Building Bridges of Understanding since 1887
The Deity of the Messiah as Seen in the Gospel of Luke
by David W. Brown
Certain factions and individuals teach that the historical Jesus never claimed to be God, and that the idea of the deity of the Messiah was introduced at a later date. Some have ascribed this doctrine to the apostle Paul; however, one need not turn to Paul to find this doctrine in the New Testament. The apostle John, who personally knew the historical Jesus, also believed this, and says so very plainly (See John 1:1, for example). Even the earlier gospels, however, plainly teach this doctrine. In this study, we will examine how the doctrine of the deity of the Messiah can be seen in the Gospel of Luke.
Jesus is introduced by angels with titles of deity:
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, -- Luke 1:32 (NIV)
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah the Lord. -- Luke 2:11 (NIV)
Jesus claimed a special relationship to the Father.
When he claimed to be "the Son of God," he did not mean it in a sense that anyone else could claim to be a son of God It is clear from the reaction of the council in Luke 22:71, that they understood "Son of God" to be a claim to deity.
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" -- Luke 2:49 (NIV)
"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." -- Luke 10:22 (NIV)
"I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. -- Luke 12:8 (NIV)
He was acknowledged from Heaven:
"and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." -- Luke 3:22 (NIV)
A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." -- Luke 9:35 (NIV)
Even the demons knew who he was.
"Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" -- Luke 4:34 (NIV)
Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah. -- Luke 4:41 (NIV)
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" -- Luke 8:28 (NIV)
He claimed and exercised authority and power rightly belonging to God alone, including the power to forgive sins:
{17} One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. {18} Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. {19} When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. {20} When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." {21} The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" {22} Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? {23} Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? {24} But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." {25} Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. {26} Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today." -- Luke 5:17-26 (NIV)
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. -- Luke 10:19 (NIV)
{14} Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. {15} But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons." {16} Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. {17} Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. {18} If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. {19} Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. {20} But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. {21} "When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. {22} But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. {23} "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. {24} "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' {25} When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. {26} Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first." {27} As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." {28} He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." -- Luke 11:14-28 (NIV)
Men acknowledged him as God, and he accepted it:
{18} Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?" {19} They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life." {20} "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The the Messiah of God." {21} Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. -- Luke 9:18-21 (NIV)
Jesus expected to be glorified as God in a future age:
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. -- Luke 9:26 (NIV)
And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. -- Luke 22:29, 30 (NIV)
He expected to suffer as the righteous Messiah, and be raised from the dead on the third day.
{22} And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." -- Luke 9:22 (NIV)
{20} In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. {21} But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. {22} The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." -- Luke 22:20-22 (NIV)
Jesus showed that, according to the Jewish Scriptures, the Messiah, or "the Messiah," would have to be God himself, not merely a son (i.e. "descendent") of David:
{41} Then Jesus said to them, "How is it that they say the Messiah is the Son of David? {42} David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand {43} until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ' {44} David calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" -- Luke 20:41-44 (NIV)
Jesus himself frankly admitted, at his own trial, to having claimed to be the Son of God, and did not recant, even to save his life.
{66} At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. {67} "If you are the Messiah, " they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, {68} and if I asked you, you would not answer. {69} But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God." {70} They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am." {71} Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips." -- Luke 22:66-71 (NIV)
Conclusion
This Gospel clearly presents Jesus as not merely a good teacher or a righteous man, but as the God-Nan: God in the Flesh. Indeed, any man who would speak and behave the way Jesus is presented as having spoken and behaved in this Gospel must either really be God, or else he was a lunatic / megalomaniac suffering from delusions of grandeur, or else he was the greatest hoaxer of all time, who deliberately deceived great throngs of people (and is either case anything but a "good teacher"). Any attempt to deny the deity of the Messiah is at odds with the Gospel of Luke, as with the entire New Testament.
