17. Powerful Jesus

Descends From Heaven

God's Name Jesus calls Himself God. Because Jesus is truly God, he can use the descriptive God name, the "I am" of himself. For example, Jesus says to his Jew followers who believe in him in John 8.58, " 'Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!'" In John 3.13, Jesus again acknowledges that he descends from heaven. He says, "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man." The writer to a group of Jewish Christians in Hebrews 1.3a emphasizes another truth about the powerful Jesus, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Jesus is a powerful word.✞

Jesus' Godness

Malcolm Muggeridge Various worldwide meetings of leaders of the Early Church, or Councils, affirmed certain truths about the "Godness" of Jesus. The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD decreed, "Jesus to be truly God," and the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD added that "Jesus is truly man." In 431 AD, Christian leaders from all around the Roman Empire and beyond met at the Council of Ephesus and agreed that "though God and man, Jesus was one person rather than two." Twenty years later, in 451 AD, yet another Council at Chalcedon clarified that "though one person, Jesus is both God and man perfectly united." The Christian writer Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990 AD), in his book "Conversion," added his own supportive and helpful comment, "Jesus was in the eyes of God a man, and the eyes of men a God."✞

Jesus' Control

Jesus Heals Jesus has complete control over evil spirits, sickness and insanity, sins, and even nature itself. God's power is apparent to the disciples in Jesus' miracles over natural forces during his ministry. In Mark 4.39, we read that when Jesus is aboard the ship on the Sea of Galilee and a storm arose, "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm." Here, Jesus controls the weather, or as some people might say nowadays, "mother nature." The story of Jesus turning water to wine in John 2.13 again exhibits Jesus' creative hand. He changes one liquid, "water," into something entirely different, "wine." We read, "and the master of the banquet tasted the water turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, 'Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink, but you have saved the best till now.'" Jesus proves his deity by controlling the natural elements and physically healing a disabled person. Only the most potent spiritual entity could heal, but Jesus' word in John 5.8-9 is enough. "Jesus said to him, 'Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.' At once, Jesus cured the man; he picked up his mat and walked." Jesus shows that he has complete control over the medical sphere, which is the province of God alone.✞

Over Evil Spirits

Jesus Power Jesus heals the sick and also casts out a demon spirit in Mark 1.25-26, " 'Be quiet!' said Jesus sternly. 'Come out of him!' The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek." In this way, Jesus not only heals the paralytic man but also authenticates his person as God who alone can forgive sins and, in this way, shares his credentials with the world! Note the particularly unusual words that Jesus uses on this occasion in Matthew 9.2. "Some men brought a paralyzed man to him, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, 'Take heart, son; I forgive your sins.'" Jesus forgives this man's sins, thus showing that he has God's spiritual authority to forgive sins. Forgiving sins is one of the aspects of Jesus' ministry most objectionable to the Pharisees, for, in their minds, only God himself could forgive sins. As the One Almighty God, Jesus has the final victory over death.✞

Jesus' Deity

Jesus Resurrection God authenticates Jesus' deity as equal to the Holy Spirit's at his baptism. The Holy Spirit comes down like a dove, and the Father, with a voice from heaven, says, 'this is my son.' At Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3.17, the Heavenly Father acknowledges the deity of his Son in the presence of many people, "And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love. With him, I am well pleased.'" We see all three persons of the Trinity here. The Holy Spirit comes upon Jesus to equip him for his work as the human and divine Messiah. The Father's voice is heard by all those standing there, and Jesus is at the center. The Expositor's Study Bible comments, "The Father speaks, the Spirit descends, and the Son prays." The saying, "Whom I have chosen" or "the Chosen One," is related to a Palestinian Jewish title found in the Dead Sea Scrolls literature, echoing back to Isaiah 42.1. "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations." At the Transfiguration, Jesus appears with Moses and Elijah on the mountain. Again a voice from heaven in Luke 9.35 confirms the deity of Jesus.✞

Listen to Jesus

"A voice came from the cloud, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.'" "Listen to him" is in the present continuous tense and means "be continually listening to him." All Christians need to be continually listening to Jesus! A heavenly angel also verifies this truth in Mark 16.6. "'Don't be alarmed,' the angel said, 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the crucified one. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.'" The Expositor's Study Bible declares, "The phrase 'He has risen' is without a doubt one of the most significant statements ever made in the annals of human history!"✞

Holy Spirit Deity

Jonah And The whale The resurrected Jesus, the Holy Spirit deity, and the Heavenly Father are one in the godhead. Resurrection authenticates Jesus' claims to be God. The Holy Spirit deity declares Jesus to be the Son of God by raising him from the dead. Jesus says in Matthew 12.40, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." According to Jewish calculation of time, we note that "three days and three nights," would include at least part of the first day and a part of the third day. Christ would be dead during this time and in Paradise, where he would preach to imprisoned spirits. Saint Peter refers to this occurrence in 1 Peter 3.18-20, "He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit. After being made alive, he went and proclaimed to imprisoned spirits - to those who were disobedient long ago." We note that the phrase "after being made alive" may be translated as "but made alive in the spirit." The only sign that the people would receive would be Jonah's sign of three days and nights dead in the belly of a sea creature before being reintroduced alive into the world. The Greek word for "huge fish" does not mean "whale" incidentally but "sea creature." Saint Paul reminds his readers that the resurrection authenticates Jesus' deity. By being raised, Jesus shows that he is, without a doubt, the Son of God.✞

Spirit of Holiness

Saint Paul writes in Romans 1.4 that Jesus "who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." The "Spirit of holiness" is another name for the "Holy Spirit." The phrase "was appointed the Son of God in power" could mean "was declared with power to be the Son of God." The Holy Spirit also asserts in 1 Timothy 3.16, "Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit." This last phrase could mean "vindicated in spirit." Death cannot pin down Jesus. God interrupts and raises him. According to the NIV Study Bible, the "mystery from which true godliness springs" is "the revealed secret of true piety." 1 Timothy 3.16 may have originated as an early creedal hymn. In Acts 2.24, we also read, "But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because death couldn't keep its hold on him."✞

Jesus' Form

Jesus Laughing We can compare Jesus's characteristics as a human and spiritual being with those of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles eventually realized the real significance of Jesus' life. Saint Paul writes in Philippians 2.5-7, "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." Note here that the phrase "the very nature of a servant" may be read as "the form of a servant." Jesus left the glory of the angels and his Father's presence to come to earth in the form of a tiny, helpless baby and as a servant to bring all human beings back to himself.✞

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte As if to emphasize this point, Saint Paul adds in Philippians 2.8, "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!" We glimpse Jesus' godly characteristics, but he still becomes a male child. Jesus Christ, therefore, deserves our praise and worship. The former French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) once said, "If the philosopher Socrates would enter the room, we would rise and do him honor. But if Jesus Christ would come into the room, we should fall on our knees and worship him." He was right; Jesus is God!✞

Abba Father

Socrates The Holy Spirit in our hearts brings us to our Father as sons and heirs. Saint Paul writes to his Christian friends in Galatians 4.6, "Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" "Abba" is the Aramaic in the people's language of the day for "Father" or "Daddy!"✞

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