Christ Never Claimed To Be God; Who Made Him God? Nice Joke!

By c.pio

Answer to Iglesia Ni Cristo-1914 Video: Who Made Christ God? Part I

To begin with, have you read what Christ said in Matt.13:10-11?

His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?" He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. [Matthew 13:10-11]

Now let us check those who have been given the knowledge to understand the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who are not.

I. That Christ Never Claimed to Be God.

This statement is totally wrong, That is to say Christ claimed he was.

(a) He claimed that he is the Lord of the Sabbath.

[Deuteronomy 5:12] - "Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you."

[Leviticus 26:2] - "You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the Lord."

Christ said he is the Lord of the Sabbath, an undoubted proof that he claimed to be divine:

          

[Matthew 12:8] – “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

He even testified that the Sabbath was established by God only for man [Mark 2:27] 

[John 5:18] For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

(b) He claimed that he and God the Father are ONE

[John 10:29-30] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one."

Christ claimed: “I and the Father are one.” If I said: “I, c.pio, and the Father are one” you would surely be scandalized. Once again we have Christ claiming his deity by making a statement that a mere rational mortal could never utter.

(c) He claimed the name of God “I AM”

                                                                                       

In Exodus 3:13-14, Moses was at the burning bush and he asked God what His name was.  God replied, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you."

But Christ said:

                                               

[John 8:58] “before Abraham was born, I AM”

The Jewish leaders gathered around listening to Jesus knew exactly what He meant; they picked up stones to kill Him. He was claiming to be the great I AM and they understood that.

Seven times in the Gospel of John Jesus claims to be the great “I am” [John 4:26; 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58; 13:19; 18:5]. He is stating His claim to be God.

                                                                                                       

(d) He claimed that Prophets were persecuted because of him.

[Matthew 5:11-12] “Blessed are you when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Here we have a clear claim of his divinity. It attests that the prophets and the disciples were/will be persecuted for the same one reason: for the his sake. No human being could claim that the prophets of hundreds of years earlier had been persecuted for his sake. Only a pre-existing entity could make such a claim—only God could make the claim.

(e) He clearly places his pronouncements on the same level as Holy Scripture.            

[Matthew 5:21-22] You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

          

[Matthew 5:27-28] "You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

[Matthew 5:43-44] "You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

Christ’s comments on the Law attest to his divinity. ‘Thou shall not kill,’ but I say…” or “Thou shall not.. but I say…” Thou shall not.. but I say…

We need to consider the magnitude of these statements. Jesus is speaking to an audience that considered the Old Testament as the word of God. Christ, calmly recites the Old Testament passages, and then proceeds to make statements that supersede them. He clearly places his pronouncements on the same level as Holy Scripture. Only God can do this. For even the apostle Paul never stated that “scripture says this, but what I say…”

(f) He claimed that he is the source of Morality

[John 15:5] I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus tells us that He is the vine, we, his disciples are the branches, and the fruit we bear are the good works (moral conduct). Here Christ is teaching something significant: while the branch bears fruit, the ultimate source is the vine. Which he clearly illustrates in Matthew 5:16

[Matthew 5:16] In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

(g) He bracket himself to God the Father and to the Holy Spirit

[Matthew 28:19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We know from his earlier teaching that he meant himself when he refers to “the Son”, and here he brackets himself between the Father and the Holy Spirit. If He were not God, then He just spoke blasphemy.



He revealed his Divine Nature and the reactions of his Listeners:  

[Mark 14:61-64] But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"

Jesus said, "I AM^a. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand^b and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^c

Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses?

You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?" "Guilty!" they all cried. "He deserves to die!"

^a Exodus 3:13-14, Moses was at the burning bush and he asked God what His name was. God replied, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you."

^b Psalm 110:1,  A psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet."

^c Daniel 7:13, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

Why didn’t Jesus make a simple declarative statement I am God? It is because for the same reason He spoke in parables [Matt. 13:10].

II. That Who Made Him God.

According to them, Christ was not worshipped by Early Christian Communities as divine person prior to the Council of Nicea. I repeat, prior to the Nicene Council Christ is not God! thus during this council, through the influence of Emperor Constantine, they made him God.

The lack on historical facts to substantiate this conclusion makes this more sounds funny. To answer the allegation, We must then go back and investigate prior to Council of Nicea (or prior to 4^th Century A.D.).

On this section, I would rather opt not to post here the accounts of some Early Church Fathers (which is obviously all were Catholics) who lived prior to the council. So what will I cite here is an external evidence.

(a) The Megiddo Church

The ancient Megiddo church near Tel Megiddo, Israel is an archeological site which preserves the foundations of one of the oldest church buildings ever discovered by archaeologists dating to the 3rd century A.D.

Among the finds is an approx. 54-square-metre (580 sq ft) large mosaic with a Greek inscription stating that:

"The God-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial."

                                

(b) The account of Pliny the Younger

Pliny the Younger was governor of Pontus/Bithynia from 111-113 A.D. He wrote to Emperor Trajan regarding the early Christian church, their worship of Christ, and how he persecuted, tortured, and murdered them:

Pliny the Younger

"They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so."

This example shows clearly that even the Romans knew that Jesus was being worshipped and wanted to "check and cure" "the contagion of this superstition" that had "spread not only to the cities but also to the villages and farms."

(b) The Alexamenos graffito

The Alexamenos graffito is an inscription carved in plaster on a wall near the Palatine Hill in Rome [dated early 3^rd Century] The image depicts a human-like figure attached to a cross and possessing the head of a donkey. Beneath the cross there is a caption written in crude Greek:

Αλεξαμενος ϲεβετε θεον. [Alexamenos, worship God!]

During the time of Christians’ persecution, Romans accused Christian for worshipping a donkey because they believed Christ was donkey  (see my article on Sign of the cross)