a fool because he went out and died for it. But what is the other alternative? That He knew His claims were false, or He did not know His claims were false. If He did not know His claims were false then that would mean that He was sincerely deluded. And if He was sincerely deluded about who He was, then that would mean He was a lunatic on the level of somebody who called Himself a poached egg. And if He was a lunatic, then how in the world could you ever trust what He said and claim that He was a good man? Now the other alternative is that His claims were true. SUMMARY: The Gospels, the New Testament and the early church fathers all agree that Jesus Christ is the unique Son of God. Could He be only a good man or good prophet as many people say? This would mean that what Jesus said about Himself was not true. Let us walk through C. S. Lewis s line of thinking which literally brought Josh to Christ. Jesus claimed to be God. Either this is true of false. If this is false then there are two alternatives. He knew he was not God and lied or he thought he was God and was delusional. If he is a liar he is a hypocrite, i.e., a demon. And if he were a demon, then he was a fool because he died for it. If he did not know that his claims were false then he would be a lunatic. The other alternative is that His claims were true. So how can anyone say Jesus was only a good teacher or only a good man? QUESTIONS: 1. What do the Gospels, the New Testament, and the early church fathers all agree about Jesus? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 15

16 2. How did C. S. Lewis process the idea that Jesus is only a good man? 3. What decision did this line of reasoning lead Josh to do with Jesus? 4. How have you determined who Jesus is? 5. Is Jesus who He claimed He is? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 16

17 Jesus Is Unique #9 (Trilemma: Lord, Liar, Lunatic) To me, as you read the gospels it is obvious that Jesus claimed to be God. As you read the writings of the apostles, the disciples, the epistles, they truly believed Jesus was God in human flesh. When you read the writings of the early church fathers it become very clear that they truly believed He was God in human flesh. And yet a lot of people today will say, You know He was just a good man. He was a good moral teacher, a good religious man. Now wait a minute. You cannot say that about Christ when you take into consideration what He claimed about Himself. Let me show you how I worked through that idea. What helped me here were some things that C.S. Lewis taught in His writings. I call it the trilemma when it comes to the claims of Christ. So follow with me. It will take me several sessions to do this. First, Jesus claimed to be God. Now there are two alternatives to that. His claims were either true; or His claims were false. If His claims were false, then there were two alternatives. One, He knew they were false or two, He did not know they were false. Now, if He knew His claims were false; then that would have to mean He made a deliberate misrepresentation of who He was; then that would mean He was a liar. And if He was a liar, then that would mean He was a hypocrite. And if He was a hypocrite that would mean that He was a demon out of the pit of hell. And then that would have to mean he was a fool. Why, because he died for it. Jesus claimed to be God. His claims could either be false or true. That dilemma leads to another dilemma if His claims were false, 1) He knew that they were false. Or 2) He did not know they were false; meaning that He was sincerely deluded -- on the level of a man who would call himself a poached egg. Now if He was deluded then it would have to mean that He was a lunatic. And if He was a lunatic, then isn t it amazing that the teaching of a lunatic accomplished more good than a sane person s teaching ever has in history. SUMMARY: The writings of the apostles, the disciples, and the epistles truly believed Jesus was God in human flesh. Also the writings of the early church fathers were clear that they believed Jesus was God in the flesh. Yet many people today say that Jesus was only a good moral teacher. How can this be true of Jesus? Josh describes what C.S. Lewis taught in his writings as the Trilemma. First Jesus claimed to be God. Is this true or false? If false then there were two options: Jesus was a liar, i.e., a hypocrite; or he was deluded, thinking he was something he was not. And if he was lying he was a fool because he died for a lie that he knew was a lie. Or second he was deluded thinking he was something he was not. How is it possible that a lunatic accomplished much more good than a sane person s teaching ever has in history. Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 17

18 QUESTIONS: 1. What sources believe Jesus claimed to be God in human flesh? 2. What two options can be believed? 3. If Jesus knew his claims were false, what would that say about Him? 4. If Jesus believed his claims were true but they were false, what would that say about him? 5. What does Josh McDowell call this line of reasoning? Why? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 18

19 Jesus Is Unique #10 (Jesus is Lord) Jesus claimed to be God. That leads to two alternatives. His claims were true, or His claims were false. Now if His claims are false there are two alternatives: 1) He knew that they were false, or 2) He did not know they were false. Now, if He did not know His teachings were false then that would mean He was sincerely deluded; and if He was sincerely deluded then that would make Him a lunatic on the level of someone that would call himself a poached egg. Now there is another alternative. Remember, His claims were either false, or His claims were true. You cannot come up with that nonsense that He was just a good moral teacher. He never left that alternative open with what He claimed about Himself. Now if His claims were true then that would mean He is Lord. And if He is Lord then that leads to two alternatives: 1) you can accept it, or 2) you can reject it. This is where I had a decision to make; and 8:30 that night I finally made that decision. I accept Jesus as Lord and Savior; and I placed my trust in Him and accept His forgiveness. I was lecturing in a Jewish seminary; and I brought up this concept of a trilemma and a Jewish student says, Well I disagree with you. I do not believe He was the Messiah, the Son of God. I said, Well, do you believe He was a liar? NO. I said, Do you believe He was a lunatic? NO. I said, Do you believe He was Lord and God? NO. He said, I don t know what I believe but it wasn t one of those three. I said, Wait a minute, what other alternative do you have, unless you are a lunatic? I concluded Jesus is who He claimed to be and that means He laid claims upon my life and upon your life. SUMMARY: Jesus claimed to be God. Is this true of false? If His claim is false and He knew it then He was a liar. If His claim is false and He did not know it then He was deluded like a lunatic. If He is lord then that leads to two alternatives: 1) you can accept it, or 2) you can reject it. When josh McDowell interacted with a student at a Jewish seminary, the student said No to all three possibilities then he said, I do not know what I believe but it was not one of those three. You must choose one. Josh McDowell chose to believe Jesus is who He claimed to be and Jesus has laid claim to Josh s life and has laid claim upon your life. Jesus claimed to be God. QUESTIONS: 1. Who did Jesus claim to be? 2. If it is false what are your alternatives? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 19

20 3. If it is true what is your alternative? 4. Did the student have any reason for not making a choice? 5. What did Josh choose? Study Guide/Jesus Is Unique/DB/Digital Wisdom Library Q&A/DWL transcript final study guide 20