Who Do You Say That I AM

By Dave Gaffney

Join author Dave Gaffney as he walks through Old and New Testament scripture to uncover what the Apostle John meant when he wrote, "He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him." 

Three scriptures hold the key, but a fourth solidifies Jesus' role as both Messiah and Jehovah God. Each chapter compare

• Language: English
• Publisher: OneSource Ministries
• Release date: Dec 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9780578825571

Book preview

Chapter 1: He Came to His Own People

In the introduction, I mentioned a passage from the Gospel of John that prompted me to scour the Bible for answers:

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

John 1:11 (ESV)

This is the first of three critical verses that tie the rest of this book together. It seems fairly straight forward, but is it?

Throughout his gospel record, John clearly made the case for Jesus being the promised Messiah Who the Jewish leaders rejected. That fits, and that’s what I was always taught and believed, but I kept questioning whether there was more to this verse.

KEY POINT: As we begin our study, it’s critical to establish a primary guiding principle: Scripture should always interpret scripture. God’s Word stands on its own merits. That means we will use scripture alone to reveal truth and we will not deviate from the central tenets of faith taught by Jesus or found elsewhere in scripture.

The first thing we need to do as we investigate the greater meaning of He came to His own is take a step back and look at how John placed Jesus on equal footing with the God of creation.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1 (KJV)

That is the second verse that ties everything together. We’ll address John’s description of Jesus as the Word later, but his assertion that Jesus was God is precisely why He was rejected by His own people.

The Jewish leaders were expecting their long-awaited messiah to be a messenger from God that would set them free from their oppressors and rule with righteousness.⁴ They were not expecting God Himself to take on human flesh and dwell in their midst. They were so secure in their interpretation of scripture, they accused Jesus of blasphemy and wanted to kill Him because He equated Himself with God.⁵

To be fair, their anger was based, in part, on their strict interpretation of scripture, since the book of Deuteronomy describes the God of Israel as a singular Lord.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV)

If their interpretation was correct, Jesus couldn’t be God. However, their narrow interpretation of the Lord being a singular entity rather than simply united as one does not align with the balance of scripture where there are numerous examples of God being a plural godhead. The most obvious example is found in the Genesis creation story since that is John’s starting point.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:1-3 (ESV – emphasis mine)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Genesis 1:1-2 (ESV)

The Hebrew word interpreted God in Genesis 1:1-2 is אֱלֹהִים (the plural Elohim),⁶ which is confirmed as being plural a few versus later by using the same plural Elohim in conjunction with us and our.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..."

Genesis 1:26 (ESV – emphasis mine)

As indicated, this is just one example. There are many others.

The Trinity and the Authority of Jesus

John may have equated Jesus (the Word) to God, but Jesus didn’t act alone. He described a hierarchy of authority to which He Himself was subject. Here is one example:

You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away...’ …I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

John 14:28 (ESV)

Jesus clearly acknowledged the supremacy of God the Father, yet the lines of authority between Father and Son are sometimes blurred in scripture, even as it pertains to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Peter and Paul both agree Jesus was raised by the power and glory of God the Father.

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

Peter in Acts 2:32 (ESV) 

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Paul in Romans 6:4 (ESV) 

In contrast, Jesus claimed He was granted the power of resurrection in Himself from the Father.

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

John 10:17-18 (ESV)

Peter and Paul weren’t contradicting Jesus. Jesus was merely providing breadcrumbs of discovery because there is so much more to the story.

Jesus never acted independently from His Father, but He clearly declared the authority to act was given to Him.

So Jesus said, …I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.

John 8:28-29 (NASB)

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Matthew 28:18 (NASB)

All authority in heaven and earth was granted to Jesus!

If we continue to read the close of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus confirmed the Old Testament plural Elohim used for God expressed as a three-person godhead, otherwise known as the Trinity, even though that term is not found in the Bible.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB)

Jesus also validated the Trinity doctrine when He (the Son) promised to send His disciples the Holy Spirit from His Father.

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.

Luke 24:49 (ESV)

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

Acts 1:4-5 (ESV)

Jesus is God. He wasn’t offering a simple faith building statement for His followers when He declared, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. He was making a definitive statement. That’s why He was able to tell them, Observe all that I have commanded you, which will hold even greater significance by the time we’ve finished this book.

Jesus didn’t have to proclaim his authority. It was recognized by everyone who heard Him teach or watched Him perform miracles.

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Matthew 7:28-29 (ESV)

And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching