The deity of Jesus Christ is the bedrock of biblical Christianity and one of the foundational truths of the Bible. Repeatedly the New Testament teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, which simply means that Jesus is God the Son.
The evidence for the deity of Jesus is overwhelming and is found on virtually every page of the New Testament. For example, let’s take a look at Mark 1 and see whether the deity of Jesus is presented. Mark 1:1 states categorically that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Now let’s see how Mark unpacks that statement with verbal testimonies about the identity of Jesus.
1. The testimony of the Old Testament prophets (Mark 1:2-3).
Mark begins his record of the ministry of Jesus by describing his forerunner, John the Baptizer. And he introduces John by quoting Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. That second verse makes it clear that John’s mission was to tell people to get ready “for the Lord”, and the word “Lord” (in Isaiah 40:3) is the Hebrew word “Yahweh”, the most common name of God in the Old Testament. God Himself was coming, so get ready!
2. The testimony of John the Baptizer (Mark 1:4-8).
John described Jesus as someone infinitely greater than himself. He said that this Jesus would be “more powerful than I” and a person “whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (Mark 1:7). The reason John ascribed such praise to Jesus is because John knew that Jesus was not only a man, but also God in human flesh.
John the Baptizer himself quotes Isaiah 40:3 (in John 1:23). And John’s recognition of the deity of Jesus is evidenced when John said “he (Jesus) was before me” (John 1:30) and “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).
3. The testimony of God the Father (Mark 1:9-11).
When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, God the Father spoke from heaven and said to Jesus, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). So not only did Old Testament prophets predict the coming of the Son of God, and not only did John the Baptizer recognize Jesus as God’s Son, but here is God Himself testifying to the divine identity of Jesus.
Do you ever imagine yourself being present at some great event of the past? Wouldn’t it be cool if there really were such a thing as a “time machine”, so we could travel back in time and witness the past rather than only read about it?
I would love to have been there at the baptism of Jesus. How about you? We would have heard God proclaim from heaven that Jesus is the Son of God!
Is this not a testimony worth our full attention and consideration? If God said it, shouldn’t we take it to heart?
Yes, make no mistake about it – the Bible is quite clear in its teaching about the identity of Jesus. He is presented as none other than God the Son, God in a human body. May the truth of the deity of Jesus Christ grip our hearts and cause us to bow at His feet today.
- 8 Great Bible Verses about the Goodness of God - April 23, 2024
- What the Bible Says about the Hands of Jesus (Thoughts on Psalm 24:1-2) - April 18, 2024
- Confessions of a Serial Sinner (Thoughts on Psalm 53:1) - April 10, 2024
Pingback: J.I. Packer on the Deity of Christ | God Wrote The Book