Introduction

Jesus Christ, central to Christian theology, is recognized as the divine Son of God and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. His divinity is a cornerstone of Christian belief, affirming His identity as Jehovah, the Messenger of the Covenant. This entry explores the scriptural basis for Jesus' divinity, His role as the Messenger of the Covenant, and the implications of these truths.

Divine Nature and Pre-existence

The divinity of Jesus is affirmed in numerous passages throughout the New Testament. John 1:1-3 declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made." This passage establishes Jesus as pre-existent and co-eternal with God, participating in the creation of the world.

Philippians 2:6-7 further emphasizes His divine nature: "Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness." Here, the Apostle Paul underscores Jesus' divine status and His voluntary incarnation.

The Messenger of the Covenant

The Old Testament prophesies the coming of a divine messenger who will establish a new covenant. Malachi 3:1 states, "Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming, says the LORD of Hosts." This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus, who is both the messenger and the embodiment of the new covenant.

In the New Testament, Jesus Himself affirms His role in establishing this covenant. During the Last Supper, He declares in Luke 22:20 , "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus inaugurates the new covenant, offering redemption and reconciliation with God.

Divine Titles and Attributes

Jesus is ascribed titles and attributes that affirm His divinity. In John 8:58 , Jesus proclaims, "Truly, truly, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!" This statement echoes the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, identifying Jesus with the eternal "I AM."

Furthermore, Jesus is worshiped and acknowledged as God by His followers. Thomas, upon seeing the resurrected Christ, exclaims in John 20:28 , "My Lord and my God!" This acknowledgment of Jesus' divine identity is accepted by Christ, further affirming His deity.

Role in Salvation and Judgment

As the divine Savior, Jesus plays a central role in the salvation of humanity. John 3:16 encapsulates this mission: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Jesus' sacrificial death and victorious resurrection provide the means for eternal life to all who believe.

Moreover, Jesus is appointed as the judge of the living and the dead. Acts 10:42 states, "He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead." This role underscores His divine authority and sovereignty.

Conclusion

The divinity of Jesus Christ is a foundational doctrine supported by both Old and New Testament scriptures. As Jehovah, the Messenger of the Covenant, Jesus fulfills the prophecies of a coming Savior and establishes a new covenant through His life, death, and resurrection. His divine nature, affirmed by His titles, attributes, and works, remains central to the Christian faith.Malachi 3:1
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, said the LORD of hosts.
Nave's Topical Index

Luke 2:27
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Nave's Topical Index

"The House of Israel"
... Jesus looked upon them, and under His searching ... His divinity flashed out before them
with unmistakable ... Solemnly and regretfully Christ asked: "Did ye never ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 59 the house of.htm

Bands of Love; Or, Union to Christ. "I Drew them with Cords of a ...
... is regarded with complacency by the just Jehovah, for He ... the manhood was not transformed
into divinity, and so ... implantation of the soul into Christ Jesus is a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/bands of love or union.htm

Joy Born at Bethlehem
... Jesus is no partial Saviour, beginning a work and not concluding it; but ... Our Saviour
is Christ, God, Jehovah ... No testimony to his divinity could be plainer; it is ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/joy born at bethlehem.htm

The Baptism of Jesus: Its Higher Meaning.
... of the voluntary obscuration of His Divinity, as part ... 13 numerically = {hebrew};
or, altogether {hebrew}, Jehovah One ... the Life of our Lord Jesus Christ, p. 105 ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xii the baptism of.htm

The Priesthood of Christ
... and his race for ever, had not Jehovah, full of ... amplitude of title shall we point
out its divinity. ... rendered "acceptable to God, only by Jesus Christ." (1 Pet. ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/oration iv the priesthood of.htm

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra.
... the living God." The living God is Jehovah the self ... and so fully were they persuaded
of the divinity of the ... and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xv paul and barnabas.htm

Paul in Athens.
... An obscure rumour of his divinity had reached the ... too well instructed to suppose,
that Jehovah himself was ... and commit many errors, till Jesus Christ, by the ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xx paul in athens.htm

"Let us Pray"
... the immediate presence of the heart-searching Jehovah, and I ... says that he never forgot
the divinity he taught ... I have found the Lord Jesus Christ." All the boys ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/let us pray.htm

Preparation for Revival
... Spirit himself would come forth, and show what divinity can do ... "My Father worketh,"
saith Jesus, "and I ... never indulge in, if I thought that Christ would come ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/preparation for revival.htm

The Bible
... Eternal, the Invisible, the Almighty, the Jehovah of this ... They contain the sum and
substance of divinity. ... But the science of Jesus Christ is the most excellent ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the bible.htm

Who is Jesus Christ? | GotQuestions.org

Is there power in the name of Jesus? | GotQuestions.org

Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God? | GotQuestions.org

Jesus: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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