Ch. IV Who is God? p38-46

“Once the soundness of the Gospels as historical documents has been established, one is justified in searching for evidence of Divine Revelation. The main character of the Gospels is Jesus Christ. He overshadows everything else, which these writings contain, because His chief claim was that He was GOD. He declared His divinity not in the loose, figurative sense of the term, but in its strictly literal sense. He said that He was an Infinite Being having the attributes of power and knowledge in an unlimited degree.”^[1]

Proofs that Christ is GOD:

I. He fulfilled the Old Testament Prophecies.

The history given in Holy Scripture were real events many of which can be documented from other sources such as ancient writings and archeology. The Old Testament is a history of the Jewish people and the events leading up to Christ. After the fall of Adam, the Gates of Heaven were closed to mankind. God however promised a Redeemer and inspired the Ancient prophets to pass down through the generations, the signs by which this Redeemer could be recognized. Only Jesus Christ fulfilled all of these many signs. A few are given below.

PROPHECY FULFILLMENT

1. He shall be called “Christ” (Dan. 9:24-25). John 1:41; John 4:25-26.

2. His coming shall be heralded by precursor (Mal. 3:1}. Matt. 3:1-3, 11;

Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:4-6

LukLuke3:

3. He will be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2). Matt. 2:1-6; Luke 2:4.

4. He will be born of a Virgin (Isa. 7:14). Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:26-35.

5. Kings shall bring gifts (Ps.71:10) Matt. 2:11

6. The slaughter of the Innocents (Jer. 31:15) Matt. 2:17-18.

7. He shall be called from Egypt (Osee 11:1) Matt. 2:15

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8. He shall be a King (Jer. 23:5) Matt. 2:2; John 13:36; Matt. 21:5

.

9. He shall be a Prophet and Teacher (Deut. 18:18; Isa. 2:3) Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:15, 31-32.

10. He shall work Miracles (Isa.35:46). Matt. 11:4-6.

11. He shall reproach the Money Changers in the Temple (Ps.68:10). John 2:15-17

12. King shall come to Sion (Jerusalem) riding on an ass. (Isa. 62:11; Matt. 21:1-10.

Zac. 9:9).

13. He will be betrayed by one who ate at the same table (Ps. 40:10) Mark 14:10-21.

14. He will be sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zac. 11:12-13). Matt. 26:15.

15. He remains silent before accusers (Ps. 37:13-14; Isa. 53:7). Matt. 26:59-63;

Matt. 27:12-14.

16. He shall be beaten and scourged (Ps. 72:14; Isa. 1:6). Mark 15:15; John 19:1

17. His hands and feet shall be pierced with nails (Ps. 21:17; Zach 12:10). John 20:25-27.

18. They shall cast lots for His garments (Ps. 21:19). John 19:24; Matt. 27:35;

Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34.

19. Shall be given gall and vinegar (Ps. 68:22). John 19:29-30; Matt. 27:34.

20. He shall die between the wicked (Isa. 53:9-12). Matt. 27:38; Luke 23:40-43.

21. His bones would not be broken (Ps. 33:21; Exo. 12:46; Num. 9:12). John 19:36.

22. Will make His grave with the rich (Isa. 53:9-12). Matt. 27:57-60.

23. His Body will not corrupt (Ps. 15:10). Matt. 27:63; 28:6.

24. He will ascend into Heaven (Ps. 67:34-35). Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9.

It is amazing that many of the Pharisees, who studied Scripture, failed to recognize Christ as the predicted Messiah! They however, were worldly and expected an earthly kingdom and King. Their minds were therefore clouded so that they would not recognize Truth when they saw it. See footnote 6 in the Introduction.

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II. His Miracles were not denied by those who lived at the time, not even by His enemies!^[2]

1. Tacitus, a great Roman historian wrote about Christ, His death and attempts by Nero to stop the spread of Christianity.

2. Pliny the Younger (111 AD) Reports to the Emperor, Trajan about Christ and the Christians.

3. Suctonius, the biographer of the Caesars (A.D. 51 or 52) writes of the Christians.

4. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (A.D. 37 - 100) speaks of Christ in two places of his

“Jewish Antiquities”. In Book XVIII,3,2, he writes:

“At this time appeared Jesus, a wise man, if it be right to call him a man, for he worked miracles.

He was the teacher of men who received the truth with joy, and He drew after Him many Jews and

many Greeks. He was Christ. On the denunciation of the first men of our nation, Pilate condemned

Him to the cross; but those who loved Him from the beginning did not cease to love Him. For He

appeared to them risen on the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold concerning Him, as also

a thousand other marvels about Him.”

5. The Jewish Talmud contains twelve references to Christ. All of them filled with hatred of the

very name of Jesus. Christ’s miracles are not denied but ascribed to magical arts which He

had brought from Egypt.

6. A Syrian named Mara wrote to his son Serapion (between A.D. 73 and 160) about Christ the

wise King of the Jews Who was put to death by His own People.

