"Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" (Matthew 16:13).
Today it isn't politically correct to state dogmatically that Jesus
was more than an extraordinarily gifted person, a moral person, a wise
philosopher, a Jewish sage or a political reformist. Nor is it acceptable
to say that His teachings are the only route to a life beyond the grave
and to lasting peace for the world.
After all, we live in a world that dislikes such absolutes. And some
dislike even more the authority that One who claimed to be God might
claim over their lives. Thus throughout history all kinds of ideas have
sprung up about Jesus of Nazareth.
Why is there so much controversy over one man? He regularly makes the
cover of weekly newsmagazines. More books have been written and more
scholarly work done about this Jewish teacher from Galilee than any
other man who ever lived.
The simple answer is that He claimed to be God-and from the record
was able to support that claim, as we have seen.
He assures us He will prove it to the entire world when He comes to
earth a second time in glory, majesty and divine supernatural power
that will astound people all around the globe.
God comes to earth
The question remains: How was Jesus God? If Jesus was God,
then who was the Father He spoke of so often? How could Jesus and the
Father both be God at the same time?
Where did Jesus come from? Was He created at some point? Did He come
into existence when He was born of Mary? Was He an angel? Was He a spiritual
essence or "thought" in the Father's mind prior to His human existence?
The story of how Jesus came to be born tells us that He was no ordinary
human being. The record takes great pains to explain that He did not
have a human father, but that His Father was God Himself.
