Sorry, messed up the tags the first time, reposting:
Well, it's probably easier to let Jesus Himself clarify what He meant -- there are numerous passages where He makes quite bold and direct statements about His origins, His purpose, and the necessity of believing on Him, but this is the first one that came to my mind:
The Gospel of John, Chapter 6 28 Then they [that is, a large crowd of religious Jews from the area of Capernaum, in Galilee in Israel] asked [Jesus], "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." 35 Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
He also went on to say later in the same passage:
45 "It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No-one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
Claiming to a) have come down from heaven; b) be the only true reprentative of God the Father; and c) be the giver of eternal life seems like a pretty direct claim to authority, doesn't it? And then elsewhere He makes it an exclusive claim as well:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
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Date: 2005-09-01 11:49 am (UTC)Well, it's probably easier to let Jesus Himself clarify what He meant -- there are numerous passages where He makes quite bold and direct statements about His origins, His purpose, and the necessity of believing on Him, but this is the first one that came to my mind:
The Gospel of John, Chapter 6
28 Then they [that is, a large crowd of religious Jews from the area of Capernaum, in Galilee in Israel] asked [Jesus], "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?
31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
35 Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.
39 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
He also went on to say later in the same passage:
45 "It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
46 No-one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.
47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
Claiming to a) have come down from heaven; b) be the only true reprentative of God the Father; and c) be the giver of eternal life seems like a pretty direct claim to authority, doesn't it? And then elsewhere He makes it an exclusive claim as well:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Hope that makes things more clear.