III. Jesus Himself claimed to be The expected Messiah - The Son of God.^[3]

1. The Prophet Daniel uses the term “Son of Man” as the name of the long awaited Messiah.^[4]The Jews expected the Messiah to come during the time of Christ and even thought that John the Baptist might be Him. John the Baptist of course denied it. Christ calls Himself the “Son of Man” eighty times in the Gospels!^[5]

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2. Before His Ascension into Heaven Christ directed His Apostles to Baptize converts “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” and saying that He had “all power” and that He would be with them till “the consummation of the world.”^[6] From this text it is clear that the Son is equal to the Father, and the Holy Ghost, that He is omnipotent, and would be with His followers till the end of the world, which can be said of God alone.

3. Christ proved His Divinity by His many Miracles.^[7]

(1) Changing water into wine at Cana;

(2) Healing of the ruler’s son at Capharnaum;

(3) Healing of the possessed at Capharnaum;

(4) Healing of Peter’s mother-in-law;

(5) The first great catch of fishes;

(6) Healing of a leper;

(7) Healing of the paralytic at Capharnaum;

(8) Healing at the pool at Bethsaida;

(9) Healing of the withered hand;

(10) Healing of the centurion’s son;.

(11) Raising from the dead of the widow’s son at Naim;

(12) Healing of the blind men at Capharnaum;

(13) Stilling the storm on the lake;

(14) Healing of the possessed at Gerasa;

(15) Healing of the woman with an issue of blood;

(16) Raising from the dead of the daughter of Jairus;

(17) Healing of the dumb possessed man;

(18) Miraculous feeding of the five thousand;

(19) Jesus walks on the Lake of Gennesaret;

(20) Healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman;

(21) Healing of the deaf and dumb at Decapolis;

(22) Miraculous feeding of the four thousand.

(23) Healing of the blind man at Bethsaida;

(24) Healing of the lunatic after the Transfiguration;

(25) Catching of the fish with the coin in its mouth;

(26) Healing of the man born blind;

(27) Healing of the deaf and dumb possessed man;

(28) Healing of the woman bowed over;

(29) Healing of the dropsical man;

(30) Raising from the dead of Lazarus;

(31) Healing of the ten lepers;

(32) Healing of the two men at Jericho;

(33) Curse of the fig tree;

(34) Healing of the ear of Malchus;

(35) The second miraculous catch of fishes.

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4. Christ even told of His existence before He was born!^[8]

5. Christ claimed to be God.^[9]

6. Christ knew the future:^[10]

PROPHECY FULFILMENT

(1) He would be mocked and scourged. (Matt. 20:17-20) Matt. 27:27

(2) He would die by crucifixion. (Matt. 26:1-2) Luke 23:32

(3) He would rise from the dead. (Matt. 16:21) John 11:19-22

(4) He would be denied by Peter. (Matt. 26:31-35) Matt. 26:69-75

(5) He would be betrayed by Judas. (Matt. 26:31-35) Matt. 26:45-50

(6) His anointing by Mary Magdalene would be told Known wherever there are

universally. (Matt. 26:6-13) Bibles.

(7) Jerusalem would be besieged. (Luke 19:41-44) Roman armies under Titus in

70 A.D.

(8) The people living in Jerusalem would be massacred Same as above.

during the siege. (Luke 21:20-23)

(9) The Temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed. (Mark 13:1-3). Same as above.

7. Other Scriptural references that Christ is God:

(1) Matt. 1:23 The Son is “God with us”.

(2) Matt. 4:7 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

(3) Mark 2:5-7 Only God (Jesus) can forgive sins.

(4) Mark 9:6 This is My Son; hear ye Him.

(5) John 1:1-29 In the beginning was The Word ...and The Word became flesh. (Jesus).

(6) John 5:18 Jesus is God.

(7) Matt. 16:16 Christ is God.

(8) John 8:58 Jesus existed even before Abraham.

(9) John 20:28 Thomas: “My Lord and my God.”

(10) John 14:9 He that seeth Me, seeth The Father.

(11) Rom. 9:5 Christ is God.

(12) Phil. 2:5-11 Christ is God and yet humbled Himself!

(13) Titus 2:13 Christ (God) will come in Glory.

(14) 1 John 3:16 God laid down His life for us.

(15) 1 John 5:20 The Son is God.

(16) 1 John 2:22 Who is a liar, - he who denies Jesus is Christ.

(17) 1 John 4:3 Those who say Jesus is not God - is (the spirit of) Antichrist.

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Arguments Against The Divinity of Christ:

Satan still retains his Angelic powers. He is very cunning. He knows Holy Scripture and often uses it for his own ends. For example the Devil even quoted from Scripture when he tempted Christ in the desert.^[11] So also he leads many away from Christ and His Church and His Sacraments by a false quotation or erroneous interpretation of Scripture. This is why private interpretation of Scripture is forbidden and leads to destruction. See footnote No. 33.

Christ has two Natures: one Divine and one human. This is called the Hypostatic Union. Most of the errors in the arguments against the Divinity of Christ have their roots in the confusion between these two Natures of Christ. For example:

1. “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Words of Christ from the cross. These are not words of despair. They are taken from the twenty-first psalm in the Old Testament. It was Christ’s human nature crying out. We must remember that Christ bore the fullness of suffering for us, part of which is desolation. It was natural that He should endure that too. His Divine Nature knew He was not forsaken.

