Son of God and God the Son
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
The greatest of all questions is the one suggested in the twenty-second chapter of Matthew: "What think ye of Christ? whose Son is He?" On a parallel with that question stands the one in Matthew 16:1-28 : "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?" With those questions fully before us, let us remember a third question which was asked by Pilate: "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?"
It is the purpose to bring before you five outstanding witnesses to Jesus Christ. We want you to imagine yourself in a jury room, and then we wish to present our witnesses. If our witnesses prove to a conclusion that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, that He is all that He claimed to be, then surely every honest and sincere heart will accept our witnesses, and bring in their verdict, accepting Jesus Christ as Son of God, and God the Son, their Saviour.
We remember very well how the multitude left Jesus as He told them that He was the Bread of Life; that His body was meat indeed, and His blood was drink indeed. After many of the people turned from Him and refused to follow further, the Lord addressed the twelve disciples, saying, "Will ye also go?" They immediately replied: "To whom shall we go? Thou hast the Words of eternal life."
In each of the following five divisions we will bring before you one of these five witnesses. We trust that, if the witnesses prove that Christ is God, and that being God, He is the Saviour, that then each one will give Him the affiance of their heart, and the service of their life.
The one who knows that Christ is Divine, and yet refuses to follow Him; the one that acknowledges that Jesus is the Saviour, and yet refuses to trust Him, must, indeed, love darkness rather than light. Such an one must be classed among those of whom Jesus said, "Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life." "Ye have not the love of God in you." "Ye believe not." "Ye receive Me not."
I. THE WITNESS OF JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF (John 5:31)
It is customary, before a jury, for the person on the witness stand to speak for himself. Nevertheless one's own testimony would not be received unless it was backed by the testimony of other witnesses. Therefore, in bringing before you the witness of Jesus Christ, we know that it is a true witness; nevertheless, we ask you to consider the testimony of our other witnesses, before you give your verdict. Let us permit Jesus Christ to speak for Himself, step by step.
1. Christ's assertion that He was God. The Lord Jesus said, in John 5:17, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He * * said also that God was His Father making Himself equal with God."
When we heard a man saying that Jesus was the greatest man that ever lived, but that He was not God, we wondered wherein His greatness lay.
Was He great as a philanthropist? Did He endow colleges, or build hospitals, or do anything else in a marked way for His country or His fellow men? Was He great as a financier? Did He heap up money? Was He a successful business man? Did He rule in the realm of commerce? Was He great as a politician? Did He dominate senates and dictate policies to the children of men? Did every man who sought office, first secure His O. K.? Was He great as a painter, or a musician? Did He write His Name on the pinnacles of fame, as a Michael Angelo on the one hand, or a Beethoven on the other hand? Was Jesus great in the world as a writer? Did He write books? Did He startle the world with His poetry, or His rhythmic rhetoric?
Where was Jesus Christ great? He was great because He was God. Great in holiness. Great in majesty. Great in Deity. If you rob Him of His Deity, you leave Him despised and rejected of men. You leave Him nailed between two malefactors. You have Him with but a few hundred disciples as the result of His earthly life.
2. Christ's assertion that He was One with the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ, in John 5:19, says: "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." Jesus Christ, therefore, claimed to be one with the Father. He was so perfectly one, that He did only what the Father did. He spoke only what the Father spoke. His will was only the Father's will. Surely this was a remarkable claim, and yet this is what Christ always taught. He said to the disciples, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me?" "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father."
The Word of God bears testimony that Jesus Christ was the declaration, or, the interpretation, of the Father. It says, "The * * Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him."
3. Christ's assertion that He raised the dead, even as the Father raised them. He claimed not only to be the manifestation of the Father's character, but also to do all the works which the Father did. He taught that the hour was coming when all that were in the graves would hear His voice and would come forth. He claimed that He was the Resurrection, and the Life. This is in line with the Word of God, which says that, Christ "shall descend from Heaven with a shout, * * and the dead in Christ shall rise first."
4. Christ's assertion that He should receive honor along with the Father. John 5:23 reads, "That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." He even said, "He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father."
We desire to enter upon no tirade against any organization, and yet the organization which will eliminate the Son, must of necessity eliminate the Father. There is no man who can come unto the Father, apart from Christ; and there is no man that can honor or magnify the Father, apart from Christ.
5. Christ's assertion that He had inherent life along with the Father. Here are His words, "As the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." All of us have life which is begotten. We have life which had a beginning". Not so with Christ. He had life within Himself; He was the Author of life. He even said, "I am * * the Life."
6. Christ's assertion that all judgment was given unto Him. Here are His exact words, "And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man."
