Believing The Evidence: This Is My Beloved Son In whom I Am Well Pleased

Overview

God has given undeniable evidence of His love for the world on the cross of Calvary. He gave His Son – the Divine Gift, accepting suffering and death for the sake of humanity.

Satan and people often requested proof from Christ. They have done it with the insinuation of distrust, saying: “If Thou be the Son of God”.

Thus they were putting God’s Word to the test, (aka tempting Him). And the same would be true when asking for that which God had not promised.

God and Jesus both testified on more than one occasion. They affirmed that He is the Divine Son whom the Father has sent.

For example:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17.

Moreover, Christ declared His Divinity and relationship to the Majesty of Heaven throughout His:

Testimonies and teachings.
Healing and other miracles.
Demonstration of His control over death and grave.
Power to forgive sin and grant salvation.

For instance:

O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. John 17:5.

So, Satan, earthly religious and civil rulers, and professed believers and unbelievers demanded the same:

If You are the Son of God, save Yourself by working a miracle.

But, Jesus hasn’t done it to save Himself, because He wanted to save You.

Requesting proof and implying doubt and presumption.
Looking for evidence to sustain ambitious hopes.
Confirming who He really is through the resurrection of Lazarus.
“Truly this was the Son of God”
Affirming Christ as the Messiah and His entire mission of redemption.
Conclusion.

Requesting proof and implying doubt and presumption

“If you are the Son of God”. With this phrase Satan began to tempt Jesus in the wilderness.

For example:

If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. Luke 4:3.
If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence. God shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee. Luke 4:9, 10.

He had tried to:

Suggest doubt about God’s love and care for Christ as His Son.
Take advantage of the faith and perfect trust Jesus had shown in His heavenly Father, urging Him to presumption.

The proof that Satan required was Christ to accept the doubt implied by the “If” and act upon it. Thus showing that He entertained the doubt by giving the evidence that Satan desired.

But Christ hasn’t given any signs to prove His Divinity. By working a miracle on His own behalf He would show that He questioned God.

On the opposite, He has answered to Satan with “It is written”. Thus He implicitly stated that His conduct is guided by the Word of God.

For instance:

It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luke 4:4.
For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:8.
It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Luke 4:12.

Thus Christ has shown a sign which:

Is greater than all miracles – a firm reliance upon a “Thus saith the Lord”.
Can’t be proven to be false.

Satan had tried every means to obtain victory over Christ, knowing that everything was on the line.

When disputing His sovereignty, Jesus withstand him saying:

Get thee behind me, Satan. For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:8.

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Looking for evidence to sustain ambitious hopes

Scribes and Pharisees have studied the teachings of the prophets about the kingdom of the Messiah. But, they wanted to find proof to answer their desires as leaders.

When Christ came in a manner contrary to their expectations, they:

Haven’t received Him as One sent from God.
Tried to prove Him a deceiver to justify themselves.

For example:

Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he said, I came down from heaven? John 6:42.
You said to Him, whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemes. Because I said, I am the Son of God. John 10:36.

Thus the words that should have been received as evidence of His Divinity were interpreted against Him.

Here is the example:

The Jews sought the most to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. John 5:18.

The whole nation of the Jews called God their Father. So, they would not have been so enraged if Christ had represented Himself as standing in the same relation to God.

But, they accused Him of blasphemy, showing that they understood Him as making this claim in the highest sense.

Further, their jealousy has aroused that this humble man was:

Capable of working wonders that they could not explain.
Teach truths that can not be opposed.

So they try to arouse prejudice and unbelief of the people by referring to the lowly origin of Jesus.

Additionally, they said that the claims of this uneducated carpenter should be rejected.

Christ had not come in the manner that they expected. At times they might have been convinced that He was the Son of God.

But, they had ignored their conviction, and organized religious and civil trials to condemn and crucify Him.

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Confirming who He really is through the resurrection of Lazarus

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

Therefore his sisters sent unto Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou love is sick. John 11:1, 3.

Here is the remarkable statement of Jesus after hearing the message about Lazarus. It is found in The New Testament Book Of John, chapter 11:

When Jesus heard that, He said:

This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. John 11:4.

In other words, the Lazarus’ case will fully show His control over death and grave by his resurrection.

Thus the affirmation is given to people that Jesus was the Son of God. He was the long awaited deliverer from sin and death.

