MUST READ!!!: IS JESUS CHRIST GOD? [Part 26]

IS JESUS CHRIST GOD: John 2:19

Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

John 10:18

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Some, after reading the above texts, wrongly draw the conclusion that Jesus raised himself back to life. Since the scriptures also says God raised Jesus up, they therefore posit that Jesus is God. On the contrary, contextual study of both texts above proves that Jesus wasn’t by any means insinuating that he would be raising himself up from amongst the dead after he dies.

It’s also noteworthy that Jesus was speaking in parables (veiled terms) in both John 2:19 and John 10:18. Before analyzing both contexts, let’s see Hebrews 5:7.

Hebrews 5:7

As a mortal man, he [Jesus] offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God.

If Jesus was trying to imply (in John 2:19 and John 10:18) that he would be raising himself back to life, the above scripture must then be invalid and in fact, removed from the Bible. In the above scripture, we see that Jesus prayed, even with tears to the one who could saved him from death (that is, raise him back to life after he dies). We see clearly that he was looking up to someone superior (God) to restore his life back to him after he dies.

Jesus therefore wasn’t suggesting that he will be raised by himself, neither was he suggesting that he’s God who will raise himself back to life. Let’s return to the context of John 2:19 and John 10:18.

Jesus was speaking in unclear terms in John 2:19. The Jews even thought he was referring to the physical temple they built for God. Since Jesus was speaking parabolically, it becomes unwise to interpret “I will raise it again in three days” as “I will raise my self back to life.” The context and other scriptures must therefore be the parameter for deducing what Jesus meant. Reading beyond verse 19 (verse 22) of the same John 2, we see something worth noting.

John 2:22

When therefore HE WAS RAISED from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

He was raised. The Bible didn’t say “when he raised himself.” Rather, it says “when therefore he was raised.” This clearly indicates that someone else (not him) did the job. If Jesus was implying in John 2:19 that he raised himself up, there’s absolutely no way John 2:22 would be divulging something different.

In John 10:18 also, Jesus was speaking in parables (in fact, in the entire chapter). He was speaking to the Pharisees about himself, prophesying of his sufferings which would come and the glory that would follow. He (Jesus) trusted God to give him life again even after he died. Jesus wasn’t implying that he would raise himself back to life.

He was simply saying that although he would die, he would take up life again when his father raises him back to life, because that is what his father wanted. See the scripture once more.

John 10:18

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power (authority) to lay it down, and I have power (authority) to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Imagine being sacked from a government job, and then receiving an apology letter some days afterwards, with the promise that your job will be given back to you immediately. You can go off telling people that you will take up your job again, since it has been given back to you.

In similar manner, Jesus talked about taking up his life again because he was confident that the father would give it back to him. See the last sentence in the scripture (this commandment have I received of my father). It was God’s will for Christ to die and be raised back to life. It was God’s plan. Jesus trusted God all the way to do his part. In John 10:18, Jesus was expressing absolute confidence in God to give him life again after he dies.

The Bible only says that God raised Jesus back to life. It doesn’t say Jesus raised himself, neither does it say Jesus is God.

1 Peter 1:21

Who by (through) him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Acts 3:26

Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Acts 4:10

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

Even scriptures containing the gospel (what to believe about Jesus Christ in order to be saved) DO NOT teach that Jesus raised himself back to life, neither do they teach that Jesus is God.

Romans 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

The Bible tells us to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and not the opposite – that Jesus raised him self.

Stay blessed.

Anticipate our next part. We are almost at the end!

Light shines.

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