BibleThought
  • Home
    • Hospital Patients/Caregivers >
      • Blessed by an Angel
      • No Visitors Please
      • Side Effects of Chemo
      • Need Help Coping?
      • Cancer and Genetics
    • Site Guide
    • Quora.com Questions
    • 3 Minute Videos
  • Understanding
    • Why I Believe the Bible >
      • Evidence for the Resurrection
      • Arguments Against Evolution
      • Atheism
      • Jesus in History
    • Can We Understand the Bible? >
      • Alleged Contradictions >
        • Is Jesus God?
        • Justified by Works or Not?
        • Predestination or Free Will?
        • Bible Verse Comparisons
      • Difference: Old and New Testaments
      • Bible Complexity
      • Why Are There Difficult Passages?
      • Causes of Common Errors >
        • The Bible's Second Purpose
        • Why Many Will Not Obey?
        • Hasty Generalizations
        • Language of Ashdod
        • Insertion of the "Only" Word
        • Making Rules from Exceptions
    • Is the Bible Sufficient?
    • Translations and Versions
    • Silence of the Scriptures
    • Bible Study Principles >
      • Systematic Bible Study
      • Study the Bible for Yourself
      • The Milk and the Meat
      • Consider the Context
      • Comprehensive Study Techniques
      • Biblical Rules for Study
      • Teaching Aids >
        • Bible Study Questions
        • Teacher's Guide to Questions
        • Periods of Bible History
    • Determining Bible Authority >
      • God's Laws Within Relationships
      • Biblical Commands
      • Biblical Examples
      • Biblical Implications
      • Generic and Specific Commands
      • Example of Conflict Resolution - Acts 15
      • Strictly Enforced
    • Figurative Language >
      • Non-Identical Metaphor
      • The Not ... But ... Construct
      • Synecdoche
    • Individual Responsibiity >
      • What is Christianity?
    • Commentaries >
      • Genesis 1-4
      • Gospel of John >
        • John 1-5
        • John 6-10
        • John 11-15
        • John 16-21
      • Acts >
        • Acts 1-5
        • Acts 6-10
        • Acts 11-15
        • Acts 16-20
        • Acts 21-25
        • Acts 26-28
      • Romans >
        • Romans 1-5
        • Romans 6-10
        • Romans 11-16
      • First Corinthians >
        • 1st Corinthians 1-3
        • 1st Corinthians 4-5
        • 1st Corinthians 6-10
        • 1st Corinthians 11-16
      • Second Corinthians >
        • 2nd Corinthians 1-5
        • 2nd Corinthians 6-10
        • 2nd Corinthians 11-13
      • Galatians >
        • Galatians 1-3
        • Galatians 4-6
      • Ephesians >
        • Ephesians 1-3
        • Ephesians 4
        • Ephesians 5-6
      • Philippians
      • First Peter
      • Second Peter
      • Revelation - Supplements >
        • Rev - General Comments
        • Revelation - Overview
        • Rev Beasts and Abyss
        • Rev - Numerology
        • Rev - Rome History Timeline
        • Revelation PPT Slides pdf
        • Rev - Notes Roman Catholic Church
      • Revelation - Commentary >
        • Revelation 1-5
        • Revelation 6-10
        • Revelation 11-15
        • Revelation 16-19
        • Revelation 20-22
  • Introducing Jesus
    • Who is Jesus Article 1 and ToC
    • 2 - A Samaritan Woman Meets Jesus
    • 3 - The Sufferings of Jesus
    • 4 - Was Jesus Who He Claimed to Be?
    • 5 - Why We All Need Jesus
    • 6 - How Well Do You Know Jesus?
    • 7 - Jesus Declares the Father's Name
    • 8 - Jesus, The Master Teacher
    • 9 - What Then Should I Do?
    • 10 - Jesus is God
    • Following Jesus >
      • 1 - I Will Follow (&ToC)
      • 2 - What it Means
      • 3 - Commitment Involved
      • 4 - Following Wherever
      • 5 - To Worship Him
      • 6 - To His Church
  • God's Plan
