The Divine Jesus

Last week we looked at whether Jesus, the historic figure, existed.  We saw there was good evidence supporting the fact He did and, of course, still does.  The next natural step would be to ask if the “Jesus of Faith,” as liberal Catholic theologian, John Dominic Crossan calls the Jesus of miracles, the Jesus identified as God’s Son, the divine Jesus. 

How might we answer those who doubt the Jesus of Faith existed historically.

First we’d mention the existence of the church.  The church didn’t spring up in New Deli, Lower Eyelid, Montana, or some other far off land where people were ignorant of the divine Jesus.  No, the church began right in the very city where Jesus had been crucified and where His followers claimed He was raised from the dead: Jerusalem. And that church was formed only a few short weeks after Jesus’ crucifixion.  Imagine, if you will, someone trying to start a religious movement in Dallas Texas claiming the resurrected JFK.  It would never wash.  The Dallas locals had seen John Kennedy shot and knew he had been buried and stayed buried.  The early church in Jerusalem consisted of thousands of Jerusalem residents and foreign visitors who would know the story and if it were true.

Next, we’d point to the conversion of the apostle Paul.  He began as an enemy of the church arresting and possibly killing Christians.  In just a few moments, Paul was changed from an enemy of the church to one if its greatest evangelists. How do you suppose that happened unless what he said were true, that he had met the risen Christ?

Then we could bring to their attention the disciples: twelve men, eyewitnesses to the divine Jesus and His works, who all died a miserable or violent death (except for John) never going back on their story of the divine Jesus.

How about the Apostolic Fathers, the disciples of the disciples?  Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, says the following showing Jesus as divine:

“Now may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal High-priest Himself the Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and truth, and in all gentleness and in all avoidance of wrath and in forbearance and long-suffering and in patient endurance and in purity; and may He grant unto you a lot and portion among His saints, and to us with you, and to all that are under heaven, who shall believe on our Lord and God Jesus Christ and on His Father that raised him from the dead,” (Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians, Chapter 12).

Ignatius, another of the Apostle John’s disciples penned this claim to Christ’s godhood as well:

For our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment of God, conceived in the womb by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Ghost.  (Ante-Nicene Fathers: Volume I: The Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus (Kindle Locations 3097-3098). Veritatis Splendor Publications. Kindle Edition).

Lastly, but certainly not the least of the sources is the New Testament documents.  Three of the four gospels were written by actual eyewitnesses to the ministry and resurrection of Jesus and bear testimony of what they saw. 

Each of the four gospels state Jesus is divine, equal with the Father, by using the term “Son of God.”  John tells us this term is equal to the term “God the Son:”

John 5:18 (ESV)  This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

So, the Jews and the disciples all recognized Jesus was claiming to be God.  Each of the gospel writers uses this term to describe Jesus: Matthew 14:33; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 5:18.

Now, some will say many of these are biased Christian sources written long after the events took place.  To them I would ask, if you walked with a man for three years, if He told you He would die and then rise from the dead, and you saw that happen, would you not put your faith in Him and become a Christian?

Written later? We have copies of the gospels within 100 years of their writing including a manuscript of John’s gospel dated within 30 years of the original. Manuscript authority is strong for the New Testament.

The apostle Paul tells us the risen Jesus showed Himself to more than 500 people after His resurrection and challenges doubters to talk with them to verify his claims (1 Cor. 15:6).  In effect, Paul is saying “If you don’t believe me, check with these people!”

Why is this important?

Our faith is founded on fact.  These events happened in real time and space.  They are not just figments of the writers’ imaginations.  Except for John, each of the New Testament writers and other characters died a horrible death and never retreated from their testimonies.  Some preached the gospel message with their final breaths.  According to Church history, Bartholomew was skinned alive, Paul, Matthew, Lazarus, and James the son of Zebedee were beheaded. Peter, Philip, and Andrew were crucified. James the Just (Jesus’ half brother) was thrown down from the temple wall in Jerusalem then beaten and stoned to death. Mark planted churches in Egypt and was dragged to death behind two horses there. Thomas planted seven churches in western India and died from a spear wound but finished preaching first. Jude (Jesus’ half brother) was beaten to death in Persia. Luke was hanged from an olive tree in Greece at age 84, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot were martyred in Persia (no record of how).

These men all died holding the truth of Gospel of Jesus as most sacred and with a personal relationship with the Son of God, Jesus Christ. We should as well.