Center for Biblical Theology and Eschatology
The Deity Of Christ
by Doyle D. Dewberry
Message: The Deity Of Christ
Minisrer: Doyle D. Dewberry
Text: Matthew 1:23
shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." -Matthew 1:23
One of the most persistent attacks against our Lord Jesus Christ has to do with His Deity. Is He God? Was He God in the flesh? one who walked this earth as man just as all men do? He appeared to be just a man. The prophet said of him
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him (Isa 53:2).
He was called the Son of man, a title which does not of itself speak of God. Ezekiel uses the phrase over eighty times, and in the Psalms it is used of all men in general (Psa 8:4). He is also called the Son of God, but Adam was called the same (Luke 3:38), and John calls the children of God as sons of God (1 John 3:1-2).
Yet, in spite of the mystery surrounding the blessed truth of our Lord Jesus Christ's Deity, and following a mode that "some things are not as they appear", the child of God has no problem discerning that Jesus, his Savior, is Divine, while the world cannot see it. Paul tells us this:
But the natural man (psuchikos "soulish") receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor 2:14).
The natural man psuchikos, "soulish", is indicative of man apart from the Spirit, having only the inability of "soul" psuchn for learning of the truth, with which he is incapable, for spiritual discernment is only accomplished by the indwelling Spirit of God, which the child of God has. James and Jude use the word psuchikos to describe the "sensual" man, and we get words beginning with "psych.." from psuchn.
Yet, while there are many references in Scripture revealing Christ's Deity, one can only comprehend the truth who has the Teacher, the Comforter, who teaches us all things. (John 14:26). For unregenerate man can be face to face with the necessary scripture and yet deny the fact. So our prayer, Dear Reader, is that you are a partaker of the Divine nature, and that the Spirit of God is your teacher. The prayer, is also for this writer, that our Lord will bestow such ability to impart His Word according to the truth of this vital message. Our aim, then, is to set forth our Lord Jesus as Divine from the evidence of the Old Testatment as well as the New; to show that He declared Himself to be so; that the Jews understood Him to say He was; and that the penmen of the New Testamemt give testimony to such truth.
THE FOUR-FOLD EVIDENCE OF THE DEITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST:
I - THE EVIDENCE FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT:
While our text given above tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, it is a quotation from the book of Isaiah. Listen to Isaiah tell us this blessed truth:
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isa 7:14).
We need not concern ourselves with the difference in spelling, as the first is written by a Hebrew, and the latter in Greek. The first did not "interpret", but the second did, as we see in our text above, and we might add under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. Emmanuel is God with us. We take this portion to be a part of the angelic message given to Joseph in a dream, and there can be little doubt it was spoken of Jesus Christ, as they were to call His name Jesus, "Jehovah Savior". He was also given the purpose for His coming: To save His people from their sins (v.21).
Even though Emmanuel, which is applied to our Lord, means "God with us", there is another evidence here of the His antiquity, which goes back to the beginning when Christ was given a people. In John 17, this blessed truth is given, which our Lord, in His prayer to the Father, acknowledged when His people were given to Him:
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee BEFORE THE WORLD WAS. I have manifested thy name unto THE MEN WHICH THOU GAVEST ME out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them (Gk. to) me; and they have kept thy word (John 17:5-6).
These great truths should satisfy us that Jesus is Divine considering the time when He was with the Father, and that His people were given unto Jesus by Him. Who else could have actually been with the Father before the world was but the Divine Son of God? A.T. Robertson said: "It is a small wonder that those who deny or reject the Deity of Jesus Christ have trouble with the Johannine authorship of this book and with the genuineness of these words." (Word Pictures, v.5, p.276). The only way men can refute this passage is to deny that John wrote it, or deny that the Lord Jesus actually said it!
There is abundant evidence that the appearance of the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament was the pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus, and thus showing us of His Deity. Jacob had many encounters with he claimed was God, and appears to be the Angel of the Lord. On his death-bed he recounts the fact of the Angel, which redeemed him from all his evils (Gen 48:16). Now ordinary angels have not the ability to redeem, which only God can do. Moses, in the burning bush, saw the Angel of the Lord in it, and it was God who spake to him out of the bush (Exod 3:2-4).
