Consider the Claims of Christ
C. S. Lewis has famously written, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of
things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic
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What kind of claims did Jesus make?
John’s Gospel records seven of Jesus “I am” sayings. This was particularly significant
to Jewish people taught the Old Testament from childhood. They would have been familiar
with Exodus 3 where God spoke to Moses from the midst of a burning bush, commissioning
him to go and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. In that passage, Moses says that
the people will want to know who sent him, and God said, “Thus you shall say to the
children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”`(Exodus 3:14). And when the Jewish
people challenged Jesus regarding His authority, Jesus said, “Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You
are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”Jesus said to them, “Most
assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”Then they took up stones to throw
at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst
of them, and so passed by,” (John 8:56-
Consider these sayings of Jesus :
“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst,” John 6:35.
“I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life,” John 8:12.
“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture,” John 10:9.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep,” John 10:11.
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he
shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die,” John 11:25-
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” John 14:6.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing,” John 15:5.
Jesus is claiming to be the only way to God, the source of life and light, the one who is able to satisfy the deepest needs of those who come to Him by faith, and the one who gives His life for the sheep. C. S. Lewis is surely right. This man cannot be a great moral teacher unless the things that He claimed were true. And if they are true, then He is more than just a great moral teacher. He is the Son of God come to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
When Jesus was on trial before the Jewish religious tribunal, He initially refused
to respond to the charges brought against Him. But finally the high priest said:
““I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son
of God!” Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter
you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on
the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:63-
These are remarkable claims. But the question is, what is your response to them? Do you think that Jesus is a liar or a lunatic? Or is He really Lord?
Saul of Tarsus was originally convinced that Jesus was a liar. But after his encounter
with Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), his view was radically changed. Later
he wrote that in a coming day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-
DNW