Really, Who Was He?

Jesus' first -century associates pondered that question. When they say Jesus miraculously calm a wind-whipped sea with a rebuke, they wondered in astonishment: "Who really is this?" Later, on another occasion, Jesus asked his apostles: "Who do you say I am?" -Mark 4:41; Matthew 16:15.

If you were asked that question, how would you answer? Was Jesus, in fact, God? Many today say that he was. Yet, his associates never believed that he was God. The apostle Peter's response to Jesus' question was: " You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." -Matthew 16:16.

Jesus never claimed to be God, but he acknowledged that he was the promised Messiah, or Christ. He also said he was "God's Son," not God. (John 4:25, 26; 10:36) Yet, the Bible does not say Jesus was like any other man. He was a very special person because he was created by God before all other things. (Colossians 1:15) For countless billions of years, before even the physical universe was created, Jesus lived as a spirit person in heaven and enjoyed intimate fellowship with his Father, Jehovah God, the Grand Creator. -Proverbs 8:22, 27:31/

Then about two thousand years ago, God transformed his Son's life to the womb of a woman, and Jesus came to be a human Son of God, born in the normal manner through a woman. (Galatians 4:4) When Jesus was developing he was dependent upon those whom God had selected to be his earthly parents. Eventually Jesus reached manhood, and he was granted full remembrance of his precious association with God in heaven. -John 8:23; 17:5.

Next time: What Made Him The Greatest

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991