The wicked in the day of tribulation will cry unto the rocks and mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb, for the "great day of His wrath" will have come.
Is it not a striking fact, that the One who so tenderly said, "Come unto Me," also said, "Depart from Me, ye cursed"? that the One who said, "I am * * the Life," also said, "judgment is Mine"?
Thus we have laid before you, in brief, the witness of Jesus Christ to Himself. Our conclusion, as this witness leaves the stand, is that no man in the history of the wide, wide world ever made claims such as He made. No one ever said, "I am the Way." None other ever said, "Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life." None other ever said, "Come unto Me, all ye * * and I will give you rest." None other ever said, " I am the Resurrection, and the Life."
It is useless to cavil. Jesus Christ was either all that He claimed to be, or else He was the greatest religious impostor that ever lived on earth. For our part we accept His testimony. We bend the knee. We crown Him Lord of all.
II. THE WITNESS OF MAN (John 5:33)
We now bring before you the witness of one man, even John. We take him as a sample witness representing a large crowd. Representing, indeed, multiplied millions of men who have lived down through the ages, and have borne a like witness. Shall we let John speak for himself?
We will take his testimony from the first chapter of John.
1. John proclaimed a witness of the Light. John 5:6-7 and John 5:8 read, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light." Jesus Christ was the "true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." We wonder if John was ashamed to give testimony to the Lord Jesus? Let us look at our witness for a moment. He was a man of the wilderness. He came, preaching, near the Jordan. He did not go into the crowded thoroughfares of the city. He began to cry out, and men went to him. They came from all over Judaea. The great men, and the mighty men came. The plebians, the common people came. Herod, the tetrarch, came along with the rabble, to hear the testimony of John.
2. John's witness of Christ he proclaimed Christ's eternity. John 5:15 says, "John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me." We all know that, in actuality, as far as years are concerned, Jesus was not before John. John was six months the senior of Christ, as far as birth was concerned. What then is the meaning of John's testimony, that Christ was before him? John was acclaiming Jesus Christ as the eternal Son. Jesus was before John, because He was before all men. Christ could say, "Before Abraham was, I am." Yea, and He could say, "Before the day was, I am." John knew this, and he spoke of Christ as the eternal One.
3. John proclaims himself the forerunner of Christ. As we think of this marvelous man, we should remember that Christ said of him, "Among those * * born of women there is not a greater Prophet than John the Baptist." Yet, we take the word of John, when a delegation came down from Jerusalem to ask him, "Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered. No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? * * What sayest thou of thyself?" This greatest of men said, and denied not, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord."
"And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if them be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth One among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." What a marvelous witness is John! The greatest born of woman confessed freely that he was not even worthy to unloose the latchet of the sandals of the Son of God.
4. John Proclaims Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God. In John 5:29 we read that when John saw Jesus, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." This is the testimony which John gave to Christ. He believed that the sacrificial Lamb had come. He believed that the One prophesied for 1500 years, in the shedding of the blood of the passover lamb, was now before them. But he went even farther than this. He said, when he saw the Holy Spirit descending, and remaining on Christ, that that Christ was the Son of God. Hear his own words, "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." In other words, the Lamb of God, was, the Son of God.
III. THE WITNESS OF CHRIST'S WORKS (John 5:36)
Jesus Christ said that He had a greater witness than John. "For the works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me."
We remember how Christ, when but a twelve-year-old lad, said unto His mother, who had sought Him sorrowing, "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" We have already suggested in this study that Jesus did no mighty works along the lines of human accomplishment. We have shown that He was not great in the realm where other men count greatness. Yet, He wrought as no other man ever wrought, because He wrought where no man had ever wrought. He worked in the realm of the creative. Man works in the realm of the things that are made.
We know that all things were made by Christ. "AH things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made." Jesus Christ said of old, "Let there be light: and there was light." He had said, "Let the earth bring forth," and it brought forth. Jesus Christ, on earth, by His word turned water into wine. He stood by the dead daughter of Jairus, and speaking the word, she was restored to life. He stood by the bier of the son of the widow of Nain, and, likewise, quickened him. He stood by the grave of Lazarus, who had been four days dead, and said, "Lazarus, come forth." Then Lazarus "came forth."
