In a previous post, we introduced the subject of the humanity of Jesus. One can prove the deity of Jesus by showing how He talked and how He acted. We will start with the fact that Jesus talked as though He were deity.
Jesus most commonly referred to Himself as the “Son of Man.” In fact, this expression occurs 84 times in the gospels. The expression is taken from Daniel 7:13, and is understood to mean that Jesus is “the representative Man.” It emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, but it also implies His deity. Of course, this idea is supported in other places as well. For instance, Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Referring to Himself as the “Son of Man” could not be called just a mere mistake of understanding, for even the enemies of Jesus recognized that He claimed to be the Son of God, and called it blasphemy (Mark 14:61-64). He furthermore called God His Father, after healing the man at the pool of Bethesda, and the Jews were outraged because they understood the import of His reference (John 5:18, 23).
He also identified Himself as the Son of God to the man who had been healed of blindness (John 9:35-38). But one of the boldest proclamations of His deity occurred in John 10:33, when He said that He and the Father were one. If Jesus were not speaking the truth, His claims would be either blasphemy, or the rantings of a madman.
Kyle Campbell
