The Moment of Truth - Lesson 10

Jesus Christ: Man or God?

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 1

We invite you to pray with us, before beginning this lesson:

Almighty Lord,

You have guided us, by Your Holy Spirit, in our study of Your inspired Word.

We humbly ask You to continue to do so, as we study the subject of the nature of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Open our hearts and our minds to Your precious truth. We pray in the name of Jesus our Savior.

Amen.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 2

Mark 8:29

Comments

[Jesus] said to [His disciples], ŤBut who do you say that I am?ť

This question, which Jesus asked His disciples, could still be asked today, especially about His divine nature.

In fact, many people don't know what to think about this.

On the one hand, some say that Jesus is God, equal with the Father. On the other hand, some deny His divinity, teaching that He is only the Son of God, and not God the Son.

As for us, we will choose to let the Bible enlighten us on this subject.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 3

Matthew 1:23	Comments
ŤBehold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,ť which is translated, ŤGod with usť.	The Word of God asserts at different places and in different ways that Jesus Christ is truly God. First, let us look at the verses directly testifying to the divinity of Jesus. Then, we will compare verses from the Old and the New Testament, which will bring us to the same conclusion.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 4

John 1:1,14	Comments
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (...) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.	Many times, the Gospel according to John testifies to the divinity of Christ. From the very first verse, it presents the Word as being God: the rest of the chapter clearly shows that John was speaking of Jesus.
John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 5

John 20:28	Comments
And Thomas answered and said to [Jesus]: ŤMy Lord and my God!ť	Let us note that Jesus never corrected Thomas' exclamation, nor the Jews' interpretation, both bringing out His divinity. If Jesus were not God, He certainly would have corrected such clear and straightforward declarations!
John 10:30,33
Jesus said, ŤI and My Father are one.ť (...) The Jews answered Him, saying, ŤFor a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.ť

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 6

Romans 9:5	Comments
Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God.	In his epistles, the apostle Paul clearly testifies to the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:9
For in [Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Hebrews 1:8,9
But to the Son [God] says: ŤYour throne, O God, is forever and ever.ť (...) Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 7

Isaiah 9:6	Comments
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.	ŤMighty God, Everlasting Father...ť The prophecies of the Old Testament, announcing the coming of the Messiah, also confirm the divinity of Jesus. Let's look at other examples of this in the book of Zechariah.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 8

Zechariah 11:12,13	Comments
They weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ŤThrow it to the potterť - that princely price they set on me.	The words of the prophecy about Judas' betrayal for thirty pieces of silver, just like those about the crucifixion of Jesus, are pronounced by God concerning Himself, although they concern Christ. The only possible conclusion: Jesus is God.
Zechariah 12:1,10
Thus says the Lord (...): ŤThey will look on Me whom they have pierced.ť

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 9

John 14:8-11	Comments
Philip said to Him, ŤLord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.ť Jesus said to him, ŤHave I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, "Show us the Father"? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? (...) Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me.ť	We will now see that even before the creation of the world, Jesus Christ was already working at the Father's side.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 10

John 17:5	Comments
[Jesus said,] ŤAnd now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.ť	Just like God the Father, Jesus exists Ťfrom everlastingť (Micah 5:2): He had no beginning. ŤJesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.ť (Hebrews 13:8)
John 1:3
All things were made through [the Word], and without Him nothing was made that was made.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 11

Hebrews 1:2	Comments
[God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.	The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ played an essential role in the creation of the world. All things were created by Him. This having been established, let us take a close look at the following verse...
Colossians 1:16
For by [the Son] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 12

Isaiah 44:24	Comments
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: ŤI am the Lord, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself.ť	On the one hand, God asserts that He alone created the world. But on the other hand, the Bible declares many times that Jesus Christ created all things. Again, the only possible conclusion: Jesus is God.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 13

Luke 2:11	Comments
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.	We know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer. Yet, just the same as for the title of Creator, these titles are reserved only to God, as the following verses will demonstrate...
1 John 4:14
We testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
Ephesians 1:7
In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 14

Isaiah 43:11	Comments
I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior.	Since Jesus Christ is God, He can be called Savior, Redeemer of men.
Hosea 13:4
I am the Lord your God (...); there is no savior besides Me.
Isaiah 54:5
Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 15

Luke 4:8	Comments
You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.	We must worship God, and God alone. This is a very clear point established in all the Scriptures. Now, let us note the following verses...
Revelation 19:10
And I fell at [the angel's] feet to worship him. But he said to me, ŤSee that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!ť

