The divinity of the carpenter’s son

Who is Jesus?  Islam claims that Jesus was a prophet, almost as holy as Muhammad.  The Jehovah Witnesses claim that Jesus is the highest created angel.  Bestselling author and spiritual leader Deepak Chopra would view Jesus as a great spiritual teacher and guide.  In The Third Jesus, he claims also that there is not one Jesus, but three.

According to Deepak:

 First, there is the historical Jesus, the man who lived more than two thousand years ago and whose teachings are the foundation of Christian theology and thought. Next there is Jesus the Son of God, who has come to embody an institutional religion with specific dogma, a priesthood, and devout believers. And finally, there is the third Jesus, the cosmic Christ, the spiritual guide whose teaching embraces all humanity, not just the church built in his name. He speaks to the individual who wants to find God as a personal experience, to attain what some might call grace, or God-consciousness, or enlightenment.”

Ultimately, Deepak argues:

“Christianity needs to overcome its tendency to be exclusionary and refocus on being a religion of personal insight and spiritual growth. In this way Jesus can be seen for the universal teacher he truly is–someone whose teachings of compassion, tolerance, and understanding can embrace and be embraced by all of us.”

Are these views of Jesus correct?

Mark records the account of the disciples joining Jesus in a boat, at Jesus’ request, to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35-41).  V37 tells us that a “great” storm arose and the waves struck the boat, filling it with water.  The experienced fishermen in the boat were panicking.  Jesus, in contrast, is sleeping on a pillow (We see a bit of Mark’s humour here!).  The disciples wake Jesus up and reprimand him for his lack of care.

Jesus’ response is breath-taking.  Jesus’ response enables us answer the question of his identity.  V39 says, ‘Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.’  Jesus rebukes the wind and speaks to the waves.  More importantly, they listen to him.  Literally v39  says there was a “great” calm. Little red alarms bells should be going off in your head right now.  Where else in the Bible are words spoken and nature obeys?  Genesis 1.  God speaks and it is so.  The words, “And God said let there be” and “It was so” are repeated numerous time.  

What does Mark want to tell us about Jesus?  Its very simple, Jesus is God.  The disciples realised this and v41 says that after seeing nature’s response to Jesus’ words, they “feared a great fear”.  First a great storm, then a great calm, now a great fear.  Creation listens to Jesus and obeys him.  The disciples realised in some small way that they were in the presence of divinity.  Jesus is God the Son, second person of the triune God come into our world to rescue all those who submit to him as Lord and follow him as King.   

Because Jesus was fully human he could bear God’s justice for human’s sins.  And because Jesus was fully God he could bear all the sins of all God’s people and extend God’s forgiveness to all us.

Who do you think Jesus is?