To answer this question, last week we looked at what the Old Testament (OT) said about the divinity of Jesus. So, if you missed last week, please go and give it a look. This week let’s move on and consider what the New Testament (NT) says in light of OT prophecies, concerning who Jesus is. Next week we will look at the historic Jesus. And in the week following, we will put all we’ve learned together. This is a four-part answer. Stick with me. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Like we discussed last week, the authors of the OT prophesied of a coming Messiah who would deliver God’s people. And this Messiah would be born through the kingly line of David, a symbol of His right to the throne of Israel. But He would not be an ordinary man; He would be none other than God, Himself, in the flesh.
The Apostle Matthew, then, opens his gospel of Jesus with a genealogy from Abraham, through King David, down to Jesus. And the last line of the genealogy says this: “the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Christ.” (Matthew 1:16)
What a statement! Matthew’s book opens the NT. And in the first chapter of the first book of the NT, Jesus is called the Christ — in other words: the “chosen one of God.” He is, as Matthew said, “the son of David, the son of Abraham,” meaning he is the Messiah the OT prophesied to bring about through these two men of the faith (Matthew 1:1).
But does his being the Messiah make Him God? John, another disciple and apostle of Jesus, has the answer to this question.
He opens his book in a very similar way as Matthew, testifying of whom Jesus is. The first chapter of John, however, reads a lot like the first chapter of the Bible, Genesis 1. I think John intended you to remember the iconic words of Genesis 1:1 “in the beginning.” The point he’s trying to get across is that Jesus was there “in the beginning.” In fact, He was the beginning.
John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:1-3 ESV) John is saying Jesus was not created. He is eternal. Last week, we showed how Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be called, “everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6). John also reveals in this first chapter that Jesus, the Word (John 1:1; 14), was God! Isaiah affirms this, because he also foretold that the Messiah would be called “mighty God.” We have hardly scratched the surface of the NT’s teaching on whom Jesus is and all is pointing to Messiah, God!
It is certainly clear. Jesus was not created: “without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3b NIV). He played a divine role in creation: “All things were made through him. (John 1:3a. ESV) He is the perfect king of God’s people, superseding David. (Revelation 5:5) He is the perfect sacrifice of God for the forgiveness of sins. (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:12) He is God in the flesh. (John 1:14).] He is the OT prophesied Savior of the World! The Bible, as a whole, testifies that Jesus is God. And these are but a few passages. There are many more (email me if you’d like more).
Will you believe this? Will you trust your life to Him? If you do not, you cannot be saved. Without Jesus’ free forgiveness, you will die in your sin and be completely accountable before a perfect and holy God.
But this is the Gospel of Jesus, that anyone who will come to Jesus sorry for their sins — hating sin — and turn to Him and His promises of salvation, trusting the rest of their lives to Him and Him alone, they will be saved! Will you do that?
You can do it right now. Don’t wait, because one day it will be too late. Do not miss your opportunity. Seek Him while He is near. God is willing to save you. Are you willing to receive His grace and be forever a child of God? I pray you will.
If you have any questions, please email me, any time. Until Next week, God bless.
(Jeremy Breland is a farmer in Ruffin and a M.Div. student at Southern Seminary. He can be reached at jbreland572@gmail.com.)
