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10/18/13

Who is JESUS?

image taken from yahoo.com
 By: Bishop Osie Quillao


Even during the ancient times, there were already different beliefs about who Jesus Christ is. In Matthew 16:13, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" Jesus Christ Himself was interested in knowing what people were saying about Him. The Pharisees and Sadducee said,
"We are not stoning you for any of these, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God" - John 10:33

According to them,  He was just one of the prophets or a teacher (Matthew 16:14, Luke 19:39). For the Roman Pilate, he said, Jesus was "a man" (John 19:5). The Gnostic of Gnosticism, a philosophical and religious movement prominent in Greco-Roman World in the 2nd Century AD stated, "Who was He? If He was God, how could He die? The origins of the Gnostic world view have been sought by scholars in the dualism of Iranian religion, the allegorical idealism of the Middle Platonic philosophers, and the apocalypticism of certain Jewish mystics. There are analyses also with Egyptian and Mesopotamian thought.. It was only with the rise of Christianity however, that Gnostic syncretism came t o full expressions" (Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 5, page 315).

"Arius (B.C. 250, Libya - d. 336, Constantinople [now Istanbul, Turkey]), Christian priest of Alexandria, Egypt, whose teachings gave rise to a theological doctrine known as Arianism, which, in affirming the created, finite mature of Christ, was denounced by the early church as major heresy" (Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 1, page 556).

"Arius himself traced his doctrine to Lucian of Antioch" (History of the Christian Church, volume 3. page 620).

The Iglesia ni Cristo (1914) led by Felix Manalo believes that, "As far as Christ's nature is concerned, we believe that He is a man; He is not the true God" (Fundamental Beliefs of the I.N.C..., Lesson No. 14, page 56)

The "Oneness" Pentecostals on the other hand, say that Jesus the Son is also the Father God himself! These teachings are mere human philosophies being passed as true doctrines but in reality are not according to the teachings of Christ (Colossians 2:8-9).

These teachings are of the Antichrist (1 John 4:2-3).

After learning these beliefs of people about who Jesus Christ is, who then really knows Jesus? "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" - Luke 10:22).

It is clear that it is the Father who really knows who Jesus is. It is the Father who reveals the Son thus one will know the Son thru the Father (Matthew 16:17). But revelation is also given to the apostles (Ephesians 3:5); thus, apostles also have the knowledge of the true identity of Jesus.

So who really is Jesus? This is what the angels proclaimed to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born ,
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:10-11

In the book of Acts, Luke recorded this, "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming that good news that Jesus is Christ (Acts 5:42). When Simon Peter was asked by Jesus who He was, Peter answered,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." - Matthew 16:16

From these verses of the Scriptures, it is clearly proclaimed that Jesus is the Christ. It is important to believe rightly about Jesus. He himself said to the Jews that unless they believe that He is the Christ, they will die in their sins" (John 8:24). Indeed, it is a sin to not believe that Jesus is the Christ. The books in the bible are written for us to believe that Jesus is the Christ so we can have eternal life (John 20:31).

But what does "Christ" mean? In the Greek language, it is "Christos," which means, "the anointed one." In the Hebrews language, this word means, "Messiah." But what is His anointing about? It is none other than as the "Son of God." "You are my Son; today I have become your Father, or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son" (Hebrews 1:5). Thus, "Christ" means that He is the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).

What does "Jesus Christ has come into flesh" means?
"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." - 1 John 4:2

It means that, since He is the begotten Son of God, He does not have the flesh and blood just like man; He shared in man's flesh and blood.
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil." - Hebrews 2:14

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh"  - 1 Timothy 3:16

It is clear that Christ shared is man's humanity. He is not a man, but took the nature of man. He is not equal with man for man is a lower being and man is only created by God. The Word of God became flesh (John 1:1,14). When He took the nature of man, He was found in appearance as a man (Philippians 2:8). Prior to His incarnation or coming in the flesh, He was equal with the Father whose nature is God.

JESUS, WHO CAME IN FLESH, IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD,

But what is the difference between the proclamation of the Jews that he is just one of the prophets and the proclamation of Apostle Peter that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God? The difference is striking and must be pointed out clearly. To say that Christ is just one of the prophets makes Him a mere man whose origin is only from the human race. Because the Old Testament prophets were just humans or mortal beings, so are their descendants. But the proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God means that Christ did not come from the world. He came into the world but He is not from the World (1 Timothy 1:15). So where did He come from? He came from the Father (John 16:27). The Bible says that no one has seen the Father; the only begotten Son of God is the only one who has seen the Father (John 1:18), 6:46). Also, Jesus ascended to where He was before; He came from where the Father was before; He came from where the Father was (John 16:28, 6:62). He was sent by the Father into the world. The Father who sent Him is a true God, and as being the Son of the true God, Jesus Christ is also God for being the Son of God. It is important to note also that Christ is not the Father. Rather it is the Father who sent Him (John 17:3). Therefore, Christ is not just a mere man but the begotten Son of the living God. When Thomas' doubts disappeared and said "My Lord and my God!" Thomas did not say it our of surprise, but because Thomas believed, Jesus said,
"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." - 1 John 4:2

So what does this passage mean concerning Jesus Christ? It simply means that since He is the begotten Son of God, He does not have the flesh and blood just like man. But He shared in man's flesh and blood.
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil." - Hebrews 2:14

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in flesh." - 1 Timothy 3:16

It is clear that Christ shared in man's humanity. He is not just a man, but He tool the nature of man. He is not equal with man, but He took the nature of man. He is not equal with man for man is a lower being and is only created by God. Yet, Christ is equal with God. The Word of God became flesh (John 1:1, 14).
When He took the nature of man, He was found in appearance as a man (Philippians 2:8). Prior to His incarnation or coming in the flesh, He was equal with the Father whose nature is God.

The Jesus who was born was the Christ since the Old Testament. The Spirit of Christ was with the prophets and He taught them of the things written about Him (1 Peter 1:11). From Moses to the prophets, Christ illuminated them of the things about Him. Clearly, He was the one teaching the prophets,
"...And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." - Luke 24:26-27

This must be fulfilled about Him (Luke 24:44). And for this to be fulfilled, Christ must be born in the flesh that is why He came on earth in the flesh.
"But when the time had fully come, God sent His son, born of a woman, born under law." - Galatians 4:4

Christ Himself taught the prophets about the necessity of this fulfillment. Jesus claimed that He is the Christ,
"...Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? 'I am,' said Jesus." - Mark 14:61-62

He is the Savior-the rock who saves is the Lord.
"For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the ROCK except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 222:32-33

He is called the "rock".
"For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, ...that rock was Christ" - 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

He was the Rock who was prophesied,
"So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'See, I lay a stone in the Zion, a tested zone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed." - Isaiah 28:16

Christ was the fulfillment that was why He was named Jesus;
"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:21, 1 Peter 2:6-8

He is the Lord and King who will come into the world (Psalms 24:7-10). The King of Israel is God (Jeremiah 10:10). whom the Father prepared a body for (Hebrews 10:5),  and was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). The birthplace of the King of Jews was prophesied (Micah 5:2). "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea..." (Matthew 2:1). Christ was the Lord of David (Psalms 110:1).

"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "The son of David," they replied. He said to them, "How is it then that David speaking by Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, "The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" - Matthew 22:42-45

The prophecy that the King of the Jews would ride on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) was fulfilled with Christ (John 12:14-15). All of these were fulfilled in Christ.Jesus, who came into flesh, is the Christ, the Savior, and Lord.