Further, that the Son gives eternal life as part of His prerogatives of being a Deity.

For example:

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life. And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 1 John 5:11, 12.
As Thou (Father) hast given Him (Jesus) power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. John 17:2.

After remaining for two days in the place He was, Jesus informed His disciples that

they have to go to Lazarus’ home:

Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sake that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe.

Nevertheless let us go unto him. John 11:14, 15.

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Supporting His words of being “the resurrection and the life” by His action

Christ had a purpose of mercy toward different groups of people. This was also a reason for delaying His coming to Lazarus.

Jesus was about to give more proof. He was the One who alone could abolish death and bring life and immortality to light. 2 Timothy 1:10.

Thus His demonstration of Divine power was extended to everyone by the event that was about to take place.

For example:

Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
Mourning friends and relatives of the family.
Christ’s disciples.
Priests and rulers.
Multitudes from all walks of life.

Furthermore, the same is revealed through Scriptures also to every successive generation down the line of time till Christ’s second coming.

So, Jesus gives the true direction of faith to people of all time, saying:

I am the resurrection, and the life. He that hath the Son hath life. And he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

Additionally, He asked the most important question of faith:

Do you believe this?

But, not everyone will answer as Martha did.

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord. I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world. John 11:27.

Thus Lazarus’ resurrection becomes a representation and assurance of the resurrection of all the righteous dead.

At His coming, they will be raised incorruptible, and the living righteous shall be translated to heaven without seeing death.

For example:

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first;

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17.

Thus the Divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of eternal life.

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“Truly this was the Son of God”

All attending the crucifixion had heard Jesus, who cried with a loud voice – It is Finished. And he bowed His head, and gave up the ghost. Matthew 27:50; John 19:30.

Now when the centurion, and those that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying:

Truly this was the Son of God. Matthew 27:54.

Thus the Roman soldier had borne another witness to Christ’s divinity. He was impressed by His endurance on the cross and cry of victory.

So, the guard became one of the three persons that on the day of Christ’s death declared their faith.

Thus they gave evidence of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. For instance:

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. Isaiah 53:11.

The other two were:

The man who bore the cross of Jesus. His name was Simon.
He who died upon the cross at His side.

An example for pint 1:

The soldiers of the governor led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name.

They compelled Him to bear His cross. Matthew27:31, 32.

Simon put himself in the position as he heard, Hail, King of the Jews! He stopped in astonishment at the scene.

As he was expressing his compassion, they seized him and placed the cross upon his shoulders.

The bearing of the cross to Calvary was a blessing to Simon. His heart was drawn to Jesus.

An example for point 2:

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Luke 23:39, 41 and 42.

Affirming Christ as the Messiah and His entire mission of redemption

Jesus was approaching the fulfillment of His messianic work. The greatest event concerning the whole world was about to take place.

The hour of Christ’s glorification had come. Through the sacrifice He was about to make He would bring many sons and daughters to God.

This was represented by the certain Greeks that came up to worship at the feast. John 12:20.

They demanded to see Jesus.

These men came from the West to find the Savior, nearing His end of life. Likewise the wise men had come from the East at the time of His birth.

But they were soon to see the scene very contrasting to His triumphant entry to Jerusalem on a white donkey.

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour has come, that the Son of man should be glorified. John 12:23.

These strangers illustrate the great harvest of all nations, tongues, and people. The partition wall between Jew and Gentile will be broken down, that all should hear the message of salvation.

The sacrificial death of Christ was now near at hand. Only by His death can the world be saved, fulfilling the admiration call of John:

Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29.

So, Jesus continued explaining them:

But for this reason I came at this hour. Father, glorify Thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying:

I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. John 12:27, 28.

It was the highest evidence of Him being the Messiah and His mission of human redemption.

Additionally, the signal from the Father that Jesus had spoken the truth and was the Son of God.

Conclusion

God and Jesus testified to people through their words. Their actions showed that He is the Divine Son whom the Father has sent.

Christ had fully demonstrated His control over death and grave when He raised Lazarus.

Many couldn’t hear the voice of God speaking to them through His Son. They refused to believe the strong proof that Jesus had power on earth to forgive sins.

His Word – the ever-constant evidence of His divinity – had reached some hearts with its convincing power .

But, not everyone confessed Jesus as Martha did: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.