After Jesus’ brothers had left for the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus decided to make His way to Jerusalem in secret so that He would not attract attention. The Jewish leaders were watching for Him and there was a lot of buzz about Him in the city streets as people whispered among themselves. But no one would speak publicly about who they thought Jesus was. It was easier to remain neutral.
When Jesus went to the temple and began to teach from the Scriptures, the people were amazed. They wondered how this son of a carpenter from Galilee could know the Scriptures like that even though He had not been trained. As Jesus continued to speak the uncomfortable truth to people, He was getting their attention. Here was this man sitting in the temple, speaking freely and with authority, yet the religious leaders were doing nothing to stop Him! Some started to wonder if maybe He was the Messiah after all.
The people that encountered Jesus had different responses to Him. Some saw Him as a “good man” or a “prophet.” Others thought He was a “deceiver” and even claimed He was “demon-possessed.” But many started to see Him for who He really was, the Messiah. They started to realize that this man from Galilee was God’s Son on God’s mission.
The question that people struggled to answer then is the same one we are faced with today. Who is Jesus? Was He just a good man that walked the earth 2,000 years ago, leaving us a good example to follow? Was He just a prophet that came to deliver a word from God? Was He a lunatic and a blasphemer that made false claims about Himself? Or is He exactly who He claimed to be? The way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6 NIV
Who is Jesus? — Your answer to this question will determine your eternity. If you choose to deny the fact that Jesus is God and that He came to die for your sins, you will stand before God in judgment with the debt for your sin still due. But if you acknowledge that salvation comes through Jesus alone and make Him Lord of your life, then you will stand before God in forgiveness, with the debt for your sin paid in full.
In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation], through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace. – Ephesians 1:7 AMP
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23 NLT
