Peter Sammons concludes reflections on a recent survey, # 5/5 – Christians speak of Jesus as ‘King’. What do you think about Jesus?
Background to the Wolverhampton Surveys
Here is the TFM “Crowning the King” survey:
https://tfm.uk.endis.com/Publisher/File.aspx?ID=327542
Questions might appear to be focused on King Charles III and his May 2023 Coronation, but there is an easily recognizable sub-text, as the questions offer an opportunity to think about The King of Kings. The Wolverhampton street survey seemed well received and thought-provoking, and it certainly made for a friendly and non-stressed person-to-person encounters, irrespective of peoples’ personal feelings about Monarchy in the UK. In this short reflection we focus on the fifth question –
Christians speak of Jesus as ‘King’. What do you think about Jesus?
Here are the associated percentage responses:
| 5. Christians speak of Jesus as ‘King’. What do you think about Jesus? | ||
| v | He didn’t exist at all | 10 |
| w | He was just an ordinary man and nothing more | 15 |
| x | He was only a messenger or a prophet from God | 10 |
| y | He is the only Son of God | 45 |
| z | something else …. | 20 |
This question marked a nod towards TFM’s ‘mainstay’ street survey which has been used for circa 30 years, as it is essentially that ‘standard’ survey’s final question.
As with all the questions, the answers reveal a degree of confusion about God, and about Jesus. That fully 45% describe Jesus as ‘the only Son of God’, is at one level heartening. There is something, perhaps, in a shared-memory of Whom Jesus is and what He represents. Yet much of this is just ‘head knowledge’ as acknowledging Whom Jesus is does not necessarily mean assent to what He represents, nor a willingness to engage with Him. If we add the totals for (x) and (y) above then more than half perceive Jesus as in some manner connected with the divine.
It is perhaps surprising that fully ten percent describe Jesus as imaginary (a). From my own observation – admittedly non-scientific – the majority of those who offered up this ‘explanation’ were middle aged, middle class white people. Surely there is something in this rather lame response of “head in sand”. But that is the UK that we live in ………
So what should we think of Jesus? Undoubtedly, this is the key departure point amongst all humans. People either acknowledge Him for Who He is, or they must reject him either aggressively (v) or in myriad indifferences (w, x and z).
Who is Jesus?
Who did Jesus claim to be? Who does the Bible say He is? It is perhaps just too simplistic to say that Jesus is the Saviour of the World, or that He is the Jewish Messiah. Both statements are true, but in a sense we must go further and work out what this means to you and to me.
Biblically and by conventional theological understanding, Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus said in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” At first glance, this might not seem to be a claim to be God. Yet we must observe the Jewish hierarchy’s reaction to His statement. They tried to stone Him “for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). They understood Jesus’ statement as a claim to be God. In the following verses, Jesus never corrected the Jews or attempted to clarify His statement. He never says, “I did not claim to be God.” When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He was truly claiming equality with God.
In John 8:58 Jesus claims pre-existence, an attribute of God: “‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’” In response to this statement, the Jews again took up stones to stone Jesus (John 8:59). In claiming pre-existence, Jesus applied a name for God to Himself—I AM (see Exodus 3:14). The Jewish hierarchy rejected Jesus’ identity as God Incarnate, but they surely understood exactly what He was saying.
God in the flesh
Other biblical clues that Jesus is God in the flesh include John 1:1, which says, “The Word was God,” coupled with John 1:14, which says, “The Word became flesh.” When Thomas the disciple declared to Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), Jesus did not correct him. The apostle Paul describes Jesus as “our great God and Saviour, Jesus Messiah” (Titus 2:13). The apostle Peter says the same, calling Jesus “our God and Saviour” (2 Peter 1:1).
God the Father bears witness of Jesus’ identity as well: “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” (Hebrews 1:8; cf. Psalm 45:6). Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 9:6 announce the deity of Christ: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (emphasis added).
Why is the question of Jesus’ identity so important? Why does it matter whether Jesus is God? Several reasons:
- As C. S. Lewis pointed out, if Jesus is not God, then Jesus is the worst of liars and untrustworthy in every way.
- If Jesus is not God, then the apostles would likewise have been liars.
- Jesus had to be God because the Messiah was promised to be the “Holy One” (Isaiah 49:7). Since no one on earth is righteous before God (Psalm 53:1; 143:2), God Himself had to enter the world as a human.
- If Jesus is not God, His death would have been insufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Only God Himself could provide an infinite, eternally valuable sacrifice (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
- God is the only Savior (Hosea 13:4; cf. 1 Timothy 2:3). If Jesus is to be the Savior, then He must be God.
Jesus had to be both God and man. As God, Jesus could satisfy God’s wrath – no one else could. As a man, Jesus had the capability of dying. As the God-man, Jesus is the perfect Mediator between heaven and earth (1 Timothy 2:5). Salvation is available only through faith in Messiah Jesus. As He proclaimed, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Praise God indeed for His wonderful wisdom and mercy! These websites provide some additional perspective:
https://bible.org/illustration/who-jesus-christ
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/what-scripture-says-about-jesus-1322935.html
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The Wolverhampton survey “Crowning the King” was conducted on the streets of Wolverhampton the same week as the Coronation of Charles III. It was conducted by TFM and local hosting churches.
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Through Faith Missions (TFM) is an evangelism charity that aims to bring the good news of Jesus to people across the UK – and beyond. Volunteer missioners are mobilized for short term mission, and regularly see profound answers to prayers. Here is a link to TFM: https://tfm.uk.endis.com/
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