THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST (1)

0. Introduction

a) Those who read the life of Christ are faced with one unavoidable question - was Jesus God? Part of any reasonable conclusion has to include the fact that he did claim to be God. We have no other choice but to agree or disagree with his claim. Eternal life is at stake in the choice.

1. Jesus claimed to be ...

i) The fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

a) Text references in 4 Gospels

@1. Matthew 5:17

i) ¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17 NKJV)

ii) Other references: 14:33; 16:16-17; 26:31; 53-56; 27:43

@2. Mark 14:21

i) ²¹ The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.” (Mark 14:21 NKJV)

ii) Other references: 14:61-62

@3. Luke 4:16-21

i) ¹⁶ So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me, To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; ¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

²⁰ Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. ²¹ And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21 NKJV)

ii) Other references: 7:18-23; 18:31; 22:37; 24:44

@4. John 2:22

i) ²² Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. (John 2:22 NKJV)

ii) Other references: 5:45-47; 6:45; 7:40; 10:34-36; 13:18; 15:25; 20:9