    • 1. Jesus Commands
    • 2-7. Examples in Acts >
      • 2. Acts 2
      • 3. Acts 8
      • 4. Acts 9
      • 5. Acts 10 and 11
      • 6. Acts 16
      • 7. Acts 19
    • 8. Summary Outline
    • 9. Baptism
    • 10. ??? Thinking ???
    • Saved by God's Righteousness
    • Does Doctrinal Purity Matter? >
      • Not Saved by Faith Only
      • Evidence of Living Faith
      • Not Saved by Works
      • Can a Saved Person be Lost?
      • Faith as the Things Believed
      • Jesus' Intent in John 3:16
      • Back to the Beginning
      • Postscript to Hebrews 11
    • God's Called Out People >
      • Local and Universal Church
      • The Worship of the Lord's Church
      • The Work of the Lord's Church
      • Finding a Church
      • Your Part in the Restoration
      • Creating a New Local Church
    • Hopelessly Lost
  • Pilgrims/Docs/Music
    • Bible Subject Index 1 >
      • Bible Subject Articles 2 >
        • Bible Subject Articles 3 >
          • Family and Home
          • Gambling
          • Giving
          • Happiness
          • Holy Spirit Articles
          • Heaven and Hell
          • Judging and Judgment
          • Love
          • Miracles
          • Profanity
          • Restoration
          • Riches, Materialism
          • Salvation
          • Sexual Immorality
          • Sin
          • Teaching
          • Temptation
          • Textual Studies
          • Unity
          • Where in the Bible?
        • Brief Points
        • Children and Parenting
        • Christian Life
        • Christmas and Holidays
        • Church
        • Church Discipline
        • Church vs Individual Responsibility
        • Clothing-Dating-Dancing
        • Conventional Wisdom
        • Death and Dying
        • Denominationalism
        • Elders and Deacons
        • Evidences and Pride
        • Faith
        • False Doctrines
      • Worship: Lord's Supper
      • Worship: Singing
      • Worship: Prayer
      • Worship: Preaching
      • Worship: Giving
      • Worship: Attendance
      • Abortion
      • Alcohol, Addiction, etc.
      • Attitudes
      • Authority
      • Bible Characters
      • Bible Preservation
      • Biblical Interpretation
      • Blessings
    • Pilgrims in this World >
      • Who is the Real Enemy?
      • Internet Truth Seeking
      • On Judging
      • Demons and Occult >
        • Occult Organizations
        • Bible Teaching on Satan
        • Bible Teaching on Demons
        • Who is Antichrist?
        • Who is Lucifer?
      • Bible and the Koran
      • Are Religious People Happier?
      • Active Shooter Response
      • True Representative Government
      • "No King in Israel"
      • "Give us a King"
      • Eschatology -- End Times
      • The Ultimate Victory
      • Bad Page Link
    • What is Love?
    • Sins of this World >
      • Saving Us from the Practice of Sin
      • The Sin of Deceit
      • Paganism - Bible Answers
      • Ways We Sin
      • Envy and Jealousy
      • Racism/Slavery
      • Economic Immorality
      • Extremism
    • Suffering >
      • Paul Answers Job's Questions
      • Comfort and Refuge
    • Recent Articles
    • Major Documents >
      • Coexisting with Chaos
      • MMLJ -- Old or New Testament?
      • 7 Myths of Denominalationalism >
        • Spanish Version
        • Preface and Table of Contents
        • Myth 1 - Bible is Too Complex to Understand
        • Myth 2 - The Old Testament is Still Binding
        • Myth 3 - We Are Saved by Faith Only
        • Myth 4 - Baptism is of Secondary Importance
        • Myth 5 - All You Need is Love
        • Myth 6 - The Rapture
        • Myth 7 - Original Sin
        • Where Do We Go From Here
    • Contact Us >
      • Distribubion List Form
      • Comment Form
    • Spiritual Songs

