New Testament Christology

The Deity of Christ

This lesson has been adapted from J. Ed Komoszewski and Robert M. Bowmans Putting Jesus in His
Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2007).

H.A.N.D.S.
Honors: Jesus shares the honors due to God.
Attributes: Jesus shares the attributes of God.
Names: Jesus shares the names of God.
Deeds: Jesus shares in the deeds that God does.
Seat: Jesus shares the seat of Gods throne.

Deeds

Belief in the deity of Jesus is not merely a matter of assigning to him the label God or any of the
other divine names. As we saw in parts 1 and 2, to affirm that Jesus is God is to acknowledge that he
is worthy of receiving all divine honors and that he possesses the divine attributes. Why is any of
this important to us? The answer is that Jesus does everything for us that God does. Although it is
proper to accord Jesus divine honors in view of his divine attributes, in the Bible the primary
impetus to the unlimited worship, reverence, praise, faith, and obedience that we owe to God is
what God has done for us. Likewise, the New Testament summons us to acknowledge and honor
Jesus Christ as God primarily because of what he has done for us. (PJIHP, 185)

Creating and Sustaining All Things

God (Gen. 1:1; 2:7; Neh. 9:6; Pss. 95:57; 102:25; 104:2430; Isa. 44:24; Jer. 10:16; 51:19;
Acts 4:24; 14:15; 17:25, 28; Rom. 11:36; Heb. 2:10; Rev. 4:11)
Jesus (John 1:3, 10; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:1617; Heb. 1:23, 10)

Sovereignly Ruling Over the Forces of Nature

God (Gen. 8:1; Exod. 14:21; Job 38:811; Pss. 33:7; 65:7; 74:1314; 77:1620; 89:9; 104:4
9; 107:2330; Prov. 8:2231; Isa. 17:1213; 35:46; Jer. 5:22; 31:35)
Jesus (Matt 8:2327 [cf. Mark 4:3541; Luke 8:2225]; Matt 14:1321 [cf. Mark 6:3244;
Luke 9:1017; John 6:115]; Matt 14:2233 [cf. Mark 6:4552; John 6:1621]; Matt 15:32
39 [cf. Mark 8:110]; Matt 17:2427; Mark 5:1920 [cf. Luke 8:39]; Luke 5:111; 7:1116;
John 2:111; John 21:114)

Illumination and Revelation

God (Gen. 40:8; 41:1516; Ps. 119:18; Dan. 2:2023; Amos 3:7)
 Jesus (Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 1:45, 9, 18; 2 Thess. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:1,
8; Titus 2:13)

Speaking with Divine Authority

God (Cf. Thus says the Lord [over 400x]; Isa. 40:8; 52:6; 55:1112)
Jesus (Matt. 5:2022; 7:2429; 24:35; Mark 1:22; 13:31; Luke 4:32; John 4:26; 7:46; cf.
Amen I say to you [74x])

Word of the Lord

God (1 Kings 13:1, 2, 5, 32; 20:35; 2 Chron. 30:12; cf. 2 Sam. 16:23; 1 Chron. 15:15)
Jesus (Acts 8:25; 13:44, 4849; 15:3536; 16:32; 19:10, 20; 1 Thess. 4:15)

Salvation

God (Exod. 15:2; Deut. 32:15; Pss. 3:8; 24:5; 25:5 [etc.]; 62:12, 67; 118:14, 21; 130:8; Isa.
45:15, 21; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4)
Jesus (Matt. 1:21; Luke 19:910; John 3:17; 10:9; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 16:31; 1 Cor. 15:14; 1
Tim. 1:1, 15; Titus 1:4; 2:1314; 3:6; Heb. 5:9; Rev. 7:10)

Showing Mercy

God (Pss. 6:2; 9:13; 31:9; 41:4, 10; 56:1; 86:3; 123:3; Isa. 33:2)
Jesus (Matt. 15:22; 20:30, 31)

Forgiveness of Sins

God (Exod. 34:67; Pss. 51:4; 130:4; Isa. 43:25; 44:22; 55:7; Jer. 31:34; Dan. 9:9)
Jesus (Matt 9:18 [cf. Mark 2:112; Luke 5:1726]; Luke 7:4749; Acts 5:31; Col. 3:13)

Sending the Spirit and His Gifts

God (Joel 2:2829; John 14:26; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:6)

Jesus (Matt 3:11; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; 4:10, 15; 7:3739; 15:26; 16:714; 20:22; Acts
2:33; 16:67; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:5; Eph. 4:811; Phil. 1:19)

Giving and Being Life

God (Gen. 2:7; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 36:9; Jer. 2:13)
Jesus (John 1:4; 3:1516; 5:2126; 10:10; 14:6; 17:3; 20:3031; Acts 3:15; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor.
4:1011; Phil. 1:21; Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:34)

Raising the Dead

God (Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6; Gal. 1:1)

Jesus (John 2:1922; 5:2829; 6:40, 54; 10:1718, 2728; 11:2526; Acts 2:24)
Source of All Spiritual Blessings

God (See references below)

Jesus (Eph. 1:23; 1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; 2 John 3; Rev. 1:4; etc.; 2 Thess. 2:1617)

Judging All People

God (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 1:17; Pss. 7:911; 50:4, 6; 62:12; 75:7; 96:1213; Prov. 24:12; Isa.
40:911; Jer. 25:31; Joel 3:12; Rom. 2:3; 14:10)
Jesus (Matt. 16:27; 25:3146; John 5:2223; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 1 Cor. 4:45; 2
Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:78; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:23)