THE GREAT I AM
THE GREAT I AM
Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him. —Mark 14:60-65
For those who say that Jesus never claimed to be God in the flesh, here is one passage, among many, where the Jews knew exactly what He was saying and wanted to kill Him for blasphemey. The blasphemy was that Jesus acknowledged that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. This could not be any clearer and this happens many times in God’s Word. Here are a few.
- 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; without him nothing was made that has been made. —John 1:1-3
- The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. —John 1:14
- No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. —John 1:18
- For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. —John 5:18
- “Very truly I tell you,”Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
- “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” —John 10:33
- And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. —John 17:5
- Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” —John 20:28
- Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe bthat Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. —John 20:30-31
How amazing! How astounding! How wonderful! That Jesus took on a body (Hebrews 10:5), lived among us, took the penalty of our sins upon Himself, died, rose again, appeared for 40 days among us, ascended back to heaven and is coming again! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUxI-ynsTnM&list=UUf1NPIFOBwzTLVQiEDnq4Cw&index=2