Theology

The Case for Jesus’ Divinity


 
The following outline makes a case for Jesus’ divinity based on both the implicit and explicit claims of the New Testament. It is taken from Ajith Fernando, The Supremacy of Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway: 1995), 70-72.
 
A.        Implicit Christology
1.         Divine functions performed by Jesus
a.         In relation to the universe
(1)       Creator (John 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2)
(2)       Sustainer (1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3)
(3)       Author of Life (John 1:4; Acts 3:15)
(4)       Ruler (Matt. 28:18; Rom. 14:9; Rev. 1:5)
b.         In relation to human beings
(1)       Healing the sick (Mark 1:32-34; Acts 3:6, 10:38)
(2)       Teaching authoritatively (Mark 1:21-22, 13:31)
(3)       Forgiving sins (Mark 2:1-12; Luke 24:47; Acts 5:31; Col. 3:13)
(4)       Granting salvation or imparting eternal life (Acts 4:12; Rom 10:12-13)
(5)       Dispensing the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Acts 2:17, 33)
(6)       Raising the dead (Luke 7:11-17; John 5:21, 6:40)
(7)       Exercising judgment (Matt. 25:31-46; John 5:19-30; Acts 10:42; 1 Cor. 4:4-5)
2.         Divine status claimed by or accorded to Jesus
a.         In relation to his Father
(1)       Possessor of divine attributes (John 1:4, 10:30, 21:17; Eph. 4:10; Col 1:19, 2:9)
(2)       Eternally existent (John 1:1, 8:58, 12:41, 17:5; 1 Cor. 10:4; Phil. 2:6; Heb. 11:26, 13:8; Jude 5)
(3)       Equal in dignity (Matt. 28:19; John 5:23; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 22:13, cf. 21:6)
(4)       Perfect revealer (John 1:18, 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:1-3)
(5)       Embodiment of truth (John 1:9, 14: 6:32; 14:6; Rev. 3:7, 14)
(6)       Joint possessor of the kingdom (Eph. 5:5; Rev. 11:15), churches (Rom. 16:16), Spirit (Rom. 8:9; Phil. 1:19), temple (Rev. 21:22), divine name (Matthew 28:19, cf. Rev. 14:1), and throne (Rev. 22:1, 3)
b.         In relation to human beings
(1)       Recipient of praise (Matt. 21:15-16; Eph. 5:20; 1 Tim. 1:12; Rev. 5:8-14)
(2)       Recipient of prayer (Acts 1:24; 7:59-60; 9:10-17, 21; 22:16, 19; 1 Cor. 1:2, 16:22; 2 Cor. 12:8)
(3)       Object of saving faith (John 14:1; Acts 10:43, 16:31; Rom. 10:8-13)
(4)       Object of worship (Matt. 14:33; 28:9, 17; John 5:23, 20:28; Phil. 2:10-11; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:8-12)
(5)       Joint source of blessing (1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; 1 Thes. 3:11; 2 Thes. 2:16)
(6)       Object of doxologies (2 Tim. 4:18; 2 Pet. 3:18; Rev. 1:5b-6; 5:13)
B.        Explicit Christology
1.         Old Testament passages referring to Yahweh [“the Lord”] applied to Jesus
a.         Character of Yahweh (Exod. 3:14 and Isa. 43:11 alluded to in John 8:58; Ps. 102:28-29 quoted in Heb. 1:11-12; Isa. 44:6 alluded to in Rev. 1:17)
b.         Holiness of Yahweh (Isa. 8:12-13 [cf. 29:23] quoted in 1 Pet. 3:14-15)
c.         Descriptions of Yahweh (Ezek. 43:2 and Dan. 10:5-6 alluded to in Rev. 1:13-16)
d.         Worship of Yahweh (Isa. 45:23 alluded to in Phil. 2:10-11; Deut. 32:43 [in the Septuagint, or Greek translation of the OT] and Ps. 97:7 quoted in Heb. 1:6)
e.         Work of Yahweh in creation (Ps. 102:27 quoted in Heb. 1:10)
f.          Salvation of Yahweh (Joel 2:32 quoted in Rom. 10:13; cf. Acts 2:21; Isa. 40:3 quoted in Matt. 3:3)
g.         Trustworthiness of Yahweh (Isa. 28:16 quoted in Rom. 9:33, 10:11; 1 Pet. 2:6
h.         Judgment of Yahweh (Isa. 6:10 alluded to in John 12:41; Isa. 8:14 quoted in Rom. 9:33 and 1 Pet. 2:6)
i.          Triumph of Yahweh (Ps. 68:18 quoted in Eph. 4:8)
2.         Divine titles claimed by or applied to Jesus
a.         Son of Man (Matt. 16:28, 24:30; Mark 8:38, 14:62-64; Acts 7:56)
b.         Son of God (Matt. 11:27; Mark 15:39; John 1:18; Rom. 1:4; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 1:2)
c.         Messiah (Matt. 16:16; Mark 14:61; John 20:31)
e.         Alpha and Omega (Rev. 22:13, cf. 1:8, 21:6)
f.          God (John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb 1:8; 2 Pet. 1:1)
 

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