No one who reads the Gospels with an objective mind can come to any other conclusion than that Jesus claimed deity, and that He did so repeatedly. But more than just talking about it, Jesus proved Who He was by doing miracles that no prophet of God had ever done, such as walking on water, calming a storm and raising Himself from the dead, demonstrating His sovereign power over His creation. But His bold declarations provide no room for doubt to the reader who comes to the text without a bias.
Jesus' words in John 11 are one such example. While Jesus was in the Jordan River area, He received an urgent message from some beloved friends in Bethany, the sisters Mary and Martha. This was the Mary who had anointed Jesus with oil and wiped His feet with her tears. Their brother Lazarus had become seriously ill:
3 So the sisters sent a message to Him: “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Jesus already knew what was about to happen to His friend Lazarus even then. Jesus also knew what He was going to do about it, and what the result was going to be.
And even though He was 29 kms. (18 miles) away, Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead, though He chose to wait three days before making His way to Bethany. When they arrived there, it was confirmed that Lazarus had indeed been dead four days.
(Messianic Jewish professor, author and radio host Dr. Michael Brown notes that the Jewish belief at the time was that the soul of a deceased person would wander around for three days before finally departing from the body, and that it is possible that Jesus had purposely delayed returning till the fourth day to prove to His Jewish audience that He had total control over death.)
Jesus is then confronted by the grieving Martha, who laments that Jesus had not come soon enough to heal Lazarus and keep him from death.
23 “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
24 Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
To which Jesus responds with a stunning proclamation:
25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.
26 Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?” John 11
A few moments later, Jesus calls Lazarus from out of death and the grave, and he is restored to his formerly grieving sisters.
As the apostles asked after Jesus had done another similarly amazing supernatural miracle, "What kind of man is this?"
"I am the resurrection and the life?" (italics mine)
Not "God is the resurrection and the life."
No, Jesus clearly says, "I am the resurrection and the life."
"The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live?"
Not "The one who believes in God, even if he dies, will live."
Instead, Jesus says, "The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live."
And the boldest statement of all:
"Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die."
Not "Everyone who lives and believes in God will never die."
Jesus said, "Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die."
Those are not the words of an ordinary man.
Those are not the words of a mere prophet.
Jesus is no ordinary man.
Dedicated to a humble, kind and gracious servant of God, Pastor Tootsie Mejia, who is finally wrapped in the loving embrace of our Lord and Master today. We envy you, Tootsie. See you soon!
See also:
Jesus the Vine
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2014/05/jesus-vine.html
Jesus the Bread of Life
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2014/05/jesus-bread-of-life.html
Jesus' words in John 11 are one such example. While Jesus was in the Jordan River area, He received an urgent message from some beloved friends in Bethany, the sisters Mary and Martha. This was the Mary who had anointed Jesus with oil and wiped His feet with her tears. Their brother Lazarus had become seriously ill:
3 So the sisters sent a message to Him: “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Jesus already knew what was about to happen to His friend Lazarus even then. Jesus also knew what He was going to do about it, and what the result was going to be.
And even though He was 29 kms. (18 miles) away, Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead, though He chose to wait three days before making His way to Bethany. When they arrived there, it was confirmed that Lazarus had indeed been dead four days.
(Messianic Jewish professor, author and radio host Dr. Michael Brown notes that the Jewish belief at the time was that the soul of a deceased person would wander around for three days before finally departing from the body, and that it is possible that Jesus had purposely delayed returning till the fourth day to prove to His Jewish audience that He had total control over death.)
Jesus is then confronted by the grieving Martha, who laments that Jesus had not come soon enough to heal Lazarus and keep him from death.
23 “Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
24 Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
To which Jesus responds with a stunning proclamation:
25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live.
26 Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?” John 11
A few moments later, Jesus calls Lazarus from out of death and the grave, and he is restored to his formerly grieving sisters.
As the apostles asked after Jesus had done another similarly amazing supernatural miracle, "What kind of man is this?"
"I am the resurrection and the life?" (italics mine)
Not "God is the resurrection and the life."
No, Jesus clearly says, "I am the resurrection and the life."
"The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live?"
Not "The one who believes in God, even if he dies, will live."
Instead, Jesus says, "The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live."
And the boldest statement of all:
"Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die."
Not "Everyone who lives and believes in God will never die."
Jesus said, "Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die."
Those are not the words of an ordinary man.
Those are not the words of a mere prophet.
Jesus is no ordinary man.
Jesus is no mere prophet.
Jesus is YHWH GOD!
See also:
Jesus the Vine
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2014/05/jesus-vine.html
Jesus the Bread of Life
http://apologika.blogspot.com/2014/05/jesus-bread-of-life.html
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