When the Angel of the Lord spoke to Gideon, it became evident that it was the Lord, for it was the Lord who answered his questions (Judges 6:12-16). And when Gideon confessed he had seen the Angel of the Lord, it was face to face, but it was the Lord who told him he would not die - which is the case of seeing God (vs. 22,23). Angels are messengers, the very meaning of angel, and while there have been all sorts of messengers sent to men, the Angel of the Lord, was no doubt the very presence of the Divine Son of God, the heavenly Messenger.
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre (Psa 45:06).
While the Palmist gave us this passage, it is clear that it speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord was to be, and is, seated on the throne of David, and this Psalm fortells of that great event. But how do we know it speaks of our Lord Jesus? The writer of Hebrews tells us, as he quotes this passage: Unto the Son he saith.. (Heb 1:8), and note that He is called God in the passage. It is no more than saying of Jesus Christ, that He is Lord of lords, and King of kings (Rev 17:14). It would be difficult indeed for any to deny the Deity of the Lord Jesus in this word in the book of Psalms and Hebrews.
Isaiah foretold of John the Baptist (comp.Isa 40:3; Matt 3:1-3), and Isaiah tells us he was to proclaim Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. It is a reference to the Savior, Jesus whom Isaiah calls Jehovah. Jeremiah also calls the one who is our righteousness as He is called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (23:6), that is, Jehovah our righteousness. It can only be a reference to the One who was made sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God IN HIM (2 Cor 5:21).
II - THE EVIDENCE FROM THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF:
It is of utmost importance that we see that Jesus Himself tells us of His Deity. He tells from His own words, I and the Father are one (John 10:10), and He that hath seen me hath seen the Father (John 14:9). He also put Himself on an equal with the Father when He said, All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father (John 5:23). And again, He that seeth me seeth Him that sent me (John 12:45). Note this passage: For whatsoever things he (the Father) doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise (John 5:19). When Jesus was ask by the high priest if he were Christ, the Son of the Blessed - Jesus said, I am (Mark 14:61-62).
Jesus placed Himself equal with the Father in giving the name (singular) of those of the Triune Godhead, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (Matt 28:19). The use of name indicates their sameness in essence, and the individual names given indicate three distinct persons, while a mystery, yet one which establishes the Deity, not only of the Son of God, but of the Holy Spirit as well.
When our Lord was confronted by the Jews, they were refuting His claims of Messiahship, and even charged Him with being demoniac. Even worse was when they said of themselves we be not born of fornication. (John 8:41). Were they referring to His birth, knowing that Mary gave birth before a full marriage took place? At any rate, the subject of Abraham came up, and Jesus told them that Abraham rejoiced to see His day, and he saw it, and was glad (v.56). This confounded the Jews since Jesus was less than fifty years old, and could not have seen Abraham. And what was the answer He gave them to this word? Before Abraham was, I am (ego eimi). One would expect a past tense verb being "I was", but Jesus said I am. If Abraham was, why did not Jesus say "I was"? He uses a first person singular, present tense verb. This is a certain confession of His Deity, and places Him as the Jehovah in Moses time at the burning bush where Moses was told His name was I am.
III - THE EVIDENCE FROM THE JEWS COMPREHENDING JESUS SAYING HE WAS GOD:
When Jesus was explaining the complete security of His people, His sheep, He tells them they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand (John 10:28). He then adds that no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand (v.29). This certainly places an equality between the Father and the Son! but we are not left to speculate, for our Lord adds, I and the Father are one (v.30). It was then they took up stones to stone Him (v.31), and Jesus reminded them of His good works in their midst, and asks for which of these good works do ye stone me? (v.32). Their answer was unmistakable! listen to what they said:
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, MAKEST THYSELF GOD. (John 10:33).
The good works He did were works that only God can do. The life He led was a life that only God could lead. He was without sin, yet we are told that all have sinned Jesus Christ was the only one who could withstand Satan, and He did. He was being tested, not to see if He would sin, but to show that He could not, being the impeccable God. He forgave sins, healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, and raised up the lame and bed-ridden. What a fatal error on the part of these who were so blind they could not see that the one standing before them was the God-man, Christ Jesus.
IV - THE EVIDENCE FROM THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLES:
One of the clearest revelations of the Deity of Christ was given by John, when he tells us: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). Now the followers of the Arians, those who claim to be witnesses for Jehovah, make much of the fact that the word God is not proceeded by the article "the". They feel they support the idea that Jesus was a god, even as we are called gods by Jesus Himself. (see John 10:34-38). But no one, but the Lord Jesus, is called the Word of God! And when Jesus informed them of men called gods, He concluded with the Father is in me, and I in Him (v.38).
