Blasphemy!

Let us build up the case for the prosecution at Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. The High Priest would surely need evidence for this declaration:

“I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

He had to be sure of his position, because, if Jesus had declared himself the Son of God, this was blasphemy, punishable by death, in the eyes of the Jewish court.

Evidence is aplenty, far too much to mention here, so what you are going to get now is a whistle-stop tour. We start at some of Jesus’ own declarations of being the Son of Man. Interestingly it wasn’t this name that mitigated against him, it was the context that sent out the signals. Let’s see …

“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” (Matthew 9:6)

You only have to judge the reaction of the Pharisees to understand what Jesus was demonstrating here, his authority to forgive sins. He was acting as God here. This was covered in detail in a previous article.

“For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8)

The Sabbath was a divine institution, initiated in Creation week and ratified by the finger of God Himself on Mount Sinai. The Lord of the Sabbath could only be God himself.

“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27)

A reference to God as his Father and his own role in the Grand Court of Humanity at the End of Days seems to seal the deal.

“Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28)

Another reference to the Grand Court, with jobs for the boys also offered.

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)

Outside of comic books, no mere mortals have ever been seen coming in the clouds.

“No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man” (John 3:13).

At that time Heaven was a divine address, only a divine person would have appeared on the Census forms.

Jesus was that person!

Was Jesus a Divine being?