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 16

Hebrews 1:5,6	Comments
For to which of the angels did [God] ever say: ŤYou are My Son (...). Let all the angels of God worship Him.ť	The Lamb, who is Jesus, is worshiped because He is God.
Revelation 5:12,14
[The angels were] saying with a loud voice: ŤWorthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!ť (...) Then the four living creatures said, ŤAmen!ť And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 17

Exodus 3:14	Comments
And God said to Moses, ŤI AM WHO I AM.ť And He said, ŤThus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."ť	Jesus used the conjugation ŤI amť instead of the one that would have been appropriate, that is, ŤI wasť. Doing this, He presented Himself as the great ŤI AMť who is God. Recognizing that, the Jews then wanted to stone Him.
John 8:58,59
Jesus said to [the Jews], ŤMost assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.ť Then they took up stones to throw at Him.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 18

Isaiah 44:6	Comments
Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ŤI am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.ť	In addition to the name ŤI amť, Jesus uses Ťthe First and the Lastť, another name which designates God. The expression ŤI was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermoreť clearly shows that it is Jesus who is speaking here.
Revelation 1:17,18
ŤI am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.ť

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 19

Revelation 1:8	Comments
ŤI am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,ť says the Lord, Ťwho is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.ť	Again, Jesus presents Himself under the same title as God: the Alpha and the Omega, that is, the First and the Last, since Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.
Revelation 22:12,13
ŤAnd behold, I am coming quickly. (...) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.ť

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 20

Psalm 24:10	Comments
Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.	Need we say more?
1 Corinthians 2:8
(...) the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 21

1 Timothy 6:13-16	Comments
I urge you (...) that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which [God] will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.	The context clearly indicates that here, Ťthe King of kings and Lord of lordsť designates God the Father. Now, let us see the following verses...

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 22

Revelation 17:14	Comments
[The ten kings] will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings.	King of kings and Lord of lords: another title given to God and to Jesus Christ, without distinction. Yes, truly, Jesus is God.
Revelation 19:13,16
[He who sat on the white horse] was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. (...) And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 23

John 8:24	Comments
[Jesus said,] ŤFor if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.ť	It is very important to accept Jesus not only as our Savior, but also as our God. Jesus, Creator, Savior, King of kings and Lord of lords, King of glory, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Almighty ŤI AMť, worthy to receive worship from all. Yes, truly, Jesus is God!

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 24

The Moment of Truth		Jesus Christ: Man or God?
Lesson 10		Screen 25

Let us thank God for having guided us during this lesson:

Dear Savior,

We thank You for Your Word, and Your Holy Spirit who guides us as we study Your Word.

Now that we know that Jesus Christ is God, we can repeat Thomas' words, and like him we can answer: ŤMy Lord and my God!ť (John 20:28).

May Your name be glorified forever and ever, our Almighty Lord!

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

The test of Lesson 10 is waiting for you!

