THE DEITY OF CHRIST. Wayne Brewer. Introduction. The New Testament Affirms The Deity of Christ in The Four Gospels

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1 THE DEITY OF CHRIST About e auor... Wayne and his wife Susan have ree children - Sarah, a student at Freed Hardeman, Ashley and Brian, bo high school students. Wayne is a 1978 graduate of Harding University. After preaching in Osceola, Iowa for 20 years he began working wi e church in Sheridan Arkansas in August of Wayne has done evangelistic work in Latvia, Estonia and Costa Rica. He has spoken before on e Mid-West Lectures as well as assisting in e Mid-West School of Biblical Studies and e IBS Lectureships. Introduction The Bible says, being ready always to give an answer to every man at aske you A reason concerning e hope at is in you, yet wi meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15), and contend earnestly for e fai which was once for all delivered unto e saints (Jude 3) [All Scripture quotations are from e American Standard Version o f 1901]. One answer at needs to be given concerns e deity of Christ. There are some religious organizations at deny e deity of Christ. Jehovah s Witnesses, Christadelphians, Unitarians, and many New Age religions are among ese. However, e Bible clearly teaches, affirms and establishes e fact at Jesus is deity. The Greek word eotes, which is translated deity and also Godhead, means e Divine essence of Godhood, e Personality of God (Vine 1:329), or e state of being God (Thayer 288). The answer e Bible gives about e deity of Christ is at he is God. The New Testament Affirms The Deity of Christ in The Four Gospels Matew, Mark, Luke, and John overwhelmingly demonstrate e fact at Jesus is God. John probably sums up best eir purpose in writing, ese are written, at ye may believe at Jesus is e Christ, e Son of God, and at believing ye may have life in his name (John 20:31). The purpose of eir writing was to affirm e deity of Christ. Matew s account begins wi e events preceding e bir of Jesus when an angel of e Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and says, And she shall bring for a son, and ou shalt call his name Jesus, for it is he at shall save his people from eir sins Behold, e virgin shall bring for a son, and ey shall call his name Immanuel, which is, being interpreted, God wi us (Matew 1:21-23). There are ree major points in is passage affirming e deity of Christ. First, concerning Jesus work of salvation, it is he at shall save his people from eir sins God had said 800 years earlier, before me ere was no God formed, neier shall ere be after me. I, even I, am Jehovah, and beside me ere is no savior (Isaiah 43:10-11). God s message is at only God can be e Savior. When e angel says concerning Jesus, it is he at shall save his people from eir sins, he is saying at Jesus is God. Second, concerning his virgin bir, e virgin shall bring for a son. This was e fulfillment of a prophecy made in e Old Testament Ready To Give An Answer The 18 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 1 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street Church of Christ E. 39 Street, Independence, Missouri 64055

