Did Jesus ever really say He was the Christ?
This is an important question. Before I became a Christian, I remember hearing from repeated sources that Jesus Himself never actually claimed to be “the Christ.”
It is often said that Jesus told His followers not to call Him the Christ based upon this passage in the Gospel of Matthew:
“Then charged he his disciples that they
should tell no man that he was Jesus the
Christ.” (Matthew 16:20)
The Identity of Christ
What’s most important is to know what Jesus said about Who He is, and the power given to Him by God the Father. The Lord gives us this guideline for discernment:
“And if any man hear my words, and believe
not, I judge him not … He that rejecteth me,
and receiveth not my words hath one that
judgeth him: the word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day.”
(John 12:47-48)
We find a picture of this judgment in Revelation 19, where Christ appears with a “sharp sword” from His mouth (v.15) while Paul tells us that “the sword of the spirit … is the word of God” (Eph 6:17). Ultimately, all men are judged based upon God’s revealed Word (John 3:19). On the issue of being the “Christ” or “Messiah” of God, the Lord’s words in Mark’s gospel tell us clearly:
“Again the high priest asked him, and said
unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed? And Jesus said, I am …”
(Mark 14:61-62)
While Jesus as the Christ is information that most Christians take for granted, I have been amazed at how many people are simply unaware of the above passage. A number of years ago, while attending a Bible study at a Disciples of Christ Church (which I cannot recommend), there were elders and deacons in the class who were unaware of this passage! This proved to be a real problem for them and the members of that congregation. A young woman was confused about the identity of Jesus, had heard the new age lie, and thought that Jesus never actually admitted to being the Christ. Then I showed her Mark 14. Her eyes lit up, and she said, “Well, that’s pretty clear.”
A few years later, I heard this same thing again on an ABC special hosted by Peter Jennings (shortly before he died). In 2004, Jennings presented “Jesus & Paul, the Word and the Witness” in which he said: “Scholars also debate whether or not Jesus led people to believe that He was the Messiah. In the Bible, He never says it directly.” We can only hope that Jennings learned the truth before his death, but he was simply repeating what he had been told by so-called “experts” on the Bible.
Understanding the Person of Jesus Christ is the most important part of witnessing on His behalf, and in our times is crucial if we are to guide souls away from the “other Jesus” that Paul warned against (2 Corinthians 11:4). “Another Jesus” cannot save. According to Christ Himself, it is the Jesus sent by “the only true God” that brings a soul to life eternal (John 17:3).
What follows are a collection of Scriptures that are broken up into two simple categories: 1) What Jesus said about Himself; and 2) what the apostles, who repeatedly declared that they were “eyewitnesses” said about Him.
What Jesus said about Himself:
“All power is given unto me in heaven and
in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)
“For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and
giveth them life, even so the Son giveth life
to whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man,
but hath committed all judgment unto the Son;
that all men should honor the Son, even as
they honor the Father. He that honoreth not
the Son honoreth not the Father, who hath
sent him.” (John 5:21-23)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth
my word, and believeth on him that sent me,
hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
judgment, but is passed from death unto
life.” (John 5:24)
“I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me
shall never hunger, and he that believeth on
me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)
“I am the light of the world; he that followeth
me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life.” (John 8:12)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man
keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
(John 8:51)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the
door of the sheep. All that ever came before
me are thieves and robbers … I am the
door; by me if any man enter in, he shall
be saved …” (John 10:7-9)
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd
giveth his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
“… I lay down my life, that I might take it
again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay
it down of myself. I have power to lay it
down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my
Father.” (John 10:17-18)
“I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)
“I am the resurrection and the life; he
that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die. Believest
thou this?” (John 11:25-26)
“I am come a light into the world, that
whosoever believeth on me should not abide
in darkness. And if any man hear my words,
and believe not, I judge him not; for I came,
not to judge the world but to save the world.
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my
words, hath one that judgeth him: the word
that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day.” (John 12:46-48)
“Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say
well; for so I am.” (John 13:13)
“I am the way, the truth, and the life;
no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me.” (John 14:6)
“I am the vine, ye are the branches. He
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit; for without me
ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
“To this end was I born, and for this cause
came I into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of
the truth heareth my voice.” (John 18:37)
“These are the words which I spoke unto
you, while I was yet with you, that all things
must be fulfilled, which were written in the
law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in
the psalms, concerning me. … Thus it is
written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer,
and to rise from the dead the third day; and
that repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in his name among all
nations …” (Luke 24:44,46-47)
“I am the first and the last; I am he that
liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am
alive forevermore, Amen, and have the
keys of hell and of death.”
(Revelation 1:17-18)
“And behold, I come quickly, and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his
work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12)
We will end this section on “What Jesus said about Himself” with the Lord’s final words at the end of the four gospels:
“Follow thou me.” (John 21:22)
What the Apostles wrote & declared about Jesus:
The apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ repeatedly declared that they were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ earthly ministry (Luke 1:2, Acts 2:32, 3:15, 5:32, 10:39, 10:41, 13:31, 2 Peter 1:16, 1 John 1:1-2); of His teachings, miracles, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. The apostle John gives, perhaps, the most beautiful testimony of this:
“That which was from the beginning, which
we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the Word of life; for
the life was manifested, and we have seen it,
and bear witness …” (1 John 1:1-2)
What follows are some of the most important things written in the New Testament about the Lord Jesus Christ:
“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary:
for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He
shall be great, and shall be called the Son of
the Highest … also that holy thing which shall
be born of thee shall be called the Son of
God.” (Luke 1:30-31,32,35)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without
him was not anything made that was made
.… And the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us …” (John 1:1-3, 14)
“The Father loveth the Son, and hath given
all things into his hand. He that believeth the
Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth
not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath
of God abideth on him.” (John 3:35-36)
“[He] is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of every creature: for by him were
all things created, that are in heaven, and
that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities,
or powers: all things were created by him
and for him: and he is before all things, and
by him all things consist. And he is the
head of the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that
in all things he might have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in him should
all fullness dwell …” (Colossians 1:15-19)
“Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified
… This is the stone which was set at nought of
you builders, which is become the head of the
corner. Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be
saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)
“That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth; and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
(Philippians 2:10-11)
“God … hath in these last days spoken unto
us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir
of all things …” (Hebrews 1:1-2)
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he
obedience by the things which he suffered;
and being made perfect, he became the
author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him …” (Hebrews 5:8-9)
“… we are sanctified through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all … this
man, after he had offered one sacrifice for
sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of
God … For by one offering he hath perfected
for ever them that are sanctified … Now
where remission of these is, there is no more
offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:10,12,14,18)
“… our Lord Jesus Christ: which in his times
he shall show who is the blessed and only
Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
who only hath immortality, dwelling in the
light which no man can approach unto, who
no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom
be honor and power everlasting. Amen.”
(1Timothy 6:14-16)
“For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
who gave himself a ransom for all, to be
testified in due time.” (1Timothy 2:5)
“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every
eye shall see him, and they also which pierced
him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. Even so, Amen.”
(Revelation 1:7)