Jesus Christ lay asleep in a ship. The disciples, who for the most part had been accustomed to the storms of Galilee, were filled with fear for the ship was about to sink. Peter went to the Lord, and, waking Him said; "Master, we perish." With what quiet, unperturbed majesty did the Son of God step forth, saying, "Why are ye so fearful, O ye of little faith?" Then, lifting His hands, He said, "Peace, be still, * * and there was a great calm." The disciples cried, "What manner of Man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
When John the Baptist, from his prison, sent disciples to ask Christ if He was the Messiah, Christ said, "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me." Beloved, as we see the works of Christ's earthly life, do they not bear witness of Him that He is the Son of God? His supreme work was the work of Calvary. It was there that He met principalities and powers and vanquished them, "making a show of them openly." His supreme subsequent work, however, was that of the resurrection and ascension. His works have declared Him the Son of God.
IV. THE WITNESS OF THE FATHER (John 5:37)
We now come to our fourth witness, as God, Himself, clothed with majesty and power, steps upon the scene.
We have heard the testimony of Christ to Himself; we have heard the testimony of John, and the testimony of the works of the Lord. Now, the Father will add His voice.
1. The testimony at Christ's birth. As the shepherds were watching their flocks by night, an angel from God bore witness, saying, "Behold * * unto you is born this day * * a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." The words spoken by angels are true and steadfast.
The angels not only gave testimony at Christ's birth, but they gave testimony at His resurrection, as they sat upon the stone which they had rolled from the tomb. Again, the angels spoke at the ascension of Christ as they bore witness to the fact: "This same Jesus, * * shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven."
2. The testimony at Christ's baptism. At first John would have hindered Jesus, but Christ said, "Suffer it to be so now." Then John baptized Jesus, and as the Lord came forth from the waters, the heavens were opened, and the voice of God spoke saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
This witness of the Father was retrospective. It looked back over the thirty years which Christ had already lived among men, and endorsed Him.
This witness of the Father was perspective. It anticipated Christ's march toward the Cross, His death, burial, and resurrection, which Christ's baptism prefigured, and endorsed it.
3. The testimony at Christ's transfiguration. As Christ was on the mountain with Peter, and James, and John, Moses and Elias appeared with Him in glory, talking with Him of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.
It was then that the Father spoke from Heaven. Peter had suggested the building of three tabernacles, giving honor to Moses, to Elias, and to Christ. Then the Father said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him."
The Father would not, for one moment, allow any equality of honor or of worship between Christ and earth's greatest seers.
4. The testimony at the visit of the Greeks. The Greeks came saying, "Sir, we would see Jesus." They came at the moment that Christ faced immediate crucifixion and rejection. Christ said, "What shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy Name."
Thus Jesus spoke, and then there came a voice from Heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
Space will not permit further words, but we know that the Father gave indisputable testimony and witness to Christ.
V. THE WITNESS OF THE SCRIPTURES (John 5:39)
When Jesus walked along the road to Emmaus He began with Moses, and through all the Prophets He opened up unto two disciples, with whom He walked, all those things concerning Himself.
It would be a task far too great for this hour to give the testimony of the Word of God to the Son of God. We will only quote one passage of Scripture. It is found in the last chapter of the First Epistle of John, verse twenty.
"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."
AN ILLUSTRATION
Here is a testimony to Jesus Christ: "To the artist He is the Chief Cornerstone.
To the astronomer He is the Sun of Righteousness.
To the biologist He is the Life.
To the builder He is the Sure Foundation.
To the carpenter He is the Door.
To the doctor He is the Great Physician.
To the farmer He is the Sower and the Lord of the Harvest.
To the geologist He is the Rock of Ages.
To the horticulturist He is the True Vine.
To the judge He is the Righteous Judge, the Judge of all men.
To the newspaper man He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
To the philanthropist He is the Unspeakable Gift.
To the sculptor He is the Living Stone.
To the preacher He is the Word of God."
The Toronto Globe.
Now let us take the testimony of many saints:
TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES
"Who do men say that I * * am?"
"Pharisees, with what have ye to reproach Jesus?" "He eateth with publicans and sinners." "And you, Caiaphas, what have you to say of Him?" "He is a blasphemer, because He said, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." "Pilate, what is your opinion?" "I find no fault in this Man." "And you, Judas, who have sold your Master for silver have you some fearful charge to hurl against Him?" "I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." "And you, centurion and soldiers, who led Him to the cross, what have you to say against Him?" "Truly this was the Son of God." "And you, demons?" "He is the Son of God." "John Baptist, what think you of Christ?" "Behold the Lamb of God." "And you, John the Apostle?" "He is the Bright and Morning Star." "Peter, what say you of your Master?" "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." "And you, Thomas?" "My Lord and my God." "Paul. you have persecuted Him: what testify you against Him?" "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." "Angels of Heaven, what think ye of Jesus?" "Unto you is born * * a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." "And, Thou, Father in Heaven, who knowest all things!" "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Evangelistic Messenger.