2 (Isaiah 7:14). Since Jesus had been conceived rough miraculous or supernatural means, and not rough natural laws, he had to have been God. Third, concerning what Jesus was called, ey shall call his name Immanuel, which is being translated, God wi us, which fulfilled Isaiah s prophecy (Isaiah 7:14). Matew quickly establishes e deity of Christ. Mark begins his account, The beginning of e gospel of Jesus Christ, e Son of God (Mark 1:1). Right away he uses e phrase e Son of God which signifies e true nature of Jesus, at he is God. The Psalmist wrote, Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son; is day I have begotten ee (Psalms 2:7). Paul said, And we bring you good tidings of e promise made unto e faers, at God ha fulfilled e same unto our children, in at he raised up Jesus, as also it is written in e second Psalm, Thou art my Son, is day I have begotten ee (Acts 13:32-33). Paul s point, citing e Old Testament book of Psalms, is at Jesus resurrection from e dead is proof at he is e Son of God, e same nature as God, and erefore he is God. The phrase, Son of God, is defined as An eternal relationship subsisting between e Son and e Faer in e Godhead is to be understood (Vine 4:48). Mark affirms e deity of Christ right away by calling Jesus e Son of God.. Luke proves e deity of Jesus when he writes of Gabriel s announcement unto Mary at she is going to give bir of Jesus. And behold, ou shalt conceive in y womb, and bring for a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called e Son of e Most High and of his kingdom ere shall be no end. The Holy Spirit shall come upon ee, and e power of e Most High shall overshadow ee: wherefore also e holy ing which is begotten shall be called e Son of God (Luke 1:31,32,33,35). Luke also records e words of e angel on e night of Jesus bir. I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all e people: for ere is born to you is in e city of David a Savior, who is Christ e Lord (Luke 2:10-11). There are four major points in ese passages proving e deity of Christ. First, Jesus would be conceived miraculously. Second, Jesus would be called e Son of e Most High and e Son of God, bo of which point to his divine nature. Third, Jesus would have an eternal kingdom, one wi no end. Four, on e night of his bir, Jesus is called Savior and Lord, which again is evidence of his deity. These statements are seen as e fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and e government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Faer, Prince of Peace. Of e increase of his government and of peace ere shall be no end (Isaiah 9:6-7). Luke affirms e deity of Christ at e very beginning of his account. John begins his account as he logically sets for e tru at Jesus is God. John writes, In e beginning was e Word, and e Word was wi God, and e Word was God. The same was in e beginning wi God. All ings were made rough him, and wiout him was not anying made at Ready To Give An Answer The 18 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 2 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street Church of Christ E. 39 Street, Independence, Missouri 64055

3 ha been made (John 1:1-3). John continues to provide more information about e Word when he writes, And e Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of e only begotten from e Faer), full of grace and tru. For of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace grace and tru came rough Jesus Christ (John 1:14,16-17). John begins his book by referring to Jesus as e Word. First, John writes at e Word was in e beginning John is saying at Jesus was already in existence at e beginning of material ings (Genesis 1:1). Jesus existed before e creation so at makes him eternal or deity. Second, John writes at e Word was wi God, and e Word was God. When e ings were being created in e beginning e Word was ere in e position and essence of God. Third, John writes at e Word was e agency of e created ings. He was not just ere for part of e creative process, but was ere creating everying. This Word who is God became flesh and is known to us as Jesus Christ. John affirms at e Word, Jesus, is God. However, e Jehovah s Witnesses, in an effort to take away e deity of Christ, have come up wi eir own unreliable translation of e Bible. In eir version, New World Translation of e Holy Scriptures, ey translate John s words is way, In e beginning was e Word, and e Word was wi God, and e Word was a god (John 1:1, NWT). Relating to e correct translation of is passage Merrill C. Tenney writes: The Greek word eos, translated God, is employed here wiout e article When e article is used, e emphasis of e word is on individuality, God as a person; wiout e article e emphasis is on quality, God as a kind of being Deity is a better rendering. The Word was deity clearly asserts at e LOGOS possessed and eternally manifested e very nature of God. (65) The four gospels also affirm e deity of Christ by writing of his attributes. Jesus possessed attributes at only belong to God. As God he would have e ability to assume whatever form he desired, someing at a mere human being could not do. Being God, Jesus did take on e form of a human being, flesh and e Word was God And e Word became flesh (John 1:1,14). Mark records at after Jesus resurrection he appeared in different forms. And after ese ings, he [Jesus] was manifested in anoer form unto two of em (Mark 16:12). Luke records anoer incident after Jesus resurrection, and he [Jesus] vanished out of eir sight (Luke 24:31). The word vanished literally means, became invisible (Vine 4:182). As a mere man Jesus could not have done is, but because he is God, he could. The gospels show e attributes of Jesus to be in e following categories. First, Jesus could be everywhere, so he is omnipresent. and lo, I am wi you always (Matew 28:20). Second, Jesus has all knowledge, so he is omniscient. And Jesus knowing eir oughts said (Matew 9:4). Third, Jesus has all power, so he is omnipotent. Then he [Jesus] arose, and rebuked e winds and e sea; and ere was a great calm (Matew 8:26). And when he [Jesus] had us spoken, he cried wi a loud voice, Lazarus, come for. He at was dead came for (John 11:43-44). Since ese are attributes at only God could have, and Jesus possessed em, e logical conclusion is at Jesus is God. The four gospel writers confidently affirm e deity of Jesus. Ready To Give An Answer The 18 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 3 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street Church of Christ E. 39 Street, Independence, Missouri 64055