Source of the Pictures of this Lesson

Screen 1: Photo in: ŤMaster Clips 500,000ť by IMSI, CD #17, 29120050.JPG. Screen 2: In: ŤThe Bible for Children - Retold by Bridget Hadaway & Jean Atchesonť, London, Octopus Books Limited, 1973, p.255. Screen 3: DA VINCI, Leonardo. ŤThe Virgin and Child, with Anne and John the Baptistť (1499), National Gallery, London. In: ŤLa Peinture de la Renaissance Italienneť (BECK, James H.), Editions Könemann, 1999, p.330. Screen 4: DORE, Gustave. In: ŤLa Bible de Gustave Doréť, Lausanne, Edita, 1994, p.275. Screen 5: GUERCINO. ŤThe Incredulity of St. Thomasť, Pinacoteca, Vatican. In: ŤCharlton Heston Presents the Bibleť, GT Publishing, New York, 1997, p.240. Screen 6: In: ŤThe Children's Bible, volume 10ť, Golden Press, 1981, p.607. Screen 7: LIPPI, Filippino. ŤAdoration of the Magiť (1496), Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. In: ŤLa Peinture de la Renaissance Italienneť (BECK, James H.), Editions Könemann, 1999, p.205. Screen 8: In: ŤThe Bible for Children - Retold by Bridget Hadaway & Jean Atchesonť, London, Octopus Books Limited, 1973, pp.265 and 277. Composite picture by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 9: Used by permission. Copyright Š 1957, 1985 by Review and HeraldŽ Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. REMMEY, Paul. In: ŤThe Bible Story, volume 9ť (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.66. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 10: JUSTINEN, Lars. In: ŤQuestionnaire Adulte de l'Ecole du Sabbatť, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Fourth Quarter, 1998, front cover. Screen 11: Used by permission. Copyright Š 1990 by Review and HeraldŽ Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. MOLAN, Chris. In: ŤForever Stories, volume 1ť (BYERS, Carolyn), p.13. Screen 12: JUSTINEN, Lars. In: ŤQuestionnaire Adulte de l'Ecole du Sabbatť, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Third Quarter, 1999, front cover. Screen 13: BRICE, N. In: ŤThe Bible Pageant, Volume 4: The Mighty Princeť (NEFF, Merlin L.), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1949, p.215. Screen 14: MICHELANGELO. ŤCreation of Adamť (1508-1512), Sistine Chapel, Vatican. In: ŤLa Peinture de la Renaissance Italienneť (BECK, James H.), Editions Könemann, 1999, p.365. Screen 15: In: ŤThe Bible in Pictures for Little Eyesť (TAYLOR, Kenneth N.), Moody Press, Chicago, 1956, p.119. Screen 16: VAN EYCK, Jan. ŤThe Adoration of the Lambť (1432), Cathedral of St. Bavon, Ghent. In: ŤRevelationť (LORIE, Peter), Simon & Schuster, Labyrinth Publishing Ltd, 1994, p.216. Screen 17: RAPHAEL's workshop. ŤMoses Before the Burning Bushť (c. 1516), Loggia, Vatican. In: ŤCharlton Heston Presents the Bibleť, GT Publishing, New York, 1997, p.90-91. Screen 18: OTTO. ŤThe Ascensionť. In: ŤBeautiful Bible Storiesť (MARTIN, Patricia Summerlin), Southwestern Company, 1964, p.450-h. Screen 19: STEEL, John. In: ŤLa Sentinelleť magazine (April 1993), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.10. Screen 20: Used by permission. Copyright Š 1955, 1983 by Review and HeraldŽ Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. HARLAN, Russell. In: ŤThe Bible Story, volume 5ť (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.151. Screen 21: GRÜNEWALD, Matthias. ŤThe Resurrection of Christť (1510-1515). Musée Unterlinden, Colmar. In: ŤThe Bible in Artť (WRIGHT, Susan), Todtri Productions Limited, New York, 1996, p.107. Screen 22: Used by permission. Copyright Š 1957, 1985 by Review and HeraldŽ Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. HEASLIP, William. In: ŤThe Bible Story, volume 10ť (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.197. Screen 23: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: ŤImages from the Bible and Sacred History CDť, Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM140.BMP. Screen 24: BOTTICELLI, Sandro. ŤThe Mystic Nativityť (1550), National Gallery, London. In: ŤThe Art of Angelsť (LOXTON, Howard), Regency House Publishing Limited, 1995, p.20. Table of Screen 24: First picture: ANDERSON, Harry. In: ŤThe Touch of Love (The Desire of Ages)ť (WHITE, Ellen G.), Family Heritage Books, 1995, p.26. Second picture: In: ŤThe Triumph of God's Love, volume 1ť (WHITE, Ellen G.), Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1950, Cover illustration. Screen 25: ŤSan Juan Mountains near Telluride in southwest Colorado.ť In: ŤDeluxe Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia CD - 1998 Editionť, Compton's Home Library, 1997.

Any copyrighted images not bearing a statement of permission, are used for the purpose of non-commercial scholarly commentary or criticism in accordance with section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law, and with article 29 of Canada Copyright Act (Chapter C-42), which by law can be without the consent or endorsement of the copyright holder. Images lacking attribution are either known or assumed to be in the public domain, or have an as yet undetermined status. Anyone having knowledge of proper attribution for an image is requested to contact us via email below so that it can be correctly noted. It is our intent to comply fully with applicable laws regarding intellectual property rights.

Jesus Christ: Man or God?

The test of Lesson 10 is waiting for you!

The test of Lesson 10 is waiting for you!

Click here to send us your questions or comments about our Web site and products. Copyright Š2002 Cyberspace Ministry

Click here to send us your questions or comments about our Web site and products.
Copyright Š2002 Cyberspace Ministry