Author : Steve Cawthon
via The Preceptor Magazine, October 1985
It had been a long day of questioning. The Pharisees came to Jesus with the Herodians asking, “What do you think about paying tribute to Caesar?” The Sadducees asked, “What do you think about the woman who had been married to seven brothers? In the resurrection whose wife will she be?” A lawyer said, “What do you think is the greatest commandment in the law?” Each question had been properly dealt with (Matt. 22:15-40). Now it was Jesus’ turn to ask.
“What think ye of the Christ? Whose son is he?” (Matt. 22:41). This is more than a quiz of theological trivia. It is the determinate question which must be correctly answered by all who would be saved. It is not an inquiry as to what the great Jewish rabbis think of the Messiah. Nor does it ask what the position of some particular sect might be. Rather, it is a highly personal consideration. “What do you think of Christ?”
One’s answer to that question determines whether be will be lost or saved. Jesus said, “Except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (Jn. 8:24) “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (Jn. 3:36) The confession to Jesus, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” is the foundation upon which the church is built. (Matt. 16:16-18) Whether you go to heaven or hell is determined by what you think about Christ.
The Jews did not hesitate to respond to the Lord’s question. “The son of David,” they answered. They thus displayed a familiarity with the Old Testament scriptures. Psalm 89:3 stated:
I have made a covenant with my chosen; I have sworn unto David my servant; thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations.
They knew God’s words to David:
When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shah sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. (2 Sam. 7:12)
But had they ever considered the next verse? “I will be his father, and he shall be my son.” (cf. Heb. 1:5) Indeed, the Messiah was to be of the seed of David. But that is only part of his identity.
Jesus proceeded:
How then doth David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I put thine enemies underneath thy feet? (Matt. 22:43; Ps. 110:1)
There was no question as to the author of this Messianic Psalm. It was David. There were no doubts as to its inspiration. David wrote “in the Spirit.” But the question is, If David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son?” (Matt. 22:45) A father does not normally call his son, “Lord.”
“And no one was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.” (Matt. 22:46) Why could they not answer? It was because they were not willing to accept the logical implications of the scripture. They would not admit the necessary inference that the anointed son of David was to be much more than David’s offspring. He was the very Son of God! That is why David called his son, “Lord.”
Like their forefathers at Mt. Carmel, these Jews found themselves “halting between two opinions.” (1 Kgs. 18:21) They sought a middle ground. They were not willing to deny that the Christ was David’s son according to the flesh; but neither were they willing to confess him as God’s Son according to the Spirit (Rom. 1:3-4). But the words and works of the Nazarene permit nothing but an absolute confession or denial. Either he is “the fulness of the godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9), or he is a blaspheming liar. His bold claims are either true or false. Consider them. Then weigh the evidence and decide what you think of the Christ.
Prophecy
Jesus said to his apostles:
These are my words which I spake while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms concerning me. (Lk. 24:44)
What one thinks of the Christ is directly related to what he thinks of Moses and the prophets of the Old Testament. Peter preached:
But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.
And,
Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me; to him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. Yea and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days. (Acts 3:18, 22, 24)
The Christ and the Old Testament prophets are inseparable. “Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets.” Jesus explained:
I came not to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law till all things be accomplished. (Matt. 5:17-18).
True belief in Moses and the prophets leads to faith in Christ. Even King Agrippa recognized this when Paul said to him, “Believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.” And Agrippa said unto Paul, “With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.” (Acts 26:27,28) Belief in the prophets is a persuasion to become a Christian. Consistency demands that we accept both or deny both. What do you think?
The Virgin Birth
The testimony of the virgin birth forces a total acceptance or denial of the Christ. Isaiah prophesied:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son; and they shall call his name Immanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us. (Matt. 1:23; Isa. 7:14)
Matthew testifies that Joseph took the virgin Mary for his wife, but he “knew her not till she had brought forth a son.”(Matt. l:25) If Christ was born of a virgin, then he is truly “Immanuel,” God with us – the Son of God. On the other hand, if he was the son, “as was supposed, of Joseph” (Lk. 3:23), then the claim that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14) is a lie. What do you think?
Miracles
Jesus rested his claim to be the Son of God on the miracles he performed.
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father. (Jn.10:37,38)
The original witnesses to the miracles of Jesus could not deny them. Many, like Nicodemus, logically reasoned:
We know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest except God be with him. (Jn. 3:2)
The working of a miracle confirmed the message as being from God. Thus Jesus’ claim to be God’s Son was verified by his supernatural works. What foolish inconsistency to admit the miracle and deny its implications. The blind man chided the prejudiced Pharisees who refused to acknowledge that the Miracle-worker was from God:
Why, herein is the marvel, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God and do his will, him he heareth. Since the world began it was never heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God. he could do nothing.
Note their brilliant response: “Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?” (Jn. 9:30-34). The uneducated but honest beggar could see that if Jesus could do miracles by the power of God, then his word was credible. Thus, to Christ’s claim to be the Son of God, he responded, “Lord, I believe.” (Jn. 9:35-38) What do you think?
The Resurrection
The Climactic proof of the deity of Christ is his resurrection from the dead. The apostle Paul eliminated any middle ground in his discourse on this subject.
If Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised; and if Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. (1 Cor. 15:14-19)
What you think of Christ depends on what you think of the testimony of those who claimed he was raised from the dead. If you believe these witnesses, then the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is an inevitable one. If you disbelieve them, such a confession would be ridiculous.
What do you think of Christ? Is he the One anointed of God as the prophet like unto Moses, the Priest after the order of Melchizedek, the King of kings? Is he the resurrected Savior of the world and Judge of all? Or is he a wicked imposter, as vile blasphemer, a demoniacal liar, a veritable son of the devil? You must decide for yourself. “What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?”