4 The New Testament Affirms e Deity of Jesus Through e Remaining Books Evidence of e deity of Christ is not only seen in e four gospels, but also roughout e remainder of e New Testament. The book of Acts begins wi evidence of Jesus deity. To whom he [Jesus] also showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs And when he [Jesus] said ese ings, as ey were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of eir sight is Jesus who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner (Acts 1:3,9,11). Luke begins Acts by affirming e deity of Christ rough Jesus resurrection from e dead and ascension back into heaven. In Acts evidence of Jesus deity is affirmed rough e preaching of men like Peter and Paul. Peter said, Let all e house of Israel erefore know assuredly, at God ha made him bo Lord and Christ, is Jesus (Acts 2:36). Peter provides his own commentary concerning what he means by calling Jesus Lord. Speaking to Cornelius, Peter said, The word which he sent unto e children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) (Acts 10:36). To be Lord of all is to be God. Speaking of Jesus, Peter said, But ye denied e Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14). Years earlier, Isaiah had said of God, Our redeemer, Jehovah (Lord) of hosts is his name, e Holy One (Isaiah 47:4). The words used by Peter places Jesus on an equality wi God e Faer. Paul also preached at Jesus is God when he told e Ephesian elders, Take heed unto yourselves, and to all e flock, in which e Holy Spirit ha made you bishops, to feed e church of e Lord which he purchased wi his own blood (Acts 20:28). The King James Version says, to feed e church of God, which he ha purchased wi his own blood. The New American Standard Version says, to shepherd e church of God which he purchased wi his own blood. In is passage Jesus is called Lord or God. Oer New Testament books affirm e deity of Jesus just as strongly leaving no doubt at Jesus is God. Have is mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who existing in e form of God, counted not e being on an equality wi God a ing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking e form of a servant, being made in e likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-8). The words, form and equality, affirm Jesus deity because e word form (morphe), means e special or characteristic form or feature of a person or ing (Vine 2:123), and e word equality (isos) means e same in size, number, quality, etc (Vine 2:38). Jesus existed in e very form of God concerning who he was, and concerning his existence in e spiritual realm, for God is spirit (John 4:24). Jesus was on an equality wi God in his divine nature or quality as Paul also writes in Colossians. Who is e image of e invisible God, e firstborn of all creation; for in him were all ings created, in e heavens and upon e ear,ings visible and ings invisible all ings have been created rough him, and unto him, and he is before all ings, and in him all ings consist (Colossians 1:15-18). Aside from explaining at Jesus existed before all ings, which would make him God, and at he Ready To Give An Answer The 18 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 4 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street Church of Christ E. 39 Street, Independence, Missouri 64055

