Did Jesus Believe
He Was God?
For the sake of space I am going to give only two of the many examples in the Gospels of Jesus claiming to be God. In the future we will add more to this section. Please come back to see more. The following are from the gospel of Mark. The first was chosen because it so clearly shows Jesus? primary objective for doing miracles, that is to validate His claim to be God. The second was chosen because it shows that Jesus was fully aware of the consequences of His claim, that is, His own death.
Jesus heals and forgives a paralyzed man (Mark 2:1-12)
Jesus was speaking to a house packed full of people. Four friends of a paralyzed man brought him on a stretcher to be healed by Jesus but couldn’t even get him through the door. They were so determined to get him in to see Jesus that they dug a hole through the clay roof and lowered him down into the house! Impressed by their faith he told the paralytic, "Son your sins are forgiven." In that gathering were some teachers of the Jewish law and because of their knowledge of the law were concluded in their own minds the following logical though process:
- Only God can forgive sins
- Jesus is saying he forgives this man’s sins; Jesus is claiming to be God
- Not only that but someone who claims to be God is blaspheming (against the law)
- Therefore, Jesus is blaspheming
Mark relates that Jesus "knew in His spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts." Jesus responded to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier to say to the paralytic, ?Your sins are forgiven,? or to say, ?Get up, take your mat and walk??" Of course, it would be easier to claim to be God, say a bunch of profound things and then walk away. Gullible people would fall for it, but skeptics would remain skeptical because he didn?t back up His claims with any action that would prove He is God. On the other hand, if He told the paralytic to get up and walk then the proof of His claim would be in whether or not the man got up and walked.So Jesus goes on to say to the skeptics in the room, "But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins (i.e. "that I am God come down to earth") . . . " He said to the man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." The formerly paralyzed man got up and walked out. The people responded in the manner most consistent with what had happened. They praised God. They understood that only God has the power to heal so Jesus was either God or somehow had God?s power and authority.
Jesus' Trial (Mark 14: 53-65)
When Jesus was arrested He was brought before the Jewish high priests and other Jewish leaders, a group called the Sanhedrin. False witnesses had be lined up in advance to testify against him but their testimonies were not consistent. The high priest finally took matters into His own hands. Mark relates, "Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ?Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?? But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, ?Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One??"A little insight into the historical background of this scene shows the incredible injustice done to Jesus. William Barclay, a liberal commentator explains that the Mishnah, or regulations that the Sanhedrin followed, forbade the court to ask the accused a leading question. Barclay writes, "No man could be asked to condemn himself, but that was the very question the High Priest asked. Bluntly he asked Jesus if He was the Messiah."
Now Jesus could have easily claimed innocence on the grounds of the false testimonies and disregard for legal procedures. Instead, knowing that His answer would condemn him to death answered plainly, "I am."
But Jesus didn?t stop there. He continued to assert His identity. He wanted to make sure all present understood that all though He was being judged now He would return in glory, power and authority to judge them. With the addition of this prophecy Jesus? claim to be the Jewish Messiah could not have been more clear and understandable to these students of messianic prophecy.Mark reports that the high priest tore his clothes. This was a symbolic response required of the high priest when someone blasphemed like this. The high priest declared, "Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" "They all condemned him as worthy of death." Barclay sums it up, "Here was a charge of blasphemy, insult against God. The Sanhedrin had what it wanted, a charge which merited the death penalty, and they were savagely content."
C. S. Lewis, a famous literary scholar and atheist turned believer wrote in his book Mere Christianity,
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I?m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don?t accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic?on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg?or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come away with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
References
Barclay, William, The Gospel of Mark, The Daily Study Bible Series, Revised Edition, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1975.
Lewis, C. S., Mere Christianity, Macmillan Publishing Co., New York, 1943.
Copyright 2005. Gary C. Burger and New Media Ministries. This article may be reproduced and distributed freely as long as it is done so in its entirety. If quoted it must be properly cited as a reference.
