From: emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery)
Subject: Re: Did Jesus Claim to be God (Finally?)
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 18:14:41 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.025516.12092@newsroom.utas.edu.au> Tim.ONeill@english.utas.edu.au (Tim O'Neill) writes:
>When confronted by John's 187 texts I sifted out the highly
>subjective and wishy-washy ones which do not neccesitate
>divinity at all. I was only interested in the ones which
>came from early works and which could be said to state his
>divinity directly.

>This is a basic historical principle. If there was an explicit
>reference to Jesus' supposed divinity in Mark (or Matt. or 
>Luke, or Acts etc.) then I wouldn't try to 'explain it away',
>(probably because I'd be a christian if that were the case:-)).

>What we are left with then is not Jesus Christ, God the Son, 
>who came to earth as a man. We are left with Yeshua, the faith-
>healer and apocalyptic preacher who  was transformed into
>a god during the century after his death.

Is is true that the earlier NT writings reveal Jesus just a man,
a faith healer, an apocalyptic preacher?  For instance, what does
Matthew record concerning Jesus?  Does he not reveal the most
unique person ever to walk the face of the earth?  I will investigate
one such earlier gospel writer, Matthew.

First, Matthew reveals the one who will save his people from sin:

Matt 1:21 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." (NIV)

Who can change the heart but God alone?  Who can take away sins but God
alone?  As it is written in the prophet Ezekiel of God:

Ezekiel 36:28-29 28 You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you
will be my people, and I will be your God.  29 I will save you from all
your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will
not bring famine upon you. (NIV)

According to Matthew, Jesus is the one of whom it is written:

Matt 2:6 "`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least
among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the
shepherd of my people Israel.'" (NIV)

This is found in the writings of the prophet Micah:

Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the
clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over
Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." (NIV)

The King James says "whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting"  or translated "from days of eternity".  So this Jesus
spoken of by Matthew was one whose beginnings were not at birth but
who pre-existed from of old, from ancient times, from everlasting,
from days of eternity!

Matthew also declares that this one named Jesus was worshiped by
various people:

At his birth:

Matt 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary,
and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and
presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. (NIV)

After walking on the water:

Matt 14:33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly
you are the Son of God." (NIV)

After rising from the dead:

Matt 28:9 Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him,
clasped his feet and worshiped him. (NIV)

Matt 28:17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (NIV)

This word for worshiped is the same word used throughout the New Testament
when describing worshiping God.  It is the same word used in
Revelation 11:16:

"And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God,
fell on their faces and worshiped God," (NIV)

It is the Greek work proskuneo which means to prostrate oneself in homage
giving reverence and adoration; to worship.

Of John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for Jesus, Matthew cites
the prophet Isaiah:

Matthew 3:3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A
voice of one calling in the desert, `Prepare the way for the Lord, make
straight paths for him.'" (NIV)

This comes from chapter 40 verse 3 of Isaiah.  For surely John came to
prepare the way for Jesus.  Yet when referring to Isaiah, we see that
this Scripture is speaking of the YHWH, the divine name of God:

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of calling in the desert: prepare the way for the
LORD (YHWH); make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God."
(NIV)							       ^^^

Isaiah continues to say in this passage a couple verses later:

Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the LORD (YHWH) will be revealed, and all
mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (NIV)

Jesus is that glory!  And Isaiah continue on in his description:

Isaiah 40:9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your
God!" (NIV)

Isaiah is describing this event as God coming to the towns of Judah!
Perhaps that is why Matthew wrote earlier:

Matthew 1:23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel"-- which means, "God with us." (NIV)

Listen as the prophet continues his description:

Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in
his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that
have young. (NIV)

Perhaps that is why Matthew recorded Jesus' words:

Matthew 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone
those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children
together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not
willing. (NIV)

Perhaps that is why John quoted Jesus' words of being the great Shepherd
(John 10:11,14,27) and why Peter calls him the Chief Shepherd
(1 Peter 5:4) and the "Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25).
The writer of Hebrews calls him the great Shepherd of the sheep (13:20).