5 is e creator of all ings, which would make him God (Genesis 1:1), Paul again uses two words, image and firstborn, which point to Jesus deity. Vine says e word image (eikon) means essentially and absolutely e perfect expression and representation of e Archetype, God e Faer and Christ is e visible representation and manifestation of God to created beings; e likeness expressed in is manifestation is involved in e essential relations in e Godhead, and is erefore unique and perfect. (2:246) He also says at e word firstborn (prototokos) is used of Christ in his relationship to e Faer, expressing his priority to, and preeminence over, creation, not in e sense of being e first to be born (Vine 2:105). Wi reference to e word firstborn Hugo McCord said, When one realizes at figuratively a protokos is a most important person, a prince, a sovereign, wi no genealogy under consideration, en real meaning comes to e expression firstborn of all creation. Christ is being placed above and is superior to all ings which he has created. Instead of Christ s being demoted and depreciated to a position limited in time and to a position of being a part of created ings, e expression exalts Christ as e sovereign maker of all ings. The phrase reflects not an origin of Christ but e status of Christ: he is chief of all ings. (22) Paul s point is at Jesus has preeminence over e creation because he is e Creator, and at makes him God. The Jehovah s Witnesses have changed e word of God in anoer place (Colossians 1:16-17) by inserting e word oer into e text. Their version says, because by him all [oer] ings were created All [oer] ings have been created rough him he is before all [oer] ings. They are taking away e deity of Christ by adding e word oer and making him a created ing. The forward of e New World Translation of e Holy Scriptures says, [ ] Brackets enclose words inserted to complete or clarify e sense in e English text (NWT 6). The tru is at ey have added to God s word to take away e deity of Christ. They have in effect violated bo principles of adding to and taking away from e word of God (Deuteronomy 4:2, Revelation 22:18-19). Paul again teaches e deity of Christ when he writes, For in him [Jesus] dwelle all e fullness of e Godhead bodily, and in him ye are made full, who is e head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:9-10). As has previously been noted e word Godhead (eotes) indicates e Divine essence of Godhood, e personality of God (Vine 1:329). When Paul writes at in Jesus dwelle all e fullness of e Godhead or e essence of Godhood he is affirming at Jesus is God. Paul again speaks of Jesus being God when he writes to Titus, Looking for e blessed hope and appearing of e glory of e great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Jesus is called God and Savior. The Hebrew auor begins his book by showing at Jesus is God. God, having of old time spoken unto e faers in e prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, ha at e end of ese days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all ings, rough whom also he made e worlds, who being e effulgence of his glory, and e very image of his substance, and Ready To Give An Answer The 18 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 5 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street Church of Christ E. 39 Street, Independence, Missouri 64055

6 upholding all ings by e word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on e right hand of e Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:1-3). The word effulgence (apaugasma) means radiance and in is context means The Son, being one wi e Faer in Godhood, is in Himself, and ever was, e shining for of e glory, manifesting in Himself all at God is and does (Vine 2:19). The Hebrew writer uses a different Greek word for image an was used in e Colossian letter. The Hebrew auor used e word character. It is easy to see from e anglicized form at e word has come to e English as character. The word means a stamp or impress, as on a coin or a seal, in which case e seal or die which makes an impression bears e image produced by it In e New Testament it is used metaphorically He is e image or impress of His substance, or essence (Vine 2:247). The writer does not stop ere, but goes on to quote an Old Testament passage, where e auor, referring to Jesus. But of e Son he sai, Thy rone, O God, is forever and ever (Hebrews 1:8). The Hebrew auor s point is at Jesus is God. Peter begins his second letter by writing, Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to em at have obtained a like precious fai wi us in e righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1). Later in e same chapter Peter writes our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:11). Jesus is God, Lord, and Savior. The book of Revelations confirms e deity of Christ, I am e Alpha and e Omega, e first and e last, e beginning and e end (Revelation 22:13). God said of himself rough e Old Testament prophet Isaiah, I am e first, and I am e last, beside me ere is no God (Isaiah 44:6). The message of e book of Revelation is meant to confirm e deity of Christ, as is e whole Bible. Conclusion Jesus Christ, who was born of Mary, existed as God, wi God, from all eternity (Micah 5:2). Jesus left heaven, according to God s plan, and took on e form of humanity at he might serve as e sacrifice, propitiation (1 John 2:2), for our sins. When Jesus lived on is ear he was bo God and man. He was e Son of God and e Son of man. Works Cited McCord, Hugo. Fifty Years of Lectures. Atwood, TN: Atwood Church of Christ (n.d.). New World Translation of e Holy Scriptures. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (1961). Tenney, Merrill C. John: The Gospel of Believe. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (1976). Ready To Give An Answer The 18 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 6 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street Church of Christ E. 39 Street, Independence, Missouri 64055

7 Thayer, Joseph Henry. Thayer s Greek-English Lexicon of e New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House (1977). Vine, W.E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company (1966). Ready To Give An Answer The 18 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 7 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street Church of Christ E. 39 Street, Independence, Missouri 64055