| -Geisler, Norman. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian
Apologetics. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 129-30,140.
(paraphrased excerpt)
Jesus Claimed to be Yahweh. Yahweh (YHWH; sometimes appearing in English
Translations as "Jehovah" or in small capital letters as
"LORD.") is the special name given by God for himself in the
Old Testament. Jesus claimed to be equal with God when he said he could forgive
sins, could raise and judge the dead, and when he claimed that he should
be honored as God. Furthermore, Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and to have
equal authority with God. He also claimed to be God by accepting worship
and requesting prayer in his name. In view of these distinct claims,
any unbiased observer of the Gospels should recognize that Jesus of Nazareth
did claim to be very God in human flesh, unlike any other world teacher. |
| -The First and the Last |
| Isaiah
44:6 "This is what the LORD says--Israel's King and Redeemer, the
LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no
God. |
| Revelation
1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed
his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the
Last. |
| -Shepherd |
| Psalm
23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall
not be in want. |
| John
10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep. |
| -Judge |
| Deuteronomy
32:35-36 It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot
will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."
36 The LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants
when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. |
| Joel
3:2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of
Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my
inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations
and divided up my land. |
| Matthew
25:31-33 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels
with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All
the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people
one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." |
| John
5:27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son
of Man. |
| -Bridegroom |
| Hosea
2:16 "In that day," declares the LORD, "you will call me `my husband';
you will no longer call me `my master. ' |
| Isaiah
62:5 As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. |
| Matthew
9:15 Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn
while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken
from them; then they will fast." |
| Matthew
25:1-6 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five
of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took
their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however,
took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was
a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 "At midnight the cry rang out: `Here's the bridegroom! Come
out to meet him!'" |
| -Blasphemy or Deity? |
| Exodus
3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say
to the Israelites: `I AM has sent me to you.' " |
| John
8:58-59 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was
born, I am!" 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but
Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. |
| John
10:30-32 "I and the Father are one." 31 Again the Jews
picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have
shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you
stone me?" |
| Mark
2:6-7 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to
themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming!
Who can forgive sins but God alone?" |
| John
5:16-18 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath,
the Jews persecuted him. 17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is
always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." 18
For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he
breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making
himself equal with God. |
| John
5:23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He
who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. |
| -Life, Death, and
Resurrection |
| Deuteronomy
32:39 "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I
put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no
one can deliver out of my hand. |
| 1Samuel
2:6 "The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the
grave and raises up. |
| John
5:21-27 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,
even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the
Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him
who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over
from death to life. 25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming
and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and
those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself,
so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. |
| John
5:28-29 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all
who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out--those
who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise
to be condemned. |
| -Messiah |
| Isaiah
9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government
will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. |
| Psalm
45:6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of
justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. |
| Psalm
110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make
your enemies a footstool for your feet." |
| Matthew
22:43-46 He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by
the Spirit, calls him `Lord'? For he says, 44 "The Lord said to
my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.`"
45 If then David calls him `Lord,' how can he be his son?"
46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one
dared to ask him any more questions. |
| Mark
14:61-65 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the
high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting
at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
63 The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more
witnesses?" he asked. 64 "You have heard the blasphemy. What do
you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then
some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists,
and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him. |
| -Worship is for God Alone |
| Isaiah
42:8 "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to
another or my praise to idols. |
| Exodus
20:5-6 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the
LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the
fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep
my commandments. |
| Acts
14:11-15 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the
Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"
12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because
he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple
was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because
he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them. 14 But when
the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and
rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 "Men, why are you doing
this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news,
telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made
heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. |
| Revelation
22:8-9 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when
I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel
who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Do not
do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets
and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" |
| Matthew
2:2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?
We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." |
| Matthew
14:32-33 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly
you are the Son of God." |
| Matthew
28:9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to
him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. |
| Luke
24:52-53 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great
joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. |
| John
9:38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. |
| Revelation
5:13-14 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under
the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits
on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for
ever and ever!" 14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," and
the elders fell down and worshiped. |
| -Authority |
| Matthew
5:21-22 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago,
`Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will
be subject to judgment. |
| Matthew
24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass
away. |
| Matthew
28:18-19 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven
and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, |
| John
13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another. |
| -In the Name of Jesus |
| John
14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me. |
| John
14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son
may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything
in my name, and I will do it. |
| John
15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever
you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory,
that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. |
| Acts
7:59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive
my spirit." |
| 1
Corinthians 5:4-5 When you are assembled in the name of our Lord
Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,
5 hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be
destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. |
I thank God for the work of Norman Geisler. He has been an inspiration.
