Evidence that Demands a Verdict: Chapter 6

From page 97 - William Biederwolf:

A man who can read the New Testament and not see that Christ claims to be more than a man, can look all over the sky at high noon on a cloudless day and not see the sun.

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Direct claims to deity

Trial

• Mark 14:61-64.
• The Jews understood His words as a claim to being God. The Sanhedrin indirectly (ironically) claimed it too!

Other claims

• Equality with the Father. John 10:30-33 - "One" in Greek denotes a single essence or nature. John 15:17-18 - "My" - not "our" - Father implies that Jesus claims the same level as God.
• "I AM." John 8:58. Claim to absolute deity (see Exodus 3:14, for example).
• Due same honor as the Father. John 5:23-24.
• "To know Me." John 8:19.
• "Believe in Me." John 14:1.
• "He who has seen Me . . ." John 14:9.
• "I say unto you" is parallel to "Thus says the LORD." Example: Matthew 5:20.

Requesting/accepting worship as God

• Reserved for God alone - John 4:20-22; Acts 8:27; John 4:24; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8.
• Accepted worship - Matthew 8:2, 14:33; John 9:35-39, 20:27-29.
• Contrasted to others - Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 19:10.

What others said

• Paul - Philippians 2:9-11; Titus 2:13.
• John the Baptist - Luke 3:22.
• Peter - Matthew 16:15-17; Acts 2:36.
• Thomas - John 20:26-29.
• Author of Hebrews - 1:8.
• Stephen - Acts 7:59.

Indirect claims to deity - too numerous to list

• Able to forgive sins - Mark 2:5ff; Luke 7:48ff.
• Immutable - Hebrews 13:8 (see Malachi 3:6).
• Life embodied - John 14:6.
• Containing life - 1 John 5:11-12.
• Having authority - John 5:27.

Titles and their implications

YHWH - Lord

• Jews didn't pronounce it out of reverence.
• Christ's claim - the seven "I Am" statements.

Son of God

• Implies uniqueness and coequality, being coeternal with the Father.

Son of Man

• Earthly ministry, when referring to Himself.
• Foretelling His death - since His deity could not die on the cross, His humanity had to.
• Talking about His second coming - He will come not in spirit alone, but also in body.

Abba - "Father"

• The Aramic means "Daddy" - the most intimate of terms in addressing someone.
• Jews used the more deferential Abhinu.