Answers About The Bible.

WHO IS JESUS - CREATURE OR CREATOR? Part 1.

INTRODUCTION: I guess the question has come up everywhere I have preached. “Where did Jesus come from?” Most can understand that the Heavenly Father has always existed. But what about Jesus? Many have a problem with the Biblical truth that Jesus has always existed. In fact, the Bible declares Jesus divine, just like the Father. 

BODY 

I. JESUS CLAIMED DIVINITY (GODHOOD) FOR HIMSELF.

A. Jesus claimed complete power over himself. 

1. John 10:18 - "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." 

B. Jesus claimed that he was Jehovah. 

1. Exodus 3:14 - "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." 

2. John 8:28, 58- "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things." 

3. John 8:58 "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." 

C. Both enemies and disciples acknowledged that he claimed this. 

1. John 5:18 "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." 

2. John 8:59 "Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." 

3. John 20:28 "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." 

II. JESUS ACCEPTED WORSHIP.

A. Worship is only reserved for God. 

1. Matthew 4:9,10 

B. Men and Angels should not be worshipped. 

1. Acts 10:25-26 "And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man." 

2. Revelation 19:10 "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 

3. Revelation 22:9 - "Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God." 

C. But Jesus never rebuked anyone for worshipping Him. 

1. Matthew 14:33 - "Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God." 

2. Matthew 28:9 - "And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him." 

3. Luke 24:52 - "And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:" 

4. Hebrews 1:6 - "And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." 

III. INSPIRED WRITERS ACCLAIMED HIS DIVINITY.

A. Jesus was spoken of as being Divine by Isaiah. 

1. Isaiah 7:14 - "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." 

a. Matthew 1:23 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." 

2. Isaiah 9:6 - "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." 

B. John's declaration. 

1. John 1:1,2 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God." 

C. Paul's testimony. 

1. Colossians 1:15-17 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." 

2. Hebrews 1:8 - "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." 

IV. PROBLEM PASSAGES CONSIDERED.

A. John 8:28 - "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things." 

1. "I can do nothing of myself..." 

2. Speaking of his humbled position on earth. 

3. Philippians 2:5-8 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 

B. The use of the phrase "Son of God." 

1. This phrase is said to denote an inferior position for Christ. 

a. Supposidly shows that Christ was created by His Father. 

2. But the Jews recognized the phrase as equivilent with equality with the Father. 

a. John 5:18 - "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." 

3. Actually eastern people understood the phrase as a title of high honour, and did not denote inferior rank. 

C. John 14:28 - "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." 

D. Colossians 1:15 "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" 

1. "Firstborn of all creation." 

2. Doesn't mean that Jesus was a created being. 

a. Colossians 1:16-17 "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." 

3. Probably means that Jesus is the first or pre-eminent in the universe. 

E. Revelation 3:14 - "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;" 

1. "...the beginning of the creation of God." 

2. Beginning comes from the greek word "Archa." 

a. "That by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause." - Thayer's Greek Lexicon. 

3. Harmonizes perfectly with Colossians 1:16-17. 

Conclusion: Ignatius, "the Jesus whom I know as my redeemer cannot be less than God."

Copyright 1999 by Grady Scott may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.