Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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Christ Is God
Chapter 4 – Christ and God in the New Testament: Before Resurrection
The Old Testament ends with the long-promised messiah still at least 400 years away. But the New Testament begins with King Herod killing infants in Bethlehem because he heard the messiah was among them.
A few decades later, John the Baptist became famous throughout Israel because he declared that messiah’s time’s was “at hand.”
Matthew 3:1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Recall that “messiah” at its root means “king,” so the kingdom of God being at hand had to mean that the messiah was an adult by this time.
While John was still active in ministry, Jesus Himself begins His public ministry reinforcing what John has been preaching.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Although John the Baptist baptized and identified Jesus as the expected messiah, Jesus himself downplayed that identification during the days of his earthly ministry.
Even in the following exchange, which took place a few days before Jesus was crucified, Jesus didn’t play up the fact that he himself was the christ. The words in bold print are Jesus quoting Psalm 110:1 – an indication that messiah’s resurrection would lead not back to earth…but all the way to heaven.
Matthew 22:41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:
Matthew 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”
Matthew 22:43 He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
Matthew 22:44 ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”‘?
Matthew 22:45 “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”
Matthew 22:46 No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.
It was Jesus’ admission at his trial (below) that he was indeed the christ that got him killed. No wonder He had been reluctant to broadcast that fact!
Matthew 26:62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?”
Matthew 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
Matthew 26:64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.”
Matthew 26:65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy;
Matthew 26:66 what do you think?” They answered, “He deserves death!”
Again, I have put in bold Jesus’ reference to the right hand of God. We’ll see in the next chapter how this relocation was a direct consequence of Jesus’ resurrection…and how it caused people to realize that Jesus must have been much more than a great human being.
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