Don Stewart :: What Are the Different Ways in Which Jesus' Claims Can Be Viewed?

What Are the Different Ways in Which Jesus’ Claims Can Be Viewed?

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – Question 17

The New Testament is the only first-hand source of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. It records Jesus making some astounding claims about Himself. From the gospels, we find that He made Himself out to be more than a mere man. What are we to make of these claims? Are they true?

The Claims of Jesus Christ According to the New Testament

As we examine the New Testament, we find a number of specific claims of that Jesus Christ made about Himself. They include the following.

1. Jesus Claimed to Be the One Way to Reach the One God

Jesus Christ said that He was the only way that a human being could know the one true God. On the night of His betrayal, He told His disciples that He alone was the way to reach the God of the Bible. We read the following in the Gospel of John:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NRSV)

According to Jesus, no one could get to God the Father except through Him. The one way to reach the one true God is through Jesus the Son. This is what He said.

2. Jesus Claimed Authority to Forgive Sins

We also find that Jesus made the monumental claim that He could forgive sins. He told a paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. Scripture records Jesus saying the following when He saw the faith of the man and those who brought him:

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5 God’s Word)

Jesus claimed that He has this authority.

4. Jesus Claimed to Be Able to Raise the Dead

Jesus made the monumental claim that He would raise the dead. We read His words in the Gospel of John:

I tell you for certain that the time will come, and it is already here, when all of the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen to it will live! (John 5:25 CEV)

Jesus said that He had the authority to raise the dead at some time in the future.

4. Jesus Claimed to Be Able to Raise Himself from the Dead

Jesus said that He had the ability to bring Himself back from the dead. John records Jesus making this astounding claim about Himself. He said,

No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do. (John 10:18 CEV)

Jesus said had the ability to raise Himself from the dead.

5. Jesus Claimed That He Would Someday Judge the World

Finally, Jesus Christ said that He would someday judge the world. We read the following statement of this claim of His in the Gospel of John:

The Father has the power to give life, and he has given that same power to the Son. And he has given his Son the right to judge everyone, because he is the Son of Man. (John 5:26, 27 CEV)

The power of judgment was His.

To sum up: Jesus Christ claimed that He was the only way to reach the one true God, He claimed the ability to forgive sins, to raise the dead, to raise Himself from the dead, and to eventually judge the entire world. These claims are truly amazing! What are we to make of them?

How Are We to Understand the Claims of Jesus Christ?

There are actually a limited number of possible ways in which these claims of Jesus Christ can be viewed. They include the following options.

Option 1: His Claims Could Have Been Legendary

It is theoretically possible that Jesus never made the claims about Himself that are record in the New Testament. In other words, His disciples, those who wrote the New Testament, invented these claims. They did not originally come from Jesus. This would make the New Testament claims about Jesus Christ as legendary.

If He Made the Claims, Then They Were Either True or False

If Jesus Christ actually made the claims about Himself that are recorded in the New Testament then His claims were either true or false. These are the only choices which we have.

If Jesus’ Claims Were False, Then We Have Two Choices

If Jesus actually made the claims attributed to Him in the New Testament, and they were false, then there are two basic choices. He either knew that they were false or He did not know that they were false. There are no other options.

Option 2: Jesus Could Have Been a Liar

First, it is possible that He knew that He wasn’t really God’s Son, but made the claims anyway knowing they were false. If this is the case, then Jesus would have been a liar.

Option 3: Jesus Could Have Been a Lunatic

There is also the possibility that Jesus made the claims about Himself thinking they were true when actually they were not true. This would make Him deluded or a lunatic.

Option 4: A Final Possibility: Jesus Could Have Been Lord

The final possibility is that Jesus made the claims about Himself as recorded in the New Testament and His claims are true. This would make Him Lord.

These are the possible ways to evaluate the claims of Jesus as they are recorded in the New Testament. One of these has to be the correct answer.

Summary – Question 17
What Are the Different Ways in Which Jesus’ Claims Can Be Viewed?

According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ made some astounding claims about Himself. He claimed to be the only way to reach the one true God. He also claimed the ability to forgive sins.

Jesus said that He would raise the dead someday. He also claimed the ability to raise Himself from the dead. Jesus also claimed that He would someday judge the entire world.

There are four possibilities with respect to Jesus’ claims. They could be legendary—He never made the claims Himself. Jesus could have been a liar—making the claims while knowing they were not true.

He could have been deluded or a lunatic—making the claims and thinking they were true but they were not.

The last possibility is that He could have been Lord—He made the claims thinking they were true and indeed they were.