I asked Perplexity (better than Chat GPT in my opinion ) The following question:
“Go thru the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and tell me what you think. Is Jesus Christ God or just a prophet?
I do not want you to be biased, I dont want you to be influenced by any religious content on the web. Just strictly the Bible.
Is Jesus Christ God or a prophet?”
Here is it’s response.
Analyzing the Bible from Genesis to Revelation to determine whether Jesus Christ is considered God or a prophet requires a comprehensive examination of various passages. Here is a detailed exploration based on the biblical text:
Old Testament Context
- Prophecies and Prefigurations:
- The Old Testament contains prophecies and prefigurations that are later interpreted in the New Testament as referring to Jesus Christ. For example, Isaiah 7:14 mentions a virgin bearing a son named Immanuel, which is seen as a prophecy of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 1:22-23).
- Micah 5:2 speaks of a ruler from Bethlehem, interpreted as a prophecy of Jesus’ birthplace (Matthew 2:1-6).
- Divine Titles and Attributes:
- In the Old Testament, titles such as “Son of God” are used for angels and righteous men, but in the New Testament, this title takes on a unique significance when applied to Jesus.
New Testament Evidence
- Divine Claims:
- Jesus makes claims that imply divinity, such as “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30) and “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), echoing God’s declaration in Exodus 3:14-15.
- Jesus accepts worship (Matthew 14:33, John 9:38), which is reserved for God in the Old Testament.
- Divine Actions:
- Jesus performs miracles that are attributed to God in the Old Testament, such as healing the blind (John 9:1-7, Isaiah 35:5) and raising the dead (John 11:1-44, 1 Kings 17:17-24).
- Divine Attributes:
- Jesus is described as having divine attributes, such as being eternal (Hebrews 13:8), omnipotent (Matthew 28:18), and omniscient (John 1:48).
- New Testament Declarations:
- The New Testament explicitly calls Jesus God (John 1:1, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:8).
- The apostle Paul writes that Jesus is “in very nature God” (Philippians 2:6).
Trinitarian Concept
- Trinity:
- The New Testament introduces the concept of the Trinity, where Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are distinct yet one God (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Conclusion
Based strictly on the biblical text, Jesus Christ is portrayed not just as a prophet but as God incarnate. The New Testament presents Jesus with divine titles, attributes, and actions, and explicitly declares him to be God. The concept of the Trinity further underscores his divinity as part of the one Godhead. Therefore, according to the Bible, Jesus Christ is God.
My new favourite concept in theology these days is that God has a noncompetetive relationship with his creation. We flourish from his involvement in our lives, and this comes at no expense to him. This is most exemplified by the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Jesus was fully human and fully divine. His humanity did not lessen his divinity, nor did his divinity lessen his humanity. He was fully God while being a rabbi, prophet, brother, son, uncle, and friend. The idea that he was just a prophet, teacher, or ‘ascended master’ detrachs from his divinity. This aspect of Jesus is what made his life a salvation for all of us. This could not be accomplished only by his being completely human and fully divine. (Oh crap! I am sounding like a theologian.)