In light of the gentle Shepherd of Isaiah 40:11, Matthew also quotes
Jesus' words:

Matthew 11:28-30 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I
will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For
my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)

Yes, this one named Jesus is able to give peace to the soul.  He is able
to give one inner rest.  As David wrote is the book of Psalms:

Psalm 62:1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
(NIV)

Who else but God can give rest to the soul?  David knew the One who gave
rest to his soul.  Perhaps that is why Matthew quotes Jesus' words:

Matthew 22:41-45 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked
them, 42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "The son of
David," they replied.  43 He said to them, "How is it then that David,
speaking by the Spirit, calls him `Lord'? For he says, 44 "`The Lord said
to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your
feet." ' 45 If then David calls him `Lord,' how can he be his son?" (NIV)

This comes from Pslam 110 where Jesus says David is calling him Lord.
More than just a descendant of his, David saw Jesus as his Lord and
also the everlasting priest.  One who "always lives to intercede" as
the writer of Hebrews declares.

Matthew also goes on to quote from the prophet Isaiah concerning Jesus:

Matthew 4:15-16 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the
sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- 16 the people living in
darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow
of death a light has dawned." (NIV)

This comes from the 9th chapter of Isaiah (verses 1 and 2).  Isaiah
goes on to describe why the people have seen a great light:

Isaiah 9:6-7  6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  7 Of the
increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on
David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with
justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the
LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (NIV)

Yes, Jesus is referred to as Prince of Peace, Mighty God, etc.  One who
will reign *forever*.  In this light, could it be that Matthew is 
declaring this Jesus as more than a faith healer?  Is it becoming more
apparent who he is declaring with this gospel?

Matthew also quotes Jesus in that He is Lord of the Sabbath (12:8),
one greater than Solomon (12:46), greater than Jonah (12:41), and
one even greater than the temple (12:6)!  Matthew quotes Malachi 3:1
in Matthew 11:10 referring to John the Baptist as the messenger sent
before YHWH, the God of Israel. And after who which "the Lord you are 
seeking will come to his temple" as Malachi writes (Malachi 3:1).

Matthew also quotes Jesus describing the power of His words:

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass
away. (NIV)

Compare this to Isaiah 40:8:

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands
forever." (NIV)

Perhaps this answers the mystery of why the religious rulers had Jesus
crucified.  What was there charge against Him?  It was that of blasphemy:

Matthew 26:63-66 63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him,
"I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ,
the Son of God." 64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to
all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right
hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." 65 Then the
high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we
need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.  66 What
do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered. (NIV)


Matthew describes the unique relationship between the Father and
His Son, Jesus Christ.  This divine and exclusive relationship unlike
any other:

Matthew 11:27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one
knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son
and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (NIV)

This divine relationship is heralded by the words of the Lord after His
resurrection from dead:

Matthew 28:19-20 19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the 
Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (NIV)

Matthew also reveals Jesus as the ruler of heaven and earth, having 
authority over all:

Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Thus we see Matthew proclaiming the great ruler of heaven and earth;
the One spoken of by the prophets as the LORD YHWH; the One worshiped;
the One who takes away the sins of man; the One who has power in the
souls of men to give them peace; the One who is of eternity and who
is ever present.

This is one case of an earlier New Testament writing that proclaims
the diety of Jesus Christ.  Of Paul's 10 epistles that are earlier
than Matthew's gospel account (e.g. Philippians, Colossians, Galatians,
Ephesians, Romans,...) the same can be shown.

Tim presents the case that the later writings (e.g. John) are not as
reliable since they were written longer after Jesus.  He proposes that
perhaps the idea of Jesus' diety was added later.  However, it is shown
here that there is ample evidence from earlier writings.  

One must also consider the Book of Revelation written by the apostle John.  
Although this was a latter writing, it was written in response to an IMMEDIATE
revelation in which John, while in prison on the island of Patmos, beheld
the risen Savior and recorded immediately the words spoken to him:

Rev 1:17-18 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he
placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and
the Last.  18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for
ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (NIV)

Rev 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the
Beginning and the End. (NIV)

Revelation 2:23 I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay 
each of you according to your deeds. (NIV)

Finally, Matthew declares our accountability to this Jesus, and our
indebtedness to Him:

Matthew 10:37-39 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is 
not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is 
not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow
me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, but 
whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

God bless you all,

John Emery
emery@tc.fluke.COM



-- 
John Emery		"You say we've risen to a new age of light.
emery@tc.fluke.COM       You're telling me what used to be wrong
			 is now right."
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