Who Did He Claim to Be?
Introduction
Many people admire Jesus.
He is described as:
A moral teacher.
A prophet.
A reformer.
An example of compassion.
Even those who reject Christian doctrine often praise His ethical teaching.
But the central question is not whether Jesus was admirable.
It is whether His claims were true.
If Jesus was merely a teacher, Christianity may be optional.
If He is Lord, everything changes.
1. The Historical Question
The Gospels are not mythological poetry written centuries later.
They are first-century documents rooted in eyewitness testimony.
Even non-Christian historians acknowledge:
Jesus existed.
He was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
His followers claimed He rose from the dead.
The question is not whether Jesus existed.
The question is how to explain Him.
His teaching was not vague spirituality.
He forgave sins.
He claimed authority over the Sabbath.
He spoke of Himself as uniquely united to the Father.
He accepted worship.
These are not the actions of a mere moral adviser.
2. The Claims of Jesus
Consider what Jesus claimed:
Authority to forgive sins.
Authority over life and death.
Authority to judge humanity.
A unique relationship with God as Father.
In the Gospel of John, He declares:
“Before Abraham was, I am.”
This is not modest language.
It echoes the divine name revealed in the Old Testament.
If Jesus did not intend to claim divine authority, His words are inexplicable.
If He did intend to claim it, we face a decision.
A person who falsely claims divine authority is not merely mistaken.
He is either deluded or deceptive.
The idea that Jesus was simply a wise moral teacher does not align with the content of His claims.
3. The Resurrection
The Resurrection is the central event.
If Christ did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith collapses.
The earliest Christian preaching focused not on abstract moral teaching but on this claim:
“He is risen.”
The tomb was reported empty.
The disciples — previously fearful — proclaimed the Resurrection publicly.
Many suffered persecution and death for this testimony.
Fraud is unlikely when suffering is certain.
Hallucination does not explain the consistency and communal nature of the appearances.
Myth does not develop fully within a few decades while eyewitnesses are still alive.
The Resurrection is not merely symbolic language for hope.
It is presented as a historical event.
If it occurred, it confirms Christ’s authority.
If it did not, Christian faith is misplaced.
There is no comfortable middle ground.
4. The Moral Authority of Christ
Jesus did not present Himself as one teacher among many.
He did not say, “This is one path.”
He said:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
Such a statement is either true or false.
If true, it is universal.
If false, it is profoundly misleading.
Modern culture often prefers pluralism — the idea that all religious paths are equally valid.
But contradictory truth claims cannot all be correct.
Either Christ uniquely reveals God, or He does not.
Respect for other religions does not require denial of logical consistency.
5. Why This Matters
If Jesus is merely a teacher:
His moral teaching may be admired or ignored.
His Church becomes optional.
His sacraments become symbolic.
If Jesus is Lord:
His authority binds conscience.
His Church carries real authority.
His sacraments convey real grace.
Christianity is not built on vague inspiration.
It is built on a claim about a person.
Faith in Christ is not faith in an idea.
It is trust in a risen Lord.
6. The Personal Dimension
The question “Who is Jesus?” is not purely academic.
It becomes personal.
If He rose from the dead,
He is not a figure of the past.
He is living.
If He is living,
He demands response.
Indifference becomes difficult to justify.
One cannot remain permanently neutral.
Every adult must eventually answer:
Who do I say that He is?
Conclusion
The Catholic faith does not rest on myth, sentiment, or inherited custom.
It rests on the person of Jesus Christ.
If He is Lord, everything else follows:
The authority of the Church.
The reality of the Eucharist.
The seriousness of moral teaching.
The hope of eternal life.
If He is not Lord, Christianity collapses into moral philosophy.
The question is unavoidable.
It demands an honest answer.
Reflection Questions
Have I reduced Jesus to a moral example rather than Lord?
Have I examined the historical credibility of the Resurrection?
Do I treat Christ’s authority as binding or advisory?
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
As You are truly risen,
strengthen my faith.
Guard me from indifference.
Help me respond with honesty
and trust in Your authority.
Amen.
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 