2. Speaking of the end of the world, Christ said: “But about that day or that hour no man knoweth, not even the angels in Heaven, nor yet the Son, but only the Father.” Therefore by these words, Christ admits to be below God in knowledge and therefore He can’t be God! As the Son of God Our Lord knew “the day and hour”; but as the Son of Man, as the Messiah, He was not commissioned to reveal it to men. Speaking as man Our Lord also said “The Father is greater than I”. Christ’s Divine Nature is greater than Christ’s human nature.

The Famous Dilemma of St. Augustine:^[12]

1. It is incredible that Christ should have risen in the flesh, and with that flesh ascended into Heaven.

2. It is incredible that the world should have believed a thing so incredible.

3. It is incredible that men, destitute of nobility and rank, numbers and skill, should

have been able so effectively to persuade the world, and even the learned men in it.

Of these three incredibles, our opponents refuse to believe the first.

The second they are forced to believe.

How the second came about they cannot say unless they believe the third.

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If our opponents do not believe that the Apostles worked miracles to prove the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ - then another kind of miracle happened:

It would be a Miracle if the world believed the message of the Apostles without miracles.

Scriptural Passages that Indicate the Holy Trinity:

1. Gen. 1:26 Let US make man to OUR image.2. Gen. 11:7 Let US confound their tongue.

3. Matt. 28:19 Baptize in the Name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost.

4. 2 Cor. 13:13 A prayer to The Trinity.

5. 1 John 5:7 Three in Heaven: The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

Scriptural Passages about The Holy Ghost:

1. Matt. 12:31-32 Sins against The Holy Ghost are not forgiven.2. John 3:5-8 Must be born again of water and The Holy Ghost.

3. John 15:26; 16:7 Holy Ghost comes from the Father and the Son.

4. Acts 5:3-4 The Holy Ghost is God.

5. Acts 13:2-4 Holy Ghost can act through others.

6. Acts 20:28 Holy Ghost appoints Bishops to rule The Church.

7. Acts 28:25 Holy Ghost spoke to the Ancient Fathers.

8. 1 Cor. 6:19 Our bodies are Temples of the Holy Ghost.

Summary:

Holy Scripture is an historic record of what the early Jews and the early Christians believed. It is confirmed by other Ancient writings.

Christ proved His Divinity with His many miracles and prophecies, which were not denied by the people who lived at the time - nor by His enemies.

The Father is God. The Son is God. The Holy Ghost is God.

^[1].”College Apologetics” by Fr. Anthony F. Alexander,Ch.VIII.

^[2]. “Catholic Apologetics” by Fr. John Laux, M.A., Ch. II.

^[3]. “Catholic Apologetics” by Fr. John Laux, M.A., Ch.III.

^[4]. Dan. 7:13-14.

^[5]. For example: When Jesus was before the High Priest he asked Him: “I adjure Thee by the living God that Thou tell us if Thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” And Jesus saith to him: “Thou has said it.” Matt. 26:63-65.

^[6]. Matt. 28:18-20.

^[7]. “College Apologetics” by Fr. Anthony F. Alexander, Ch. IX, p93.

^[8].”before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58

^[9]. “The Father and I are one.” John 10:30. “He that seeth Me seeth the Father also.” John 12:45.

^[10]. “College Apologetics” by Fr. Anthony F. Alexander, Ch. XI p.119.

^[11].”Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple, And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: ‘That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him: It is written again: ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’”

^[12]. “Catholic Apologetics” by Fr. John Laux, M.A. Ch.III, p80.

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QUESTIONS

Apologetics: Chapter IV - WHO IS GOD?

(Each Question is worth 10 points)

1. Write your name so I can read it.

2. We know that Christ is God because (circle all that apply):

a. He fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning the expected Messiah.

b. Jesus said He was God and proved it with miracles.

c. His miracles were not denied by those who lived at the time, including His enemies.

d. He proved He knew the future.

3. Circle “T” or “F” when the following statements are True or False:

T F The Jewish Talmud does not deny the miracles of Christ but claim they are magic

brought back from Nazareth.

T F At the time some wondered if John The Baptist was the expected Messiah.

T F Holy Scripture tells us that Christ is equal to the Father.

T F Besides working many miracles, Christ was also a Prophet.

4. A Moslem claims that Holy Scripture proves Christ was a great teacher and Holy Man but not God , because while on the Cross He said: “My God my God, why hast Thou forsaken me!” and Christ admitted that only the Father knows when the end of the world come and that The Father was greater than Him. This proves Jesus was only a man and not God. How would you answer him?

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5. List 5 of the Old Testament Prophecies about the expected Messiah that were fulfilled by Christ.

6. List 5 miracles that Christ did.

7. List 5 events that Christ predicted would happen.

8. Fill in the blanks: Christ has two Natures: and .

9. The word “Trinity” is not found anywhere in Holy Scripture. How do you know the Apostles believed in the Trinity?

10. Fill in the blanks: The Holy Ghost comes from and .

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