        Who Is Jesus?

For those who have never been introduced to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we present this series of articles in light of who Jesus claimed to be, and who God proclaimed that he was and now is.

Contact Us

Who is Jesus?  
     Table of Contents
     Jesus Poses the Question

We reach out to all people of all races and nationalities throughout the world, some who have little knowledge of Jesus.  We felt that a series to answer the question of just “Who is Jesus?” would be good in this regard.  Many people have false impressions about this man who lived over two thousand years ago. Let’s not worry about the opinions of men; let’s look at how the bible answers this question.

Article 1 - Jesus Poses the Question - on this page below ...

Article 2 - A Samaritan Woman Meets Jesus
Article 3 - The Sufferings of Jesus
Article 4 - Was Jesus Who He Claimed To Be?
Article 5 - Why We All Need Jesus
Article 6 - How Well Do You Know Jesus?
Article 7 - Jesus Came to Declare the Father's Name
Article 8 - Jesus, The Master Teacher
Article 9 - What Then Should I Do With Jesus?

Article 10 - Jesus Is God
Follow-Up Series: Following Jesus

       1 - I Will Follow Jesus
     2 - What it Means to Follow Jesus
     3 - The Commitment Involved in Following
     4 - Following Wherever He Goes
     5 - To Where His Followers are Gathered
     6 - Following Jesus to His Church


Who is Jesus? – 1
Jesus Poses the Question
by Dave Brown

Before we give the biblical answer to this question of who Jesus is, it is quite enlightening to consider who he was not.  The following brief article, called A Solitary Life, is attributed to James Allen Francis.

"He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant. He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30. Then, for three years, he was an itinerant preacher.

"He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a home. He didn't go to college. He never lived in a big city. He never traveled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself.

"He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his garments, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave, through the pity of a friend.

"Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. I am well within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned--put together--have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that one, solitary life."


The fact that Jesus made such an impression upon the history of mankind in only three years adds tremendous credibility to his claims.  Let us start by viewing the challenge that he issued to his disciples …

Matthew 16:13-18: “Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is?  And they said, Some (say) John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.  He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am?  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter,* and upon this rock* I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."  [See footnote below.]

It is no compliment to Jesus to place him in the category with the many great religious leaders that have lived over the years.  It is no compliment to place Jesus even in the category of the greatest men who have ever lived.  It is no compliment to place him in the same category with John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or the greatest of God’s prophets that have ever lived.  Jesus Christ is so much more than these that putting him in any of these categories is an insult to Him.  There is only one right answer to the question posed by Jesus Himself: “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

So, the man who made such an impression over 2000 years ago was the very Son of God.  He was a son in a much different way than Adam and all of mankind can be considered as sons of God .  He alone was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Mt. 1:20), and His divine nature is clearly stated by the apostle Paul.

Colossians 1:13-17:  [Referring to God] “… who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.”

Philippians 2:5-11: “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient (even) unto death, yea, the death of the cross.  Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of (things) in heaven and (things) on earth and (things) under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Finally, God the Father himself testified that this was his Son and that we are to listen to him in this day and age.

Matthew 3:16-17: “And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 17:5: “While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”

We make no apology for owning Jesus Christ as the Son of God, our Lord and our God (Jn. 20:28).

_____________________________
*
In Matthew 16:18, the word "Peter" is from Petros (or Cephas), both of which refer to a stone or a fragment of a larger rock. The word translated "rock" that Jesus used in his response has a different gender and hence could not be referring to the same thing.  That word is properly translated rock (not stone).  The picture "Upon this Rock" shows the difference between a huge foundational rock and the infinitesimally smaller stones on the ground in front of it.  The contrast is between the message and the messenger.  Peter, the stone, is the messenger; while the message that he just delivered is: "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the Living God."  Indeed the church that Jesus built is constructed spiritually upon this foundation -- the confession of faith that is required of each and every stone (1 Peter 2:5) that is used to build the church that belongs to Jesus (Matthew 10:32; Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9).  To reduce the metaphorical foundation to any one man other than Jesus Christ is unthinkable.


In our next article on this subject we will discuss the events surrounding a foreign woman that Jesus met when she came to get water at the well where he was waiting for his disciples.


What are the conditions of salvation given by Jesus?


Contact Us     Submit a Comment     Register for Weekly Article      Site Guide
Cancer Patients and Caregivers: "No Visitors Please"                                                                       Powered by Weebly
Pledge: this site represents no religious organization; we will not take contributions nor sell anything on this site.