93 - The True Lord's Prayer

The True Lord's Prayer; John 17:1-5

The doctrine of the deity of Christ

1. The Scripture ascribes certain titles of deity to Jesus, titles that are exclusive to deity. He is clearly called God in numerous passages. Titus 2:13 ^NASB "looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus." Granville-Sharp rule: In Greek when there is a construction where there is an article and then a noun and then the conjunction kai [kai], and then another noun, that this one article causes the two nouns to be linked together as synonyms. That is the construction that Paul uses in Titus 2:13. There is an article before "God" but not before "Savior," they are linked by the word kai which is "and," so that God and Savior are linked together as synonyms. This shows that Jesus is called God by Paul. Another passage is Isaiah 9:6 ^NASB "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." That indicates that there will be a human child born through natural processes. The second thing we notice there is that He is called a son. That indicates that not only in His humanity He will be male but that the implication here is that Jesus is a son before He is given—a son is given. Then it says the government will rest on His shoulders. This indicates His messianic rule. Then certain things will be applied to Him, and we have to remember that in A Jewish context a name reflects character, the essence of who someone is. So this son that will be born emphasises His humanity, but this human person is called Mighty God. The next phrase is "eternal Father," which is "Father of eternity" in the Hebrew which means that He is eternal. This is another ascription of deity: only God is eternal. "A son is born" emphasises the beginnings of His humanity but, on the other hand, He is called "Father of eternity" so we see that there is an aspect to this child that is eternal. 1 John 5:20 ^NASB "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."
2. Jesus Christ is inseparably identified with God in many passages: a) Scripture says that to know Jesus Christ is to know God: John 14:8, 9; 1:18; b) To see Jesus Christ is to see God: John 14:9; c) He is called the image—an image is a representation—of the invisible God, which would imply that all of the attributes of God apply to Jesus as well: Colossians 1:15; d) He alone reveals God and is the highest possible revelation of God: John 1:14; e) He is called the flashing forth of the glory of God in Hebrews 1:3. In that verse the "radiance" is the Greek word apaugasma [a)paugasma]. The 'ma' suffix indicates the fullest and final expression of something, the ultimate goal, and this would relate to the glory of God. The word "express image" or "exact representation" is the Greek word charakter [xapakthr]. Then "of his nature" is hupostasis [u(postasij], the essence of God; f) In Jesus Christ dwells all the fullness [plhrwma] of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9. There is nothing left out, there is no sense that He is anything less than true, undiminished deity; g) Christ existed in then very essence of God in Philippians 2:6; h) Jesus Christ is to receive equal honour as God: John 5:25; Philippians 2:10, 11.
3. Jesus Christ is clearly called God in the Scriptures: John 20:28; Acts 7:59; 8:37; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:15-17; 2:9; 2 Peter 1:1; Jude 25; 1 John 5:20.
4. He is give n the attributes of God: Holy, Luke 1:35; righteous, 2 Timothy 4:8; love, John 15:9; the epitome of grace, John 1:14; eternal, Micah 5:2 and John 8:58; faithfulness, 2 Thessalonians 3:3; good, John 10:11; immutable, Hebrews 13:5; omniscient, Matthew 11:27; John 2:24, 25; He is omnipresent, John 3:13; omnipotent, Isaiah 9:6; John 11:4. All of these are attributes that only God can have, yet all of these attributes are ascribed to Jesus Christ.
5. He is worshipped as God: by the angels, Hebrews 1:6; in Bethlehem by the shepherds, Luke 2:15; by a leper, Matthew 8:2; by a ruler in Matthew 9:18; by the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:25; by a mother in Matthew 20:20; by the blind man in John 9:38; by a group of Greeks who came to seek Him out in John 12:20, 21; by the apostles in Matthew 14.
6. Personally He claimed to be God. John 8:58; 10:30.
7. He performed the works which only God can perform. He is the creator of everything. John 1:3; Colossians 1:16. He forgives sin, Mark 2:1-12. He gives life to whomever He wishes, John 5:21. He raises the dead, John 11:43. He answers prayer, John 14:14. He is the judge of men, John 5:22-27. He possesses the glory of God, cf. Isaiah 42:8 with John 17:5. He performed miracles that attested to His role as the Messiah, John 5:36; 15:24; Matthew 11:4-6.