Who did Jesus claim to be?
In his famous book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis makes this statement, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg–or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.”
C.S. Lewis had a point. Jesus was not just a great teacher. Indeed, after reading through the gospels it is clear that Jesus could only have been one of four things. Either he was the Lord as he claimed, or else he was a liar, a lunatic, or a legend. There really aren’t any other options.
As to being a legend, there are no reputable historians today who would propose that idea. Mentioned by Christian, Jewish, and Roman historians alike, even atheists agree that Jesus actually lived and walked the earth. He was no legend.
As to being a liar, one is then immediately confronted with Jesus’ life and death. People tell lies to gain something, or to avoid punishment. Jesus was killed because he refused to back down from his convictions. These convictions eventually cost him his life. Why would he lie and claim to be the Son of God when he knew that such a claim would lead to his death? (Luke 23:70; 24:3). Jesus doesn’t look like a liar. He looks courageous.
Is he then a lunatic? Could he have made the claims he made because he was crazy? When one reads the scriptures, however, one is immediately impressed with Jesus’ wisdom, his coolness under attack, and his loving manner. He certainly does not appear like a lunatic. He is intelligent and of sound mind.
The truth is plain. Reading through the claims of Jesus, it becomes immediately obvious that these are NOT the words of some wise human teacher. He claimed to be one with God. He spoke of heaven and hell. He was either the Lord as he claimed, or he was a liar or lunatic. Read the Bible and see for yourself. I think you will find, as have millions before you, that the evidence supports his claim.
What did Jesus say about himself?
• He claimed to be the only way to God. John 14:6; John 10:9.
• He claimed to be able to forgive sins. Luke 5:20-21; Luke 7:48-49
• He claimed to live a sinless life… John 8:28-29; John 8:46-47
• He claimed to have shared the glory of God in Heaven John 1:1-5, John 17:5
• He claimed to be able to forgive sins Luke 5:20-21; Luke 7:48-49
• He claimed to be a Heavenly king Luke 22:69; Luke 23:1-3; John 18:36-37
• He claimed to give everlasting life John 6:40, John 6:47, John 10:28-30
• He claimed that he would die and come back to life John 10:17, John 12:32-33, John 16:16; Luke 18:31-33
• He claimed that he would return again to judge the world Matthew 24:27-30, Matthew 25:31-32; Mark 14:61-62
After all is said and done, the best place to answer the question of ‘Who is Jesus?’ is to read Jesus’ own words. The modern perception of Jesus as a simple good teacher is only partially true. He clearly and forcefully claimed to be both God and Messiah. His life, death, and resurrection powerfully confirmed his divinity. His teachings call us to accept him as our King and our Lord. Jesus did not claim to just point the way. He did not claim to just know the way. He did not say he was one of many ways. He said he WAS the way. And that NO ONE can come to the father except through him. Jesus did not say that all roads led to God. He said, “whoever enters through me will be saved.” No other religious teacher (Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, etc) ever made such a claim.) He is our messiah and savior.
What we do with Jesus, therefore, is the most important question of our lives. If we leave him labeled in our minds as some good teacher along the lines of other good teachers throughout the centuries, then we remain in the dark about who Jesus really was. But if we will open the Bible for ourselves, and read the gospels with an open mind, we will find a revolutionary messiah who changed millions of lives for eternity.
Pick up the Bible. Turn to the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John).
See for yourself who Jesus is. He will surprise you.
