Who Was Jesus? (Part 2)

   History reveals that Jesus was arrested, flogged, and crucified by Pontius Pilate, the Roman Prefect of Judaea serving under the Emperor Tiberius. Depending upon the historical documents reviewed, you will deduce that Jesus was executed for one reason or another. The four New Testament accounts of the life and death of Jesus agree that he was killed due to being falsely accused of blasphemy by the Jewish religious leaders who then reported to the Roman authorities that Jesus was leading a revolt of some sort. Christians believe that Jesus was God in human flesh and that He willingly allowed Himself to be executed as a means for mankind to be reconciled to God.
Whatever version of accounts a person chooses to believe has to take into account the historical fact that Jesus was killed for some reason. The Jewish religious leaders, nor the Roman government would have executed a “good moral teacher,” without some sort of provocation. The Jews must have thought Jesus claimed something of Himself beyond what a “good moral teacher,” or simple Rabbi would have said. The Romans must have believed or been told something else as well. What makes the most sense? What did Jesus claim for Himself? Who did He say that He was? There are a number of places in the New Testament documents where Jesus made explicit claims as to His identity.
   John 10:28-30 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from       me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch        them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

    Mark 2:5-11 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are                               forgiven.”  But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves,              “What is he saying?        This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
    Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your       hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat,         and   walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then         Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
The Jewish religious leaders knew what Jesus was claiming when He told the man that his sins were forgiven. Jesus didn't deny it. He didn't say, “No, I didn't mean it that way. What I was saying was...” Instead, He was even more emphatic, saying that as only God could forgive sin, likewise, only God could heal a paralyzed man. He then told them in essence, “I am God! I can heal and I can forgive.”
   Jesus also claimed that He was the Good Shepherd, and that His Father commanded Him to give His life for His sheep. He claimed the ability to give up His life and to take it back again.
   “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life              from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take        it up again.  For this is what my Father has commanded.” John 10:17-18
   There are a number of additional passages where Jesus claimed to be God. There are many where He described Himself as “The Son of Man.” As opposed to this being a a mere expression for Jesus humanity, it is actually an exalted title for the coming Savior, or Messiah referred to by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7) some 600 years before Christ.

   Perhaps the most striking claim to me is found in John chapter 8, when Jesus uses the name God called Himself when speaking to Moses in Exodus 3. Moses asks what to tell Pharaoh when asked Who sent him to bring the Israelites out of from their captivity in Egypt.
   God replied to Moses, "I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you." Exodus 3:14
   In an interaction with the Jewish religious leaders, Jesus tells them,
   “Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.” The people said,     “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?” Jesus answered, “I tell you        the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am!” At that point they picked up stones to throw at him.            But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.
Again, the Jews weren't confused about what Jesus was claiming. They knew exactly what He was saying, and Who He was claiming to be. That's why they picked up stones to try to execute Him. It seems that He must've determined that it wasn't yet time for Him to die. So, whether naturally, or supernaturally, He hid Himself from them.
   My intent in today's post is to make it clear that Jesus knew His identity and made it clear. It was for His claimed identity that He was executed. Nothing else makes much sense in my opinion. It is clear that He claimed to be God. What did His other words and deeds reveal about His identity? We will further explore these clues as to the identity of Jesus next time.
Until then.
TG