Jesus' Self-claims
Many see in Jesus of Nazareth a (great) prophet or (only) a great moral teacher, but are not aware of His own claims about Himself as reported in the Gospels.
C.S. Lewis, famous for his christian apologetics, said: "Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. ... But... not ... a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.”
Here an extensive list of Jesus' claims, see for yourself;-)
Origin
And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man who is in Heaven. (John 3,13)
For the bread of God is He that cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (John 6,33)For I came down from Heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. (John 6,38)
Ye are from beneath; I am from above. Ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8,23-24)
If God were your Father, ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me. (John 8,42)
He that believeth in Me, believeth not in Me, but in Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me should not abide in darkness. (John 12,44-46)
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. (John 16,28)
And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own Self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. (John 17,5)
Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice. (John 18,37)
I AM (cf. Ex. 3,14: God said to Moses, “I am who I am")
I am the Bread of Life. He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst. (John 6,35)
I am the Light of the world. He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8,12)
Verily, verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am! (John 8,58) [and they wanted to stone him]
I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. (John 10,11) / I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep and am known by Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. (John 10,14-15)
Verily, verily I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.. (John 10,7) / I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10,9)
I am the resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. (John 11,25-26)
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. (John 14:6)
I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me ye can do nothing. (John 15,5)
Ye say that I am [the Son of God] (Luke 22,70) [and they condemned him]
Authority/Power
but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4,14)
My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work. (John 4,34)
For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father who hath sent Him. Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth My Word and believeth in Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself, and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice. (John 5,21-28)
This is the work of God: that ye believe in Him whom He hath sent. (John 6,29)
And this is the Father’s will who hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the Last Day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me: that every one who seeth the Son and believeth in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day. (John 6,39-40)
If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7,37-38)
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8,36)
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and He saw it and was glad. (John 8,56)
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one (John 10,27-30) [and they wanted to stone him again]
do ye say of Him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, ‘Thou blasphemest,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. (John 10,36-38)
He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, ‘Show us the Father’? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself; but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the very works’ sake. (John 14,9-11)
Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11,28-30)
Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it ["Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"] unto thee, but My Father who is in Heaven. (Matthew 16,17)
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24,35)
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall at once give Me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26,53)
All power is given unto Me in Heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28,18)
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23,34) [crucifying Him for falsely claiming to be the Son of God]
Sacrifice
even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20,28)
and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles. And they shall mock Him and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him and shall kill Him. And the third day He shall rise again. (Mark 10,33-34)
O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? (Luke 24,25-26)
Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24,46-47)
Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John 10,17-18)
Return
For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24,27)
and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14,62) [and they condemned him]
Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not. (Luke 12,40)
Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14,1-3)
N.B. as regards the title "Son of Man" which Jesus continuously claims for himself: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." —Daniel 7,13-14
C.S. Lewis, famous for his christian apologetics, said: "Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. ... But... not ... a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.”
Here an extensive list of Jesus' claims, see for yourself;-)
Origin
And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man who is in Heaven. (John 3,13)
For the bread of God is He that cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (John 6,33)For I came down from Heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me. (John 6,38)
Ye are from beneath; I am from above. Ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8,23-24)
If God were your Father, ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me. (John 8,42)
He that believeth in Me, believeth not in Me, but in Him that sent Me. And he that seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me should not abide in darkness. (John 12,44-46)
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father. (John 16,28)
And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own Self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. (John 17,5)
Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice. (John 18,37)
I AM (cf. Ex. 3,14: God said to Moses, “I am who I am")
I am the Bread of Life. He that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst. (John 6,35)
I am the Light of the world. He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8,12)
Verily, verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am! (John 8,58) [and they wanted to stone him]
I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. (John 10,11) / I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep and am known by Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. (John 10,14-15)
Verily, verily I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.. (John 10,7) / I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10,9)
I am the resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. (John 11,25-26)
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. (John 14:6)
I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me ye can do nothing. (John 15,5)
Ye say that I am [the Son of God] (Luke 22,70) [and they condemned him]
Authority/Power
but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4,14)
My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work. (John 4,34)
For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father who hath sent Him. Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth My Word and believeth in Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself, and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice. (John 5,21-28)
This is the work of God: that ye believe in Him whom He hath sent. (John 6,29)
And this is the Father’s will who hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the Last Day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me: that every one who seeth the Son and believeth in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day. (John 6,39-40)
If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7,37-38)
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8,36)
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and He saw it and was glad. (John 8,56)
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one (John 10,27-30) [and they wanted to stone him again]
do ye say of Him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, ‘Thou blasphemest,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. (John 10,36-38)
He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, ‘Show us the Father’? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself; but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the very works’ sake. (John 14,9-11)
Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. (Matthew 11,28-30)
Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it ["Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"] unto thee, but My Father who is in Heaven. (Matthew 16,17)
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24,35)
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall at once give Me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26,53)
All power is given unto Me in Heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28,18)
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23,34) [crucifying Him for falsely claiming to be the Son of God]
Sacrifice
even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20,28)
and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles. And they shall mock Him and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him and shall kill Him. And the third day He shall rise again. (Mark 10,33-34)
O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? (Luke 24,25-26)
Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24,46-47)
Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John 10,17-18)
Return
For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24,27)
and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14,62) [and they condemned him]
Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not. (Luke 12,40)
Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14,1-3)
N.B. as regards the title "Son of Man" which Jesus continuously claims for himself: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." —Daniel 7,13-14
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