John 8: 48-59
Followers of Jesus have been instructed by Jesus to baptize people “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” as recorded in Matthew 28:19. The reason for baptism being done in the name of three persons is that God is what Christian theologians call “Triune.” God is three Persons, yet One Being. This nature of our awesome God is above my comprehension.
Though the word Trinity is sometimes used by ministers and theologians, the word Trinity is not mentioned in the Bible. If you want to know where Scripture reveals the fact God is three Persons, yet One Being, you need to look at specific Bible verses which reveal the nature of each Person. There are resources to guide you to such verses. Yet regarding Jesus, this passage of John 8:48-59 is a key passage revealing the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Sadly the Pharisees were often offended by Jesus because He threatened their power and position. Yet this particular discussion is between Jesus and some Israelites, a discussion which starts in John 8:31. The wild thing about this discussion is the fact Jesus directly tells them they do not belong to God.
For example:
“He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God” (John 8:47).
The Israelites go from questioning Jesus to accusing Jesus of being “a Samaritan and demon-possessed” (John 8:48).
Yet the climax of the discussion is the statement by Jesus that He is God:
“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58).
Now God had revealed Himself to Moses at the time He spoke to Moses from the burning bush: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
Thus by saying, “I am,” Jesus was claiming to be God the Son. And that is why the discussion ended with some Israelites picking up stones with the intent to stone Jesus, as recorded in John 8:59. They did not believe Him.
Jesus stated who He is and did many miracles, yet many of those people did not believe Him. And just as a number of those people did not believe Him, there have been a number of people who disagreed with this claim of Jesus, which is recorded in Scripture, throughout “church history.” Even today there are “church” leaders, theologians, and people who argue that Jesus is not God.
In 325 A.D., there was a huge meeting of church leaders from many countries, a meeting now called the First Council of Nicaea. The reason for the big meeting: There was a division among Christians over whether or not Jesus is God, fully God from all eternity. Those church leaders, via a big vote, affirmed the divinity of Jesus. They also composed a creed, now called the Nicene Creed, a brief core of which may have already been composed prior to that meeting. (I personally think the core of the creed had been composed prior to the First Council. And note it was later expanded.)
A young church leader named Athanasius was at that Council. Yet the reason he is remembered all these years later is because he became a champion for advocating the divinity of Christ. You see, in the wake of the big church meeting, there was still a big fight over many years concerning the decision of the Council and of the creed they had solidified. A number of people refuted the Council’s decision and rebelled against the decision and the creed.
The theologian Christopher Hall clearly stated two points Athanasius gave to support the fact that Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity.
Here I focus on the first point: Athanasius said only God can save people. (1)
This is logical to me, since saving people required the forgiveness of sins, and in order to die for the sins of another person, the substitute could have no sins of his own. Only God is sinless. And only God, being transcendent, could die as the substitute for countless people.
Jesus, during a Passover meal, after a lamb was sacrificed at twilight, did something new, which is recorded in Matthew 26:26-28.
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’
Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”
Jesus forgave the sins of people on the cross, shedding His blood, that very day! (Note that a new Jewish day always started at sundown!)
Recently we have been examining Scripture from Matthew which reveals that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. The mission of the Christ in this world was to forgive sins, thus the Christ, the Messiah, had to be God.
If you are not a follower of Jesus, may you know this day that Jesus loves you, and that Jesus died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone, including you. He was the atoning sacrifice for the consequence of sins, which is spiritual death. Then Jesus was resurrected. If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be forgiven of your sins, and you will have eternal life with Jesus in heaven! Jesus loves you!
Hunter Irvine
(1) Christopher A. Hall, Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers
(Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 60.