And what they do not know of Greek nouns is that they are all particular without an article, as the article is given for other reasons such as "previous reference". When the article is present with the noun, the writer is concerned with describing "who" the person is; if the article is left out, the writer is concerned with describing "what" the person is. Since John refers to Christ as the Word, he is describing "what" He is, and not "who".
Besides John speaks of the antiquity of Christ, He was with God in the beginning. The same was in the beginning with God (v.2). No man can make that claim of being personally with God in the beginning who is referred to as a god! He is the Ancient of days as much as the Father and as the Spirit. Then, as if to give certain evidence of the Deity of Christ, John tells us this One is the Creator: And all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made (v.3).
John again makes reference to the Deity of Christ in one of his epistles. There he tells us: And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life (1 John 5:20). The true God is the One we are in, his Son Jesus Christ, as the verse tells us.
Reference was made earlier of Psalm 45 where it was written: Thy throne O God .., and that the writer of Hebrews refers it to Christ. This is what he said in full:
But UNTO THE SON he saith, Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom (Heb 1:8).
While the first portion was not in the Psalm, the writer, under the operation of inspiration, applies it to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It not only establishes the right to see certain of the Psalms as Messianic, but in this case, tells us of the Deity of our Lord Jesus.
When Thomas saw the evidence of the crucifixion in the resurrected Christ, he could only confess, as we all, My Lord, and my God (John 20:28), and Jesus accepted such confession. If He were not the blessed Son of God, it would have been blasphemy on the part of Thomas, and he would have been told so. John was told by the Lord that He was Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, SAITH THE LORD .. which is, and which was, and which is to come, THE ALMIGHTY (Rev 1:8). No way can this refer to mere man, but to the Divine Son of God, seated at the right hand of the Father.
Paul tells us of this Blessed One when he speaks of Christ, who is over all, GOD BLESSED FOR EVER (Rom 9:5). And again in his epistle to Titus he informs us of His coming, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the GREAT GOD and (even) our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST (Tit 2:13). It is not the Father who appears, but His Son. The first part of the passage shows us the usage of "and" as the blessed hope and the glorious appearing represent the same event; so the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ refer to the same person.
Paul again tells us of Christ's Deity when he tells us, in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col 2:9). And what of Paul's word as to the equality of the Son with the Father? and how he had to become less than what He was to become man:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery TO BE EQUAL WITH GOD: but made himself of no reputation, and TOOK UPON HIM the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:5-11).
This passage speaks of several aspects that tell us of the Deity of Christ. 1. It speaks of an equality (sameness) of Christ with God (the Father). 2. The one spoken of had to become less than what He was to become man. 3. He humbled (emptied) himself in order that He might die, as only man can die, not God. This agrees elsewhere as He is set forth having both human and Divine nature. 4. As a result of His obedience unto death, He was highly exalted (presently seated at the right hand of the Father on His throne). 5. His exaltation as God expects all men to bow the knee in worship, which only is acceptable to God. 6. Lastly, man is to confess Him as Lord (Jehovah), to the glory of God the Father.
A final quotation taken from A. Strong's Theology seems appropriate as to the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ made and left upon his contempories the impression that he claimed to be God. The New Testament has left, upon the great mass of those who have read it, the impression that Jesus Christ claims to be God. If he is not God, he is a deceiver or is self-deceived, and in either case, Christus, si non Deus, non bonus (Christ is not God, nor good).
It seems to us that one knows Jesus to be Divine because of His accomplishment in our own lives. If it is Christ in you, the hope of Glory, and it is, it is the means for our knowing His Deity, a true person of the Godhead. When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, he was told, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not REVEALED it unto thee, but MY FATHER which art in heaven. We are sure that the one reading this has had that experience if that one knows Jesus, the Son of the Living God, is truly God, it has happened to that one in the same way. It is our prayer.
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me (Job 19:26-27).
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Mysteries prevail within the Word,
But none so precious that we have heard;
That reminds us of our blessedness,
Jesus our God was manifest in flesh!
Amen!
| Setting Forth The Doctrines of Grace In Salvation, Doyle D. Dewberry was born in 1927 and is an outstanding student of the Bible and a retired Baptist Pastor and author of The Sovereign Grace Baptist Proclaimer. He is formerly of Alameda, California and he can be reached by email sovereigngrace at 5star-living.com. |