In the previous issue we considered a number of evidences of the deity of Jesus Christ, namely, that He is co-equal with God, the eternal Son of God, "the image of the invisible God," and the revealer of God. Scripture also shows us that Jesus Christ is better than the angels, is the recipient of worship, came from and returned to God, and shares divine attributes with God the Father. These further manifestations of Christ’s deity are now presented.
Came from and Returned to God
Jesus said to Nicodemus, "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven" (John 3:13). To the Pharisees He said, "I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me" (John 8:42). Just before His departure from the earth He sought to encourage the hearts of His disciples by telling them, "In My Father’s house are many mansions. … I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). Shortly afterward He prayed, "O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was" (John 17:5). And following His resurrection, Jesus said to Mary, "I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God" (John 20:17).
Better Than the Angels
In Hebrews 1:4,5 we read that Christ was "made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?" Thus, Jesus was not the chiefest angel, as claimed by some today. He was far better and far higher than all angels, than every created being.
Received Worship
When Satan tempted Christ and sought for Christ to fall down and worship him, Jesus responded, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10). When Cornelius fell down to worship Peter, Peter commanded, "Stand up; I myself also am a man" (Acts 10:25,26). And when the apostle John on two occasions fell down to worship the angel who showed him such wonderful things to come, the angel responded, "See thou do it not; I am thy fellowservant . . . worship God" (Rev. 19:10; 22:8,9). Against this background, let us notice how Jesus felt about those who worshipped Him. Did He refuse the worship offered to Him by others, as did Peter and the angel? No. He did not rebuke Thomas for saying to Him, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). And when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, "The whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord:peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him, Master, rebuke Thy disciples. And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:37-40). So here, much less than rebuke others for worshipping Him, He rebuked those who sought to prevent others from praising Him.
Some today who deny the deity of Christ say that they honor Christ to a certain extent but not as they honor God. But listen to Scripture:Jesus said, "All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him" (John 5:23). The equality of the Father and the Son in receiving worship is clearly evidenced in Rev. 5:13:"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." The Father and the Son here are worshipped together in the same breath.
Manifested Divine Attributes
Those same attributes ascribed to Jehovah God of the Old Testament are found in Christ of the New Testament. We will briefly consider four of these attributes of Christ_His eternal existence, omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence.
The eternal existence of Christ is declared several times in the Gospel of John. For example, "In the beginning was the Word" (1:1); "Before Abraham was, I am" (8:58). The Old Testament likewise refers to the Messiah as the "Father of Eternity" (Isa. 9:6 JND), and the one "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2).
Jesus reminds us of the Almighty God of the Old Testament when He says, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18). His power was manifested prior to the Incarnation by His creation of all things (John 1:3; Col. 1:16), and after the Incarnation by the many miracles He performed. Among His many works of power, perhaps the most significant to us is "that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins" (Matt. 9:6).
Jesus Christ is omniscient, that is, knowing all things. His disciples testify, "Now are we sure that Thou knowest all things" (John 16:30; see also 21:17). We also read that "He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man; for He knew what was in man" (John 2:24,25; see also Mark 2:8).
One of Christ’s limitations as a man upon the earth was being confined by space and time; thus He was not omnipresent at that time. However, as He was about to leave His disciples to ascend into heaven, He said, "Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20). Even though His disciples today are scattered throughout the whole world, all can claim that precious promise that Christ is with us. Thus Christ, like Jehovah of the Old Testament, is present everywhere. This is confirmed by the well-known scripture in Matt. 18:20:"Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."
Our study of the person of Jesus Christ will continue in the next issue, Lord willing, with a consideration of manifestations of His perfect manhood.