Is Jesus God? Part 25: "Jesus’ powers and authority were given to him"

Return to the previous - Part 24: "God performed miracles and works through Jesus and others"

Acts 10:38 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”

Does God have to anoint himself? Wouldn’t he already be having the power? It also says that God was with him, so God needs to accompany himself?

Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.”

God gave Jesus miracles, wonders and signs…they didn’t come from Jesus himself. God performed the miracles THROUGH him, just as he did miracles through other prophets.

Hebrews 3:1-2 “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.”

Jesus is called an apostle and a priest. Is God an apostle and priest? This verse also declares that Jesus was appointed and faithful to God, so is God needing to be faithful to himself?

Hebrews 5:5 “In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”

Jesus did not glorify himself, and was made to be a priest by God. Does God have to make himself a priest, nor glorify himself? Is God the father of himself?

Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”

Several important points in this verse: 1-God says that “LORD” is his name. He doesn’t say his name is Jesus. 2- He will not give his glory to any other. This contradicts John 8:54 , John 17:5 , Matthew 16:27 , Matthew 25:31 , Matthew 24:30 , 2 Corinthians 4:4 , and others. 3- No praise is to be given to images. Christians today have statues of Christ, especially amongst Catholics, that they bow down to praise and glorify him. It is idol worship.

Isaiah 43:10 “"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.”

God chose him, and reaffirms that there is none after him. Jesus was created after, therefore he can’t be God.

John 5:36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish--the very works that I am doing--testify that the Father has sent me.”

He states to bear witness that things are not his own works, but the works of the God that sent him.

John 6:27 “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

Here we see two things, 1- that Jesus is called ‘son of MAN’, 2- that God gave Jesus his seal of approval

John 7:39 “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

The Holy Spirit had not been assigned yet, because Jesus hadn’t been glorified yet. If Jesus and the Holy Ghost are both part of a trinity with God, then how can they not already be existing with the other or glorified/assigned?

John 10:29 “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.”

This indicates that God is greater than all, including him – the son, just as he does in John 14:28 .

John 13:3 “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.”

Does God have to put things under his own power? Jesus came from God and goes back to God, therefore they can’t be the same.

Matthew 12:28 “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Jesus is not doing it by himself.

Matthew 28:18 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Jesus is stating that his power and authority was GIVEN to him. If he was God, he would naturally have it automatically.

2 Peter 1:17 “He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Peter is talking about Jesus. Does God need to receive honor and glory from himself? Does God love himself, and have to be pleased with himself?

Romans 13:4 “For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

Many points are made in this verse: 1- Jesus was given authority, he didn’t already have it. 2- He was a servant of God – Is God his own servant? 3- He was a ruler who would inflict punishments as an agent of God.

Qur’an 2:253 “Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree. And We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Pure Spirit. If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends.”

Allah sent messengers that he spoke to, a message and miracles and signs to share with others. All messengers are also prophets.

Qur’an 5:110 “[The Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, "This is not but obvious magic."

Allah tells here that miracles were given to Jesus, FROM God (Allah), same as the Bible taught (that they were from God, not Jesus himself.)

Qur’an 43:57-59 “And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud. And they said, "Are our gods better, or is he?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute. Jesus was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.”

Allah is stating that Jesus was a servant that he anointed (chosen and blessed).

Qur’an 43:63 “And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, "I have come to you with wisdom and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ, so fear Allah and obey me.”

Allah tells of when Jesus brought his proofs, which Jesus told the people he was given the word of God, and to fear God, and obey him, because he was commanding what was given to him by God. He did as God commanded him to do.

Continue to the next Section – Part 26: "God made Jesus 'Lord'"

Return to the Main Directory Listing Page for this Series

Recommended Reading:

Bible Corruption Series:

Part 1 – Intro to Bible Version Differences

Part 2 – 1 John 5:7, The Three That Bear Record in Heaven (Comma Johanneum)

Part 3 – John 7:53-8:11, Pericope of the Adulteress

Part 4 – Mark 16:9-20, Resurrection of Jesus

Part 5 – Conflicting Gospels on the Empty Tomb & Ascension of Jesus

The Corruption of the Torah

Is the Crucifixion of Jesus Really Foretold in the Old Testament?

Do Muslims Believe in the Bible?