B. Jesus – The Son of God

JESUS CLAIMED TO BE GOD’S SON

The scriptures tell us that Jesus performed many miracles during the course of his ministry and that he was at times persecuted because he did these miraculous works on the Sabbath. On one occasion when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath we read the following account:

“And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. {17} But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” {18} For this cause therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:16-18)

Here we learn that the Jewish religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus because he had healed a man on the Sabbath and because of the way he portrayed his relationship to God. Jesus referred to God as “My Father” and said they were both working together as one, thereby clearly putting himself in a relationship to God that was unique only to himself.

When these religious leaders finally had Jesus arrested He was brought before their council to be questioned. In responding to them Jesus made one of the most explicit claims regarding his identity as the “Son of God”:

“And when it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, {67} “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; {68} and if I ask a question, you will not answer. {69} “But from now on THE SON OF MAN WILL BE SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND of the power OF GOD.” {70} And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” {71} And they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.” (Luke 22:66-71)

Jesus not only affirmed that he was God’s Son but claimed that one day he would be seated at God’s right hand in power and glory. This was all that the Jewish leaders needed to hear from Jesus. Wasting no more time they brought Jesus to the Roman ruler Pilate seeking to have him executed.

JESUS CLAIMED HE WAS SENT BY GOD

On a number of occasions Jesus explained that he had been sent by the God into this world and that He had a unique relationship with God that predated his earthly life and which would continue on after his physical death. Jesus claimed this unique unbroken relationship with God that no other man of sound mind had ever made before or has ever made since.

On one occasion while Jesus taught in the temple we can see these claims clearly:

“Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. {29} “I know Him; because I am from Him, and He sent Me.” (John 7:28-29)

These claims were affirmed once again by Jesus when he was with his disciples praying.

These things Jesus spoke; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that the Son may glorify Thee, {2} even as Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life. {3} “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. {4} “I glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do. {5} “And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. {6} “I manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world; Thine they were, and Thou gavest them to Me, and they have kept Thy word. {7} “Now they have come to know that everything Thou hast given Me is from Thee; {8} for the words which Thou gavest Me I have given to them; and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee, and they believed that Thou didst send Me. (John 17:1-8)

JESUS CLAIMED A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP TO GOD

Jesus referred to his unique relationship to God as being, “one with the Father”. Greek scholars indicate that the way the Greek word for “one” is used here conveys that Jesus wanted others to understand that he was one in essence and unity of purpose with God the Father. The Jews seemed to understand the radical nature of this claim as they accused him of blasphemy and picked up stones to kill Him.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; {28} and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. {29} “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. {30} “I and the Father are one.” {31} The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. {32} Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” {33} The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” (John 10:27-33)

Furthermore, on another occasion Jesus told His disciple Philip that those who had seen Him, Jesus, had seen the Father. In the Gospel of John chapter 14 we read:

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” {9} Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? {10} “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. {11} “Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; otherwise believe on account of the works themselves. (John 14:8-11)

The unique and intimate way in which Jesus equated Himself with God is very clearly illustrated in the following passages of Scripture:

1. To know Jesus was to know God: “…if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” (John 8:19)

2. To see Jesus was to see God: “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.“ (John 12:45)

3. To believe in Jesus was to believe in God: “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me.” (John 12:44)

4. To receive Jesus was to receive God: “whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.“ (Mark 9:37)

5. To hate Jesus was to hate God: “He who hates Me hates My Father also.” (John 15:23)

6. To honor Jesus was to honor God: “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” (John 5:23)

For any considering the claims of Jesus for the first time they might find them truly astonishing! We learn from this small sample of scripture that Jesus said He was the Son of God who was sent by God, and that He had a unique relationship to Him being “one with the Father.” With this in mind, now let’s consider what Jesus had to say about the things He taught others. What about the words of Jesus? Where exactly did they come from and what does that mean for us today?