The Seventy's Course in Theology, Third Year / The Doctrine of Deity

by B. H. Roberts

There can be no question but direct reference is here made to the Lord Jesus Christ, as being the "Word;" and the "Word," or Jesus being with the Father in the beginning, and the "Word," or Jesus Christ, also being God. The "Word," then, as used here by John, is one of the titles of Jesus in his pre-existent estate. Why called the "Word" I do not know, unless it is that by a "word" we make an expression; and since Jesus Christ was to be the expression of God, the revelation of God to the children of men, he was for that reason called the "Word."

4. Jesus Declares Himself to be God—the Son of God: Jesus was crucified on the charge that He was an imposter—that he, being a man, said that "God was His Father, making Himself equal with God." (John v:18.)

And again: "For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy, and because that Thou being a man, makest thyself God." (John x:33.)

Again: when accused before Pilate, who declared he could "find no fault in Him," the Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God." Moreover, the high priest, in the course of the trial before the Sanhedrim of the Jews, directly said to Jesus, "I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." (Matt. xxvii: 63, 64.)

And finally, when Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples after His resurrection, He said unto them, "All power is given unto Me, in heaven and in earth, go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt. xxviii: 18, 19.) A clearer proclamation of his divinity could not be made than in the statement, "all power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth," especially when it is followed by placing Himself on equal footing with the Father and the Holy Ghost, which He does when he commands His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Nothing can be added to this, except it be the words of God the Father directly addressed to Jesus, when he says, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." (Heb. i:8.)

5. Jesus Christ to be Worshipped, Hence God: Jesus Christ is to be worshipped by men and angels; and worship is an honor to be paid only to true Deity. The angels of heaven refuse the adoration we call worship. You remember when the Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos, and God sent a heavenly messenger to him, how the Apostle, over-awed by the brightness of the angel's glory, fell upon his face to worship him, and the angel said: "See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: Worship God." (Rev. xix:10.) So you see the angels refuse divine honors. But the scriptures prove that Jesus was especially to be worshipped; hence He must be Deity:

"For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou are My son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son. And again, when He bringeth in the First Begotten into the world, He saith, let all the angels of God worship him." (Heb. i: 5, 6.)

The same doctrine is taught in the epistle to the Philippians: "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: 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." (Phil. ii: 9, 10.)

There are other passages to the same effect, but it is perhaps unnecessary for me to turn to each of these, since the ones here quoted will be sufficient to establish in your minds the fact contended for.

6. Jesus Christ is the Creator Hence God: Jesus Christ is the Creator. Evidence of this is found in the testimony of John from which I have already quoted: "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 any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." (John i: 1-4.)